Chapter 1241: Plucking at Heartstrings

Having traveled from that technologically advanced world, Song Qingshu was no doctor, but through constant exposure, he had picked up some basic medical knowledge. When a person’s b0dy temperature exceeds forty degrees Celsius, they become highly susceptible to fainting, convulsions, and the like. Once convulsions occur, even if the patient recovers, irreversible brain damage and long-term sequelae can easily result.

Lu Wushuang could feel herself approaching a dangerous state. Holding her forehead weakly, she asked, “How do I lower my temperature? The doctor hasn’t arrived yet…”

“Even if the doctor came, he probably wouldn’t have any good solutions,” Song Qingshu said directly. He knew that the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine was a subject of endless debate in later generations. However, whether one was a critic or a proponent of TCM, most would agree on one thing: herbal medicine acts slowly. By the time the doctor arrived, wrote a prescription, and the medicine was decocted and administered, it would be far too late.

Song Qingshu thought for a moment and said, “For now, the only option is physical cooling to bring your temperature down.”

“Physical cooling?” Lu Wushuang looked bewildered. “What’s physical cooling?”

“Uh…” Song Qingshu began. “The best method of physical cooling is to soak in a tub of warm water, allowing the water to continuously absorb your b0dy heat…”

Before he could finish, Lu Wushuang asked curiously, “If the goal is to cool down, why use warm water instead of cold? Wouldn’t cold water be more effective?”

Song Qingshu shook his head and explained, “The temperature difference between cold water and your skin is too great. It would stimulate the skin, causing pores and blood vessels to constrict. That would trap the heat inside your b0dy, preventing it from escaping. Not only would it fail to reduce your fever, it could actually worsen your condition.”

“I see.” Lu Wushuang suddenly understood. She recalled Yang Guo once mentioning that when practicing the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, the b0dy generates a great deal of internal heat that must be promptly dissipated. Yet one cannot practice on the Cold Jade Bed in the ancient tomb. Presumably, the same principle applied.

“Unfortunately…” Song Qingshu’s gaze fell on her leg. “With your leg injury, you can’t lower your temperature by bathing.”

Lu Wushuang blushed slightly but did not respond.

Song Qingshu continued, “The only option now is to have a maidservant use towels to wipe down your b0dy, especially areas like your neck, armpits, and groin. That will also be quite effective. Hurry and ring the bell to call another maidservant.”

To his surprise, Lu Wushuang lowered her head and said quietly, “There are no other maidservants.”

“?” Song Qingshu was completely confused. He had no idea what was going on.

“The maidservant I just sent to find the doctor,” Lu Wushuang had to explain.

Song Qingshu asked in bewilderment, “The Lu residence is such a wealthy and powerful family, and you’re the Seventh Young Miss. Would they only assign you one maidservant?”

“It was my own request. I grew up on the streets and never got used to being waited on. Besides… besides, my temper isn’t very good, so I ended up driving the other maidservants away, leaving just one,” Lu Wushuang replied, blushing. After all, a woman admitting she had a bad temper wasn’t exactly something to be proud of.

To her surprise, Song Qingshu didn’t look down on her at all. Instead, he smiled and said, “Actually, I dislike being waited on as well.” Coming from a later era, he didn’t share this world’s aristocratic assumption that servants should be ordered about.

Perhaps because her illness had left her feeling vulnerable, or for some other reason, Lu Wushuang found Song Qingshu more and more agreeable to look at now. The dislike she had felt earlier was nowhere to be found.

But another wave of dizziness struck her. Her b0dy swayed as she said to Song Qingshu, “Would you mind, Brother Song, going to see if that little maid has returned yet?”

Song Qingshu nodded, walked to the door, and looked outside. In the dead of night, there was no sign of the maidservant.

“No. Sending a young girl to find a doctor in the middle of the night like this is really asking a lot of her,” Song Qingshu said wryly.

Lu Wushuang’s face fell with disappointment. She murmured to herself, “Then… then what can I do?” She felt she couldn’t hold on much longer.

Song Qingshu said in a low voice, “I’ll wipe you down instead.”

“Ah?” Lu Wushuang was already dizzy, and now she felt even more lightheaded. She glanced at him incredulously. Seeing that he didn’t look like he was joking, she blushed and protested, “That won’t do!”

But Song Qingshu’s expression was serious. “Your temperature has risen to an alarming level. You need physical cooling immediately to bring it down.”

“But… but men and women shouldn’t…” Given her usual temperament, Lu Wushuang would have already started cursing at him. However, she noticed that his gaze was perfectly clear, without a trace of improper intent. Moreover, her favorable impression of him had greatly increased. So she didn’t question his motives.

“I understand your concerns. I’ll close my eyes and also blindfold myself with a strip of cloth. You can rest assured.” Song Qingshu truly had no intention of taking advantage of her. He only wanted to save her. After all, her b0dy’s resistance had been weakened by his earlier treatment of her leg, and then he had told her about Yang Guo, dealing her a heavy blow. Even Cheng Ying’s departure was because of him.

If anything happened to Lu Wushuang as a result, he would never have a clear conscience.

Seeing that she still hesitated, Song Qingshu had no choice but to say, “Otherwise, I’ll go wake someone else in the Lu residence right now.”

“No…” Lu Wushuang quickly stopped him. She had always been stubborn by nature. The Old Madam had publicly ordered her to kneel and apologize—though the culprit was the man before her, she no longer hated Song Qingshu at all. Instead, she still harbored resentment toward the Old Madam’s behavior earlier.

After all, this wasn’t her home, and that wasn’t really her grandmother…

Perhaps because she had fallen ill with no one by her side, and even Cheng Ying had left, Lu Wushuang felt a sense of loneliness rising within her. Finally, she made up her mind: as soon as her leg healed, she would leave the Lu residence, wander the wulin, and also go pay respects at her parents’ graves. At this moment, she wanted to avoid owing the Lu family any more favors.

“Take your time thinking it over. I’ll go prepare the water for you first.” Leaving those words, Song Qingshu hurried out.

Watching his retreating figure, Lu Wushuang was taken aback. She thought to herself, *He’s a great hero famous throughout the land. Does he even know how to light a fire and boil water?*

With someone nearby, she hadn’t noticed it. But now the room was empty, leaving her all alone. Burning with fever, Lu Wushuang suddenly felt terribly lonely and small, as if she had been abandoned by the entire world.

Overwhelmed by sorrow, she hugged her leg and began to weep softly.

“What’s with the tears?” A gentle voice sounded by her ear. Lu Wushuang looked up in surprise to see Song Qingshu standing by the bed, carrying a basin of water, his expression concerned.

“Brother Song~” Embarrassed, Lu Wushuang wiped her eyes. “How did you get back so quickly?”

“I was worried you’d be scared all alone here.” Song Qingshu smiled slightly, picked up a towel, and wrung it out over the basin.

Perhaps vulnerability makes one more easily moved. That simple sentence nearly brought tears to her eyes again. She quickly tried to change the subject to cover her emotion. “You said to use warm water. I thought you’d gone to boil some, and it would take a while.”

Looking at the basin and seeing no steam whatsoever—it was clearly a basin of cold water—Lu Wushuang grew even more confused.

After wringing out the towel, Song Qingshu pressed it between his palms for a moment, then placed it on her forehead. He smiled and asked, “Now, can you tell whether it’s cold or warm?”

“Eh?” She felt the towel on her forehead was pleasantly warm, with no trace of chilling cold. Then she understood. “You used your internal energy…”

Song Qingshu began wringing out another towel and casually replied, “With your temperature this high, I didn’t have time to boil water. Besides, this is more convenient.”

“But… that must waste so much of your internal energy.” Though Lu Wushuang’s martial arts weren’t advanced, she understood how difficult it was to instantly heat cold water.

Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “It’s just internal energy. I can cultivate it back. But if something happened to you, there would never be another Lu Wushuang in this world.”

Lu Wushuang felt as though an invisible hand had gently plucked at her heartstrings. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She could only stare blankly at him.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Are you admiring my good looks?” Though Song Qingshu didn’t turn his head, as he continued using his internal energy to heat the towels, he was perfectly aware of her actions.

Lu Wushuang let out a small yelp and quickly turned her head away. Her heart pounded wildly.

“Your heart is racing. Good, very good. That will make your blood circulate faster, which will help dissipate heat more quickly.” Song Qingshu removed the towel from her head and placed a fresh one on.

Lu Wushuang bit her lip and said quietly, “Brother Song, do you usually tease girls like this?”

“Why do you ask?” Song Qingshu looked at her with a smile. “Are you saying I’ve teased you?”

Lu Wushuang spat in mock disgust, her face instantly turning crimson. She couldn’t utter another word.

Song Qingshu coughed. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. Even if we called someone else from the Lu residence now, it would probably be too late. I’ll wipe you down to cool your temperature.”

As he spoke, he casually picked up a ribbon from beside the bed and tied it over his eyes. Even as he blindfolded himself, he also closed his eyes. With his current level of cultivation, his vision was as sharp as lightning, and a single layer of ribbon wouldn’t block his sight at all. Of course, there was no need to tell Lu Wushuang this and make her even more embarrassed. Since he had no intention of taking advantage of her and his conscience was clear, that was enough.

Seeing the ribbon over his eyes, Lu Wushuang blushed. She thought, *That’s my belt that I took off and left aside!* But this was not the time to mention it. All she could say was, “If you cover your eyes, how will you see to wipe… to cool me down?”

She had originally meant to say “wipe my b0dy,” but after just one word, her heart began racing wildly, and she quickly changed her phrasing.

This was the dilemma that had been troubling her. If he covered his eyes, he truly wouldn’t be able to see. But if he was going to wipe her down, being unable to see, he would inevitably have to feel his way around. Even if his eyes didn’t see her b0dy, his hands would still touch everywhere.

Song Qingshu smiled slightly. “With my current level of cultivation, after one look, the position of every part of your b0dy is already imprinted in my mind. As long as you don’t move around, I won’t mistake where to place my hands.”

Having her thoughts seen through so directly, Lu Wushuang was overwhelmed with shyness. She could only murmur an acknowledgment and say softly, “Th-then you may begin.”

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