Chapter 162 -

Chapter 162: Chapter

The moment he said those words, a strong gust of wind slammed against the window shutters. The storm was finally here.

The cold air rushed into the room, making the lanterns shake. Two of them went out, leaving only one lamp burning in the dark room.

Yimei laughed softly and turned away to secure the room before it got too cold. She walked to the window and pushed the wooden shutters shut, locking them tight. Then she checked the main door, sliding the heavy bolt into place to keep the freezing wind outside.

Next, she walked over to the fireplace. She stirred the hot coals with a metal stick and tossed in a few heavy logs of wood. Soon, the fire caught, filling the dark room with a warm orange glow.

Once the room was warm, Yimei went to the wooden wardrobe. She pulled out a soft, plain inner robe for sleeping and stepped behind the screen to change out of her heavy grey hanfu.

On the bed, Zhengyu sat still. His dark eyes watched her shadow behind the screen. Listening to the rustling of her clothes, he completely forgot about the cold storm howling outside.

After a few moments, Yimei stepped out from behind the screen. She was wearing a simple white inner robe that was soft and comfortable for sleeping, and her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders.

The single lamp on the bedside table cast a warm, dim light across the room.

Yimei walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked at Zhengyu and asked softly, "How are your legs reacting to this cold weather?"

"I don’t feel much pain," Zhengyu replied quietly.

Yimei pulled back the thick blanket, raised his trousers, and gently examined his legs.

"They need some balm," she said, looking up at him. "Should I apply it for you?"

Zhengyu frowned slightly. "Since when do you ask for my permission before doing anything?"

"I am asking now because this balm is different," Yimei explained, her voice steady. "Grandmaster Zhang gave it to me, and it will hurt."

Zhengyu tilted his head. "I barely have any feeling in my legs right now. If it hurts, doesn’t that mean it is working?"

Yimei went quiet, her dark eyes studying his face before she spoke with complete seriousness. "It is going to burn. But it will wake up your dead nerves. Are you really ready for that?"

Seeing the rare, serious expression on her face, Zhengyu smiled faintly.

"If it is truly that painful," he whispered, his eyes locking onto hers, "then shouldn’t I get a reward if I endure it?"

Yimei tilted her head, a familiar playful smirk returning to her lips. "I prefer it when you talk less," she said coolly.

With that, she stood up from the bed and walked over to the wooden drawer where she had safely kept the balm. She pulled out a small porcelain jar, unstoppered it, and carried it back to the bed. A sharp, minty herbal scent filled the air right away.

Sitting back down beside Zhengyu, she dipped two fingers into the thick green paste. She looked into his eyes one last time. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

She rubbed the balm firmly onto his knees and calves.

At first, there was nothing. But within seconds, heat began to sink straight into his skin. The dead numbness in his legs suddenly gave way to an intense, stinging burn.

Zhengyu’s body went rigid. His breath hitched in his throat, his hands gripping the sheets so tightly his knuckles turned white. Sweat instantly broke out across his forehead as he gritted his teeth to hold back a groan.

Yimei watched his face closely, her thumb gently wiping a drop of sweat from his temple.

"See?" she murmured softly, her fingers continuing to massage the balm into his skin. "Pain means you are still alive down there."

Zhengyu let out a long, shaky breath through his teeth, forcing his eyes open to stare up at her through the dark. Despite the searing pain, he didn’t pull away.

"I am holding my end... of the deal," Zhengyu rasped out, his voice low and tight. "So... what is my reward, Yimei?"

Yimei looked down at him, her dark eyes sparkling with quiet amusement as she continued massaging the balm into his skin.

"I never made any deal with you," she said, her voice smooth and playful. "And besides, getting your legs back is for your own benefit, isn’t it? Don’t be cheeky."

Yimei walked back to the wooden drawer, put the small jar inside, and closed it tight.

When she turned back to the bed, Zhengyu was still in a lot of pain. His legs were bright red, and the redness spread all the way up to his face. He kept his eyes squeezed shut, his body stiff as he let out soft, painful groans.

Yimei picked up a soft cloth, sat down beside him, and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. She leaned closer, staring at his red, painful face under the dim lamp light.

He actually looks kind of cute when he’s in pain, Yimei thought to herself, a small smirk on her lips. I should make him do painful things more often.

[ Host! Please help your target deal with the pain! Stop just sitting there enjoying his suffering, you psychopath!]

Yimei rolled her eyes at the system message in her mind. Be quiet. I am taking care of him.

Yimei leaned in close to him, her fingers reaching out to gently trace his long black hair that fell freely over his shoulders. Her touch moved softly from his hair to his cheek, then slid down until her fingers rested on his hot, dry lips.

Zhengyu’s eyes stayed closed against the pain in his legs, but he felt every bit of her touch against his skin. His breath hitched in his throat.

Before he could open his eyes or say a single word, Yimei leaned all the way down and pressed her mouth against his.

Zhengyu froze in total shock, his body turning still. Yimei’s lips were cool and soft against his burning skin. Without giving him time to think, she deepened the kiss, her tongue slipping past his lips and forcing his mouth open.

A sharp gasp escaped Zhengyu’s throat right into her mouth. The burning pain in his legs seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by a rush of heat that flooded his whole body. His hands moved on instinct, letting go of the bedsheets to grab her waist, pulling her closer as the wild wind screamed outside their window.

Yimei pulled away slowly, her eyes shining with quiet mischief as she looked down at him.

Zhengyu sat frozen, his chest heaving as he stared at her, completely breathless. The flush on his face had nothing to do with the balm anymore. His dark eyes were wide, fixed on her lips, his hands still resting tightly on her waist.

Yimei smiled softly, her fingers lightly tracing his jaw. "You said you wanted a reward, didn’t you?"

Zhengyu swallowed hard, his voice rough and deep as he finally found his breath. "That... was my reward?"

"Why? Do you not like it?" Yimei asked, tilting her head with a teasing smirk. She made a move to pull back completely, but Zhengyu’s grip on her waist tightened, stopping her in her tracks.

"I didn’t say that," Zhengyu muttered, "It still hurts.. don’t stop!"

Yimei blinked, surprised by his sudden demand. A laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at the stubborn man, whose hands were still locked firmly around her waist.

"Don’t stop?" Yimei asked, her eyes sparkling. "Zhengyu, are you talking about the medicine... or the kiss?"

Zhengyu’s face turned even redder, but he didn’t let go. He pulled her a little closer and looked straight into her eyes. "Both," he said, his voice deep and rough.

Yimei smirked. "Alright, let’s make a deal then. New Year is in five days. If you can stand up and walk at least five steps by then, I will do whatever you want for a whole day."

Zhengyu stared at her, his eyes brightening. "Whatever I want?"

"Yes," Yimei said. "But that means you have to use this painful balm every single day and work twice as hard to walk. Deal?"

"Deal," Zhengyu said without hesitation.

Yimei smiled softly. "Good."

She leaned down and kissed his lips again, slow and deep. Zhengyu let out a low sigh into her mouth, his hands holding her tight against his chest as he kissed her back.

When she finally pulled away, Zhengyu rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. The burning pain in his legs was still there, but being this close to her made it much easier to bear.

Yimei helped him lie down comfortably against the pillows. She pulled the thick, warm blanket over both of them to keep out the cold.

Zhengyu still kept his arm around her waist. As his eyes grew heavy from the pain and exhaustion, he held her close and rested his head near her neck.

Yimei smiled into the dark room, resting her hand on his back while the fire crackled warmly and the winter storm blew outside.

He definitely acts like a teen that haven’t gotten laid.