Sunlight spilled over the green mountains, the thick fog finally lifting. Ever since arriving at the Shi Di Miao Village, I’d felt like the whole place was wrapped in an unreal haze. But today was rare—bright, clear, warm. Light cut through the forest canopy and warmed the damp wooden stilts houses.
Whether it was because I was young and healed quickly, or because Lu Qi’s medicine truly worked wonders—maybe both—my injured foot was almost fully recovered. I couldn’t stand for long, but walking short distances was fine.
Lu Qi said a few days ago that the brace could be removed, but I refused.
Sitting on the bed, I tested my ankle. No more misalignment, no more pain—everything felt normal again.
Just then, the iron lock outside my door clicked open, followed by Shen Jianqing pushing the door in.
He looked unusually energetic today, holding a set of black Miao clothing in his hands.
Instinctively, I drew my injured foot back, hiding it. As if he could see straight through me, he asked with concern, “Does it still hurt?”
I stayed silent, avoiding his gaze. “A little.”
“Really…” he murmured, stepping forward, and without hesitation began taking off my clothes.
That day, after he dragged me back from the forest, I’d been wearing nothing but a simple outer shirt—plain style, cotton-linen, loose like a casual tunic.
I froze for two seconds before grabbing the collar and clamping down on his hand. Trying to keep calm, I said, “Aren’t we supposed to visit your mother’s grave today? What are you doing?”
Shen Jianqing nodded. “Yeah. First you need to change clothes.” He lifted the black Miao outfit he brought.
I quietly let out a breath. “I—I can do it myself.”
He grinned, all teeth, but his eyes were full of teasing mischief. “What haven’t I seen before? And your foot’s not healed, movement’s inconvenient. This outfit is pretty complicated—you’ll need my help.”
“My foot…” I almost blurted out the truth but swallowed it.
Shen Jianqing’s expression chilled. He stepped closer, the smile on his face turning sharp and unsettling. “Are you lying to me? Li Yuze, you’re not lying, right?”
I took a long breath and avoided answering, frowning as I said seriously, “I can change by myself. If I need help, I’ll tell you.”
He stared straight at me. I held my ground, refusing to back down. After a couple of seconds of judging me, he stepped back—but didn’t leave the room.
Fine. Like he said, we’ve already done far more intimate things. If he wanted to watch, let him. My palms were sweating like crazy, but I recited to myself silently, forcing myself to ignore his presence.
But his burning gaze was impossible to ignore. When I took off my clothes and turned my back to him, it felt like he was scorching two holes into me with his eyes.
So this was what “like sitting on pins and needles” really meant.
I hurried to unfold the outfit he brought and tried to throw it on. But the more nervous I got, the more mistakes I made.
I somehow managed to get my head stuck inside the wrong opening, completely tangled up in the fabric, unable to get out. The harder I tried, the messier it got.
Panic rose in my chest.
“Heh.”
A soft laugh sounded right behind me.
Even though he wasn’t touching me yet, his body heat felt like it was pressing against my back.
I froze.
His hand slid onto my bare spine, tracing up along my vertebrae until it reached the back of my neck. His palm wasn’t cold—warm and dry, actually—but it still sent a shiver racing through me, goosebumps popping everywhere his hand traveled.
My head was trapped inside the shirt, making it hard to breathe, and my face flushed red with embarrassment.
“I told you to let me help, but you wouldn’t.” His voice was low, like he was holding something back.
Shen Jianqing’s hands slipped into the garment with certainty, guiding me through the fabric. And suddenly, the chaotic darkness cleared and I found the right opening.
I tugged the collar into place and let out an awkward cough. Getting stuck in your own clothes—no matter how you look at it—is unbelievably stupid.
“So… when are we heading out?”
“No rush.” Shen Jianqing lowered his head, staring at me—or rather, at the outfit on me. “You look really good in this.”
There wasn’t a mirror in the room, but just by glancing down, I could tell the outfit was unusually exquisite.
The base was black—elegant and solemn. The chest panel and sleeves were embroidered with gold thread, accented with colorful stitching, forming flowers, clouds, and butterflies. The butterflies looked almost alive, wings poised to take flight.
“It looks… expensive.” Remembering how I just wrestled with the clothes like an idiot, dread crept up my spine. I started to lift my hand to take it off. If I ruined this thing, how would I ever repay him?
Shen Jianqing pressed my shoulder down. “This was made by my mother for my father.”
I stared at him. “Then why are you…”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? My mother spent a whole year making it. Every stitch of embroidery was done by her.” He stroked a pattern on the chest, his expression unreadable. “But not long after she finished, my father… passed away before he could ever wear it.”
This magnificent garment—every needle and thread infused with a woman’s love—was meant for the man she cherished. But before she could see him wear it, he was gone.
Shen Jianqing lifted his eyes. Gripping my shoulders, he said with a hint of desperation, “Li Yuze, will you let my mother see it? She never saw my father wear it. If she sees you wearing it so beautifully, I’m sure she’ll be happy.”
I nodded—and he immediately pulled me into a tight embrace. I couldn’t see his expression, but his voice sounded muffled and wronged against my ear. “Thank you, Li Yuze.”
In that moment, it struck me—he was just a barely grown kid. With no parents to teach him right from wrong, it was no wonder he wandered off the path. I… I was only pitying him. That didn’t mean I accepted him—or accepted this life.
I let him hold me. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a flash of red near the wall.
That bug—“Honghong.”
It was in the corner, wiggling joyfully. When it noticed me looking, it stopped cold, then darted away along the wall.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Jianqing asked.
I shook my head. “Let’s not delay. Let’s go.”
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