Chu Lingzhi handed the snake to Huo Luan while pulling fine needles from her medical kit, saying, "Don't blame Huo Luan. I told him to search for snakes separately. Luckily, he did, and that's how he found the white-headed snake. He also came back just in time to kill the wild boar that attacked me."
She looked up, gazing deeply at Nangong Yehen. "Huo Luan did well. You should praise him, not scold him."
Nangong Yehen raised an eyebrow, his face full of displeasure. "What if he hadn't come back in time? Would you have become its delicious meal?"
Chu Lingzhi smiled. "There aren't that many 'what ifs' in this world. Right now, it's become our delicious meal."
"Mommy, my heart aches for you," Chu Junyu pouted, looking at Chu Lingzhi as if about to cry.
Nangong Yichen's expression was also heavy, his gaze fixed on the wound on her arm.
"Don't worry, this pain is nothing to Mommy," Chu Lingzhi said with a laugh, then used the needle to pick out the thorns from her palm.
Nangong Yehen's deep eyes narrowed dangerously. He sat down, his tone harsh. "Let me help you!"
Since he was willing to help, Chu Lingzhi was naturally happy about it.
Both her hands had thorns stuck in them, making it inconvenient to pick them out herself.
But...
"Do you know how?" Chu Lingzhi's beautiful eyes flickered with surprise.
Nangong Yehen glared at her. "Underestimating me?"
"No!" Chu Lingzhi quickly said.
It wasn't that she underestimated him, but how could the lofty Nangong Yehen know how to pick out thorns for someone?
After handing him the needle, Chu Lingzhi regretted it. Would he end up hurting her more instead of getting the thorns out?
As it turned out, her worry was unnecessary.
Nangong Yehen held the needle in one hand and her hand in the other, lowering his head with a focused and serious expression.
When the tip of the needle went in, his movements were gentle and careful, as if afraid of hurting her.
The thorn was picked out and placed on the tissue beside them.
But she didn't feel any pain—it simply didn't hurt at all.
Nangong Yehen carefully picked out the thorns, unwilling to let her feel even a bit of pain.
In her hand, she could feel the warmth radiating from his palm. Chu Lingzhi stared at him without blinking.
The way he lowered his head in concentration was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her heart warmed, just like the temperature of her hand.
If only, every time she got hurt, he could stay by her side, worry about her, care for her, and tend to her wounds—how wonderful would that be?
Chu Lingzhi thought sweetly to herself. If that were the case, she wouldn't mind getting hurt a few more times.
"Mommy, getting hurt and pricked by thorns—does it hurt a lot?" Chu Junyu sat closer, staying by Chu Lingzhi's side.
Chu Lingzhi reluctantly tore her gaze away from Nangong Yehen's face and looked at Chu Junyu.
"It doesn't hurt much."
"Even if it doesn't hurt much, it still hurts." Chu Junyu took her arm and looked at it with concern.
"There was already a scar, and now there are a few more. It breaks my heart to see it."
"Silly child, as long as I can save your daddy quickly and help him recover, this little injury means nothing to me."
This injury really meant nothing to her.
When she was little, she had fallen while gathering herbs, rolling down a few times, and had hurt her arms and face.
Hearing this, Nangong Yehen paused in his movements, a flicker of light passing through his eyes.
He looked up, giving her a complicated glance.
At that moment, he vowed to protect her with all his might.
She said that as long as he got better quickly, this injury of hers was nothing...
So heartwarming, words that couldn't help but move him.
"Back when you saved me and got slashed by a knife, you said the same thing," Chu Junyu pouted, stroking the wound on her arm.