His palm was broad. With a slight bend of his thumb, he could touch Qu Yue's swollen ankle bone.
His warm fingertips, along with the medicinal powder, gently circled on her delicate skin.
A tingling sensation spread from her ankle, coursing through her limbs. Unconsciously, Qu Yue withdrew her foot slightly, and her delicate body leaning against the chair trembled faintly.
She bit her lower lip gently. "Let me rub it myself."
However, Wen Wuyou exerted a bit of strength and forcibly held her ankle.
His fox - like eyes lifted playfully. "Isn't it a bit too late to be shy now?"
Qu Yue looked straight into his scrutinizing gaze. In his dark pupils, there was undisguised mockery.
Was he hinting that he was the one last night?
The man's repeated teasing and ambiguous words left Qu Yue utterly confused.
During her moment of distraction, Wen Wuyou had already grabbed her leg and was massaging it carefully.
When he rubbed the bruised area, Qu Yue winced in pain, and a soft moan escaped her lips.
It was like a cat's meow, gently tickling Wen Wuyou's heart.
He paused in his actions, with a flirtatious glint in the corners of his eyes. "Are you trying to seduce me?"
Qu Yue's temper flared up instantly. Her eyes, already misty with pain, glared at him. "You're pressing too hard!"
Wen Wuyou shrugged indifferently. "How can the bruise be healed without enough force?"
Qu Yue was rendered speechless. Her pink lips moved several times, but she didn't know what to say.
Just as Wen Wuyou was about to "kind - heartedly" take the blame, Qu Yue spoke up.
Her tone, which she thought was justifiable, was actually full of coquetry. "You could have told me in advance."
The strength in Wen Wuyou's hand pressing on her foot suddenly froze. A coldness spread in his evil and wanton eyes. "If I told you in advance, would you still let me do it?"
There were still tears in Qu Yue's eyes, and a faint redness circled her eye sockets. She said brazenly, "I could endure it."
Wen Wuyou let out a mocking laugh.
Endure?
If she could endure, she wouldn't have done such a thing last night.
Thinking of that scene, an inexplicable anger welled up in Wen Wuyou's chest, and the hand holding her ankle gradually tightened.
In his palm, the woman's fair skin was as smooth as fat, like a piece of top - grade mutton - fat jade.
He couldn't put it down.
Qu Yue felt a bit uncomfortable being held by the foot.
Although she was injured and had no choice, after all, men and women should be kept apart.
Her long eyelashes fluttered shyly. After taking a deep breath, she lowered her eyes to check the situation of the medicine application.
She saw that a layer of powder was applied on her swollen ankle. Thanks to Wen Wuyou's massage, it was now evenly spreading a cool, pain - relieving sensation under the skin.
It really did relieve the pain.
So it should be done, right?
Qu Yue wiggled her foot to remind him. "It seems the medicine is applied."
Her soft voice lingered between them.
The gentle tone reached Wen Wuyou's ears, and he didn't hear the slightest hint of urging.
Instead, it made him look up at Qu Yue again.
The woman hadn't recovered from the shame of having her foot touched. The tips of her ears were tinged with a faint pink. Her white teeth were biting her lower lip nervously, leaving tiny white marks.
Her eyes, which had been teary from the pain of his massage, were now staring at him intently, clear and bright.
Wen Wuyou's Adam's apple rolled slightly. "I know."
Qu Yue wondered in her heart why he didn't let go if he knew.
After waiting for a while, he still didn't move.
She had no choice but to lick her lips timidly and tried to retract her foot.
As soon as she moved, Wen Wuyou pulled her back. "Wasting medicinal materials is not a good habit."
"Ah?" Qu Yue's peach - blossom eyes widened in confusion.
He smiled without sincerity and casually made up an excuse. "Doesn't the medicinal powder need time to be absorbed?"
Qu Yue didn't understand. Hearing what he said, she believed it. Even though she was extremely resistant in her heart, she could only endure it.
In the silent kitchen, Wen Wuyou half - squatted on the ground, holding Qu Yue's ankle, waiting for the so - called absorption of the medicinal effect.
It wasn't until Qu Yue's eyelids were drooping that he finally let go.
As soon as she was free, she quickly retracted her foot and covered the fair skin with her skirt. She said softly, "Thank you, General Wen."
The warmth in his palm disappeared. A hint of something intense flashed in Wen Wuyou's eyes.
He gently rubbed his fingertips until the warmth belonging to Qu Yue faded away, and then he reached for the folding fan at his waist.
When he opened it, the excessive force made the air whine.
This dispelled the inappropriate heat in Wen Wuyou's heart.
Wen Wuyou licked the inside of his teeth with his tongue, confirming that she was really good at pretending to be pitiful.
Was Mu Yuan persuaded like this back then?
Qu Yue returned to the stove, picked up the stone mortar, and poured out the flower juice and petals inside, putting them in separate containers.
While kneading the dough, she didn't forget to look up and remind Wen Wuyou.
A smile was on her small face, which was a bit dusty with flour. "General Wen, please sit on the bench and wait for me for a while. It'll be ready soon."
Wen Wuyou didn't sit down.
Instead, he followed Qu Yue's direction and walked to her side.
His purple - red robe with split sides perfectly accentuated his good figure. But he leaned against the stove in a rather slovenly way, crossing his arms and looking down at Qu Yue.
Who would believe that this was a young general with illustrious military achievements?
Qu Yue was speechless. She tilted her head and asked what he wanted to do.
Wen Wuyou stared straight at her. After a long while, he shook his head and clicked his tongue. "My late brother was really unlucky."
"He was sent to the battlefield on his wedding night and never even saw his newly - wedded wife."
He seemed to be pitying, but in fact, his mockery was palpable.
Mentioning Mu Yuan, the false harmonious atmosphere between them shattered instantly, just like ice under the scorching sun.
Qu Yue's hand holding the pestle tightened. "What do you want to say, General Wen?"
"I want to say, what a coincidence."
"Being transferred away on the wedding night and then dying on the battlefield."
Wen Wuyou stepped closer to Qu Yue, his smile sinister. "Qu Yue, you must know, right?"
His oppressive aura was too strong. Qu Yue swallowed hard. "What should I know?"
She asked sincerely, but Wen Wuyou stopped talking.
He just sneered. "You're really good at pretending to be stupid."
Qu Yue didn't know what had offended this great god again. Thinking that more words would lead to more mistakes, she simply lowered her head and continued kneading the dough.
Because of her injured foot, her speed was a bit slower.
The faint fragrance of the hibiscus flowers, along with the aroma of the flour, gradually filled the entire kitchen.
Wen Wuyou wasn't annoyed at not getting an answer to his previous question. He picked a new topic. "You're so eager to make hibiscus cakes for me?"
Qu Yue was kneading the dough. Hearing this, her hand trembled, and she spilled too much flour.
She turned her head. "Didn't you say that if I made hibiscus cakes for you, you would save me?"
Wen Wuyou seemed to be deliberately looking for trouble. "But I didn't say I would eat them today."
Bang!
It was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, striking Qu Yue to a crisp.
She was almost done!
Having been toyed with by him again and again, Qu Yue's patience was completely exhausted.
She angrily threw the pestle into the stone mortar. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Wen Wuyou chuckled. "I couldn't bear to."
"Yue'er is so eager to make them. I have to fulfill your wish."
Moreover, wasn't it interesting to watch her get angry?
If he had said he wouldn't eat them earlier, he wouldn't have seen her flare up.
Qu Yue was seen through by Wen Wuyou. Annoyed, she pointed at all the ingredients one by one. "I've prepared all the ingredients!"
"How can you say you don't want to eat them now..."