Chapter 40
Not Concerned
Xiao Jin’s outstretched hand paused in mid-air.
“I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me?”
Xiao Jin pursed his lips and retracted his hand. “Men and women are different. It’s just a blade of water grass.”
Su Ying saw how he turned his head with a tense chin, and sneered. “Pretentious.”
Xiao Jin’s eyebrows twitched. “You’re a woman. Don’t tell me you’ve never been concerned about taking off your clothes in front of a man.”
Su Ying thought about it. In the past, when she was injured in battle, it was always her comrades who treated her. “No.”
After hearing this answer, Xiao Jin’s somewhat manic mood suddenly improved.
“No?”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Only in front of me?”
Su Ying gave him a strange look. “Why are you getting so worked up over such a trifle thing? ”
Xiao Jin’s lips curled up slightly. “I was just saying.”
Su Ying was about to go ashore when she suddenly heard a commotion.
Xiao Jin’s eyes darkened, and he jumped into the water to hold Su Ying under a large rock. His tall body wrapped her in his arms, completely blocking her.
“What are you…”
“Someone’s here.”
Su Ying kept quiet. Indeed, she heard footsteps approaching.
“There’s water! There’s water here.”
“Quick, go and get more water.”
Those people ran to the bank, probably to fill up with water.
After that, those people didn’t stay and quickly left.
Su Ying was pressed against a rock by Xiao Jin, and she could feel his hard chest through the thin fabric.
She stretched out her hand and pushed his chest. “Get up quickly. Your legs can’t be soaked in water.”
Xiao Jin turned around and saw Su Ying frowning, looking slightly angry.
His eyes moved down for a moment, and when he saw the patch of white skin, he quickly pushed his body away and jumped up on the stone using his hands.
Su Ying quickly got out of the water and dried herself before putting on her clothes.
She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Xiao Jin, who was utterly drenched. She reached out to untie his belt and took off his wet clothes.
This time, Xiao Jin didn’t stop her. Instead, he allowed her to strip him until only a piece of cloth was left around the crouch.
Su Ying squatted down in front of him and examined the wounds.
Compared to how his two legs were before, his current condition was much better. At least his bones were not visible anymore.
“You’re recovering well. But just in case, I’ll have to give the legs a good rinse with medicine when we get back.”
“OK.”
Su Ying raised her head and met his dark eyes. She glanced at his messy hair and felt that he was an eyesore.
“I’ll help you wash. You can lie down on the rock.”
Xiao Jin didn’t refuse. He felt uncomfortable with his dirty body too. “OK.”
When he wasn’t paying attention, Su Ying took out the cleaning agent that she had hidden. It was colorless and odorless, so Xiao Jin wouldn’t know if she used it. He would only feel much more refreshed after washing.
Since his legs couldn’t get wet again, Su Ying washed his upper body. But her actions were rough and rushed and unintentionally touched some sensitive areas.
When Su Ying was drying his stomach with a handkerchief, she accidentally saw something she didn’t dare to look at.
Powerful she was, Su Ying couldn’t remain calm.
Good Lord. She had only bathed him, and he dared to have improper thoughts about her.
Su Ying threw the towel at him. “She’s right. Men are animals that think with their lower bodies.”
Xiao Jin sat up with a muffled grunt. His face tensed as he picked up the robe and put it on.
This damned woman. If she hadn’t touched around!
Su Ying stood up to pick up the fish. Those people were so focused on getting the water that they didn’t notice the fish behind the rock.
By the time Su Ying finished skewering the fish one by one on a vine, Xiao Jin got dressed.
Xiao Jin took the fish from Su Ying’s hands. The two cooperated well and didn’t have to say a word.
Su Ying carried Xiao Jin on her back and returned to the clearing where they were resting.
When Bai Shuang saw Su Ying and Xiao Jin, she quickly ran forward to take the fish.
“Madam and Master have returned.”
After Su Ying put Xiao Jin down, she felt something was wrong with what he said. She thought about it but couldn’t pin down the problem.
“I’ll take you there if any of you want to take a bath later.”
“Alright.”
Mama Zhao looked at Su Ying with relief. She didn’t expect the Princess and the Prince to become so loving after they were exiled.
“Uncle He, shall we have fish tonight?”
He Shouyi chuckled and nodded. “I’ll cook a big one if Madam wants to eat it.”
“Good.”
The fish that Su Ying caught were huge and couldn’t be finished in one meal. He Shouyi salted the remaining, so it could be kept for the next few days.
“Madam, are you tired? This servant can massage your shoulders.” Lin Zhuyu was standing behind Su Ying, trying to flatter her.
Su Ying glanced at her. “Alright, I’ll give you a chance to perform.”
Seeing that Su Ying agreed, Lin Zhuyu put in all her efforts.
Lin Zhuyu was small and thin, yet she had some strength. After the massage, Su Ying felt much more relaxed.
As Su Ying felt comfortable, she could smell a strong fragrance.
She had been busy for some time and had been hungry long ago. When Bai Shuang called for dinner, she gestured for Lin Zhuyu to stop and quickly ran to the pot.
“Madam, try this. The fish is so tasty.”
Su Ying looked at the fish in her bowl. She wanted to eat but hesitated. Fish was so troublesome to eat with so many bones.
Someone took the fish from her bowl just as she was about to pick out the bones with her chopsticks.
Su Ying glared at him with displeasure and saw Xiao Jin place a bowl of fish in front of her.
“This one doesn’t have any bones.”
Su Ying’s eyes lit up. She thanked him and started eating.
The others saw this, and many of them smiled secretly.
Ji and Ling looked at Su Ying and Xiao Jin, then silently put away their small bowls and ate.
Father was biased and only picked bones for mother. He didn’t think about them.
But seeing mother eats happily, they were also happy.
After eating and drinking to her heart’s content, Su Ying let out a long breath. “How far are we from the northern wilderness?”
Xiao Jin picked up a water bag and took a sip. He said indifferently: “If we walk fast, we’ll be there in less than two months.”
Su Ying frowned. “Still that far.”
Xiao Jin was silent. If it was not far, not remote, not cold and miserable, how could it be called the northern wilderness?
“We’re not taking the official road. Otherwise, we could cut the distance in half.”
However, they were exiles and were not allowed to use the official road.
Su Ying lay down on the grass and thought about what she needed to prepare. Forget it. The longer she traveled, the more time she would have to prepare.