Shen Yun's gaze was deep, making Su Xiaoqi uncomfortable.
She couldn't help but interpret his look, which seemed to say: I'll just listen to you brag.
Su Xiaoqi lowered her head. She now realized that Shen Yun knew she had no dowry.
She suspected Shen Yun had figured something out.
She wanted to probe, but she was afraid of making things worse.
The best method she could think of was to treat him and his family even better, leaving him no reason to target her.
In no time, the atmosphere in the Shen family improved even further.
In the eyes of the Shen family, Su Xiaoqi was gentle, considerate, and understanding, ensuring they never lacked for food or clothing, and the family lived in harmony.
Unfortunately, days like these wouldn't last forever.
One day in mid-February, Shen Yun, who was studying in his room to prepare for his exams, suddenly fainted.
If Su Xiaoqi hadn't happened to bring him some pastries, he would have fallen headfirst onto the ground.
"Little Sister, Erdan, hurry over." Su Xiaoqi, using her slender shoulders to support Shen Yun, dragged him onto the bed made from door panels.
Shen Yun lay quietly with his eyes closed, his expression serene.
If not for the breath he drew, Su Xiaoqi would have thought he had passed away.
Thinking that her spatial upgrade was not yet complete and her jinxing attribute had not been cracked, she became extremely anxious, and tears began to flow unconsciously.
By the time Zhao Shi and the other two arrived, they saw her sobbing heartbrokenly on Shen Yun's body.
The three of them were startled.
After hearing Su Xiaoqi choked out the story of Shen Yun's fainting, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sister-in-law, Elder Brother's condition... this is a recurring problem."
Shen Xiaomei looked apologetic as she informed Su Xiaoqi that Shen Yun had always suffered from dizziness.
Su Xiaoqi blinked her eyes. So, their entire family knew about this, and she was the only one kept in the dark.
"Xiaoqi, aren't you skilled in medicine? Can you help examine Yun'er? Please, I beg you." Zhao Shi's face was filled with sadness, her eyes already red.
Although she was old and had suffered much hardship, her good foundation was evident. Even on her withered and thin face, traces of her youthful beauty could still be seen.
Especially when she lowered her head to wipe away her tears, she looked quite pitiable.
Su Xiaoqi's heart softened. She held Zhao Shi's shoulder and said, "Mother-in-law, please don't cry. My medical skills are not yet refined, but I will do my best."
With that, she took Shen Yun's pulse.
Upon examination, she couldn't discern anything amiss.
Disbelieving, she switched hands and checked again, but there was still no abnormality.
"Xiaoqi, Yun'er he..." Zhao Shi trembled as she wiped her tears, her face full of concern.
"How many times has he fainted like this? When did it start?" Su Xiaoqi asked.
In traditional Chinese medicine, inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation were all indispensable.
"Since he was little, since birth." Zhao Shi's tears began to stream down again.
Su Xiaoqi rubbed her forehead in mild exasperation. She finally understood where Shen Xiaomei's crying disposition came from.
"If he has been ill since birth, do you know the reason?"
"Sob, sob, sob... It's all my fault. The doctor said it was a congenital illness from the womb.
It's all my fault. If only I hadn't been so careless and eaten the lotus pastries sent by that Princess...
It's all my fault. If only Yun'er hadn't gotten this illness and missed the provincial examinations multiple times. With his talent, how could he not become a scholar..."
Zhao Shi muttered and cried, almost unable to catch her breath.
Su Xiaoqi frowned. She had no recollection of what Zhao Shi was talking about.
However, she was aware of Shen Yun's background.
In fact, the path he took later was precisely because of his background...
Alas, these things would happen several years later. Talking about them now was going too far.
However, the novel's plot had never mentioned this matter before. How did it suddenly appear?
Su Xiaoqi was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that her appearance had caused a change in the plot?
Su Xiaoqi's heart sank, and she also felt that this illness was indeed troublesome.
To call it an illness, there was no abnormality in the pulse.
To say it was not an illness, but the person still collapsed on the bed unable to get up.
"Mother-in-law, please don't worry. Little Sister, Erdan, don't be scared either. I'll think of a way. As long as it's an illness, there must be a cure."
Everything in the world had its counterbalances. The inability to find the pathology was simply a matter of not finding the breakthrough.
Su Xiaoqi comforted the family, asking them to leave first so she could stay and look after Shen Yun.
Su Xiaoqi studied for a long time, still at a loss. She could only move a small stool to sit by the bed, resting her chin on her hands and looking at Shen Yun.
His features were well-defined, his facial structure three-dimensional, and his lines sharp. No matter from what angle, he was a perfectly handsome man.
With such good looks, it was a pity that he would become a calculating, dark-hearted, and ruthless person in the future. She couldn't help but sigh:
"They say Heaven envies beauty, leading to a short life. Is it the same for handsome men?"
"Have you seen enough?" Shen Yun suddenly opened his eyes and glared at her coldly.
It was enough for this woman to stay by his side, why must she curse him.
"You're awake!" Su Xiaoqi stared at him blankly.
He had fainted so unguardedly, and woken up without any warning, startling her.
"If I didn't wake up soon, I'm afraid I would have been cursed to death by you." Shen Yun sat up and slowly tidied his clothes.
Su Xiaoqi looked at his clothes. From inside out, he was still wearing the rough cloth clothes he had mended before.
"Why aren't you wearing the clothes I bought for you?"
Shen Yun looked up at the low thatched roof and said nothing.
Su Xiaoqi understood. His meaning was that living in such a house, wearing new clothes wouldn't be fitting, especially since the inner layer was made of fine cotton.
"Even if you don't wear an outer garment, at least change your inner wear like Mother-in-law and the others.
Since it's worn inside, no one will strip you to look," Su Xiaoqi said, getting up to pull off Shen Yun's clothes, wanting him to change.
Shen Yun's eyelids twitched. This woman, who had just said no one would strip him, was now stripping him herself.
How could she be so bold? He was a man, wasn't she afraid he would...
Before Shen Yun's thoughts could fully form, he was horrified to discover that his upper body had already been bared by a certain woman.
Then he lay there stiffly, watching helplessly as Su Xiaoqi fumbled with him to change his clothes.
What else could he do, as his strength had not yet recovered, and he couldn't stop this stubborn woman.
Her strength was not great, and her movements were quick. By the time his thoughts had processed, his clothes were already changed.
Indeed, it was fine cotton. It felt quite comfortable to wear.
Shen Yun couldn't help but lower his head to look. The collar still retained the faint fragrance of her fingers, subtly lingering like a gentle orchid scent.
"Hey, you're still pretending to be dead. Don't tell me you want me to help you change your pants too?"
Su Xiaoqi, clearly seeing Shen Yun's satisfaction with the clothes, dangled the pants in front of him and deliberately provoked him.
"Su—Xiao—Qi, you... men and women should not touch each other." Shen Yun gnashed his teeth in anger.
"I know, so you can wear your pants yourself. However, you're sick now. If you really don't want to move,
As a doctor, with a parent's heart, I don't mind helping you change," Su Xiaoqi said, blinking her eyes in a somewhat infuriating manner.
Shen Yun had truly had enough. He gathered his strength and suddenly exerted force, grabbing Su Xiaoqi's wrist and pulling her into his arms, inevitably hearing her inner thoughts.
"Hmm, I think I can feel the source of his illness. Almost, no, still a little bit more."
Shen Yun was stunned and stared sharply at the smiling, carefree Su Xiaoqi.
So she was deliberately teasing him to observe his pulse fluctuations when his emotions changed.
He had misunderstood her.
However, anyone who stripped another person's clothes so carelessly would be misunderstood!
Shen Yun was somewhat angry, his mind heated. Seeing the soft, pink lips within reach, and recalling the soft touch in the cave, he leaned in.