Chapter 46
Blackbeard, mindful of Mei Liangyu's injuries, drove the carriage steadily, striving to avoid even the slightest bump.
Yu Sui frowned, her gaze sweeping back and forth over Mei Liangyu's body. When her eyes touched upon the rolled-back flesh and she saw the ghastly white bone beneath the blood and flesh, she couldn't bear it and raised her hand to cover her eyes.
Mei Liangyu didn't want to speak, but seeing her like this, he couldn't help saying, "If you're afraid, just close your eyes and don't look."
After all, his injuries were indeed quite bloody and terrifying.
"Senior Brother, you won't die, will you?" Yu Sui asked again, filled with anxious unease.
Mei Liangyu found this amusing, but he couldn't laugh right now, so he kept his mouth shut and remained silent, his expression leisurely as he waited to see Yu Sui's reaction.
Yu Sui could also tell that Mei Liangyu had Five Elements Energy Chaos, just like Li Jin Shuang before. Even blinking or opening his mouth would be extremely painful, and even if he did nothing, the Five Elements Energy would rampage through his body. That sensation was probably no different from Death by a Thousand Cuts.
Not to mention he was already severely injured to begin with.
If his hands, which had been attacked by the Death by a Thousand Cuts technique, weren't treated promptly, she wondered if they might become permanently disabled.
Having such a bloody person sitting right in front of her was indeed quite visually stimulating.
Yu Sui peered at Mei Liangyu through her fingers, "Senior Brother, I've been studying with the Medical School these past few days. Should I help give you some simple treatment?"
Mei Liangyu didn't respond, his cold black eyes gently closing, as if giving silent permission.
"What kind of person could actually injure Senior Brother like this? Senior Brother, why didn't you ask Master for help?" Yu Sui muttered.
Mei Liangyu could hear the rustling sounds of fabric as she rummaged through the carriage, and when the jewelry box shook, the clear, pleasant sounds of various golden hairpins and jade stones colliding inside reached his ears like the sound of money.
Yu Sui's worried expression when she looked at him easily surfaced in his mind, the image crystal clear.
Having killed the person he wanted to kill, after the battle was over, Mei Liangyu calmed his heart, his thoughts clear and extremely composed.
Mei Liangyu didn't think Yu Sui's appearance was also part of the enemy's plan. After all, she was Master's disciple, and though the old man wouldn't interfere too much with his disciples' private lives and personal decisions, he also wouldn't allow fellow disciples to kill each other.
Yu Sui posed no threat. Just as Mei Liangyu confirmed this, he felt someone approaching. The bloody smell in his nostrils was suddenly covered by a approaching fragrance. The scent was gentle and soft, reminiscent of sweet honey peaches or elegant jasmine. It was something Mei Liangyu had never smelled before, belonging to the delicate and tender aura of a young woman.
Because Mei Liangyu had his eyes closed and couldn't see, his sense of smell became more sensitive. The domineering scent that invaded his nostrils made his brain give the most direct reaction and assessment.
The sudden approach of another person made Mei Liangyu instinctively tense his spine. Just as he was about to become alert, he heard Yu Sui's voice very close by, "Senior Brother, your clothes are all ruined. Let me give you one to wear temporarily. It'll be better to cover up when we return to the Academy later."
Clothes?
Mei Liangyu's temple twitched slightly. He thought Yu Sui was giving him the new dress she'd bought today, so he opened his eyes and looked down.
What entered his vision was the snow-white back of a woman's hand. Yu Sui was gripping a corner of the coat, gently bringing it toward his shoulder.
It wasn't the girl's dress that Mei Liangyu had imagined, but a brand-new men's outer garment. The excellent cloud-embroidered fabric was embroidered with dark gold bamboo leaf patterns, making this long robe extremely noble and elegant. It was just right for wearing outdoors in the approaching summer season, and the fabric felt cool and smooth to the touch, not stuffy at all.
"You bought this?" Mei Liangyu asked in a light, floating tone.
"Mm!" Yu Sui nodded. "I ordered this batch of new fabric several days ago. During the day, I even asked Brother Gu to come with me to try it on for size, but Brother Gu said he had very important things to do tonight and couldn't accompany me. I had no choice but to go shopping in the Outer City by myself and bought these things."
Yu Sui sighed softly, "Fortunately, I still picked out several pieces of clothing for Brother Gu tonight, so they can come in handy now."
For a moment, Mei Liangyu didn't know what to say. The clothes his Junior Sister had picked out for her childhood sweetheart, he was the first to wear. This feeling... if you said it was annoying, that didn't quite fit, but if you said it wasn't annoying, it felt like ants were crawling all over his body, making him itch terribly.
He originally didn't want to speak and agitate his condition, but when the words came to his lips, after holding back for a while, he couldn't resist. He stared at Yu Sui with a fake smile, "Junior Sister, didn't you say you wouldn't spend money on men?"
Yu Sui was stunned and replied honestly, "I spent Nangong Manor's money on these."
Mei Liangyu thought to himself, how is that any different?
Nangong Manor's money is your money, isn't it?
Before he could say anything more, he heard a ripping sound as Yu Sui grabbed another brand-new men's outer garment and tore it apart.
Mei Liangyu: "......"
The string of subtle displeasure in his heart also snapped along with Yu Sui's action of tearing the clothes.
"What are you doing?" Mei Liangyu wanted to laugh but held it back.
Yu Sui tore at the fabric in her hands, saying softly, "I don't have any handkerchiefs or other things to stop Senior Brother's bleeding, so I can only tear up these newly bought clothes."
She seemed to see through the amusement in Mei Liangyu's eyes and added, "I don't want to tear up my newly bought dresses. I still need to wear them."
So she tore up the clothes she'd bought for Gu Qian instead, since she wasn't going to wear them anyway.
Mei Liangyu leaned lazily against the wall, saying nothing. His originally cold black eyes now unconsciously carried a hint of amusement as he watched her.
"These are all excellent fabrics that won't chafe the skin." Yu Sui approached Mei Liangyu with the torn fabric, dabbing at the blood on his face with gentle movements.
Just as Mei Liangyu was about to speak, Yu Sui pressed her index finger to her red lips and said softly, "Senior Brother, I can see you have the same Five Elements Energy Chaos as Li Jin Shuang that time. It must hurt terribly right now, so you'd better not talk."
He didn't have time to stop Yu Sui from approaching.
Yu Sui gently wiped away the blood on his face, her wrist occasionally touching his skin. Mei Liangyu could clearly feel the soft, warm sensation of contact.
For the first time, the two of them were this close.
When skin touched skin, they could feel each other's temperature, soft touches that immediately separated, yet occasionally slid gently downward.
Mei Liangyu didn't avoid it at all, sitting openly and honestly. His eyelashes trembled lightly as his gaze constantly followed Yu Sui, as if studying her expression, but he only saw Yu Sui remaining focused throughout. When she saw wounds deep enough to show bone, she would frown in surprise.
As Yu Sui wiped, her sleeves inevitably got stained with spots of blood, blooming like blood-red plum blossoms on her water-blue sleeves.
When both of them weren't speaking, the carriage was filled only with the sound of their fabric rustling against each other, the soft whispers occasionally striking each other's hearts and stirring up gentle ripples.
"Senior Brother," Yu Sui looked up at him, "should I say something to distract you?"
Mei Liangyu looked down at her, "Why would you want to distract me?"
"I'm afraid you're in pain." Yu Sui wiped the blood from his neck.
Mei Liangyu said quietly, "It doesn't hurt."
Ever since taking Medical School as an elective, whenever Mei Liangyu got injured, he always dealt with it himself, never letting outsiders touch him. Even when seriously injured and going to the Medical School, he wouldn't let friends nearby help.
Some things he could endure when doing them himself, but when others did them, they became much harder to bear.
When Yu Sui tried to bandage his hands, Mei Liangyu dodged. Yu Sui looked up in confusion, only to see Mei Liangyu say without changing expression, "Afraid it'll hurt."
He could endure other places, but having her bandage these mangled hands would be painful whether it should hurt or not.
Yu Sui: "......"
Seeing Yu Sui's bewildered expression, Mei Liangyu said, "You've only been studying at the Medical School for three days, right?"
Yu Sui nodded.
Mei Liangyu said in a low, slow tone, "Junior Sister, I've said before, you were born to a life of wealth and nobility. You can't learn this kind of thing, helping others."
Moreover, seeing his Junior Sister like this now was quite good, noble and elegant, high above others. Although she was unclear about that bastard Gu Qian, there was no need for her to descend into the mundane world to learn the Medical School's exhausting work of desperately helping others with such gentleness.
Also, her strength and technique in treating wounds were, to be honest, truly hard to endure.
Not wanting to stain Yu Sui's hands with blood, Mei Liangyu spoke up, "Give it to me."
Yu Sui's eyes indicated the fabric in her hands. This? Mei Liangyu hummed in acknowledgment, and Yu Sui gave it to him.
Yu Sui obediently sat back down, blinking as she watched Mei Liangyu handle his wounds himself.
She didn't like helping others clean wounds either.
But Mei Liangyu was Saint Chang Gen's disciple, having entered the sect countless years before her and having an extremely close relationship with Saint Chang Gen.
She was already at a disadvantage in terms of time compared to Mei Liangyu.
Compared to a disciple who had just entered two months ago, no matter what happened, Saint Chang Gen would prioritize his eldest disciple, Mei Liangyu.
In matters of affection, the advantage of time was significant.
Just like Gu Qian, even though his gaze now fell on Xun Zhiya and he was always moved by her, he would never forget the little childhood friend who had always been by his side during his youth.
This was how Yu Sui thought about it, so between Gu Qian and Mei Liangyu, she would choose Mei Liangyu first, because the person she was trying to get close to was Master.
The carriage fell quiet again.
Seeing that Mei Liangyu didn't need her, Yu Sui began to tidy up the clothes and jewelry she had scattered earlier. When her peripheral vision swept over Mei Liangyu bandaging himself, she suddenly remembered the last time she had shared a carriage with him returning to the Academy.
She had felt physically and mentally exhausted from the Agricultural School's assassination attempt and nearly losing control of her Strange Fire, but fearing Mei Liangyu might notice something, she tried to make conversation in the carriage to distract her attention.
But Mei Liangyu had said, if you don't want to talk, then don't.
After that, he remained quiet until they returned to the Academy.
The sudden memory became incredibly clear.
Yu Sui fastened the jewelry box and looked up again at Mei Liangyu sitting across from her. Senior Brother as a person... wasn't really that bad.
The carriage stopped at the main gate of Taiyi Academy. Blackbeard helped Yu Sui carry her clothes and jewelry, and Yu Sui looked around before saying to Mei Liangyu, "Senior Brother, let me accompany you to the Medical School first."
She would have Blackbeard help take the clothes and jewelry back to her dormitory first.
But Mei Liangyu laughed, "What would you come with me for? These minor injuries don't need treatment."
Yu Sui's eyes widened slightly, looking at him as if both amazed and incredulous.
Senior Brother really could put on an act.
"It's too frightening. I'm not at ease." Yu Sui shook her head persuasively, gently tugging at Mei Liangyu's sleeve, then afraid he might hurt, withdrew her hand and said, "Senior Brother, let's go. Do you want me to carry you with Wind-Riding Techniques?"
Hearing her suggestion, Mei Liangyu tilted his head slightly and smiled, "Alright."