Dingbei Hou's doctor brother

The light was on at the door of the side courtyard. Xiao Yan pushed the door open and walked in. Before he reached the bed, he saw the bedding dropped on the ground from a distance.

The person on the bed had a flushed face and was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing only a shirt, supporting the headboard with one hand and breathing.

It has been nearly four months since they left Shuzhou. It may not seem like a long time, but Xiao Yan felt like he was going through four years of torment.

The person he had been thinking about day and night was right in front of him. The scene of Shuzhou in danger flashed through his mind. He was so lucky to be able to see this person again.

Lu Ziqing had slept for a while before, but he woke up because of the fever from the alcohol. He had no choice but to use his telekinesis to dispel the alcohol again. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and he was still a little groggy.

In a daze, he saw someone helping him put on his clothes, squatting in front of him and softly asking him, "Are you feeling uncomfortable? I'll take you home."

Strangely, before Lu Ziqing could see the person clearly, he heard the word "go home", but he felt a sense of familiarity and strangeness.

When he came to his senses, he tried to blink his eyes and look again. Those deep eyes and that familiar face were right in front of him, and the drunkenness disappeared in an instant.

He called out slowly and hoarsely, "My Lord? Why are you back?"

Xiao Yan looked at him without moving his eyes, and murmured "hmm", "Why did you drink so much when I was not here?"

Looking at each other, everything was so soft and whispered, and they were tacitly immersed in the quietness around them.

Like two old friends who have gone through the hardships of time and met again after a long separation, there is no need for deliberate greetings, just a simple smile, and the bits of memories packed into the bag have already spread.

Lu Ziqing smiled in his daze, "The Duke is so kind, I should do my best to congratulate him. Fortunately, I didn't make a fool of myself today."

When they returned to the Marquis' Mansion, Chongcuixuan had already closed its doors and turned off the lights, so Xiao Yan carried the person back to his own room.

The effects of the alcohol had mostly dissipated, and Lu Ziqing finally felt a little better. When he lay down on the bed, he was already drowsy, with a hint of red still on his face.

Xiao Yan found his undershirt and prepared to change him. When he took off his inner clothes, his hands hesitated for a moment, and then he unbuttoned the sweat-soaked clothes, revealing a white and smooth chest and abdomen.

Lu Ziqing has a good figure, neither too thin nor too fat.

He appears gentle and fragile when dressed, but underneath his clothes he has a firm body. He is not frail like a scholar, nor as muscular as a fierce warrior.

It is just right between the two, with both the flexible beauty of a scholar and the power of a warrior.

This was not the first time Xiao Yan had seen this body, but it was like the first time he had seen it, and ripples had already formed in his heart.

He swallowed and helped Lu Ziqing change his clothes.

After a lot of tossing and turning, Lu Ziqing woke up in a daze. This time he saw clearly that Xiao Yan was sitting beside the bed, looking at him quietly.

He slowly stood up and tried to get out of bed. Just as he was about to lift the quilt, Xiao Yan held his hand and asked gently, "Would you like some water? I'll get it for you."

"No." Lu Ziqing stopped him, pressed his head, and said, "The Marquis is back. I'm going to Chongcuixuan."

Xiao Yan looked at Lu Ziqing, who was wearing his clothes loosely, exposing her collarbone. Around her neck was a necklace made of white jade pillars as thick as a thumb, with the jade pillars surrounded by silver curls.

He lowered his gaze and could see a small, vaguely visible part of the chest, like a secret place hidden behind the clouds, tempting people to peek inside.

Xiao Yan really wanted to drink water.

He shifted his gaze and said, "No, you sleep here and I'll sleep on the couch."

During the past few months away, unlike the hardships he experienced during the frontier expedition, Xiao Yan looked inexplicably haggard after only clearing out a group of bandits.

Lu Ziqing watched for a moment and asked softly, "Did your trip go smoothly, Lord? Are you injured? Is Old Su okay?"

"With your protection, we are doing well and he is fine." Xiao Yan also responded softly.

"It was you who cured my father's leg. I didn't even know about it. I thought he would have to spend his whole life in a wheelchair, but I didn't expect he could even stand up. This is all a miracle you gave me."

Lu Ziqing said, "I have been in the capital for a year now, and I am fortunate to have received your sincere treatment. I have no way to repay you, and this small return is what I deserve, and it is not worth mentioning."

He is still the same. He is obviously helping others everywhere, but he always buries that kindness in the dark corner of his heart, always afraid that he is not doing well enough.

As long as others give him a little help, he will remember it forever. Even if it takes his whole life, he will want to repay that little bit of kindness, as if if he doesn't do so, he will not be able to move forward on the road without desire.

This kind of Lu Ziqing made Xiao Yan feel alienated, distressed, and wanted to get closer to him.

He was lost in those deep, soulful eyes, his hand slowly approaching that face.

Without exception, Lu Ziqing was afraid of such ambiguous and affectionate gazes. He subconsciously turned his face away and tried to avoid it, but Xiao Yan would not let him hide and pulled him into his arms.

From this moment on, Xiao Yan finally felt at ease. It was like a ship that had been adrift for a long time finally found a harbor and could dock safely.

It is like a traveler lost in the darkness who suddenly sees a bright light guiding the direction ahead.

He hugged the man tightly and spoke slowly and softly.

"You always say you can't repay my kindness, and you worry you haven't been able to repay it enough. But do you know that I'm the one who has always been indebted to you? I'm afraid I'll never be able to repay this friendship in my lifetime. Compared to you, what I've done is far from enough."

"I once thought my life would be dull and numb, with the battlefield as my only beginning and end. However, since meeting you, I've discovered that the world isn't just about swords, blood, and dust, but also about warmth. From the gray fog, I see a riot of color, all because of you."

Xiao Yan's voice became lower and lower as he spoke, and all his emotions were immersed in the whisper.

"Why are you so nice? I, Xiao Yan, am so lucky to have met you in this life. If possible, I wish time would stop right here and you would stay by my side forever. I've never said anything nice in my life, and I don't know how to express it. I can only tell you this from the bottom of my heart."

He slowly let go of Lu Ziqing, keeping a little distance between them. Bitterness and reluctance were about to overflow from his eyes, but he was also afraid that the slightest edge would scare this person away.

So, he said so sincerely and gently, "Don't leave, okay? I will definitely help you find your junior sister and bring her to you. Trust me."

Just as Xiao Yan said, these were words from the bottom of his heart that he had never revealed to anyone before. They were so sincere and moving that Lu Ziqing didn't dare to face them directly, and for a while he couldn't calm down the complicated emotions in his heart.

The word "sadness" may have lingered and struggled in countless years, but the word "parting" has long been taught here.

But... is something so old going to break out of the ground now?

Several candles in the room had been extinguished, and the light suddenly dimmed, as if trying to hide something for him.

Lu Ziqing wanted to speak, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he found that his voice was as hoarse as Xiao Yan's.

"My Lord, you think too highly of me. So highly... I almost thought there was nothing different about me. But reality is not what you say. I'm not as good as you say. You just don't understand. We are from two different worlds. I don't deserve your devotion, and I can't bear it."