Applying Medicine

The twilight of the rainy day came earlier than usual.

Bai Qingxue stood before the gate of Lu Xueqing's courtyard. A fine drizzle fell, landing on the crown of her head and shoulders, condensing into tiny droplets.

Bai Qingxue raised her hand and knocked three times, but there was no response from inside.

She knocked three more times.

Still nothing.

Bai Qingxue frowned slightly and pushed the courtyard gate.

It was unbolted and opened with a creak.

The courtyard was very quiet.

Wet with rain, the leaves of the honeysuckle vines hung over the wall, dripping water drop by drop.

The door to the main room was ajar, casting a dim, warm glow.

Bai Qingxue walked over and pushed the door open.

Lu Xueqing sat by the side of the bed, her back to the door. Her robe was half-undone, exposing her left shoulder, and her bandages were half-unraveled, bunched up on her lap.

Unlike her usual self, Lu Xueqing was currently hanging her head, struggling to reach the wound on her left shoulder with her right hand. Her fingertips pinched a piece of cotton fabric coated with medicinal powder, her movements stiff and clumsy.

The old scar on her shoulder came into Bai Qingxue's view.

It was dark red and uneven, stretching from the top of her shoulder all the way down to her shoulder blade, resembling a charred vine.

It was unmistakably left behind by the chain from back then on the Northern Region Ice Field.

Bai Qingxue's footsteps faltered for a moment.

Hearing the sound, Lu Xueqing abruptly pulled her collar shut and spun around.

However, her movement was too sudden and seemed to jar her wound, causing her to frown, but she bit back any sound.

“Junior Sister Bai, why didn't you knock?”

“I did. You didn't hear me.”

Lu Xueqing looked at her, her lips parting slightly, but she did not argue.

Her hair was loose, with a few damp strands clinging to her temples, though whether from the rain or cold sweat was hard to tell.

Her face was devoid of color, and her lips were somewhat pale.

Bai Qingxue walked over, stopped in front of her, and looked down at the scattered bandages and the medicine bottle.

“Give it to me.”

Lu Xueqing did not move.

Bai Qingxue reached out and took the medicine bottle from Lu Xueqing's hand. Although her movements were gentle, Lu Xueqing did not hold on tight, letting her take it easily.

As the bottle was taken, Lu Xueqing's fingers remained in a loose grasp for a moment before she slowly pulled her hand back.

“Don't move.”

Bai Qingxue sat down by the side of the bed, placed the medicine bottle beside her, and picked up the unraveled bandage to take a look.

There was fresh blood on it—not much, but dark in color. The wound had reopened.

She folded the old bandage and set it aside, then reached out to pull Lu Xueqing's half-undone robe down a little further.

Lu Xueqing's shoulder suddenly tensed.

Right now, Bai Qingxue's fingertips were pinching the edge of Lu Xueqing's collar, slowly pulling the fabric down bit by bit.

Although Bai Qingxue's movements were incredibly gentle, it was precisely this gentleness that made Lu Xueqing's breathing suddenly grow labored.

They were too close.

Lu Xueqing lowered her eyes, staring at the messy pile of bandages on her lap.

“Junior Sister Bai, I can do it myself...” Lu Xueqing spoke, her voice raspier than she had expected.

Bai Qingxue did not respond.

The wound was exposed.

On this rainy day, the old scar looked redder than usual, its edges slightly swollen, and at its deepest point was a tiny tear slowly oozing a trace of blood.

Bai Qingxue stared at it for a moment, saying nothing.

She opened the medicine bottle, poured some medicinal powder into her palm, dabbed her fingertips in it, and then leaned in to gently apply the powder to the wound.

The moment those fingertips touched the wound, Lu Xueqing's eyelashes trembled violently.

Her body instinctively recoiled, but Bai Qingxue's other hand held her shoulder in place.

Lu Xueqing bit her lip and remained still.

“Does it hurt?”

“...No.”

Bai Qingxue did not press further.

Pressing her finger pad against the torn flesh, she spread the medicinal powder evenly, bit by bit.

When the powder touched the tear, Lu Xueqing's breath hitched noticeably, but she bit her lip and made no other sound.

Bai Qingxue's movements were very slow, as if she were doing something that required an immense amount of patience.

Lu Xueqing hung her head, watching Bai Qingxue's hand.

That hand was right before her eyes—slender fingers, distinct knuckles, and neatly trimmed nails.

Right now, that hand was applying medicine to her. The finger pad coated in powder glided from the edge of the wound to the center, moving in calm, steady circles.

It was much gentler than her own hand.

Her own touch was always too heavy, as her left hand could not be used freely at the moment, but in Lu Xueqing's eyes, such things were of little consequence.

After all, when it hurt, she would just bite her lip and bear it. Once the pain passed, it was over.

It wasn't the first time anyway.

At this thought, Lu Xueqing lowered her head even further, letting her loose hair drape over her face, seemingly unwilling to let Bai Qingxue see her expression.

“Junior Sister Bai, when did you come in?” Lu Xueqing asked softly.

“When I knocked.”

“I told you, I didn't hear it.”

“I know.”

Bai Qingxue switched to a clean piece of cotton fabric, gently wiping away the excess powder around the wound.

As the fabric brushed against the edge of the wound, a ticklish sensation made Lu Xueqing clench her fingers a bit tighter.

Then Bai Qingxue picked up a new bandage and began wrapping it from Lu Xueqing's shoulder.

The bandage wound from behind her shoulder, passed under her armpit, and wrapped back around the front.

Bai Qingxue's hand reached under Lu Xueqing's arm.

In that instant, her fingertips almost brushed the side of Lu Xueqing's waist.

Lu Xueqing held her breath.

Too close.

When Bai Qingxue's hand passed under her arm, she could feel the faint, cool draft it generated. It brushed past the skin of her waist, penetrating the thin fabric like a thread of ice, winding from her waist straight to her heart.

At this moment, a thought that shouldn't have been there suddenly crossed Lu Xueqing's mind: What if that hand veered just a tiny bit closer...

She immediately snuffed out the thought.

She wouldn't.

Because, Junior Sister Bai was merely applying medicine for her.

Junior Sister Bai's hand had not touched anywhere it shouldn't, nor would it ever.

Lu Xueqing did not know whether she was relieved or disappointed.

Her heart was beating so fast that she felt it could be heard throughout the entire room.

Biting her lip, she kept her breathing shallow, terrified that Bai Qingxue would notice.

Yet, she couldn't help but wonder.

The bandage wound from behind her shoulder, passed under her armpit, and wrapped back around the front.

Bai Qingxue's fingers occasionally brushed against her uninjured skin. The contact was so light, almost accidental, that Lu Xueqing couldn't be sure if it even counted as a "touch."

But with every instance, she would hold her breath.

As she wound the second loop, Bai Qingxue's fingers paused. She suddenly looked up at Lu Xueqing and said:

“Next time you change your medicine, call me.”

Lu Xueqing did not speak; she simply nodded.

Bai Qingxue tucked the end of the bandage in, withdrew her hands, tightened the cap of the medicine bottle, and placed it on the small table beside the bed.

She neatly folded the old bandages and used cotton fabric, placing them together.

Bai Qingxue stood up.

“All done.”

Hanging her head, Lu Xueqing pulled her robe back up, covering her shoulder.

Her fingers paused at her collar.

She slowly tied her sash, taking her time, as if waiting for something.

“Thank you,” she said.

Bai Qingxue glanced at her.

“Senior Sister, I still haven't given you the reward from our previous mission.”

“Come find me once you've rested well.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the main room.

Sitting by the side of the bed, Lu Xueqing listened to Bai Qingxue's footsteps cross the courtyard and push open the gate, clearly leaving.

The rain was still falling.

The sound of the fine drizzle drifted in from outside the window, rustling softly against the leaves of the honeysuckle vines.

Lu Xueqing lowered her head and looked at the bandage on her shoulder.

It was wrapped so neatly, the edges tucked in perfectly—entirely different from her own messy attempts.

She placed her hand over the bandage and pressed down gently.

The pain had eased significantly.

The medicine had already seeped in, and the burning sensation of the wound was gradually receding.

But Lu Xueqing's frantic heartbeat had yet to slow down.

Bai Qingxue's fingers had been very cool.

Yet for some reason, Lu Xueqing now felt that the cool trace left on her shoulder was exceptionally scorching.

At this thought, Lu Xueqing pulled her collar a bit higher, covering the bandage and hiding that searing cool sensation that had yet to dissipate.

Then, Lu Xueqing buried her face in her hands.

...

Outside the window, the rain was still falling.

The leaves of the honeysuckle vines trembled under the rain, looking like they were nodding, yet also like they were shaking their heads.