RPDPHW Chapter 55

After Zhong Shujin left Leng Shaoying’s room, she went straight back to her own. She had planned to return and sleep a little longer with Gu Qingyin, but when she arrived, Gu Qingyin was already gone.

Zhong Shujin touched the bedding and found it had already gone cold.

It seemed that not long after she had left, Gu Qingyin must have gotten up.

Noticing that there were fewer medicines on the table than before, Zhong Shujin immediately rushed to Lin Ziyan’s room to check.

Sure enough, Gu Qingyin was indeed there.

“Fortunately, after taking the medicine, the fever subsided. However, she still hasn’t woken up, so the situation doesn’t look very optimistic. Tonight, I’ll have to trouble you to keep a close watch. If she shows any unusual symptoms, remember to come and call me immediately. Understand?”

After helping Lin Ziyan put on some clothes, Gu Qingyin seriously instructed Shan Wenshu.

“Doctor Gu, you’re too polite. Even if she hadn’t been injured because of me, I would still take care of her like that. But since all these wounds were suffered because of me, I will take even better care of her. Don’t worry, I’ll look after her well tonight.”

Gu Qingyin had originally wanted to say more, but after seeing the hint of bitterness on Shan Wenshu’s face, she chose to stay silent.

Forget it. After all, this was something between the two of them, and it was better for her not to interfere too much.

Just then, Zhong Shujin pushed the door open and entered.

Shan Wenshu gently wiped away the cold sweat on Lin Ziyan’s forehead and thoughtfully suggested, “Doctor Gu, why don’t you go back and rest for a while? If anything happens, I’ll come and call you. How about that?”

Since lying on her back would press against the wounds on her back, and lying on her front would put pressure on the injuries on her chest, Shan Wenshu had been holding Lin Ziyan in her arms the entire time since returning to the room.

After all, resting in a soft embrace was far more comfortable than lying on a hard bed.

“Mm.” Gu Qingyin caught a glimpse of Zhong Shujin walking up beside her and stood up, saying, “Then I’ll head back now.”

Before Zhong Shujin could even exchange a few words, Gu Qingyin had already taken her away.

“Is Ziyan’s injury serious?”

Zhong Shujin hooked her arm around Gu Qingyin’s and strolled alongside her back to their room.

“She has a strong constitution. Besides, that general was quite precise with his strikes—most of the wounds on her back are just surface injuries. A few days of pain, and she should be fine. It’s the wound on her chest that’s more serious.”

The two rooms weren’t far apart. After just a few steps, they were already back.

How disappointing—why was the walk so short?

Reluctantly, Zhong Shujin let go of Gu Qingyin’s arm, watching as she reached to close the door.

“Oh, right.” After shutting the door, Gu Qingyin turned back to look at Zhong Shujin and asked, “Earlier, what was Senior Leng trying to say to me?”

Zhong Shujin froze for a moment, then lowered her gaze and replied, “Nothing important. She has already told me everything.”

“Really?” Gu Qingyin studied Zhong Shujin’s subtle expressions carefully before continuing, “But from what I heard, it seemed like she had something to say to me.”

“How did you know that?”

Suddenly recalling the moment she had stolen a kiss from Gu Qingyin earlier, Zhong Shujin felt her cheeks grow warm. “Don’t tell me… you were just pretending to be asleep the whole time!”

At that, Gu Qingyin gave a knowing smile, leaned in, and teased, “That’s right. So, everything you did while I was ‘asleep’—I know it all.”

Zhong Shujin’s face instantly flushed a deep red.

But… she had a feeling Gu Qingyin didn’t actually know.

Otherwise, given her personality, she would have opened her eyes on the spot just to watch Zhong Shujin squirm in embarrassment and tease her a little.

Instead of bringing it up now like settling old scores, she should have mentioned it earlier.

After figuring that out, Zhong Shujin suddenly became much bolder.

“Oh? And what exactly do you think I did?” She stepped forward confidently, lifting Gu Qingyin’s chin and rubbing it gently between her fingers. Raising an eyebrow with a playful smile, she teased, “Could it be… you had a dream about something and mistakenly assumed I did it to you?”

This time, it was Gu Qingyin’s turn to blush uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Zhong Shujin burst into laughter. “Qingqing, what exactly did you dream about? What did I do to you in that dream to make you blush like this?”

Gu Qingyin had never expected that not only would she fail to intimidate Zhong Shujin this time, but she would actually end up being teased instead.

In truth, Gu Qingyin had woken up earlier because of Leng Shaoying knocking on the door. Maybe it was because emotions tend to be more intense right after waking up, but at that moment, Zhong Shujin’s instinctive gesture—covering her ears—had unexpectedly struck a chord deep in her heart.

She had only pretended to stay asleep because she didn’t want Zhong Shujin to notice the moisture in her eyes.

Now, being openly teased like this, Gu Qingyin found herself growing a little flustered.

Quickly swatting Zhong Shujin’s hand away, she changed the subject and asked, “What did Senior Leng want to say? Was she asking about our relationship?”

Hearing this, Zhong Shujin froze for a brief moment.

Noticing the subtle tension hidden in Gu Qingyin’s expression, she immediately put on a serious face and nodded solemnly. “Yes, you guessed right. She was asking about what exactly our relationship is.”

When Gu Qingyin had spoken at the table earlier, anyone listening wouldn’t have thought too much about it. After all, sometimes the more straightforward and open one is about an unspeakable sentiment, the less likely others are to believe it.

Gu Qingyin never expected that after all this, General Lin would suddenly come chasing after them. With all the commotion that followed, anyone with a bit of perception could easily discern the relationship between Lin Ziyan and that person.

Since those two had already set a precedent, there was no guarantee that others wouldn’t start making connections between her and Zhong Shujin either.

Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean everyone present would see it that way. Some might stubbornly insist on viewing Lin Ziyan and the other person as nothing more than close, like-minded friends.

Or perhaps, the onlookers would simply believe that what Gu Qingyin had said earlier was nothing more than a joke.

Gu Qingyin didn’t know what the others were thinking, but for Leng Shaoying to choose this moment to pull her aside for a conversation… that alone was proof that she had at least started to suspect something.

Seeing the seriousness in Zhong Shujin’s expression, Gu Qingyin’s eyelids twitched slightly.

“Did I cause trouble for you? If they find out about this, will it be serious?”

“Yes.” Zhong Shujin nodded firmly, her expression grave. “Very serious. My master is not as easygoing as General Lin. If he finds out about us, he might break my legs first and then kill you.”

“… Then, how did you answer?”

“How else could I answer? Of course, I told her we had nothing going on! What if I really got my legs broken?”

Hearing this, the light in Gu Qingyin’s eyes dimmed slightly. She lowered her gaze, forcing a helpless smile. “Mm, that was the right answer. I was thoughtless to have said those things so openly.”

Even though she appeared as calm as ever, Zhong Shujin could still sense the faint trace of disappointment lingering around her.

With a sudden burst of laughter, Zhong Shujin’s previously solemn expression vanished, replaced by a bright, unwavering smile. “I was just messing with you! Stop calling her ‘Senior’ from now on—just follow my lead and call her Sister Ying. What I actually told her was this: if anyone dares to hurt you, they’ll have to step over my dead body first! Now, are you satisfied?”

Gu Qingyin’s eyes lit up as she looked at Zhong Shujin in surprise and joy.

A moment of happiness after disappointment always feels sweeter than ordinary joy.

The next second, she was pulled into Zhong Shujin’s embrace.

“Qingqing, from now on, I will protect you. Don’t worry—even if it’s my master, I won’t let him have the chance to hurt you.”

Hearing those gentle words in her ear, Gu Qingyin’s heart trembled violently. She clenched Zhong Shujin’s clothes tightly, too overwhelmed to find the right words.

But the thing that brought her the greatest joy today was yet to come.

“These past two years, I’ve missed you too. But I couldn’t convince myself that it was okay to miss you, so I buried those feelings deep inside.”

That night, Gu Qingyin asked, After two years apart, have you ever thought of me? And today, Zhong Shujin finally gave her long-overdue answer.

“But no matter how much I tried to suppress it, I could never deny the truth. I miss you—I miss you so much. You’ve become my heart’s torment, always lingering in my thoughts, making it impossible for me to even focus on my training. I miss you, but I resent you for it. I long to see you, yet I could never bring myself to go looking for you.”

Holding Gu Qingyin tightly, Zhong Shujin continued speaking with quiet tenderness.

“But if I had known that for the past two years, you’d been doing such dangerous things, then no matter how much I tried to endure them, I would never have let you wander the jianghu alone. Qingqing, can you promise me something? Please don’t take on such dangerous tasks anymore. And if there’s something you must do, then take me with you—okay?”

Gu Qingyin buried her face in Zhong Shujin’s neck, sniffling softly, unable to hold back her emotions.

Her warm tears dampened Zhong Shujin’s skin, searing into her heart.

Carefully, Zhong Shujin cupped Gu Qingyin’s face and wiped away her tears.

“Qingqing, I know—I was wrong before. I hurt you too deeply. But now, I regret it. Can you give me a chance to forget the pain of the past? Let’s start over—can we?”

“Zhong Shujin, did you secretly coat your lips with honey today?”

Gu Qingyin couldn’t stop crying at Zhong Shujin’s heartfelt words. No matter how composed she usually was, losing control like this in front of the person she loved made her feel unbearably shy. She reached out and pinched Zhong Shujin’s cheek in embarrassment and frustration. “Suddenly talking so sweetly—I wasn’t even prepared for it!”

Zhong Shujin’s eyes curved into a smile as she quickly responded, “Then hurry up and get ready!” She caught Gu Qingyin’s hand and held it tightly in her own. “I just want you to know that the person you love can be just as affectionate—so that no other man gets the chance to steal you away!”

Gu Qingyin’s tears, which she had just managed to stop, started flowing again.

“Qingqing, you’re so incredible. I’m really afraid someone might take you away from me.”

Zhong Shujin lowered her head and kissed Gu Qingyin’s eyelids, tasting the salty tears as she murmured, “Don’t cry anymore, okay? Let’s start over. This time, I swear I won’t leave you again.”

Those words brought back all the loneliness and sorrow Gu Qingyin had endured over the past two years.

They reminded her of the day Zhong Shujin had walked away without hesitation.

At a moment of happiness, recalling painful memories only made the sorrow cut deeper.

Tears poured down Gu Qingyin’s face as she clutched Zhong Shujin’s waist tightly, pulling her in and pressing a fierce, desperate kiss against her lips, biting down hard.

Their tears mixed between their lips, carrying the taste of salt and blood, making the kiss all the more raw and intense.

But after just a few breaths, the harsh bites softened into tender licks, and the kiss deepened into something slow, aching, and passionate.

What should have tasted bitter and metallic now felt surprisingly sweet on Gu Qingyin’s tongue.

It seemed Zhong Shujin really had coated her lips with honey today.

“I’m giving you only this one chance.” Gu Qingyin pressed her forehead against Zhong Shujin’s, gasping through her tears. “If you dare to leave me again, don’t even dream of me chasing after you across the jianghu ever again!”