Chapter 111: Reunion After a Long Separation
Qingyan passed out. After seeing that Qiu Henian was alive and well, he relaxed his mind and lost consciousness.
Just before closing his eyes, he saw Aunt Li and Qiuniang standing at the entrance of Fragrant Melody Pavillion, smiling at them.
He also saw passersby covering their mouths and laughing when they saw them embracing.
The next moment, everything went black before his eyes, and he knew nothing.
He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious.
Qingyan felt like he was swaying on a vehicle, and someone let him lean against their warm chest.
Sometimes he heard someone asking him to eat. Qingyan opened his mouth and drank porridge, ate noodles mouthful by mouthful, always unable to open his eyes, just eating with his eyes closed and then falling asleep again.
Sometimes there was bitter medicine for him to drink. Qingyan took a small sip and refused to open his mouth anymore.
Then someone pinched his chin, warm lips pressed against his, and the bitter medicine was poured into his mouth. Qingyan’s mouth was sealed, unable to spit it out, so he had to swallow it.
He drank it sip by sip like this, feeling wronged, and cried.
He remembered his parents who had passed away long ago, and his grandmother who raised him. Thinking about them, he saw their faces smiling at him.
Qingyan wanted to call out to them, but his voice wouldn’t come out. His parents and grandmother didn’t hear anything, just nodded at him and disappeared into the light.
Qingyan cried even harder.
Someone sighed beside him, and soon after, water was brought to him again by warm lips.
He thought it was bitter medicine again and wanted to resist, but when the sweet taste reached his tongue, it was like encountering a sweet rain in the desert, and he eagerly sucked it clean.
After drinking the sweet water, footsteps departed, Qingyan opened his mouth again, wanting to call out a name, but still couldn’t make a sound.
He became anxious, his mouth opened with a sigh, and the footsteps indeed returned. Large hands stroked his forehead and cheeks.
Qingyan rubbed his face against the warm hand, forming words with his mouth, “Henian.”
…
When he opened his eyes, Qingyan saw the familiar ceiling.
He blinked in confusion for a moment before realizing he was back home.
In the next instant, he looked towards the bed. Through the blurry curtains, he saw a tall figure sitting at the table by the window, holding a brush, writing attentively.
Qingyan’s eyes welled up with tears. He wanted to call out, but found he still couldn’t make a sound.
He tried to prop himself up with his elbow, but had no strength in his body. When the back of his head left the pillow, his arm felt sore. He lay back down.
However, the movement he made was heard by the person by the window. They turned and looked over, then put down the brush and walked briskly to the bedside.
The curtain was lifted, and a familiar face appeared in Qingyan’s sight.
Qingyan opened his mouth and silently called out his name, “Henian.”
Qiu Henian seemed to understand, smiled, and nodded.
Qingyan wanted to reach out to him, but every muscle in his arm felt weak.
Qiu Henian sat down beside the bed.
His dry, warm thumb gently rubbed Qingyan’s lips, and he softly said, “The old doctor has checked on you. He said your throat is just inflamed. A few days of medication to clear the heat will make it better.”
Qingyan felt relieved, but still worried.
Qiu Henian asked, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
Qingyan became anxious. He looked at the other person’s hand, and Qiu Henian seemed to understand his meaning now, placing his own hand next to Qingyan’s. Qingyan’s fingers traced on his palm.
Qiu Henian finally understood and asked softly, “Do you need to use the bathroom?”
Qingyan nodded hurriedly.
Qiu Henian apologized, squeezed his hand, and said, “My oversight. Just wait a moment.”
Qiu Henian left the room and brought back a bucket, placing it beside the bed.
Qingyan couldn’t get up by himself, so Qiu Henian helped him onto the bed, took off his shoes, and lifted Qingyan so that he was sitting on his lap. He supported him and whispered softly in his ear, “You can go now.”
Qingyan felt embarrassed in this position, but he had no choice. Besides, he didn’t have anything to be embarrassed about in front of Qiu Henian, so he resolved to finish this task in a matter-of-fact way.
Afterwards, Qiu Henian helped him tidy up, pulled up his pants, let him lie back on the bed, and then went to deal with the bucket.
When he returned after washing his hands, Qiu Henian poured warm water for Qingyan again, supporting him to drink in small sips.
Seeing that Qingyan still seemed somewhat embarrassed, he said, “It’s all my fault. I fed you too much water while you were asleep.”
Qingyan looked at him, eyes questioning. Qiu Henian understood and said, “You’ve been asleep for more than a day and night.”
A look of surprise appeared on Qingyan’s face. Then he thought of something and urgently scanned Qiu Henian from head to toe.
Qiu Henian understood his meaning and said, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. There are people in prison taking care of me. They haven’t troubled me.”
Qingyan looked at him, furrowing his brows, seeming unconvinced.
Qiu Henian put his hands to his collar as if to take off his clothes and said, “Do you want to see for yourself to believe me?”
Qingyan blinked, resolute in his expression, indicating he really wanted to see.
Qiu Henian smiled helplessly and proceeded to remove his upper garments.
Qingyan’s gaze carefully scanned over him, finding only that he had lost some weight, but there were no visible scars, which eased his mind.
Qiu Henian asked, “Have you seen enough?”
Qingyan blinked, indicating it was enough.
Qiu Henian smiled slightly and put his clothes back on, covering up countless healed and scarred whip marks on his back that extended into his waistband.
Qiu Henian sat down on the bed, lowered the canopy, and approached the person lying on the bed, softly asking, “I also want to see you. Is that okay?”
Qingyan’s eyelashes trembled and he looked to the side, silently consenting.
Qiu Henian gently removed all his clothing.
The mid-June weather was no longer chilly.
Qiu Henian’s eyes were downcast, observing carefully.
In just twenty days, the little bit of flesh he had painstakingly nurtured over the past few months had all but disappeared. He was even thinner than before he conceived, with his waist sunken in, arms and legs slender, chin sharp and small, and eyes looking particularly large.
In contrast to his frail body, his protruding abdomen was particularly noticeable, resembling a small pot placed on top.
Normally prone to drowsiness, always wanting to eat chicken legs, and occasionally needing to pamper the delicate little beauty who had conceived, these days had been full of fear and uncertainty for him, unable to rest peacefully.
He even traveled hundreds of miles to the capital, enduring the hardships of rough sleeping conditions, exposure to the elements, and the turmoil of dealing with that person.
Qiu Henian’s eyes were filled with heartache as he gently stroked Qingyan’s brows and eyes. Qingyan’s eyelashes trembled lightly against his fingertip.
“Qingyan, you’ve endured so much during this time.”
Qingyan looked at him, his eyes gradually reddening. Qiu Henian lowered his head and kissed him lightly on the lips.
His large hand moved downwards, carefully resting on Qingyan’s swollen belly. However, as soon as he placed it there, his expression suddenly changed, showing complete surprise.
Previously, after numerous attempts, he had not felt any fetal movements, but now he suddenly felt it.
It wasn’t like a fish blowing bubbles or a butterfly fluttering its wings, but rather like a kitten extending its claws, gently brushing past his palm, tickling and tingling.
Qiu Henian looked at Qingyan with joy. Qingyan naturally felt it too.
He smiled and formed words with his mouth, “It missed you too!”
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
Qiu Henian’s large hand stroked Qingyan’s cheek, his lips touching his forehead, as he said, “Qingyan, I missed you very much.”
After a while, he felt warm drops of water on his hand. He looked down and saw Qingyan crying with tears streaming down his face, eyes red, mouth opening and closing without sound, looking pitiful.
