Shen Zhaoli looked at Wen Jiao with an innocent face, "You have to understand, I’ve been working myself to the bone abroad, toiling away and overworking my body. It definitely won’t recover in a short while; I need some rest!"
He sat right down in the middle of the road, boastfully, and didn’t forget to complain, "Can you imagine my brother? Why on earth would he build Hot Spring Villa on a mountain? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?"
Wen Jiao was at a loss for words in response to Shen Zhaoli’s statement.
She sighed and said, "It’s just 5 more minutes, we’re almost there. Why don’t you hold on for a bit, and we can rest once we get up there?"
"Jiaojiao~" Shen Zhaoli called her name with a smile, his fox-like eyes charming, "Why don’t you pull me, then I’ll be able to move faster."
Such a phrase sounded like something straight out of a brothel, too coquettish for any ordinary man, but coming from Shen Zhaoli, it was really hard to refuse.
Wen Jiao frowned, eventually conceding, and said stiffly, "Fine, I’ll pull you up."
Shen Zhaoli dusted off his behind and stood up, his voice full of energy, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!"
Wen Jiao almost thought that he was just pretending.
But after only a couple of steps, Shen Zhaoli bent over and rested his chin on her shoulder, speaking in a fragile voice, "I’m so tired, I really can’t go any further."
Alright, he really is weak.
Wen Jiao felt very conflicted at that moment, "Shen Zhaoli, how long will it take for your body to recover?"
"I don’t know," Shen Zhaoli sighed, "It’s hard to say, after all, illnesses need to be cured slowly."
Wen Jiao nodded, agreeing with Shen Zhaoli’s words, paused a bit, and then said, "When we get back, I’ll take you to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, see if they can prescribe something."
"Is Jiaojiao showing concern for me?"
"Mhmm, I’m scared you’ll die young."
After saying this with utter seriousness, Wen Jiao patted Shen Zhaoli’s head, "Don’t lean on my shoulder, it makes it hard for me to walk."
Shen Zhaoli looked at Wen Jiao thoughtfully and laughed, asking, "Jiaojiao, how do you plan to get me up there then?"
Wen Jiao expressed her frustration.
She said, "How about I go up first, and find a couple of strong men to carry you up?"
Shen Zhaoli silently stood up straight, "That won’t be necessary."
The two of them continued on their slow walk up the mountain road.
During the time that followed, neither of them spoke.
Wen Jiao was tired, and Shen Zhaoli was admiring her face.
It had to be said, after looking at her short hair for a while, it seemed to grow even more attractive and showed more of her charisma!
Distracted, Wen Jiao accidentally stepped on a stone on the road.
The stone was smooth and round, Wen Jiao lost her balance and twisted her ankle.
If Shen Zhaoli hadn’t been quick to catch her, she might have tumbled down the stone steps.
Shen Zhaoli looked at Wen Jiao with a face full of concern and asked anxiously, "Jiaojiao, what happened?"
Wen Jiao, in pain, drew in a sharp breath and looked at Shen Zhaoli with a pale face, her voice hoarse, "I twisted my ankle."
Without a second word, Shen Zhaoli picked Wen Jiao up horizontally and quickly made his way up the mountain.
This sudden turn of events left Wen Jiao momentarily forgetting her pain, staring at Shen Zhaoli in shock, "I thought you couldn’t walk?"
Shen Zhaoli frowned, looked down at Wen Jiao, and said, "I was just teasing you. Are you a fool? How could you go and twist your ankle!"
Wen Jiao was both angry and indignant, "What’s wrong with you?! You lie to me and then you have the nerve to scold me?"
"I’m sorry, I misspoke," Shen Zhaoli walked while asking her, "Does it hurt?"
"It’s okay, it should just be a minor sprain." Wen Jiao paused, then said, "Are you tired from carrying me?"
Wen Jiao silently shut her mouth.
Shen Zhaoli claimed to be tired, but he held her very steadily, without the slightest bump, and Wen Jiao was almost asleep.
All of a sudden, she heard Shen Zhaoli say, "It’s heartbreaking, Wen Jiao, can you please not always get hurt? I really worry a lot." The source of this content ɪs novel-fire.ɴet
Wen Jiao realized what Shen Zhaoli was talking about.
She awkwardly said, "When do I always get myself hurt?"
Miss Wen, being such a treasured and noble lady, would hardly put herself in danger.
However, Shen Zhaoli said, "Some wounds are not visible on the skin. Wounds that can be seen are easier to heal, but what I’m most afraid of are the wounds in your heart."
His voice was clearly calm, but Wen Jiao could sense the melancholy in his words.
Her eyelashes drooped even more, her hand clutching Shen Zhaoli’s shoulder, not letting go, and after a long while, she murmured, "The wounds in my heart have healed."
Shen Zhaoli clearly paused for a moment.
Afterward, he didn’t say anything, just carried Wen Jiao up the mountain path.
Little Bian Xiao and Wen Yongwei had already arrived at the Hot Spring Villa entrance, an old man and a young boy standing there, muttering to each other.
"What’s up with these two! They’ve been gone for so long and still haven’t come up!" Wen Yongwei frowned, anxiously looking down the mountain.
"Grandpa! They must be chatting!" Little Bian Xiao snorted disdainfully, looking like he knew better, "Mom and Dad also like to chat when they tuck me in, and they think I don’t know!"
Wen Yongwei was amused and looked at Bian Xiao with a smile, "Then our Xiaoxiao is so clever, surely you know everything, right?"
Upon hearing this, Bian Xiao flashed a toothy smile at Wen Yongwei, his beautiful eyes squinting, he looked quite adorable, "Grandpa! Xiaoxiao will sleep with Grandpa tonight!"
"Good! Then Grandpa will put more snacks in the room! For Xiaoxiao to eat!" Wen Yongwei gladly accepted Bian Xiao’s suggestion.
The two of them were chatting away when they suddenly saw Shen Zhaoli carrying Wen Jiao, walking up from the stairs not far away.
Wen Yongwei was stunned, quickly approaching Shen Zhaoli, "What happened?"
Shen Zhaoli said, "Wen Jiao accidentally twisted her ankle, I’ll take her to treat it first, Dad, you and Xiaoxiao go enjoy the hot springs first!"
Wen Yongwei looked at Wen Jiao’s ankle and, just as Shen Zhaoli had said, it didn’t seem too serious.
Only then did Wen Yongwei relax, looking sternly at Wen Jiao, "How do you walk? How could you fall over ?"
Wen Jiao really didn’t expect that Wen Yongwei wouldn’t comfort her, but instead scold her.
"Dad!" Wen Jiao displeasedly said, "You don’t even pity your daughter! You just know how to scold me!"
Wen Yongwei sighed, looking helplessly at Wen Jiao, "Alright! Let Zhaoli take you to get treated, Xiaoxiao and I will go have fun!"
Bian Xiao had already grabbed Wen Yongwei’s hand, urging him to leave.
Aunt Wen Jiao got hurt, what a great opportunity! He must let Uncle seize it well, to show his care!
Thinking so, the little guy pulled even harder.
Shen Zhaoli took Wen Jiao to the bedroom, and a doctor came to treat Wen Jiao’s injury, and soon left.
Shen Zhaoli looked at Wen Jiao’s slender ankle wrapped in a bandage, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile, "Why does it look like a rice dumpling?"