Chapter 137 Burnt Ends: Revealed
One day, Feng Luodi visited Situ again. The attendants were used to her frequent visits by now, and the head steward, Xiang Bo, was even glad to see Feng Luodi. She sat by Situ"s side as she always did, staring at Situ"s sleeping face.
“You look like you"ve lost weight.” She knew that there would be no answer, but it was her way of comforting herself. “Elder brother is no longer the Grand Tutor. I know that he is very upset, but I can"t find the words to say to him. Do you know that his health is very poor? The heavens are unjust; the two of you have such exceptional abilities in each of your fields, but one of you is gravely ill and the other is badly injured. The heavens must be jealous of your talents.”
“If everything was really determined by the heavens, then why am I sent here?” Feng Luodi could not understand the reason behind her transmigration. Her few meetings with Phantom had been cryptic at best, and it was not hard to see that Phantom avoided the issue.
“The place where long for, where I belong, is a place just like any other after all. I can"t believe that I"m so bent on going back, how foolish of me.” Feng Luodi chuckled. “I guess that is human nature after all. The few things that I cannot let go of has backed me into a dead end. I am the one who has trapped myself, and that"s why I can never be happy.”
“Then don"t go back. You can spend your days here in happiness.” A hoa.r.s.e voice sounded in the room.
Feng Luodi jumped in her seat, her head slowly craning around to look at Situ. “You"re awake?” She was elated for a second, but panic quickly took over. “What did you hear?”
Situ slowly sat up, dressed only in a thin tunic. He slowly propped his pillow higher. “What do you want me to hear?”
Feng Luodi"s eyes were a mixture of feelings. She recalled the prowess and abilities of the Situ she"d known and wondered if she"d been duped all along. “Were your injuries an act, just as a part of your ulterior plans?” If that was the truth, then he"d have heard everything I"ve said to him, right from the start!
Situ looked helplessly at Feng Luodi. “I don"t think that"s a very nice thing to say to an injured patient.”
Feng Luodi caught on to his lack of denial right away. “Have you always been awake?”
Situ shrugged. “Semi-conscious.”
“All the while?” Feng Luodi"s face darkened.
“All the while.”
“You liar!” Feng Luodi sprang to her feet and turned to leave. She was happy to see him awake, but her heart was filled with the rage of being deceived. How could I have fallen for it! I knew that he would not be so easily injured by anyone!
The moment she turned away, Situ clutched his chest, hissing through his teeth. “Argh! My wounds are hurting again!”
“Hmph! n.o.body"s going to fall for your tricks!” Despite her words, Feng Luodi stopped.
“I think the wounds have reopened. I guess it"s time to change the bandages then.” Situ spoke calmly.
Feng Luodi spun around angrily, stalking to the bedside again. “If you"re lying to me again, I"ll never ever come here again!” She threw her embarra.s.sment aside and took his tunic off in one swift motion. Situ"s upper body was mostly covered in bandages, many of them still stained with the bloodied fluid from his wounds. She was stunned by what she saw.
Situ smiled when he saw her reaction. “See? I didn"t lie.”
It was the first time Feng Luodi had saw his wounds – she hadn"t dared to do so before. Now that she did, she was both angered and heartbroken at what had happened to Situ. “How did you get injured when you"re so powerful?” Feng Luodi held back her tears and glared at Situ.
Situ shrugged. “They knew my whereabouts too clearly. There were many of them, and all of them had no care for their own lives. I get careless sometimes; it"s not that I am useless, alright?”
Feng Luodi glared at Situ, embarra.s.sed by his words. She quickly put his tunic back in place, trying to hide her embarra.s.sment. Situ was satisfied with her reaction, placing a hand behind his head casually.
He smiled. “You have to be responsible for me, now that you"ve seen my body.”
“All I saw was a bunch of bandages!” Feng Luodi protested.
Situ"s eyes landed on the tips of Feng Luodi"s ears that were now bright red and his smile widened. “Did you?”
Feng Luodi continued to glare at Situ.
“Luodi.” Situ called out to her.
“Hmmm?” Feng Luodi was caught off guard, suddenly swept into Situ"s embrace by his strong arms. The hand around her shoulders tightened.
“What are you doing!” Feng Luodi wanted to push him away but did not dare to use strength, for fear of worsening his injuries. The heat coming from Situ"s body made her heart race.
I am so going to die.
“Luodi.” Situ"s voice was a low murmur, enchanting and bewitching Feng Luodi. His hot breath fell onto her ears. “I don"t care why you"re going to leave in the future, but now, just for now, don"t leave me yet. Stay by my side. n.o.body knows what"s going to happen in the future; let"s not bury the present for the unknown.”
Tears rolled down her eyes against her wishes. Feng Luodi reached out to wipe them away but her hands were pinned down against Situ. “Let me go; it"s making me uncomfortable.” Feng Luodi pushed lightly against Situ but he did not budge. The arms around her shoulder tightened.
“I"m not going to let go if you don"t agree to me.” Situ almost whined.
Did he just whine? Gooseb.u.mps crawled up Feng Luodi"s arms. That"s not something Situ should be capable of doing!
Feng Luodi turned and bit down hard on Situ"s shoulder, and just as he was taken aback by the sudden ‘attack", Feng Luodi slipped out of his embrace. Her eyes met the laughing eyes of Situ and she felt her face turn bright red. She jabbed a finger at Situ.
“Did…did you hear what I spoke that day?” He must have heard my feelings that day, and that"s why he"s acting like that! Feng Luodi"s head was a whirlwind of emotions. She had never felt like that before, even when she had broken up with her few boyfriends back in the 21st Century.
“I"ve heard many things that day. What are you talking about?” Situ folded his arms across his chest, looking very pleased with Feng Luodi"s reaction. Now she looks real, no longer the ephemeral and calm woman that can disappear without a moment"s notice.
Feng Luodi stared open-mouthed at Situ, her finger shaking uncontrollably. “Are you really Situ?”
“The one and only.”
Feng Luodi tried to steady herself. She took a deep breath and smiled at Situ politely. “I"ll be going home now, then. Please rest well.” She turned to leave.
“Hold on a minute,” Situ called out.
Feng Luodi slowly turned around and smiled. “Is there anything else?”
“You haven"t agreed to my proposal; just stay by my side.” Situ grinned widely, the smile almost blinding Feng Luodi"s eyes.
He"s actually capable of grinning? I should never have doubted his injuries, there is definitely something wrong with him.
“Don"t you already know the answer? Eavesdropper.” Feng Luodi stomped in frustration and turned to leave, but was stopped by Situ again.
“You"re going to come again tomorrow, right?”
“That depends on my mood.” She quickly left the room.
Situ could no longer contain his joy. Though the a.s.sa.s.sination had thrown his plans into disarray, but he had much to gain from it. Though the Eighth Prince was in charge of the investigation, he knew that the prince was not going to treat it as important. A plan had begun to formulate in his head, but then he would not be able to do anything before the situation has cleared up. All he needed to do was to feign sickness in his residence, waiting for the perfect time to act.
Just as Situ leaned against his headboard, deep in thought, footsteps sounded from outside the door. Feng Luodi"s angry face entered the door, a pail of hot water in a hand and his medicine in the other.
“You"re still here?” He was already missing her, despite their parting being mere minutes ago. I"m falling so deep into this abyss.
Feng Luodi set the pail of water down on a stool by the bedside unhappily. “I got stopped at the gate and a.s.signed a nasty job.” She waved the medicine and bandages in her hand.
Situ"s eyes never left her face. “I"d thought that you were the one who requested to change my bandages for me. What a b.u.mmer.”
“Shut that trap of yours. Take off your clothes.” Feng Luodi tried to put on a strong front but her face reddened uncontrollably.
Situ slowly took off his tunic. “Now you really have to take responsibility for me.”
“One more word from you and I"ll cut your face with this.” Feng Luodi threatened weakly as she waved a pair of scissors at Situ. Taking in a deep breath, she stepped closer to Situ and slowly cut away the bandages on Situ"s torso. The bandages were already stuck to the wounds in some places, and the sight of the horrific wounds broke Feng Luodi"s heart.
However, there was no way she could admit that. “Have you been spending too much time with Gan Qingjia? You"ve picked up many of his skills now.” Feng Luodi gently cleaned the area around the wounds with a wet towel.
“Of course. After all, his skills did him well; he"s already won the heart of Miss Qi.” Situ raised an eyebrow as he teased gently. “First time bandaging a wound?”
“And yet you"re still teasing me.” Feng Luodi carefully applied the medicine to the wound and, with the help of Situ, dressed his wounds in fresh bandages again.
“That"s a job well done, considering that it"s your first time.” Situ praised.
Feng Luodi straightened her body, sweat beading her forehead from her activities. She turned to look at Situ. “Get well quickly; your body will rot if you lie there every day.”
Situ smiled. “I shall take that as your way of caring for me.”