“Don’t! I, I’ll be out in a second.” Lin Xiaomi said weakly, as she put several pieces of napkin in her underwear. Then blushingly, she opened the door ajar and saw Leng Yihuang right outside the door, “What’s wrong? You have an upset stomach?”
Lin Xiaomi scratched her head embarrassingly, “Uh, can you get a maid here?”
Leng Yihuang frowned, “Why get a maid here? Whatever it is, just tell me!”
He sounded quite resolved. Lin Xiaomi leaned weakly against the door and it was just too painful, “My period has come. I need pads. Can you get some for me?”
She thought of Lin Hai who didn’t know what a pad was when it was first mentioned to him. And she was ready to explain it to Leng Yihuang, but it surprised her that he knew what it was.
“It hurts again?”
“Mmm.” Lin Xiaomi nodded feebly.
Leng Yihuang pushed the door open and carried her onto the bed, “Wait here. I’ll ask around.”
Then he left, leaving Lin Xiaomi lying weakly on the bed with her hands pressing firmly against her abdomen. And then she suddenly realized: Did he just say “It hurts again?”
How did he know she had period pain?
Someone was walking outside and A’Cui entered, “Madam, this is mine. Please.”
Lin Xiaomi took it feebly into her hands and looked behind her, “Where’s Young Master?”
A’Cui smiled, “He’s making Brown Sugar Water for you.” And she murmured, “I never knew that Young Master knew about this kind of stuff.”
Lin Xiaomi looked up at her, “Didn’t you tell him that Brown Sugar Water might help ease the pain?”
A’Cui shook her head, “Young Master asked me where the brown sugar was before I told him that. Madam, do you need a heating pad? You’ll feel much better after using a heating pad on your lower abdomen.”
Lin Xiaomi shook her head, “No, thanks.” It was too hot to use a heating pad. “You can leave now.”
After A’Cui left, Lin Xiaomi struggled out of bed and went to the bathroom to stick the pad to her underwear.
When she got out, Leng Yihuang entered with a cup of Brown Sugar Water.
“Drink it while it’s hot.” He handed the cup to her.
Lin Xiaomi drunk all of it obediently and sweat started to come out from her back. She lied on the bed feebly and couldn’t help groaning.
She’d never had period pain before, but ever since last time, she’d been having this problem.
It was all his fault!
While she was complaining silently, a large warm hand went inside her robe and covered her underbelly.
This movement caused her body to stiffen slightly, as it felt somewhat familiar.
When she turned back to look at him in astonishment, he moved closer. He thought it must hurt a lot so he gave her a comforting kiss on her cheek, “Do you need me to get Cheng Jie here?”
Under dim light, the sliver mask appeared to be especially tender. Even its coldness had gone away completely.
Lin Xiaomi shook her head and said weakly, “Who goes to a doctor just because her period has come?”
Leng Yihuang remembered that was exactly what she said last time. He chuckled and held her tighter with his big and warm hand rubbing her underbelly, “Go to sleep. It won’t hurt so much when you wake up next morning.”
For the first time, Lin Xiaomi allowed herself to fall into his arms. The pain stimulated her sensitive nerves. And this familiar scene gave her a lump in her throat.
She had this unbelievable and bold speculation: Could he be…?
If the answer were yes, she’d be able to explain all that was happening. And she’d be able to understand what had been unfathomable to her.
But, could it be?
It was so painful that her brain couldn’t work properly.
She was torn and fell asleep unknowingly.
Leng Yihuang gently rubbed her underbelly until her breathing became regular. Then he lied down on the bed and closed his eyes.
When Lin Xiaomi woke up, the dim light was still on and the hour hand of the clock was just past the number three.
His big, warm hand was still on her underbelly.
She turned her head slightly and saw him lying beside her in a definitely uncomfortable position.
This scene looked somehow familiar to her.
Tears started to well up in her eyes.
She remembered those provocative words by Cheng Min.
Cheng Min said she didn’t even know who she was married to and she was just a plaything to him.
She remembered how Tang Fengmo had to bite his tongue.
No doubt, Tang Fengmo knew his identity and he refused to tell her directly. But she had this feeling that Tang Fengmo wouldn’t mean her any harm. He knew who Leng Yihuang really was.
And she remembered what Leng Yihuang said today.
He said that he learnt to bully her from her.
He also knew about sanitary pads and Brown Sugar Water.
He covered her underbelly with his palm to warm it.
He didn’t know her but he married her and was especially kind to her.
To Lin Xiaomi, she finally had an answer for all this.
With tears welling up out of control, she bit her lip and held her breath.
Her trembling hand slowly moved closer to his silver mask.
Her heart was filled with uncontrollable joy.
But the next moment, she hesitated.
If her speculation was wrong…
If Lin Hai wasn’t alive…
But pretty soon, she raised her hand again. No matter if he was Lin Hai or not, she needed an answer.
Her fair and soft hand gently fell on that silver mask. With her fingers feeling its coldness, her heart suddenly beat slower. She bit her lip and was ready to pull it off.
Unexpectedly, her wrist was held.
A big and warm hand gripped her wrist.
Those eyes that had been shut closely gradually opened. He wasn’t sleeping as she thought he was. In fact he wasn’t sleeping at all.
Her heart started to beat faster.
When he spoke, he sounded hoarse and somber, “What are you doing?”
Lin Xiaomi bit her lip, “Why do you wear the mask while sleeping? It can’t be comfortable. Let me take it off.”
“You wanna see what I look like?” Leng Yihuang chuckled and exposed her lie.
Lin Xiaomi pursed her lips, “Yes! Aren’t we married? I wanna see your face. No matter what you look like, I wanna see it.” She paused and then added, “Or, is there some reason that makes you afraid that I might see your face?”
Light flashed by in Leng Yihuang’s eyes, “Like what?”
“Like, perhaps I know the face behind this mask. Perhaps you’re someone who I know and who has come back to life after death.” After she was done, she met his gaze firmly with her eyes filled with tears and her lips pursed tightly.
Leng Yihuang slowly loosened his grip upon her wrist and said in a flat tone, “Have you heard the story of Bluebeard?”
She closed her eyes and tears came out, but she refused to be threatened by him, “Even if it were the locked door of Bluebeard, I would see what’s behind it!”
And, she took off that silver mask determinedly.