Chapter 164 - 163: Someone Cares For Him, Too

"Your previous injuries haven’t healed yet?"

Chu Liangyu knew Hu Qiumu was injured, but seeing that he was intentionally hiding it, she hadn’t pressed the issue.

The fact that it hadn’t healed after a month, and was actually getting worse, meant the injury was very severe.

Chu Liangyu took Hu Qiuliang’s hand and started walking outside, asking, "Do you know what caused your Beast Father’s injury?"

"I... I do..." Hu Qiuliang didn’t dare to look at her, hesitating for a long while without saying a word.

Chu Liangyu knew what he was worried about, so she said, "Go ahead and say it. I’ll protect you. He won’t punish you."

With her assurance, the little cub grew a bit bolder and explained, "Well, for a while, Beast Father was trying to find you a gift, but he couldn’t find anything he was satisfied with."

"It just so happened that his older brother found out. He told Beast Father about a place with Purple Crystal, and Beast Father went without thinking much of it."

At that thought, anger flashed across Hu Qiuliang’s face as he continued, "The crystals they mentioned were really there, but they had spread Beast-attracting powder there beforehand. They just wanted to see if Beast Father’s bloodline had truly undergone atavism and what his strength would be like after."

Logically, someone as smart as Hu Qiumu shouldn’t have fallen for it so easily. Even if he were truly besieged by beasts, he couldn’t have been so severely injured.

’Perhaps something else happened after that.’ As she was thinking, Hu Qiuliang’s explanation continued, "Beast Father would have been able to escape safely, but who would have thought they’d accidentally get the Beast-attracting powder on themselves."

"Beast Father then understood what was going on, but he was his brother, born of the same Beast Mother, so he still chose to save him."

"That’s why his injuries became so severe. Plus, he’s been exhausted these last few days, so not only are the wounds healing slowly, but they also keep getting inflamed."

By the time Hu Qiuliang finished explaining, the two of them had just about reached the courtyard.

This time, Hu Qiuliang didn’t ask her to wait outside, but instead said, "Beast Father is in the room. I... I won’t go in."

"Okay, I understand."

When Chu Liangyu had saved Wen Yan, his injuries were even more severe than Hu Qiumu’s, yet she had healed him completely.

That’s why, faced with this situation, Hu Qiuliang’s first instinct was to find Chu Liangyu.

Chu Liangyu didn’t rush in. Instead, she raised her hand and knocked, waiting until she heard, "Come in."

Only then did she gently push the door open and head toward the bedroom.

At that moment, Hu Qiumu was dressed in plain clothes and leaning against the bed, a book in hand. His brows were slightly furrowed, though at what, it was impossible to say.

He must have been too absorbed in his reading, as he didn’t notice anything unusual.

Chu Liangyu said nothing, simply walking over and pulling the book from his hands.

Startled, Hu Qiumu said reflexively, "Qiuliang, stop messing around. I..."

Before he could finish, he looked up, and his eyes fell upon the very person he longed for day and night.

For a moment, he didn’t know how to react. He just watched her quietly, not saying a word for a long time.

"Where are you hurt? Take your shirt off and let me see."

Seeing him like this, Chu Liangyu felt a little helpless and had no choice but to speak first, breaking the quiet atmosphere.

"Mm, okay."

With Hu Qiumu’s intelligence, just hearing her words was enough for him to guess that she already knew what had happened.

’And Hu Qiuliang, who’s usually so rambunctious, has been exceptionally quiet today,’ he thought. ’It must have been him who went to get Chu Liangyu.’

When Chu Liangyu saw him take off his shirt without any hesitation, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. After a moment of surprise, she began to carefully examine the wounds on his body.

Hu Qiumu’s back was covered in unidentifiable claw marks, and a large chunk of flesh had been bitten from his left waist by some unknown beast, looking particularly gruesome.

Some powder had been sprinkled on the wounds, but some areas still looked deathly pale, and the places that were starting to heal were severely swollen.

’If these were the only issues, they should have mostly healed by now with enough rest. But his wounds just aren’t closing. This is probably... related to Hu Qiumu’s state of mind. Or perhaps it’s because he spends all day worrying about the Guard Team that his wounds are healing so slowly.’

With this in mind, Chu Liangyu gathered energy in her palm and pressed it against Hu Qiumu’s wounds.

The black energy looked somewhat frightening, but upon touching the wounds, it brought a cooling sensation, and his discomfort eased considerably.

Hu Qiumu had many wounds on his body, and it took even Chu Liangyu a considerable amount of time to completely heal him.

"Starting tomorrow, take a few days off. Just leave matters with the Guard Team to the other three."

Hu Qiumu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Chu Liangyu interrupted him. "I know I’ve pretty much healed you, but I just want you to rest."

"Female Master, you..."

Hu Qiumu stared at her, his tone thick with unspoken emotion, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

He unconsciously touched his chest. The sorrow that had accumulated over these past few days suddenly vanished completely.

’So, there is someone who cares about me.’

"What happened with your elder brother in the end?"

Hu Qiumu’s eyes darkened for an instant. After a pause, he said, "Beast Father and Beast Mother pleaded with me on his behalf. I didn’t do anything to him."

Chu Liangyu was surprised, looking at him in disbelief. "That doesn’t sound like you."

’Given Hu Qiumu’s personality, saving him was unbelievable enough. To not hold him accountable afterward... that’s truly strange.’

Chu Liangyu thought for a moment, and then a flash of inspiration struck her. "The necklace you gave me is beautiful, but the chain holding the crystal... I can’t quite tell what it’s made of."

"I’m a little curious. Can you tell me about it?"

Hu Qiumu’s gaze lingered on her bare neck for a moment. Whatever he was thinking, he finally said, "That is a Holy Artifact of the clan. It can protect the wearer from one fatal danger."

Chu Liangyu was stunned for a moment. ’So... is that why he didn’t pursue the matter? Father Hu must have paid a hefty price this time to appease Hu Qiumu while still protecting Hu Da. As for a Holy Artifact that can block one fatal attack, it’s certainly useful for me. The way Hu Qiumu looked at my neck just now... he was clearly a little unhappy. The reason could only be that he saw I wasn’t wearing it.’

Chu Liangyu coughed, suddenly feeling a bit guilty, but still offered an explanation. "I took it off for my bath yesterday and forgot to put it back on. I didn’t realize you went through so much for it."

As she finished speaking, the necklace appeared in her hand.

She moved closer to him with a beaming smile and said, "How about you help me put it back on?"

Hu Qiumu’s senses were filled with her faint yet overpowering scent, and his mind went blank for an instant. His gaze was unconsciously drawn to her slender, pale neck and shoulders, and the look in his eyes darkened.

He struggled to suppress his emotions, but his slightly hoarse, "Okay,"

exposed his innermost thoughts completely. Hu Qiumu’s hands paused for a moment before he continued fastening the necklace, as if nothing were amiss.

Only, it seemed to be taking... a little too long.