Chapter 125: Discovery

The nurse smiled while diligently performing her duties, though a hint of envy seemed to flicker in her gaze. Glancing briefly at Shen Zhaoxi, she picked up the IV bottle and stepped out of the room.

"What do you mean by 'not what'?"

Once the nurse had left, the man by her side spoke, his voice low and raspy, the emotions in his dark, obsidian eyes obscured and unreadable. He turned slightly to pull the privacy curtain shut, leaving half of his fair, handsome face hidden in the dim shadows. He held a bowl of warm porridge, his distinct, well-defined fingers looking remarkably elegant.

Shen Zhaoxi glanced at the porridge and parted her lips, intending to explain that they were not a couple. But upon reflection, the words caught in her throat; she could not bring herself to say them. Even if she clarified that they were not boyfriend and girlfriend, what good would it do?

She remained silent, raising her hand to take the bowl from him, but the man gently pressed her hand back down onto the quilt. He picked up a spoon and scooped up some porridge. With her right hand occupied by the IV drip, it was impossible for her to hold the bowl with just one hand. Lu Yunzhou’s dark eyes remained fixed on her face. Was he actually intending to feed her?

With the spoon held to her lips, Shen Zhaoxi found herself in a difficult position; refusing felt impossible. Under the man’s care, she obediently finished half the bowl. When she finally said she couldn't eat any more, Lu Yunzhou set the bowl on the bedside table.

"Are you feeling any better?"

He watched her pale face, noting how her lips had lost all color, his brows furrowed deeply. He wondered if she always suffered this much whenever she had her period. If so, she must be in excruciating pain.

In truth, Lu Yunzhou had sensed something when he first carried her out of the lake. Her body was very cold, lower in temperature than the average person. At the time, he had assumed it was because she had fallen into the lake and was shivering from the chill. But upon closer reflection, even if she were frail, it was unlikely that she would be that cold in the middle of a sweltering summer. It was only through the contact he had with her over these past few days that he finally understood: she had a naturally cold constitution. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in such agony during her period.

"Mm," Shen Zhaoxi whispered weakly.

The hospital must have given her painkillers—likely two or three bottles, one of which also served as an anti-inflammatory. Gradually and unconsciously, the dull ache in her lower abdomen began to fade.

The medication was taking effect in her system. Her right arm, where the IV was inserted, felt icy. The cold fluid flowing through her veins had chilled her entire right arm. Suddenly, seeing her hand resting on the quilt with one last bottle of medication hanging from the rack, Lu Yunzhou leaned over. His long arm stretched out to pull the blanket up over her, tucking her hand inside so she would stay warmer.

"If you're not in pain anymore, try to get some sleep."

There was still one bottle left, which would take another half hour or so. Seeing her completely bloodless face, he felt responsible; it was his lack of caution that had brought her into the flood-stricken area, exposing her to such danger. The thought caused his brow to knit tightly, his expression turning cold.

As the IV dripped, the medication circulating in her bloodstream brought on a sense of drowsiness. Shen Zhaoxi drifted off to sleep before she knew it. Previously, she had been unconscious from the sheer intensity of the pain, but now she was finally able to get some real rest. In truth, it wasn't just Lu Yunzhou who hadn't slept properly after two days on the front lines of the rescue—she had been just as exhausted.

Later, after she had fallen asleep, Lu Yunzhou stepped out of the room for a while. When he returned, he carried a sterile bag containing antiseptic, hemostatic cotton swabs, and gauze.

In her sleep, Shen Zhaoxi felt someone gently fold back a corner of the blanket. The cool-eyed man stood by the bedside, using clean cotton swabs to tend to the abrasions on her arm. He applied a layer of ointment; it felt slightly cold, but deeply soothing. Then, he carefully tucked her hand back beneath the covers.

The scrapes on her arm had been sustained beneath the mine. Though they were minor, the sight of them pained Lu Yunzhou. When he had first pulled her from the mine, medical personnel at a temporary rescue station had treated some of the surface wounds. He didn't know how it happened, but perhaps the rain had soaked through the dressings. As he carefully wiped the area, he suddenly discovered something. His brow furrowed, and his eyes dimmed in an instant.

#

At the front desk, the nurses who had been on duty were gossiping with a colleague who had just finished changing IVs in another ward.

"Who do you think that captain is? Which unit is he with?"

"I don't know, but looking at his uniform, he seems to be from the Jingnan Military Base."

As for which specific base in Jingnan, they couldn't be sure. They only felt the uniform looked familiar, as they had seen soldiers out on supply runs wearing similar gear.

"He is so handsome," the nurse who had asked Lu Yunzhou for directions earlier said, clutching her hands to her chest, her voice filled with admiration.

"I know, right? You didn't see how gentle he was with his girlfriend—oh, it was so sweet."

For something as simple as period cramps, he was pampering her like that; it was just...

"If I could have a boyfriend like him, I'd give up ten years of overtime pay. No, twenty years! I'd even dedicate my whole life to the medical field for that."

"Forget it. Just look at his girlfriend—see how beautiful she is?" the nurse next to her remarked bluntly. They had all seen her when Lu Yunzhou brought her in. They were a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman. The best the nurses could do was admire from afar.

#

By the time the IV was finished and they drove back from the hospital, it was already midnight. On the muddy road, sandbags were still piled up, remnants of the flood defense efforts. Fine strands of rain looked chilly under the dim streetlights.

The military vehicle pulled up outside the street. Lu Yunzhou opened the door. As Shen Zhaoxi stepped out, she realized that some of the troops had just returned from rescue operations elsewhere. Since the flood response had been divided into several shifts, the second wave had relieved the first, finally giving Lu Yunzhou’s men a chance to rest. It was normal for the reinforcements to be returning at this hour.

Suddenly, Shen Zhaoxi frowned and her footsteps faltered. She stopped in her tracks.

Hearing her stop, Lu Yunzhou turned around, his expression filled with concern. He saw her pale face looking tense in the night. Before he could react, the young girl stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his chest.

Lu Yunzhou’s brows knit together.