Chapter XXXIV - The Wound Reopens
Madam Liang stayed until evening.
By the time she finally prepared to leave, snowfall had deepened across Prince Rui’s estate while lantern light glowed warmly through the plum blossom courtyard.
Before departing, she held Shen Li’s hands quietly for a long moment.
Then softly:
“This old woman can finally stop worrying.”
Shen Li blinked slightly. “Madam…”
Madam Liang smiled faintly through tired eyes. “For years, I feared your kindness would only bring suffering.” Her gaze shifted briefly toward Prince Rui standing nearby. “Now… someone finally sees your worth properly.”
Silence settled softly through the courtyard.
Prince Rui did not speak.
Yet his gaze lowered quietly toward Shen Li afterward.
Warm. Steady. Dangerously sincere.
Madam Liang noticed everything.
And as her carriage disappeared beyond the estate gates later—
she finally cried quietly for the daughter-in-law she lost, and the son foolish enough to lose her.
—
Night settled peacefully afterward.
For once, no palace summons arrived. No assassins appeared. No political messengers interrupted dinner.
Shen Li almost forgot danger existed at all.
She and Prince Rui ate quietly together beneath warm lantern light while snow drifted softly beyond the pavilion.
Simple moments.
Yet somehow these peaceful evenings had become Shen Li’s favorite part of the day.
Prince Rui noticed too.
Because recently— she smiled more during dinner.
Small smiles. Unconscious ones.
Dangerous enough to distract him from military reports entirely.
Tonight, Shen Li reached naturally toward his bowl once after noticing he barely touched the medicinal soup.
“Your Highness should drink this.”
Prince Rui frowned faintly. “It tastes bitter.”
Shen Li looked entirely unimpressed. “And Your Highness still lectures this daughter about medicine?”
Prince Rui fell silent.
Then obediently drank it.
The nearby servants looked emotionally exhausted again.
Their terrifying prince truly listened only to Princess Rui now.
—
Later that night, Prince Rui remained inside the western study reviewing military reports while Shen Li organized estate ledgers nearby.
Quiet companionship.
Comfortable now.
The room glowed softly beneath candlelight while occasional snow tapped against the paper windows.
Then suddenly—
Prince Rui’s brush paused.
Only briefly.
Most people would never notice.
Shen Li noticed immediately.
She looked up.
Prince Rui continued reading calmly afterward.
Too calmly.
Dangerously calmly.
Shen Li narrowed her eyes slightly. “Your Highness.”
“…Mm?”
“The wound reopened again.”
Silence.
Prince Rui did not answer immediately.
Which was answer enough.
Shen Li set aside the ledger slowly. “How badly?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
Wrong answer.
Again.
Shen Li stood immediately.
Prince Rui finally looked up.
And for the first time tonight— actually appeared mildly uneasy.
Because Shen Li rarely became visibly stern.
Yet now she walked directly toward him with unmistakable intent.
“Remove the outer robe.”
The study became silent instantly.
Even the guards outside probably stopped breathing.
Prince Rui stared at her quietly. “…Now?”
“Yes.”
The answer came calm. Cold. Absolutely unmovable.
Prince Rui suddenly understood something unfortunate:
His wife became frightening when worried.
And somehow—
that realization pleased him far too much.
Still, he attempted weak resistance. “This prince can handle it later.”
Shen Li looked at him steadily.
“Your Highness promised to take care of yourself.”
“Or did this daughter misunderstand?”
The final sentence destroyed any remaining defense completely.
Prince Rui exhaled softly once.
Then obeyed.
The outer robes slipped from his shoulders slowly beneath warm candlelight.
Shen Li immediately saw the problem.
The bandages beneath his shoulder were stained crimson again.
Fresh blood.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Without another word, Shen Li reached for clean cloth and medicine from the nearby cabinet.
Prince Rui watched her silently.
Then quietly:
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
The direct answer startled him slightly.
Shen Li carefully untied the bloodstained bandages while candlelight flickered softly across old scars covering his skin.
This close— she could see all of them again:
sword wounds,
arrow scars,
burn marks,
years of surviving violence alone.
Something inside her chest hurt unexpectedly.
Prince Rui noticed her expression immediately.
His voice softened faintly. “It truly isn’t severe.”
Shen Li looked up sharply. “Your Highness says that every time you bleed.”
Silence followed.
Because she was right.
Prince Rui lowered his gaze briefly.
Then quietly:
“No one usually objects.”
The simple sentence struck her harder than expected.
Of course.
No one stopped him before. No one insisted he rest. No one worried openly enough to argue.
The realization made Shen Li’s anger soften painfully into something warmer.
Something more dangerous.
Her movements gentled slightly afterward while cleaning the wound carefully.
Prince Rui watched her silently throughout.
The atmosphere changed slowly.
Less tense now. More intimate.
Warm lantern light reflected softly against Shen Li’s face while she leaned close enough for loose strands of hair to brush occasionally against his skin.
Prince Rui’s breathing deepened almost imperceptibly.
Because Shen Li caring for him like this— calm, focused, quietly worried—
felt far too dangerous.
Then suddenly Shen Li frowned faintly. “This will hurt.”
Prince Rui answered calmly: “It’s fine.”
Shen Li ignored him completely.
Instead—
she lowered her head slightly.
And blew softly across the wound before applying medicine.
Prince Rui froze instantly.
Completely.
The study fell deathly silent.
Because that tiny gentle breath against injured skin somehow felt infinitely more intimate than kisses.
Shen Li noticed the silence immediately afterward.
Then slowly looked up.
Prince Rui was staring at her.
Not calmly anymore.
Dangerously.
His dark eyes had deepened completely beneath candlelight.
Shen Li’s heartbeat stumbled instantly.
Then Prince Rui spoke very quietly.
“Shen Li.”
“You should not care for this prince so gently while alone together.”