C11 11

Fu Chijing's voice was magnetic and laced with seduction, and his invasive gaze swept over Tong Qing inch by inch, leaving her dizzy and at a loss. Noticing she was not paying attention, Fu Chijing, irritated, ran his tongue along his back teeth. "Speak." He pinched her again. Tong Qing lifted her head, looking pitiful, and nodded. "I... I heard you." "What did I say?" "You said..." Tong Qing's mind raced as she shivered in his embrace. "You are my husband, and from now on... I can depend on you." After she said it, Tong Qing's ears turned bright red as she tried to pull away, only to find herself still held firmly in place. Fu Chijing's lips curved upward, and he answered with satisfaction, "Good girl," as if praising a pet. Tong Qing clenched her sweaty palm and asked dazedly, "Can you let me go now?" Fu Chijing loosened his hold and returned to a composed, gentlemanly expression. "I was in a hurry earlier. I was afraid you wouldn't talk to me properly, so I held you. You don't mind, do you?" For some reason, Tong Qing's mind flashed with those trendy online phrases. Fu Chijing looked at her gently. Tong Qing quickly shook her head, thinking that Fu Chijing could not possibly be that kind of person. "I don't mind," she said, feeling guilty for her disrespectful suspicion of him. "I was just worried I might be too heavy and make your legs hurt, or make you uncomfortable." "It won't. My legs have no feeling." She was light enough that even sitting down, he could lift her with one hand. Tong Qing let out a breath of relief, then glanced at the blanket covering his legs and hesitated before asking, "Your legs... are they because of the fire?" She had not dared to ask before, afraid it would upset him, but his reaction just now suggested he did not mind the topic. Fu Chijing's expression remained calm. "No." "No?" Tong Qing was startled. "Then how could it..." Fu Chijing nodded. "That day, during the fire, someone poisoned me. My whole body went numb."

The only ones privy to the truth were Soong Shi, who never left his side, and Lin Yanxiu, his attending physician. Fu Chijing had nearly perished in the fire due to being poisoned. When he regained consciousness, the toxins had been contained, but the damage was done, and his legs were left paralyzed. Tong Qing had assumed that Fu Chijing's legs were crushed by debris during his escape from the blaze, but the revelation of poison was a shock to her. "Who would go to such lengths to see you dead?" she asked. Fu Chijing scoffed, "There's no shortage of people who'd like me dead. Tracking them down is no simple task." Despite his words, Tong Qing sensed he had suspects in mind. But since he chose not to disclose them, she didn't press further. Tong Qing's fists tightened. "May I... could I see your legs?" Fu Chijing regarded her with an intense gaze. Tong Qing hastened to add, "If you'd rather not, then never mind." She feigned busyness, attempting to dispose of the water Soong Shi had just fetched. Before she could step away, she noticed Fu Chijing leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, his voice grave, "It might be unsettling. Prepare yourself." "I'm not so easily frightened," Tong Qing murmured under her breath. She knelt down and rolled up the blanket and his pant legs. Despite her preparation, she couldn't help but gasp. The poison had turned Fu Chijing's calves a ghastly purple, with veins twisted and bulging grotesquely. "Did I frighten you?" Fu Chijing's smile had vanished. "No," Tong Qing replied, still stunned. "Little liar," he teased, poking her forehead with a hint of amusement. Tong Qing had boasted of her courage only to be exposed in an instant, feeling the flush of embarrassment spread from her cheeks to the rest of her body. Fu Chijing calmly lowered his pant legs and drew the blanket back over his knees, concealing the sight that had shocked her. Tong Qing watched, silently chastising herself for her insensitivity. She regretted broaching the subject. Seeing right through her, Fu Chijing's poking hand shifted to a gentle rub on her head. "Don't overthink it. I'm not overly concerned. It's not as if you'll be unwell forever." With memories from his past life, he had already begun to piece together clues about the antidote.

Even though she had braced herself, Tong Qing still widened her eyes in shock. Because of the poison, Fu Chijing's lower legs had already turned a bluish-purple, with veins bulging and twisting like earthworms, grotesque and terrifying. Fu Chijing let his smile fade. "Did I scare you?" Tong Qing shook her head stiffly. "No." "Little liar." He tapped her on the head, amusement faint in his voice. Tong Qing had just been talking big, only to be seen through in an instant, heat rushing from her face all the way down. Without a word, Fu Chijing lowered his pant legs, pulled the blanket over, and spread it across his knees again, covering the legs that had frightened her until they were completely hidden. Tong Qing watched his movements and quietly reproached herself.

​