Chapter 78: A Meeting of Hearts

"Master Dongfang, I still have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave for now."

Dongfang Qing rose to his feet, seeing Shen Hezhi off.

Shen Hezhi intended to support Dongfang Qing, but for now, it was no more than an intention. Whether or not he would truly lend his backing depended on whether this man was worthy of it.

Returning to the post station, Shen Hezhi found Yan Heru already in the room, still unconscious. This caused Shen Hezhi to frown in displeasure, silently adding Dongfang Ming to his list of those he would one day repay.

How dare he treat the woman he cherished like this? Shen Hezhi was determined to teach him precisely what could and could not be touched.

He strode over to Yan Heru, released the pressure point that kept her asleep, and gently woke her.

Yan Heru opened her eyes, dazed, and to her astonishment, saw Shen Hezhi before her. For a moment, she wondered if all that had happened was merely a dream.

"My lord..." she croaked, only to realize her voice was hoarse.

She hadn’t drunk water or spoken for some time, which had left her throat parched.

Shen Hezhi, heart aching, wrapped her in an embrace.

"I'm sorry. I swear, never again will I let you face such danger," he murmured, guilt weighing down his voice.

Yan Heru smiled, reaching out to return his embrace. Such a simple gesture, yet it left Shen Hezhi frozen in surprise.

Sensing the stiffness in his body, Yan Heru felt an inexplicable pang of tenderness. How precious she must be to him, that even the smallest response could stir such a reaction...

At that thought, Yan Heru hugged him even tighter. "My lord, I will always stay by your side from now on."

"Truly?" Shen Hezhi gazed at her, excitement lighting his face—he felt happier at this moment than he ever had before.

Yan Heru nodded, but then couldn’t help laughing softly. "Why does my lord look like a child?"

Shen Hezhi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "In front of the woman I love, I’ll always be a child at heart!"

Then, he recounted the events of the day to Yan Heru. After listening, she frowned, and Shen Hezhi also shared his plans with her.

"It’s a good strategy," Yan Heru mused. "But do you really think Dongfang Ming would threaten you with just this one piece of leverage?"

Shen Hezhi nodded, explaining, "Though I haven’t known him long, I’ve already grasped the essence of his character. He’s the arrogant sort—if he can get even a small advantage over someone, he won’t hesitate to use it to force others to do his bidding."

"In that case, it shouldn’t be long before you help the eldest young master gain control of the Dongfang family," Yan Heru remarked.

"Yes," Shen Hezhi replied simply.

Yan Heru noticed he kept staring at her, making her a little flustered. She touched her face self-consciously. "Is there something on my face? Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"It’s because my lady is so beautiful that I can’t help but gaze at you a little longer," Shen Hezhi replied.

His words brought a blush to Yan Heru’s cheeks. She playfully hit him twice, and Shen Hezhi immediately drew her into his arms.

"Today was unimaginable for me. If you’d truly been in danger, I don’t know what I would have done. But you gave me so many surprises today, Heru. Do you know? You agreeing to be with me has made me so happy," Shen Hezhi said, overwhelmed, unable to express his feelings.

Yan Heru couldn’t help but laugh at his earnestness. "Then perhaps I shouldn’t have returned your affections. That way, you wouldn’t be so excited you can hardly contain yourself."

"Absolutely not! You have no idea how awful I felt when you didn’t answer my feelings. I was so afraid you’d fall for someone else—especially one of those physicians at your clinic, all handsome, despite being doctors," Shen Hezhi grumbled, jealousy flaring.

Yan Heru hadn’t expected him to have been jealous even back then, and over some physicians, no less.

"Enough, let me check the cold poison in your body," she said, breaking free from his arms.

Now that their feelings were laid bare, there was no need to cling to one another every moment—there would be plenty of time for that in days to come. For now, the most important thing was to deal with the cold poison afflicting Shen Hezhi.

This time, Shen Hezhi behaved like a well-behaved child, obediently removing his clothes.

Seeing his wounds once again, Yan Heru felt her chest tighten. She had seen them before, but each time they struck her with fresh heartbreak.

She reached out, her fingers gently tracing the old scars, then embraced him from behind and asked softly, "It must have been unbearably painful when you were hurt, wasn’t it?"

Shen Hezhi was startled. After years spent on the battlefield, he had grown accustomed to ignoring his own scars, and had forgotten they might frighten Yan Heru.

Worried, he said, "These scars are from a long time ago. Don’t be afraid. If they trouble you, I’ll find a way to get rid of them."

"Silly, when did I say I was afraid of your scars? I was asking if it hurt when you were injured," Yan Heru said warmly.

His first reaction had been to worry about frightening her—how many men in the world would have thought of that?

Realizing she wasn’t afraid, Shen Hezhi relaxed. "At the time... I suppose it must have hurt, but it was so long ago, I scarcely remember."

Yan Heru embraced him again. "Don’t let yourself get hurt anymore. I’ll worry," she said.

She had always been straightforward, and now that their feelings were certain, she saw no need to hold back, nor did she find such words awkward.

For Shen Hezhi, who was experiencing love for the first time, everything his beloved said or did was right and precious.

Besides, he adored how much his little wife cared for him.

"Alright. From now on, not only will I keep myself safe, I’ll protect you as well and never let you be hurt again."

Yan Heru answered with a soft "hmm," then turned serious, examining him for signs of cold poison. Finding no new symptoms, she finally relaxed.

She stepped away, poured a cup of hot water, added some medicinal powder, and handed the mixture to Shen Hezhi.

"This is a remedy I prepared for your cold poison. Drink it while it’s hot," she said, even blowing on the cup for him.

Shen Hezhi looked down at the medicine, his brows knitting into a deep frown. Hesitantly, he looked up at Yan Heru and asked in a small voice, "Could I have a piece of sugar with it...?"