After breakfast that day, Yun Jiao calculated that it had been a month since Jiang Youzhi broke his leg, so it was time for a follow-up to see if the bone had grown crooked.
However, there were no X-rays or CT scans available here—she could only feel it with her hands.
Yun Jiao walked outside Jiang Youzhi’s room and looked inside; Liu Lang and Gu Chuan were writing at the table, and Ah Tie was sitting beside them reading a book, asking Jiang Youzhi whenever he didn’t understand something.
Yun Jiao turned at the door and then left.
Jiang Youzhi figured Yun Jiao was looking for him, and he intended to ask Liu Lang and the others to leave, but then she walked away.
A wave of unease filled Jiang Youzhi’s heart; what could she possibly want?
He exercised patience for almost half an hour, and when he saw Liu Lang and Xiao Chuan were mostly done, he said, "Today’s lessons end here. You can go out and play."
He paused after speaking, then addressed Xiao Chuan, "You go out and play with Liu Lang and remember to inform your sister."
Gu Chuan nodded, took Liu Lang’s hand, and as they went out, he called out, "Second sister, I’ve finished my homework, and Liu Lang brother and I are going out to play."
Yun Jiao answered him from inside the room.
Sitting on the bed waiting, Jiang Youzhi saw that, surely enough, Yun Jiao came in after a while, carrying bandages.
Upon entering, Yun Jiao smiled at Jiang Youzhi, "Let me check your bone, see how it’s healing."
She then proceeded to close the windows and shut the door.
Though Yun Jiao’s heart was clear, she shouldn’t leave the doors and windows open while she felt Jiang Youzhi’s leg. If people from the second or third rooms opposite were to see, who knows what rumors might spread?
Jiang Youzhi, upon seeing Yun Jiao closing the windows, turned bright red.
He didn’t even dare to lift his eyes to look at her, the corner of his eye caught her light purple dress, and his whole body tensed suddenly.
He was now concerned about having an inappropriate reaction!
Yun Jiao soon noticed Jiang Youzhi’s blushing.
His face and neck were flushed red; it was hard for her to pretend not to see.
To ease the embarrassment, Yun Jiao smiled, "Are you nervous? Afraid I’ll hurt you?"
Jiang Youzhi followed her words and mumbled a vague "Hmm."
Yun Jiao spoke as she began to lift the quilt.
Jiang Youzhi turned his face to the side, like an ostrich, closed his eyes, and silently recited the Heart Sutra.
As she lifted the quilt, Yun Jiao saw that Jiang Youzhi was wearing a blue cotton robe with no underclothes.
She appeared casual, yet skillfully pulled aside the robe to cover areas that should not be seen, then sat at the bedside and began to unravel the bandages.
Jiang Youzhi silently recited ’form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ for a while, which might have had some effect, calming his mind a little.
But as he opened his eyes and saw Yun Jiao untying the bandages, his tension returned.
Throughout the month, Liu Lang and Ah Tie bathed him daily and changed his clothes every few days.
But the leg with the splint hadn’t been washed in a month.
It must be dirty just thinking about it.
Letting her see it so dirty, she might despise him.
Realizing this made Jiang Youzhi uncomfortable again.
Yun Jiao quickly undid the bandages and removed the splint.
Jiang Youzhi only felt a coolness on his leg, and then a pair of soft, warm, and delicate hands were touching it.
Yun Jiao had never done rough work at home before, so her hands were delicate and soft.
After marrying into the Jiang Family, chopping wood and picking pigweed had formed calluses on her hands.
But after the family divided, she no longer needed to do rough work, and her hands had gradually regained their softness.