Chapter 63: The Vixen Keeps a Pretty Husband at Home (11)

"Come, come quickly, let me bandage it for you." Su Tang quickly pulled Song Qing back into the house.

She fetched the medicinal powder she had ground herself and took out a bandage. After rolling up Song Qing's sleeves completely, she began to slowly unwrap the original bandage, which was already seeping with blood.

Su Tang knew how painful it was when a bandage adhered to a wound and was pulled away.

She could only do it gently, gently, and ever so gently, while using a bit of minor magic to help Song Qing feel more at ease.

When the final wrap of the bandage came off, Song Qing remained calm, but Su Tang broke out in a cold sweat.

Song Qing looked at her with an amused expression and instinctively reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "Look at you..."

At that exact moment, both of them froze in place.

Su Tang looked up at Song Qing in mild shock. Song Qing looked at Su Tang, then looked down at his own hand. After a moment of daze, he hurriedly pulled his hand back.

Song Qing lowered his head in flustered embarrassment. "Well... I saw you sweating, so I just wanted to help..."

Su Tang smiled and said, "I understand." As she said this, a triumphant smile appeared on her face; her fox tail was just about to show.

She gently wiped the bloodstains off Song Qing's arm and then sprinkled the medicinal powder onto the wound.

Song Qing frowned deeply and flinched slightly.

Su Tang hurriedly blew gently on his arm. "Although this powder stings quite a bit when applied, it has the absolute best results."

Song Qing nodded, pressing his lips together tightly without a word.

Watching him, Su Tang knew he was just bearing the pain in silence.

Su Tang smiled with a helpless inner sigh, then picked up the fresh bandage and began to wrap it around his arm slowly.

Once the bandage was secured, Su Tang gently and carefully pulled his sleeve back down.

"The wound hadn't even healed properly yet, and now it's torn open again," Su Tang said with indignation. "Children these days really..."

The more she spoke, the more annoyed she became, and the less her anger subsided. Right now, she genuinely wanted to go back outside and give those two young apprentices another fierce kick each.

Song Qing looked at Su Tang with an amused gaze. "It's fine. It'll heal sooner or later."

"Sigh..." Su Tang let out a breath. It wasn't that she didn't understand this logic, but in a place like ancient times with such poor medical conditions, she couldn't help feeling genuinely worried.

Actually, the various herbal medicines of this era were quite effective, and there were many brilliant physicians around, but Su Tang simply couldn't set her mind completely at ease.

Song Qing looked down at his arm with a faint smile, suddenly remembering something. He jerked his head up to look at Su Tang.

Su Tang looked completely bewildered. "What is it?"

Song Qing hastily stood up and walked toward the courtyard. "I forgot the vegetables were still in the pot."

Since it wasn't a modern gas stove, the fire in the earthen stove kept burning even after Song Qing walked away, which successfully resulted in the dishes inside being thoroughly burned.

Song Qing looked at Su Tang with a guilty expression. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot there was food in there."

Su Tang picked up the wok, dumped out all the ruined vegetables, and scrubbed the pot clean again.

As she worked, she comforted Song Qing, "It's not your fault. If anyone is to blame, blame me—I was the one who delayed your cooking."

Even though Su Tang had reassured him, Song Qing still stood beside her looking dejected and gloomy.

Su Tang put the wok back and turned her head to look at Song Qing. "What on earth are you feeling guilty about? There is nothing to feel guilty about here."

Song Qing muttered softly, "You're out there working hard to earn money, while I'm just wasting it like this."

"Pfft..." Su Tang couldn't help letting out a laugh. "What does that even matter? Hahaha," she chuckled, unable to resist reaching out to ruffle the fluffy top of Song Qing's head as he kept it lowered.

"Besides, how many households in this town are wealthy enough to have hundreds taels of silver? Your older sister here is one of them. Just look at the people who came looking for me today; we aren't short on money now. From now on, your big sister will take care of you and give you a good life."

With these words, Su Tang even hooked an arm around Song Qing's shoulder and gave it a reassuring pat.

Su Tang could tell that Song Qing, being a child after all, must have lived through some harsh unknown environment. While he could be somewhat ruthless at times, in other ways he was still just like a young boy.

After being coaxed for a little while, Song Qing cheered up. Under Su Tang's company, he went back to stir-frying the dishes with laughter and chatter.

During this period, Su Tang had already been pondering whether it was time to move to a new house, because their current dwelling was truly inconvenient.

Su Tang hadn't taken a bath in several days, and she figured Song Heqing (Song Qing) was probably the same—it must have been well over a week for him too, right?

That time before when Song Qing got cleaned up probably didn't count as a real bath; at most, she had just wiped him down herself.

Because they were in ancient times, the two of them started eating dinner around dusk, and by the time they finished, it was already quite late in the night.

Though the hour was still early, Su Tang was accustomed to staying up late and usually liked to read a few chapters of a storybook before going to sleep.

Once again finishing dinner early and clearing the table, Song Qing immediately started helping Su Tang lay out her makeshift bed on the floor.

Seeing this, Su Tang said, "Wait a bit longer before laying that out. I'd like to take a bath first."

Song Qing paused mid-action, then briskly rolled the floor bedding back up.

He stood there awkwardly looking at Su Tang. "Um... where are you planning to bathe?"

Su Tang replied, "There's a wooden tub outside. I want to bring it inside..."

"Then I'll go get the tub for you." Song Qing immediately made a move to fetch it, but Su Tang stopped him right away. "Wait, your arm wound just tore open today. I'll go get it myself."

"Then I'll go heat some water for you." Without looking back, Song Qing hurried off toward the stove to start boiling water.

Su Tang smiled to herself. Wasn't this little fellow a bit too prone to shyness? He seemed remarkably easy to win over.

Su Tang moved the table in the room to one side, drew water from the well, and carried the wooden tub inside.

"Let me do it." Song Qing appeared by Su Tang's side out of nowhere and reached out to take the heavy bucket of water from her hands.

Su Tang had originally intended to draw only half a bucket, but she hadn't realized how full it was until she hoisted it up.

Her hands stayed on the bucket for a moment as she looked worriedly at Song Qing's arm.

Song Qing raised his right arm slightly and said, "It's fine. I'll just use my left hand."

Only then did Su Tang let go and allow Song Qing to carry the bucket.

After fetching the cold water, the two of them sat together by the stove to boil the bathwater.

"Song Qing, did you practice martial arts before? You've got quite a bit of strength."

Song Qing nodded. "I've been practicing martial arts since I was a child."

Su Tang's eyes swept over Song Qing's physique. Catching her drift instantly, Song Qing obediently stretched out his left arm toward her.

Su Tang happily felt the solid muscles on Song Qing's arm, involuntarily recalling the time she had stripped him bare to wipe down his body.

She had to admit, even though Song Qing was still quite young, his physical build was truly impressive.