The overly direct question was like a cold gust of wind that froze Qu Yue's lips and teeth.
Her breath circled around her rosy lips, carrying her unique fragrance, but she still couldn't piece together a coherent answer.
If it had been three years ago, she might have stumbled through a response because of Mu Yuan.
But now, as a widow, it was really...
Qu Yue's tangled little expression dispelled Wen Wuyou's previous unhappiness. He chuckled merrily. "You're not really thinking about how to answer, are you?"
So he was just teasing her again!
Anger tinged Qu Yue's eyebrows and eyes. She glared at him fiercely. "No!"
Not wanting to say another word to this man, she quickened her pace and headed straight for the kitchen.
Qu Yue's limping back came into Wen Wuyou's view. Her black hair, loose behind her waist, gently swept back and forth, and even the air seemed to be tinged with fragrance.
The glint of amusement in Wen Wuyou's eyes quietly faded, leaving only a cold, merciless look.
Stubborn woman.
She could have just asked him to help her to the kitchen but instead chose to play the pitiful one.
Was this how she lured Mu Yuan back from the battlefield?
---
As the sun set in the west, it sank below the horizon, leaving a pale pink hue across the sky, just like the hibiscus flowers Qu Yue had once collected in a stone mortar.
Her slender white fingers held the pestle, gently grinding the petals until the juice flowed out and the petals turned into paste. Only then did she stop.
Because of her sprained foot, Qu Yue had to lean most of her body weight on the stove. Coupled with the stuffy heat in the kitchen and the non - breathable mourning clothes she was wearing, she was steaming with heat.
When Wen Wuyou strolled in, he saw her propping herself up on the stove with both hands, struggling to bend down to pick up firewood.
The loose mourning clothes couldn't hide the woman's graceful curves. Every well - placed restraint accentuated her charm.
The glistening beads of sweat gathered on her forehead, playfully sliding down her cheeks and disappearing into her tight collar.
Even Wen Wuyou, who was used to seeing beautiful women, couldn't help but hold his breath.
"Does the Princess of the Heir Apparent have to do such hard labor herself?"
He should have just watched coldly, but seeing Qu Yue wiping the sweat off, his feet uncontrollably stepped into the kitchen. He walked up to her and took the bundle of firewood from her.
Feeling her hands go empty, Qu Yue looked up in surprise. Her gaze slowly traveled up the strong arms carrying the firewood.
The candlelight cast heavy shadows, highlighting Wen Wuyou's high - bridged features. A few strands of hair hanging from his temples gently brushed against his face, outlining a sharp and clean jawline.
In the dim yellow light, his skin, which had seen years on the battlefield, still had an unnatural cold - white hue, like cold jade that had been dormant for thousands of years, creating a strange harmony with his iron - blooded aura.
Qu Yue averted her gaze. "Th - thank you."
Wen Wuyou tossed the firewood into the stove, dusted off his hands, and walked towards Qu Yue.
Before she could react, he squatted down and grabbed her foot. "How did you get hurt?"
Qu Yue wriggled uncomfortably. "I accidentally sprained it when I was going down the steps."
"You're really clumsy." Wen Wuyou put her foot down, got up, and hung his folding fan on his waist. Then he walked towards the little maid at the door.
In a short while, the shy laughter of the maid came from outside.
When he came back, he was holding a stool in his hand.
Qu Yue looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Wen Wuyou smiled. "What are you looking at?"
Qu Yue shook her head and hopped to get back to work. "I'm going to make..." Hibiscus cakes.
Before she could finish her sentence, her elbow was suddenly grabbed.
In the tug - of - war of strength, her whole body was forcibly pressed onto the wooden stool.
Wen Wuyou squatted down to look her in the eye. "Your foot is so swollen and you're still hopping around? Do you want to lose your foot?"
He half - coaxed and half - warned. "You'd better sit still until I come back."
---
It was inevitable to get bumps and bruises on the battlefield, so Wen Wuyou always kept a large supply of wound medicine in his room.
He picked and chose, thinking they might all come in handy.
His long, slender fingers gently twirled the medicine bottle, and Qu Yue's ankle seemed to still be in his palm.
Even through the clothes, he could feel the woman's overly delicate bones. It seemed as if they would break with a gentle squeeze.
No wonder she could trick Mu Yuan into giving up the chance of promotion and eagerly marry her.
But he didn't realize that at this moment, he, carrying a large pile of wound medicine to find Qu Yue, was no different from Mu Yuan back then.
When Wen Wuyou returned to the kitchen, Qu Yue was sitting very obediently.
Her two hands were neatly placed on her legs, her back was straight, and her eyes were fixed on the door.
He put down the wound medicine. "Yue'er is really obedient."
Qu Yue was a bit annoyed. "Didn't you tell me not to move?"
Now he was saying she was obedient.
So did he want her to move or not?
"Yes." Wen Wuyou let out a soft laugh and rolled up her trouser leg.
Not sure if it was the wind or the warmth from the man's palm that was burning her ankle, Qu Yue nervously pulled back her foot. "What are you doing!"
Wen Wuyou showed her the porcelain bottle in his hand. "How can your foot get better if you don't apply medicine?"
Although Qu Yue had been married for three years, she had been a widow in all but name for those three years.
Wen Wuyou's frequent, seemingly accidental physical contact made her feel at a loss.
Her beautiful eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyes and fluttered nervously. "I - I can do it myself."
Wen Wuyou didn't respond. He just handed the medicine bottle to her.
He took out his folding fan from his waist, gently flicked it open with his thumb, and fanned the air slowly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qu Yue take out the cork and was about to pour the medicine into her mouth.
Wen Wuyou: "..."
Just before the powder was about to pour out of the bottle, he quickly grabbed Qu Yue's hand and stopped her stupid action.
Before he could mock her for not being able to tell the difference between external and internal medicine, he heard a light laugh.
Wen Wuyou:?
Qu Yue's eyes curved into a smile. "You've teased me so many times. It's only fair that I tease you once."
"Besides, I'm not that stupid."
"I can at least tell the difference between external and internal medicine."
She proudly shook her head, still feeling smug about the success of her prank.
Wen Wuyou's face still didn't look good. "How did you know I would definitely stop you?"
What if he had just watched the show? Would she really have swallowed it?
Qu Yue analyzed rationally. "These medicines should be very expensive, right?"
"If I ate them, you'd definitely feel bad, and it would be a waste."
Qu Yue was a native of the capital, but her speech always had a soft, southern accent.
Every word that came out of her mouth was like a sticky, sweet cake.
Wen Wuyou didn't really listen to her explanation.
All his attention was focused on her pink lips. How could someone speak so softly?
Moreover, with his rank, he had access to all kinds of medicinal materials and would never be short of them.
The only reason he stopped her could be her.
Wen Wuyou calmly took the medicine bottle from her hand. "You know me so well?"
He squatted down, lifted Qu Yue's leg, and pulled up her trouser leg, revealing a section of snow - white ankle.
There was a big bump at the joint, and the fair skin was terribly swollen and red.
Wen Wuyou frowned. "It's so serious. Why didn't you go see a doctor?"
"It's not that bad."
She had endured much more severe beatings and hardships than this before.
Wen Wuyou didn't argue with a fool.
He held the medicine bottle above her ankle and gently tapped the neck of the bottle. The powder fell vertically onto her ankle.
It was slightly itchy, like a falling leaf landing on a lake, creating ripples in Qu Yue's heart.