ODF Chapter 8

As Shen Lingzhen paced under the corridor, she spotted Kongqing hurrying toward the bathhouse with a lacquer tray in hand.

On the tray was a neatly folded stack of white garments. From a distance, she called out, “What are you doing? Has Young Master finished bathing?”

Kongqing turned back and bowed to her. “Replying to Young Madam, Master is still in the bathhouse. I’m delivering his clothes. The servant assigned to the task was careless. He brought the outer robe, but forgot the inner garments.”

Shen Lingzhen nodded. “Then you’d better hurry.”

Kongqing froze, staring at her with wide eyes, as if waiting for something more.

“I’m fine here,” Shen Lingzhen said, puzzled by his lingering gaze. “Don’t keep Young Master waiting.”

“Ah, yes, right away.” Kongqing bowed again, but as he turned to leave, he winced and let out a sharp hiss. One hand trembled as he tried to steady the tray, while the other clutched his stomach.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just a bit of… stomach trouble, Young Madam. It’s been bothering me all afternoon…”

He trailed off, clearly reluctant to speak of such an unrefined matter in front of a noblewoman. But Shen Lingzhen understood, her expression flickering with hesitation. Finally, she bit her lip gently, as if making a decision. “Then go take care of yourself. I’ll deliver the clothes.”

“That won’t do!” Though his mouth was twisted in pain, he still protested. “Young Madam, you’re of noble birth, how could you do a servant’s task?”

“It’s just a tray of clothes. What’s so noble or lowly about that?” She smiled and took the tray from him. “Go on. I’ll handle this.”

“Then I’m deeply grateful…” Kongqing hunched over, biting back the pain, and pointed her toward the bathhouse. Then he darted off, vanishing around the corner. Only when he reached a quiet spot did he straighten up and pat his chest in relief.

Shen Lingzhen approached the bathhouse door, nerves fluttering. She freed one hand and knocked gently.

From inside came a muffled voice: “Come in.”

As Shen Lingzhen pushed open the door, a wave of heat mixed with the pungent scent of medicinal herbs surged toward her. Her eyes immediately landed on Huo Liuxing’s bare arm and shoulder, resting against the edge of the bath barrel.

She had never seen a man’s body before. Faced with such a scene, her heart raced, her mind spun, and her legs instinctively tried to retreat. But remembering the bigger picture, she forced herself to inch forward and gently set down the lacquer tray.

Huo Liuxing was resting with his eyes closed, his forehead propped on his arm, seemingly unaware of her presence.

From behind, all she could see was a patch of broken skin near his elbow. As for other injuries or scars, she couldn’t tell.

Biting her lip in hesitation, she tiptoed forward, trying to circle around to the front.

It was only then that Huo Liuxing seemed to sense something amiss. He opened his eyes and turned slightly, a flicker of surprise flashing across his gaze, clearly not expecting it to be her.

Shen Lingzhen startled like a thief caught red-handed. She opened her mouth to explain, but her eyes were drawn to his body and refused to move away.

From this angle, she could see the upper part of his chest. Just below his left collarbone, about two inches down, was a square-shaped, jagged scar. Though the hot water had made it slightly red, giving it a fresher appearance than an old wound, the location and shape matched perfectly.

Even though she had braced herself for this moment for a full day and night, seeing it with her own eyes still left her stunned. Her gaze flickered, and she forgot to speak.

Following her line of sight, Huo Liuxing glanced down at himself.

Only then did Shen Lingzhen snap back to reality. She stumbled back two steps and covered her eyes.

Of course, from Huo Liuxing’s perspective, she had reacted a bit too slowly.

Flushed with embarrassment, she turned her back to him and stammered, “Kongqing had a stomach issue on his way to deliver your clothes, so I brought them instead.”

Huo Liuxing chuckled, propping himself up with one arm. “Oh? Is that so?”

She nodded, caught between staying and fleeing. After a moment of hesitation, she turned and hurried out. “I’ll wait for you outside…”

Huo Liuxing watched as she tripped on the threshold, steadied herself against the doorframe, and left the bathhouse with a flustered hand to her forehead.

That guilty conscience paired with a lack of courage was rather amusing.

He looked at the threshold with a bemused smile, then lowered his gaze to the scar on his chest. His eyes shifted between the scar and his torso several times, brows gradually furrowing.

While waiting for Huo Liuxing, Shen Lingzhen sat on the beauty rail by the courtyard, her thoughts circling endlessly.

She wondered: Huo Liuxing’s refusal to acknowledge the favor he’d done her, was it to hide the truth about his legs? But what kind of stakes could compel a man with sound limbs to pretend to be crippled for ten years? To willingly abandon the iron cavalry and sweeping victories for a life of confinement and mediocrity?

She didn’t know. But one thing she was certain of. Huo Liuxing had indeed risked his life to save her.

Back then, the bandits had intended to capture her alive. But as the fight descended into chaos, they changed their minds and aimed to kill, cutting the reins that tethered the horse to the carriage.

Her hands and feet were bound, the windows sealed with wooden slats. There was no way to escape. The carriage, untethered, hurtled down a slope toward a cliff.

At the critical moment, it was Huo Liuxing who threw himself into its path, using his own body to stop the runaway carriage.

When it finally came to a halt, his heels were already at the edge of the cliff, just one step away from a fatal plunge.

Such a brush with death could never be staged or calculated.

For that alone, even if he refused to acknowledge the debt, she could not pretend it didn’t exist.

Shen Lingzhen sat, brows furrowed in thought, unaware that Huo Liuxing had already emerged. It wasn’t until the familiar sound of his wheelchair drew close that she stood and turned to face him.

That glance, so earnest and filled with concern, was markedly different from the probing, suspicious looks she had given him before.

Something had shifted in that brief moment.

She stepped forward quickly and called out, “Husband.” But after that, she didn’t know what else to say, and her voice trailed off.

It was Huo Liuxing who spoke first. “You rushed out earlier, did you hurt yourself?”

She shook her head.

He smiled. “Be more careful next time. If you fall, I won’t be able to catch you.”

At those words, Shen Lingzhen’s gaze softened even more. There was even a hint of maternal tenderness in her eyes, as if she were a mother worrying over her child.

Huo Liuxing found it inexplicable, though his expression remained composed. “What is it?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I’ll be careful.”

“Kongqing said you waited a long time. Was there something you needed?”

“I heard you were in the study and wanted to bring you some tea. But now…” She touched her nose awkwardly. “Now there’s nothing.”

She said there was nothing, yet made no move to leave.

Huo Liuxing paused, glanced at the sky. “Then you should eat. It’s getting late.”

“What about you?”

“I just finished a medicinal soak. Not very hungry. I’ll have something light in the study later.”

“Then I’ll wait and eat with you.”

He blinked in surprise, then smiled. “In that case, let’s eat now.”

So Shen Lingzhen dined in Huo Liuxing’s courtyard that evening.

The Huo family had always lived frugally, saving wherever they could in food, clothing, and daily use. But now that a noble lady had entered their household, meals could no longer be so simple.

Braised lamb, pan-fried quail, hand-peeled bamboo shoots, triple-crunch soup, pork bone broth, without a proper spread of meat and vegetables, it simply wouldn’t be presentable.

Even so, Huo Liuxing still offered polite words: “We don’t have fresh ginger shrimp, stir-fried crab, abalone, or mandarin fish like in Bianjing. Are you finding it hard to adjust?”

Shen Lingzhen shook her head. “I’m not picky. Whatever husband eats, I’ll eat. No need to have the kitchen prepare separate dishes for me.” As she spoke, she didn’t call on Kongqing or Jingmo to serve. Instead, she ladled a bowl of soup herself and handed it to him.

Huo Liuxing accepted the bowl, once again sensing something unusual in her demeanor. But seeing her begin to eat, he didn’t press further.

The Shen family had raised her with strict etiquette, no talking during meals or rest. He’d noticed that on the very first day.

But in truth, Shen Lingzhen had a head full of questions she was holding back. As the meal progressed and Huo Liuxing finally set down his chopsticks, clearly no longer interested in eating, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and called out to him: “Husband.”

“Hmm?”

“Earlier, I saw…” She gestured roughly to her own body, indicating the spot. “I saw a scar here. How did that happen?”

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t be frightened.”

Shen Lingzhen nodded, gripping the edge of the table tightly with both hands.

Her anxious expression made Huo Liuxing laugh aloud. “No need to be so tense. It’s nothing, I cut it out myself.”

She stared at him in shock. “Why would you hurt yourself?”

“I was branded in a Western Qiang prisoner camp. When I returned, I thought it was ugly, so I removed it.”

He spoke lightly, but Shen Lingzhen broke out in a cold sweat. To endure the pain of being branded was one thing, it was inflicted by others. But to take a blade to one’s own flesh and carve out a piece of healthy skin, that required unimaginable resolve.

And he had been only seventeen at the time.

Seeing her on the verge of tears, Huo Liuxing chuckled. “I told you not to be scared.”

“I’m not scared. I just… I just feel heartache for you.” She emphasized earnestly, “I… I won’t be useless like I was before…”

Huo Liuxing paused. “Before?”

Seeing he was still playing dumb, Shen Lingzhen chose not to expose him in front of the servants. She shook her head, signaling it was nothing, and asked instead: “Are there any wounds on my husband that haven’t healed yet?”

“It’s been so long, they’ve all healed.”

Shen Lingzhen wasn’t entirely convinced by his words. He had nearly lost his life in Bianjing. Not to mention internal injuries, she had seen with her own eyes the deep gash across his waist and abdomen, a wound that had nearly reached the bone. That couldn’t have healed so easily.

She frowned and reminded him, “You mustn’t be careless. Wounds need proper care. If they leave lasting damage, it’ll be too late to regret.”

He smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry. I do regular acupuncture and medicinal baths, just to keep these legs in good shape.”

Shen Lingzhen’s brows drooped, and she let out a soft sigh.

She knew his legs were fine. But they weren’t talking about his legs. He was deliberately missing the point.

“Husband, I’m your wife now. I’ll always stand by your side. If something’s wrong, can you please not hide it from me?”

Huo Liuxing fell silent for a moment, exchanging a quiet glance with Kongqing and Jingmo.

Both looked surprised, but quickly masked their expressions.

Shen Lingzhen continued, “Also, I was raised by my parents and teachers to repay kindness. Everything you’ve done for me, I remember it all. You must believe me. I would never betray you or forget your grace.”

Huo Liuxing smiled faintly. “What’s brought this on? Why such serious talk? Husband and wife should weather storms together. Of course I trust you. If anything happens, I’ll be honest with you.”

“Good.” She sat upright, her posture composed, her tone expectant. “Then tell me.”

Huo Liuxing’s expression faltered. He hesitated. “Tell you… what?”

This time, Shen Lingzhen was truly upset. She stood abruptly, turned as if to leave, but after a few steps, seemed to think better of it. Feeling it would be rude, she stomped lightly in place to vent her frustration, then returned to her seat, staring silently at her bowl.

“…”

Huo Liuxing glanced at Kongqing: What’s going on?

Kongqing shook his head, then looked at Jingmo: Your thoughts?

Jingmo’s mouth twitched: How would I know?

“You…” Huo Liuxing began cautiously, but the word hung in the air, unfinished.

But Shen Lingzhen ended up comforting herself. After sulking for a while, her thoughts twisted and turned through countless mental loops. Finally, she nodded to herself and murmured, “Alright. It’s fine. I’m not angry anymore.”

“…”

Kongqing gave Huo Liuxing a meaningful look: She’s definitely angry. Doesn’t matter why. Just one word. Soothe!

Huo Liuxing paused, then cleared his throat. “Would you like to walk off the meal?”

Shen Lingzhen looked up, her voice still muffled. “How?”

“I’ll take you out for a stroll?”

“At this hour?” She glanced out the window at the darkening sky. “Does Qingyang even have a night market?”

Bianjing’s night markets were as lively as daytime. Unless during wartime, there was rarely a curfew, it was famously a city that never slept. But Qingyang, with its sparse population and modest economy, hardly seemed like a place of dazzling lights and bustling streets.

“It’s not as lively as Bianjing. For you, it might feel like going from luxury to simplicity. But though small, it has all the essentials.”

Shen Lingzhen sniffled, unsure how much of her frustration had truly faded. “Alright then.”

“Go change into something light. I’ll wait for you in the front courtyard.” Huo Liuxing smiled as he watched her leave. Once she was gone, his expression turned cold as he glanced at Jingmo and Kongqing.

Kongqing scratched his head. “Master… could it be? Has Young Madam already figured out your legs?”

Jingmo was equally puzzled. “I’ve been watching her closely these past few days. All I noticed was her odd reaction to your sword yesterday, and her concern over your scar today. But a sword buried in dust for ten years and an old wound, those are hardly connected. Unless… unless you slipped up while sleeping?”

“That’s impossible!” Kongqing grew anxious. “I’ve been risking it every night to perform acupuncture, sealing meridians and locking nerves. During those hours, Langjun’s legs truly don’t work. Are you doubting my skills?”

Jingmo shot him a glare, then turned to Huo Liuxing. “If that’s the case, then unless the Young Madam has divine insight, there’s only one possibility, she’s probing you.”

Huo Liuxing didn’t respond. His finger tapped rhythmically on the wooden armrest of his wheelchair. After a long silence, he frowned and said, “That matter you mentioned before, Peach Blossom Valley. Send someone to investigate thoroughly. I want every detail related to my wife, no matter how small, reported to me.”