At this moment, Qin Yuhe, with bandages wrapped around the palms of both hands, still held Song Xinya tightly in his arms. She hugged him back, the two of them cuddling intimately together.
It was completely different from the cold and distant relationship Zhang Yingying had imagined.
The morning breeze, steeped in a chill, blew into the room through the cracked open door, brushing against the faces of the two people on the bed.
Song Xinya shivered slightly, letting out a soft, mumbled sleep-talk as she nuzzled deeper into Qin Yuhe's embrace.
Qin Yuhe pressed his cheek against her forehead to soothe her, tightening his arms around her to hold her even closer.
He turned his head and saw Zhang Yingying standing at the door, his eyes instantly turning as sharp as blades.
Zhang Yingying shuddered all over.
Jin Ruizhi stood at the door holding a lunchbox. "Mr. Qin, it's time for breakfast."
Qin Yuhe: "Can't you see irrelevant people standing at the door? Kick them out."
Jin Ruizhi obediently chased her away in a very simple and brutal manner, roaring a single word at Zhang Yingying: "Scram!"
Zhang Yingying felt as if she had been bitten from across the air and jumped a big step backward.
Jin Ruizhi closed the door for the two people inside the room.
Song Xuanli and Li Cuirou stood outside the door, thinking to themselves that it was a good thing they had let Zhang Yingying be the guinea pig to push the door open; otherwise, they would have been the ones making fools of themselves.
Inside the room, once Song Xinya became fully awake, she realized she was lying in Qin Yuhe's arms.
She sat up in a panic and carefully checked his hands. "Did I press on your palms?"
Qin Yuhe replied, "No."
A wave of lingering fear washed over Song Xinya. His palms were full of injuries, burning with pain at the slightest touch. If she had pressed on them, how much would it have hurt him?
She said in frustration, "I remember when we first went to sleep, we were sleeping head-to-head. How did I end up in your arms? I'm such a restless sleeper."
Qin Yuhe's voice was warm and gentle. "Don't blame yourself. I was the one who insisted on holding you after I fell asleep."
Song Xinya: "Is that so?"
Qin Yuhe: "Yes."
He diverted her overly nervous attention, saying, "I'm thirsty."
Song Xinya jumped out of bed. "I'll pour you some water."
On the table, a glass contained cooled boiled water, while a thermos held boiling hot water.
Song Xinya poured one-third hot water and two-thirds cold water, mixing it into warm water, and brought it to Qin Yuhe's lips to feed him.
It was summer, so drinking cold water directly would have been fine without the need to meticulously mix it. But Song Xinya cared too much about Qin Yuhe, completely treating him like a little baby to care for and look after.
When the rim of the cup in her hand touched his lips, he tilted his head back slightly.
Song Xinya: "What's wrong? Is the temperature not right? Do you want to drink cold water? But your body hasn't fully recovered yet, so it's better to drink warm water."
"Scientific research shows that drinking a glass of warm water in the morning can stimulate gastrointestinal motility, help break down food, and has many benefits for the body."
Her mouth opened and closed as she said a lot, but Qin Yuhe just stared intently at her lips. "That's not what I meant. I don't want to drink cold water."
Song Xinya: "Then what do you mean? I'm feeding you, but you won't drink."
Qin Yuhe: "How did you feed me the apple yesterday?"
Song Xinya: "I fed it to you by holding it in my mouth."
Qin Yuhe: "Today, you should also feed me water with your mouth."
Song Xinya was dazed for a moment. "How can I feed you water with my mouth? I can't hold water like that."
As soon as she said that, she realized he wanted her to take a sip of water, hold it in her mouth, and then feed it to him mouth-to-mouth.
He wanted to drink the water straight from her mouth.
It wasn't her fault for being dazed for a moment, because, early in the morning, she said: "I haven't brushed my teeth yet!"
Qin Yuhe said, "What does it matter? I don't mind."
Song Xinya was extremely embarrassed. "No!"
Qin Yuhe: "I don't even mind, so what are you minding?"
Song Xinya's answer was very honest and simple. "Of course I mind. I'm afraid of ruining my image in your heart. I just woke up, what if I have bad breath? I'd be so embarrassed."
Qin Yuhe: "Come here, kiss me, let me inspect."
Song Xinya said shyly, "No way."
She brought the water cup to his lips once again, saying in a stern tone, "Be good and drink your water. If you don't, I'll pour it out!"
Qin Yuhe: "What a fierce wife."
He lowered his head and drank the water from her hand, complying with her words.
Song Xinya looked at the empty cup and said, "Qin Yuhe, do you only respond to the hard way and not the soft?"
Qin Yuhe: "Those who try the hard way with me usually don't live to see the next day's sun."
Song Xinya: "Then what about me?"
Qin Yuhe: "You are my only exception."
The corners of Song Xinya's lips curled up high.
She put the cup back on the table, turned to face Qin Yuhe, and a tender smile rippled across her eyes and brows. The gaze she gave him was affectionate and soft, so gentle it could almost drip water.
"Are you hungry? Let's have breakfast, Qin Yuhe."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
Song Xinya walked cheerfully to the door, opened it, and took the lunchbox from Jin Ruizhi's hands.
Song Xuanli coughed to show his presence.
Song Xinya was in a good mood and ignored him, turning around and closing the door.
Inside the room, while Song Xinya was feeding Qin Yuhe his meal, Old Madam Qin's voice came from the hallway.
"Why is everyone blocking the doorway?"
Song Xuanli hurriedly went up to greet her. "Madam Qin, we heard that Mr. Qin was injured. We were very worried and concerned, so we specially came from Jingbei to visit him."
Old Madam Qin asked politely, "Would you like to come inside and sit for a while?"
Song Xuanli: "Yes!"
Li Cuirou: "Yes!"
Zhang Yingying: "Yes!"
Old Madam Qin and Old Master Qin walked into the room, and Song Xuanli's group of three followed them in.
Although Song Xuanli's mind was full of business, seeing Song Xinya feeding Qin Yuhe, he put on a grave and concerned expression. "I didn't expect Mr. Qin's hands to be injured this severely."
Li Cuirou also put on a face full of concern. "If we had known, we would have come yesterday."
Song Xinya: "So what if you came? You'd just stand on the side, flap your lips, and say a few high-sounding, irrelevant words that offer no substantial help."
Zhang Yingying: "Song Xinya, we genuinely care about Mr. Qin. If you find it tiring to take care of him, I can take over. I wouldn't find it tiring at all. I can take care of Mr. Qin twenty-four hours a day."
Song Xinya: "Since you're so eager to help people, hurry up and register as a care worker at the hospital. There are plenty of incontinent patients who need you to clean up their pee and poop."
"Who wants to be a care worker?" Not to mention handling pee and poop, the mere thought was disgusting. Zhang Yingying looked at Qin Yuhe pitifully and said, "I meant that I am willing to take care of Mr. Qin."
Song Xinya smiled faintly and asked Qin Yuhe, "Are you willing to let her take care of you?"
Qin Yuhe: "I am not."
Song Xinya: "Did you hear that? My husband is disgusted by you."
