The curtain "swish" fell.
Ying Zhong's flustered face had disappeared.
Song Qingchao blinked and said softly, "Mr. Bai, when did you wake up?"
Bai Youan coughed lightly, awkwardly got up, and sat back.
"Miss Song, I didn't mean to."
He tried to regain his voice to explain.
But he was embarrassed when he saw Song Qingchao looking down at her undone buttons.
He turned his face away, a blush creeping up his neck, "I was unbuttoning to..."
"To give me acupuncture?"
Song Qingchao sat up, gasping, her hand reaching for her wrist, "It's alright, I understand, sir."
After taking her own pulse, she had a clearer picture.
And now that she could lie in the carriage, Mu Mu should also be safe.
So Song Qingchao slowly unbuttoned her clothes.
The thin fabric slid down with her movements.
She paid no mind to Bai Youan; what could a blind man see?
Song Qingchao turned and lay down on the couch.
Her long, black, smooth hair cascaded from her lustrous back and brushed the floor beneath the couch.
Where she lay, she was more beautiful than any ink painting.
Bai Youan sat upright beside her.
His initial awkwardness was dispelled by her actions.
If she didn't care, what could he do?
He would simply act as a blind man.
It was better for everyone this way.
Bai Youan focused on giving her acupuncture, and the redness on his neck slowly faded.
In her previous life, she had relied on Feng Shaocheng for five years without status.
Later, to survive, she willingly became a plaything for the enemy army.
He had saved her so many times.
But what good did it do?
Bai Youan's eyes began to dim.
He hoped,
He truly hoped she had changed. If he could find her a good family, that would be his benevolence and duty fulfilled.
"Your hands are exceptionally cold today, sir."
Bai Youan snapped back to attention and replied softly.
He had been soaking them in cold water and hadn't noticed.
While waiting,
Bai Youan took out a small hand warmer, lit the charcoal, and pushed it closer to Song Qingchao.
He stretched out his hands to warm them, not intending to converse with Song Qingchao.
"Mu Mu's leg sores are not yet healed, but there is not much medicine left. Sir, could you lend my daughter a bottle? I will surely return double the amount later."
"It's nothing."
Bai Youan took out a bottle of medicine and placed it on the table, frowning as he asked, "Have you not applied medicine to your face yet?"
Song Qingchao: "Thank you for your concern, sir. I don't need it for my face for now."
Her voice held no trace of sorrow, as if a woman's appearance was insignificant to her.
Bai Youan frowned and took out another bottle, "This bottle is for your face. Aren't girls the most concerned with beauty?"
Song Qingchao, however, chuckled.
"Beauty is indeed alluring, but if I am not strong enough, how can I protect myself?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Youan gave her a peculiar look.
Their gazes met, with Song Qingchao's eyes probing.
"Can you see?"
Bai Youan was taken aback for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curved up, "Miss is overthinking. I can only vaguely make out some blurry shadows; I can't see clearly."
He was indeed not lying about this.
Song Qingchao stared at him suspiciously, reaching up to cover her clothes.
Bai Youan turned back, smiling as he explained, "I can only see things within a small range. Beyond that, I can't distinguish between humans and animals."
He fiddled with the herbs in his hand, "Rather than seeing blurry images, it's better to cover them. Out of sight, out of mind."
Song Qingchao extended the hand that wasn't pricked, holding up two fingers, "How many is this?"
Bai Youan laughed, "Miss, there's no need to test me. If I were intentionally hiding something, I could say three is five."
Song Qingchao found it uninteresting and lowered her hand, turning her head away.
It seemed he was truly blind; not a single guess was correct.
This put her mind at ease.
"Have you considered treating your condition?"
Bai Youan shook his head, put down the herbs, washed his hands with warm water, and removed her needles. "Doctors cannot heal themselves."
"Perhaps I can try."
Bai Youan raised an eyebrow, "Does Miss understand medicine?"
Song Qingchao hesitated for a moment, "Illness breeds knowledge, but I don't think yours is a disease."
She remembered reading a "National Youth 360° Myopia Prevention Handbook" on a wall display in her spatial realm.
She had found it interesting at the time and had only glanced at it briefly.
She figured the symptoms should be quite similar to Bai Youan's.
Bai Youan put away the needles and slowly sat back in his seat, "Miss, there's no need to trouble yourself. I am accustomed to my eyes."
"That won't do."
Song Qingchao immediately got up and put on her clothes, fastening her buttons as she began to explain to Bai Youan how myopia formed.
She still needed to research the specific treatment.
But she couldn't miss this only opportunity to interact more with Bai Youan.
She had considered it.
Now that she had Liu Zhe'er by her side, she could pretend to take books and other miscellaneous items from her spatial realm out of her small woven basket.
But not food.
Bai Youan's carriage was the perfect excuse to rationalize her spatial abilities.
Moreover, she wanted to trick Bai Youan into revealing more things.
Her body couldn't do without Bai Youan!
With her mind made up, Song Qingchao became even more attentive to Bai Youan.
This made Bai Youan, who was beside her, flustered. The herbs he had just sorted had the wrong amount due to a slip of his hand.
He had no choice but to pick them up and sort them again.
Song Qingchao got off the couch and also sat upright at the other end of the table.
"We are about to enter the city now. Mr. Bai can also have a good rest and replenish his supplies."
She picked up the tea herself, completely disregarding Bai Youan's thoughts.
Bai Youan put down the herbs in his hand, "Miss Song, please speak your mind. I promised the Eldest Princess that I would take good care of your health."
Song Qingchao held the teacup and smiled charmingly, "What are you talking about, sir?"
She put down the teacup and casually picked up a few medicinal herbs, "I can really heal your eyes, at least enough to let you see clearly."
Bai Youan looked up, gazing at her through the white gauze.
Although hazy, it couldn't hide her beauty.
"Are you serious?"
Song Qingchao nodded confidently, "Very serious."
She rested her arms on the table, leaned forward, and once again pulled down the white gauze covering Bai Youan's eyes.
Bai Youan blinked frequently due to discomfort.
Because of this, he also clearly saw the light in Song Qingchao's eyes, as if the vastness of the stars and sea was hidden within them, making one involuntarily yearn to explore.
He uttered in a low voice, "May I ask what your consultation fee is, Miss Song, and what you seek in return?"
Song Qingchao smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
"What I seek is you."
Her hand reached up to Bai Youan's cheek, her fingertips brushing against his slightly long eyelashes.
"Bai Youan, I want you to belong to me."