88: Chapter 88 Coexisting and Recovering

Xiao Bei took the items and asked, pressing for details.

"The news of Mou Zhengping's arrest has spread, and everyone is even more cautious! Fearing they might be next, the villagers dare not cause any more trouble. Everything is going smoothly for now."

"That's good."

Xiao Bei let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, Secretary Xiao, just focus on recuperating! We have things covered in Bishi Town!"

"Mm, okay."

Xiao Bei looked out the window at the sky, which was rapidly darkening, as if it were a testament to the darkness still shrouding the city.

Xiao Bei knew that the true battle might have only just begun, but at least for this moment, justice had been served, and he finally realized who it was that he truly cared for...

After Secretary He Mingxuan left, the room suddenly fell silent.

Xiao Bei stood in the center of the living room, watching with a sense of unease as Su Yun organized the items she had brought. Her movements were gentle, though she occasionally frowned slightly due to the injury on her arm.

"Do you need any help?"

Xiao Bei asked, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the empty room.

Su Yun looked up, a lock of hair falling beside her cheek, shimmering with a soft brown luster in the light.

"No, I'm almost done."

She smiled, a look that made Xiao Bei's heart skip a beat for no apparent reason.

As the night deepened, both of them finished washing up. Xiao Bei sat on the sofa, listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, and found his nerves involuntarily tightening.

When Su Yun walked out wearing loose pajamas, carrying a faint scent of body wash, Xiao Bei found his gaze uncontrollably following her.

"It's time to change your dressing."

Su Yun walked over with the medical kit, her voice soft.

Xiao Bei nodded, turned around, and took off his shirt. He could feel Su Yun's breath hitch slightly behind him.

"The wound… it's worse than I imagined."

Su Yun's voice trembled slightly. Her fingertips gently touched the skin around the wound with careful tenderness. "Does it hurt?"

"It's alright."

In truth, Xiao Bei could feel every breath pulling at the wound on his back, but he didn't want to worry Su Yun.

The cooling sensation of the ointment spread across the wound under Su Yun's fingertips. Her touch was light, like a feather brushing against him, yet it caused Xiao Bei's muscles to involuntarily tense. It wasn't from pain, but from a strange, unprecedented sense of tension.

"Relax."

Su Yun seemed to sense his tension, her voice carrying a hint of a smile. "I won't hurt you."

Xiao Bei took a deep breath, trying to force himself to relax. Su Yun's fingers continued to roam across his back, from his shoulder blades to his waist; aside from the knife wound, she gently tended to every other bruise and scrape from the fight.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of their breathing intertwined.

"All done."

Su Yun applied the final clean dressing, her fingers inadvertently brushing against Xiao Bei's shoulder, causing a subtle tremor to run through him.

"It's your turn."

Xiao Bei turned around and saw that Su Yun had rolled up her pajama sleeves, revealing deep ligature marks on her wrists. He took the ointment and carefully applied it to the wound.

Su Yun's skin was very fair, making the marks stand out all the more shockingly.

"Did they tie them very tightly?"

Xiao Bei asked, his voice low.

Su Yun nodded gently. "They were afraid I would try to escape."

She paused. "Actually… I was terrified at the time. Right up until I heard you kick the door open…"

Xiao Bei's movements paused, and he looked up to meet Su Yun's eyes. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions—fear, gratitude, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.

He was suddenly overcome by an impulse to pull the woman before him into his arms, but in the end, he simply applied the ointment to her with even greater gentleness.

"It's all over now," he said softly.

As the night deepened, they both returned to their rooms. Xiao Bei lay in bed, but found himself unable to sleep.

The wound on his back throbbed with a dull ache, but what unsettled him more were the faint sounds coming from the next room—the sound of Su Yun turning over, her soft sighs—all of which drifted through the thin walls, making it impossible for him to ignore her presence.

The next morning, Xiao Bei was awakened by a delicious aroma. He followed the scent to the kitchen and saw Su Yun busy at work, her back to him.

She was wearing a simple T-shirt and lounge pants, her hair pulled back into a casual ponytail that revealed the fair skin of her nape. Morning light streamed through the window, bathing her in a soft, glowing halo.

"Morning."

Xiao Bei greeted her.

Su Yun turned around, a bright smile on her face. "You're awake? I made breakfast."

On the dining table sat two steaming bowls of century egg and lean meat congee, a plate of golden, crispy fried dough sticks, and several delicate side dishes. Xiao Bei looked at the hearty breakfast in surprise, finding it hard to believe that Su Yun had prepared it while injured.

"You… can cook?"

He sat down at the table and couldn't help but ask.

Su Yun brought the last side dish to the table and smiled. "My dad used to run a small restaurant, so I've been helping out in the kitchen since I was a child."

She picked up a bowl of congee and pushed it toward Xiao Bei. "Try it and see if it's to your liking."

Xiao Bei took a spoonful of the congee; the rice was soft and glutinous, the meat was savory, and the unique flavor of the century egg was just right.

"Delicious!"

He praised it sincerely and reached for a fried dough stick. "Did you fry these yourself?"

"Mm, I kneaded the dough last night."

Su Yun smiled a little self-consciously. "They might not be as crispy as the ones you buy outside."

Xiao Bei shook his head. "These are much better than the ones outside."

He took another large spoonful of congee and suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he'd had such a proper, home-cooked breakfast. Usually, he either ate at the unit canteen or just grabbed something quick to get by.

Watching Xiao Bei eat with such gusto, a flash of satisfaction crossed Su Yun's eyes.

She sipped her congee in small mouthfuls, stealing glances at the man across from her every now and then.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his profile and highlighting his strong, firm features. She noticed that the brow he usually furrowed had relaxed significantly, and his mouth was no longer set in a tense line.

After breakfast, Xiao Bei offered to wash the dishes. Su Yun wanted to help, but he stopped her. "You cooked, I'll wash the dishes. It's only fair."

Through the glass kitchen door, Su Yun could see Xiao Bei's tall frame. His movements were efficient; he was clearly not the type of man who never did housework. Water occasionally splashed onto his rolled-up sleeves, dampening a patch of fabric and faintly revealing the strong muscles of his arms beneath.

In the afternoon, Su Yun read in the living room, while Xiao Bei attended to some urgent work documents.

They both went about their business quietly, occasionally exchanging a glance or a brief word. This tranquil cohabitation brought Xiao Bei a strange sense of comfort, as if they had been living like this for a long time.

In the evening, Su Yun returned to the kitchen. Xiao Bei put down his documents and walked to the kitchen doorway to watch her work.

Su Yun's movements were skillful—chopping vegetables, stir-frying, and seasoning—all done in one smooth motion. She seemed completely immersed in the cooking process, not even noticing Xiao Bei's gaze.

Xiao Bei leaned against the doorframe, his gaze drifting involuntarily to Su Yun.

She was wearing a slightly form-fitting T-shirt today, which outlined the graceful curve of her back when she bent over. Her gesture of raising her hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear was natural and elegant. The glow from the stove reflected off her profile, lending her a soft, radiant quality.

"Do you need any help?" Xiao Bei finally asked.

Su Yun jumped in surprise, nearly dropping the spatula. She turned around to see Xiao Bei, a flush rising to her cheeks. "How… how long have you been standing there?"

"Not long."

Xiao Bei walked into the kitchen. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Su Yun handed him a bunch of scallions. "Could you chop these for me?"

Xiao Bei took the scallions and stood next to Su Yun to chop them. Their arms brushed against each other occasionally, sending a subtle spark of electricity through them.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of food and an indescribable atmosphere...