Look here, look here~~~~(》_《)~~~~ Qi Yue woke up groggily in the dead of night, half her body pressed down by the man, everything sticky and damp.

The moment she moved, Chang Yuncheng awoke.

Qi Yue sucked in a sharp breath, stung by the pain between her legs.

“What’s wrong, what’s wrong?” Chang Yuncheng asked urgently, his large hands stroking over her body. He knew he had been too rough, too forceful, afraid he might have hurt her somewhere. The ** splotches of blood made him jump.

“Nonsense,” Qi Yue retorted curtly, enduring the myriad discomforts of a woman newly initiated. “Let’s go wash up!”

Chang Yuncheng sprang up, naked, and dashed into the washing chamber, returning moments later just as naked.

“All done, the water’s ready,” he said, reaching out to lift the still-lying Qi Yue.

Even though they had already **d, the slick contact of their bare skin made Qi Yue blush.

“I’ll wash myself, you wait a moment,” she managed.

“I’ll wash you, I’ll wash you,” Chang Yuncheng insisted repeatedly, slipping back into the washing room, naked once more.

The washing chamber was naturally lit. Chang Yuncheng lowered Qi Yue into the tub and began to scrub her carefully.

Qi Yue closed her eyes, leaning against the edge of the bath to ease the soreness. When she opened them and saw this man, naked and meticulously bathing her with such an air of practiced solemnity, she couldn't help but smile.

“I didn’t realize you knew how to wait on someone,” she chuckled.

Chang Yuncheng carefully coiled her hair up and massaged her scalp.

“When I was little, I used to pick up stray puppies from outside…” he murmured quietly. “I’d bathe them and feed them…”

Qi Yue flicked water at him with her hand.

“You little scamp!” she glared, calling him out.

Chang Yuncheng laughed and quickly held her still.

“No, I’m serious. But they never liked it, so I could only keep them secretly,” he laughed, continuing to rinse water over Qi Yue’s body.

Qi Yue reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Hurry and get in, it’s this cold,” she instructed.

Since the woman had made the active invitation, Chang Yuncheng, being a man, certainly wouldn't refuse. He immediately stepped in. In the small tub, the two facing each other were instantly pressed close.

“Does it still hurt?” Chang Yuncheng asked in a low voice.

The question made Qi Yue wary.

“It hurts,” she said, glaring.

Seeing her defensive posture, Chang Yuncheng smiled again and pulled her close, kissing her forehead.

Qi Yue tried to struggle, but there was so little room in there; her resistance only brought them into closer contact, and the man’s instinctive response flared, his hardness pressing firmly against her body.

“Don’t move, don’t move, I won’t… anymore,” Chang Yuncheng soothed, stroking the back of the woman in his arms.

He kept his word and indeed made no further moves. After soaking for a while, Chang Yuncheng rose, cleaned himself off, and still without dressing, carried Qi Yue out. They didn’t return to the Luohan couch, but instead went to the sleeping quarters, pulling the quilt over them both.

Qi Yue was truly exhausted and let the man hold her, falling asleep shortly. Once asleep, however, she became restless, quickly wriggling free of his embrace and rolling to the side.

This woman…

Chang Yuncheng felt uncomfortable, reached out, pulled her back, and held her securely in his arms again.

She belonged to him, completely and utterly his alone…

Chang Yuncheng rested his head against Qi Yue’s, closing his eyes in contentment.

The New Year festivities were over, and it was time to break ground. Qi Yue rushed to the Thousand Gold Hall early that morning.

A large contingent of craftsmen moved into the Thousand Gold Hall, and work began in a noisy, bustling fashion.

“Our focus will be surgery, and perhaps we can add gynecology,” Qi Yue discussed with Liu Pucheng.

Liu Pucheng listened intently with a smile, gazing at the bright, hopeful expression on the woman’s face.

“…Whether they can diagnose illness right now isn’t the most urgent matter. We first need to reinforce training in disinfection and nursing techniques. For surgical injuries, it’s three parts treatment and seven parts care… Inpatient wards are, of course, mandatory…” Qi Yue spoke while gesturing.

“Was your master’s clinic set up like this, Young Madam?” Liu Pucheng couldn't help but ask.

“Yes,” Qi Yue replied with a smile.

“Is Young Madam’s master still alive?” Liu Pucheng asked cautiously.

Alive, but not in this world.

Qi Yue smiled, tinged with melancholy; matters of the modern society felt like a distant dream.

She looked outside at the busy craftsmen and the disciples rushing back and forth. The scene before her involuntarily overlapped with the hospital of her previous life.

She was going to open a hospital in ancient times, without medical equipment, without the most basic medicines…

“…The disinfectant? Has it been brewed yet?”

“…To stop the bleeding… Senior Brother, how often do we release the tourniquet…”

The clamor of the disciples outside reached her ears, and the vision of the modern hospital vanished from Qi Yue’s sight, replaced by these busy ancient healers.

Though she lacked this and was short of that, thankfully she had people—people with immense passion for medicine.

All those things in the modern age were eventually developed and perfected bit by bit through human effort, so perhaps the most important, the most crucial thing, was the people themselves.

“Is it massive bleeding?” Qi Yue walked out, asking loudly while rolling up her sleeves. “I’ll handle it.”

The days of frantic activity passed in a blink, and the construction entered a regular rhythm.

Chang Yuncheng made it a point to stay with Madam Xie for dinner every day. When Qi Yue returned home from the Thousand Gold Hall, he was not yet back.

Qi Yue went straight to wash up. She no longer needed to use A'ru’s room. Just as she undressed, Chang Yuncheng burst in, startling her.

“Go out, I haven’t washed yet,” she hastily covered her upper body with her hands, only to expose her lower half, forcing her to quickly cover that too.

Watching the woman fluster about like that, concealing only made her look more tempting.

Chang Yuncheng strode forward and embraced her.

“Why are you in such a rush?” Qi Yue scolded, annoyed at the man’s behavior.

“I haven’t seen you all day… I’m dying of anticipation,” Chang Yuncheng growled in a low voice, firmly securing the back of Qi Yue’s head and kissing her fiercely.

They separated only after a long moment, panting heavily.

“What is it you think about from morning till night!” Qi Yue said indignantly, remembering his words.

“Yue Niang, I’ve held back for days…” Chang Yuncheng murmured, his voice hoarse.

After that first night, Qi Yue’s body was uncomfortable, and she refused to let Chang Yuncheng touch her again. Chang Yuncheng, fearing he might hurt her, restrained himself from touching her. Having already shared intimacy and then sleeping beside her night after night while being unable to indulge—this required immense self-control for a man in his prime.

Qi Yue stared, speechless at his confession.

“I’m leaving soon…” Chang Yuncheng looked at her and said quietly.

Qi Yue’s heart immediately softened.

“…I want you…” the man looked at her and added, his eyes burning with fire.

Qi Yue’s face instantly flushed crimson, and her eyes grew misty.

“Then, we must wash first…” she said softly.

Chang Yuncheng scooped her up and placed her into the bath. His already taut erection plunged directly into her amidst the ripple of the water.

Qi Yue cried out in surprise, then found herself violently thrust upward. A handful was immediately taken of the bouncing mounds on her chest as Chang Yuncheng buried his face in them.

The sound of splashing water, ragged breaths, soft moans, and the impact of flesh on flesh mingled in the room.

“Chang Yuncheng~” the woman cried out, her voice trembling.

The response was two sharp slaps.

“Don’t call my name…”

This time, Chang Yuncheng struggled to hold back, his entire body trembling violently. With a trace of anger, he struck the woman’s yielding flesh on her hip twice.

It was devilish; he had never realized his name held such magic, or perhaps, the magic lay in hearing it called from this woman’s mouth, making him feel as though he might explode.

He didn't want to stop; he wanted to possess her, to possess her—a lifetime wouldn't be enough….

On the eighth day after Yan’er’s surgery, Qi Yue removed her stitches. The entire family came to visit, and upon seeing the red mark on the child’s lip, everyone gasped in shock.

Most people had never seen what Yan’er’s cleft lip looked like, so they were terrified by the sight of the wound, thinking it utterly gruesome.

Chang Chunlan, however, wept with joy. Compared to her former appearance, her daughter looked vastly better now.

“…In about half a year, the wound will heal,” Qi Yue said with a smile, covering Yan’er’s face with a gauze mask. “For the next three months, keep her out of the sun…”

This wasn't healed yet? Everyone stared blankly, and Chang Chunlan was even more incredulous.

“After half a year…” she hesitated, asking.

“After half a year, it will be fully grown back, and the red mark will disappear,” Qi Yue said cheerfully, though she then frowned. “However, this line of suturing scar, I estimate, won’t completely fade. If you look closely, it will still be quite obvious.”

At this, she sighed.

There was nothing to be done; she couldn't achieve perfection yet…

Chang Chunlan began to sob.

“Look, Eldest Sister, the medical means here are incomplete,” Qi Yue quickly comforted her.

“No, this is wonderful enough,” Chang Chunlan cried, holding Qi Yue’s hands, about to kneel. “Yue Niang, I thank you…”

Qi Yue smiled and quickly helped her up.

Then Chang Chunlan pulled Yan’er forward to kneel and thank her.

“Eldest Sister, Yan’er owes thanks not to me,” Qi Yue said solemnly, holding Yan’er and turning her towards Chang Chunlan. “She owes thanks to you. It was you who kept her alive, giving her the chance to be treated by me. It was you who painstakingly raised her, and it was you who endured gossip and disdain to cherish her. Eldest Sister, others say you are timid and easily bullied, but I believe you are incredibly bold, braver and stronger than anyone. Yan’er’s current life is unfortunate, but having a mother like you is a great blessing.”

Saying this, she nudged Yan’er.

“Yan’er, go thank your mother for her great kindness,” she instructed.

Yan’er immediately knelt before Chang Chunlan and kowtowed solemnly.

“Yan’er thanks Mother for the grace of giving birth and not abandoning me.” Her speech was still slurred after the stitches were removed, but she enunciated this sentence with all her might, clearly.

Chang Chunlan was already crying uncontrollably, hugging Yan’er and weeping aloud.

Everyone else in the room was wiping tears; the Third Miss was even crying so hard she clung to the Second Miss for support.

Madam Xie would certainly not involve herself in this emotional scene. Over in the Rong An Courtyard, she was ecstatic.

Marquis Dingxi placed a memorial on the desk.

“Guess how the Emperor responded,” he said.

The memorial was still sealed; clearly, he hadn't read it either.

The Emperor personally endorsing a memorial was something the Marquis Dingxi hadn't seen in years. For a moment, he felt a touch of fear and dared not open it.

If it was approved, he had certainly put on a show of dominance in front of Madam Xie. But if the Emperor had issued a scathing rebuke, that criticism would fall on Madam Xie, as this whole idea was hers, having nothing to do with Marquis Dingxi!

Madam Xie paid no heed to his anxious thoughts, reaching out with a trembling hand to take and break the seal.