Yunna lay on the bed and had dozed off without meaning to. When she woke up, the sky outside had already darkened.
She had planned to think about how to manage her life from now on, but her thoughts had slowly drifted and she had ended up falling asleep. This era was very different from the modern world. Even though she had the original host's memories, many habits were hard to change right away.
She would just have to take it slowly. Fortunately, Yixian was a prosperous town, not far from Yangfu City. In this world, after a woman married, her husband was expected to support her. So if she could find a way to earn some steady income, she wouldn't need much. Just a little would be enough.
She didn't feel right using a man's dowry without giving anything in return, especially since they weren't even close yet.
In her past life, Yunna had grown up used to being independent. Her adoptive parents favored her younger brother, and she wasn't their biological child. She had lived in someone else's home long enough to know how hard that was. Even after being transported to this world, she didn't want to rely on anyone.
It was better to rely on herself.
Yunna had just sat up and was about to get out of bed to use the small side room when a man's voice came from outside.
"Miss Yunna, are you awake? May I come in?" Chunri asked.
"Not yet. I'll call you in a bit," Yunna replied.
She pulled on an outer robe, got out of bed quietly, and walked to the side room to relieve herself. Only then did she allow Chunri to enter.
Thankfully, the bedroom had a small side room meant for women to use the toilet. It was tiny, just enough space for two people to stand. Servants cleaned it every day and used incense, so it didn't smell bad.
"Miss Yunna, let me help you with your clothes," Chunri said as she walked in with a bowl of medicine and saw Yunna sitting on the bed wearing only her outer robe.
"No need, I can dress myself. Did your master send you?" Yunna asked as she stood and got dressed.
"Master told me and Chan to wait outside your room in case you needed anything. If you don't like having us serve you so closely, we won't bother you," Chunri said with her head lowered.
"Alright. What's your name?" Yunna asked.
"My name is Chunri. This is the medicine the doctor prescribed. It's been kept warm. Please drink it while it's still hot."
Yunna stared at the bowl of medicine Chunri handed her. Her scalp tingled. She hated bitter traditional medicine.
"Miss Yunna, I prepared some preserved fruit. Please drink the medicine while it's still hot," Chunri said softly, noticing her hesitation.
Yunna sighed, took a deep breath, and drank the medicine in one gulp.
As soon as it touched her tongue, her face twisted from the bitterness.
Chunri quickly handed her the preserved fruit. The bitterness faded after a few bites.
"I'll eat dinner in an hour. You can go for now," Yunna said.
"Yes, Miss Yunna."
After Chunri left, Yunna looked down at her feet. Several blisters had formed on the soles. Even though they had been treated, they still hurt. She decided not to leave her room today. Healing was more important.
After dinner, Yunna sat by the window, quietly watching the moonlight outside.
She felt so bored. No phone, no computer, no electronics. It was only her second day in this world, but time already felt like it was crawling.
"What are you thinking about, Miss Yunna?" a man's voice asked.
Yunna jumped. She turned to see Xael and pressed a hand over her chest. "You scared me. Can't you make some noise before entering? And this is a woman's room. Shouldn't you knock first?"
"I did knock several times, but you didn't answer. I thought something might have happened. That's why I came in. Please don't be upset," Xael explained.
"Why are you here?" Yunna asked.
"Your foot injury needs new medicine. I came to help," Xael said, looking a bit shy.
Earlier, his sister had told him that their marriage contract had already been taken care of by Aunt Yang. Once Yunna's foot healed, they would get married. So for now, he was supposed to spend more time with her and take care of her.
Yunna paused when she heard him. "The injury is almost healed. I can take care of it myself. You don't have to do it."
She couldn't let a man that handsome treat her foot. That thought alone made her heart race.
And it was also a little embarrassing.
Xael's face turned pale. "The marriage contract is already official. Aunt Yang handled it today. In a few days, she'll give you the official documents. She and my sister will also prepare your wedding clothes and dowry. We're going to be married. Is it because you don't want me to touch you?"
In this world, women were precious. No matter how a man behaved outside, at home he had to treat his wife well. Now that they had signed the marriage contract, they were already considered husband and wife.
"We're really getting married? And your aunt is the county official?" Yunna asked, shocked.
"Yes. You agreed to marry me earlier, so my sister asked Aunt Yang to register it right away," Xael said.
"The household documents will be given to you in a few days."
Yunna's mouth twitched. That was fast. Were they afraid she would run away? Normally, a woman's mother would take care of the marriage registration, but this time the man's side had already finished everything in one afternoon. They really had connections.
It was way too fast.
"I haven't even prepared your wedding gift. Can't we wait a little longer?" Yunna asked.
Usually, women didn't give anything to the man. At most, they would make something by hand. If a woman truly cared for a man, she might give him a small gift, which would give his family a lot of pride.
"I don't need anything, Miss Yunna. If you could embroider a pouch for me, I'd be happy," Xael said, eyes lighting up with a smile.
"That's too simple. And to be honest, I'm terrible at embroidery. I probably can't even make a pouch that looks decent," Yunna sighed.
The original host had been brainwashed by her stepfather, who said women didn't need to learn anything because men were supposed to serve them. As a result, the original host never learned any proper skills and spent her time getting into trouble with the other companions in the house.
Even though Yunna had a modern soul, she had never done embroidery. Not even cross-stitch. If she really tried, her hands would end up full of needle holes. Just thinking about it made her want to give up.
"That's alright. I'll make one, and you can just add a couple of stitches," Xael said, sounding a little disappointed but still gentle.
Yunna looked at Xael's disappointed face and felt a little soft-hearted. She said, "I'll personally prepare the betrothal gift for you. You don't need to do embroidery."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Since I promised to marry you, whatever others have, I'll try my best to give you." Yunna smiled as she spoke.
"Alright."
"Then Yunna, can I help you put on the medicine? Let me see how your foot is doing." Xael smiled and squatted down, ready to lift Yunna's foot.
"No, no, I can do it myself." Yunna was startled by his action and quickly pulled her foot back.
"Yunna, were you lying to me just now? Why won't you let me help you change the bandage?" Xael looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears.
Yunna looked at Xael. The way he looked made her heart tremble. There was a broken beauty in him that hit her hard. His teary eyes, thick eyebrows, straight nose, and sad expression made her heart warm. She even had the urge to throw herself at him.
Ah she couldn't take it she really couldn't.
"Yunna let me help you put on the medicine, please?" Xael's ears were red, and his voice was soft like he was begging.
Yunna's whole body shook when he called her name like that. Without thinking, she said, "Okay."
Xael squatted down and gently placed Yunna's foot on his knee. He softly removed her shoe and sock. When he saw the bloodstains on the bandage, he didn't say a word. He slid one hand under the back of her knees, the other around her waist, and lifted her up.
Yunna gasped and grabbed his clothes tightly.
She was being carried like a princess? This Xael looked slim and tall, but he was strong. He lifted her so easily. She couldn't help but wonder if he had chest and stomach muscles.
No no what was she even thinking?
"Yunna your wound is bleeding again. I'll get the doctor to take a look." Xael placed her gently on the bed as he spoke.
"No need no need. I walked around today, maybe I stepped too hard. I just need to put on some medicine." Yunna quickly said.
"I'll put the medicine on first, but the doctor should still come check it."
"Chunri, go call the doctor."
"Yes young master."
Yunna wanted to say something else but stopped when she saw Xael sitting beside the bed, carefully removing the bandage on her foot.
"Ow..." Yunna let out a cry of pain.
The blood had dried and stuck to the bandage. Pulling it off made her flinch in pain.
"Does it hurt a lot? I'll be more gentle."
Yunna peeked and saw Xael holding her foot with one hand while slowly removing the bandage with the other. His eyes showed he was worried. Seeing him like that warmed her heart. It had been a long time since she felt someone truly cared.
That feeling of being cared for, being treated as important, being protected, she liked it.
Maybe when her adoptive parents took her in back in the modern world, they did love her at first. But after they had their own child, everything changed. From then on, no matter what happened, she had to give in to her younger brother. They raised her, so she was supposed to be grateful.
She couldn't complain, because her brother was their real child.
But the money for her school, she earned it herself. One winter, she fell in the snow while rushing to tutor a student and got home late. Instead of being worried, they complained that dinner was delayed. Nobody cared that she was soaking wet and freezing.
If they didn't love her anymore, why didn't they send her back to the orphanage?
And now, they tricked her into going home, just to marry her off to a man more than ten years older who already had a child, just because he offered more money.
Wasn't that just selling her?
If she hadn't gone back, if she hadn't run away and gotten on that plane, she wouldn't have ended up in this world. But there was no such thing as if.
"Does it hurt that badly?" Xael finished putting on the medicine, washed his hands, then walked back to the bed and gently asked Yunna who had tears on her face.
"Yes, it hurts. It hurts a lot." Yunna thought about her past and cried while hugging the blanket.
"Yunna, it's okay now. Don't cry." Xael saw her crying and didn't know what to do.
Seeing her bury her head in the blanket made Xael's heart ache. What had she gone through to feel this much sadness?
Xael gently pulled her into his arms and spoke softly.
"It's alright. The medicine is on now. It won't hurt anymore. Don't cry, Yunna."
Yunna was stuck in her thoughts. Slowly, her eyelids felt heavy and she fell asleep.
Xael looked at her tear-covered face and sighed. He took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her face.
This weak and fragile Yunna was completely different from the one people in town talked about.
If the rumors were wrong, that would be good. But if they were true, then who are you really? Xael thought deeply.
"Young master, the doctor is here. May he come in?" Chunri stood at the door.
Xael gently laid Yunna back on the bed and stood up to let the doctor in.
"Doctor, she kept saying her foot hurt. Please take a look."
The doctor nodded, checked her pulse, and looked at her injury.
"The wound is almost healed. Just take medicine for two more days."
"But her mood is a little low. Young master, try to talk to her more and help her feel better." The doctor said thoughtfully.
"I understand. Thank you, doctor."
"Chunri, please walk the doctor out."