After the meal, the waiter had already cleaned the room again, and the bed sheets were spotless once more.
"I'll go back to my room first." Ning Anmiao got up and was about to leave. Lu Yan slightly lowered his eyes, bent his fingers slightly, and gently tapped on the table.
"Drink the water."
Only then did Ning Anmiao remember the cup of motherwort granule concoction on the table. If Lu Yan hadn't reminded her, she would have almost forgotten.
It was scalding hot before the meal, but now the temperature was just right for drinking. She picked up the cup and took a sip, then wrinkled her nose in pain.
It tasted bitter, and the bitterness assailed her nose.
She frowned and forced herself to gulp down all the liquid in one go.
"So bitter!" She stuck out her tongue, trying to get rid of the lingering bitter taste in her mouth.
Lu Yan saw it all. He stood up, walked towards her, and without saying a word, took out two preserved plum candies from his pocket and put them on the table.
The action was so natural and smooth that Ning Anmiao couldn't help staring blankly at the two candies. Her face flushed slightly.
Did he think she was a child? Did she need candy to coax her into taking medicine?
Thinking this way, she silently stuffed the two candies into her pocket.
...
Although she had drunk the motherwort granules, the effect didn't come quickly. Soon, Ning Anmiao curled up on the bed, making herself into a small ball.
At first, there was just a slight pain, but later the pain became more and more intense. Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.
Maybe it was because she only wore a cheongsam last night, and she had caught a cold. The pain was stronger and more obvious than before.
She regretted that she had been so slow to drink the motherwort granules earlier.
She should have drunk it earlier. Maybe she wouldn't be in so much pain now.
Just as she was suffering from the abdominal pain and filled with regret, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Miaomiao, are you asleep?" It was Lu Yan's steady voice.
Ning Anmiao poked her head out from under the quilt. "Not yet."
The doorknob turned, and the man walked in. Seeing her huddled in the bed, he understood what was going on.
"Not feeling well?"
Without waiting for Ning Anmiao's answer, Lu Yan took it as a yes.
The man stood beside the bed. He was wearing a shirt, and his figure was still upright. He somehow found a blanket and covered it over her quilt.
Ning Anmiao was about to say that it wasn't necessary, but Lu Yan was more considerate than she thought. "There's a temperature difference at night. It's less likely to catch a cold if you cover up thicker."
Ning Anmiao had no choice but to shut up.
He bent down slightly. When he covered the blanket on her, his expression was calm and natural, as if he was used to doing this.
The way he took care of her so attentively made Ning Anmiao's heart beat faster. It seemed that the pain in her lower abdomen was not so severe.
Memories of their past interactions flashed through her mind. It seemed that Lu Yan had always been like this, always doing everything excellently within his ability.
Lu Yan said, "Can you still hold on? Do you want me to call a doctor for you?"
There was a gentle look in his eyes, and his steady voice was very reassuring. "Don't hold it in. You can tell me anytime."
Ning Anmiao lowered her eyes. Her heart was beating faster and faster. She felt her face was burning hot, and her voice was tiny. "I know."
Lu Yan was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I'll rub your stomach. It can relieve the pain."
"N - no, it's okay." Ning Anmiao felt her face must be bright red now.
Lu Yan saw her embarrassment and his tone became a bit firmer. "There's no need to be shy. You've done this for me too."
Ning Anmiao was stunned. "I've done this for you?"
Lu Yan awkwardly touched his nose. "During those months when our bodies were swapped, I knew nothing about these things. It was you who taught me."
He had never really experienced the pain of menstruation, so he didn't know how difficult it was for women during those days.
Now, he knew.
It was precisely because he had experienced this pain that he knew better how to take care of Miaomiao.
He said, "Lie down."
His tone was firm, but it didn't seem frivolous at all. Instead, it was an attitude that was hard to refuse.
At this moment, Ning Anmiao wavered in her heart for a while, and finally obediently lay flat on the bed, looking at Lu Yan with her big eyes.
Seeing that she was so obedient, Lu Yan curved his lips imperceptibly.
He sat on the side of the bed, leaned towards Ning Anmiao, and gently reached his big hand into the quilt, covering it on her lower abdomen.
The sudden contact made Ning Anmiao tense up. All the nerves in her body were on edge.
However, Lu Yan clearly knew how to behave himself. He didn't grope around randomly. He just stayed on her lower abdomen and gently rubbed it for her.
The other person's palm was dry and warm, with a bit of strength in it. His actions were full of seriousness and patience, without the slightest bit of perfunctory.
"Do you feel better?" His voice was gentle.
Ning Anmiao's voice was even smaller. "Yes."
"Good, that's good." Lu Yan saw her gradually relaxing expression and silently let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed that Miaomiao still wasn't very on guard against him.
Lying flat on the bed, from Ning Anmiao's perspective, she could only see Lu Yan's serious side profile.
The light in the room was warm yellow, shining on him and outlining a gentle aura.
Lu Yan's face was still not much different from when he was young. He was still extremely handsome. Time hadn't left any traces on his face but had given him a mature charm.
Such a man had always had no shortage of women chasing after him.
But he was immune to the opposite sex. Sometimes, Ning Anmiao often thought that if she hadn't taken the initiative back then, maybe Lu Yan would still be single now.
A golden bachelor. It sounded even more attractive.
Thinking like this, she didn't know if it was the effect of the motherwort granules or Lu Yan's warm palm. Ning Anmiao's eyelids began to droop.
She had expended too much energy during the day. She gradually relaxed her nerves. Finally, the figure of the man in front of her became blurred, and she fell into a deep sleep.
She was asleep.
Lu Yan lowered his eyes, and his hand movements gradually became lighter. His eyes fell on her sleeping face.
Her small face was fair, and her eyebrows and eyes were now relaxed, completely different from the painful look when he first opened the door.
It seemed that the pain was gone.
Ning Anmiao was originally cute and gentle - looking. Now that she was asleep, she looked even cuter. It made people couldn't help but want to kiss her.
And Lu Yan did just that.
He stared at her sleeping face for a long time. Finally, he couldn't help it anymore. His thin lips touched her forehead and kissed her gently.
It was as pious as if he was treating his most precious treasure.
"Good night, Miaomiao."
...