CHAPTER 032
Lu Yun'er sat on the stone bench outside, thinking as she held the clean clothes in her hands. After a moment of contemplation, she began cutting the fabric into long strips, doing her best to craft a makeshift version of a menstrual pad.
She carefully considered the necessary thickness, layering several pieces together to create a functional pad. To ensure it stayed in shape, she sewed the edges together. Once she had completed one, she quickly approached the door and knocked gently, "Young Lord Su, Young Lord Su."
At that moment, Su Qingwan had already taken off his clothes, leaving him in just a white undershirt. He knew that without a menstrual pad, even if he changed into fresh clothes, they would only get soiled again.
Hearing the knock on the door and Yun'er Jie's voice from outside, Su Qingwan, holding his aching abdomen, moved to the door and saw a faint silhouette outside. "Yun'er Jie, did you call for me?"
Lu Yun'er replied, "I've made one for you. Please open the door just a crack, and I'll pass it to you."
Su Qingwan bit his lip, a blush spreading across his pale face as he whispered so softly that it was almost inaudible, "Okay."
It seemed that Lu Yun'er hadn't heard him and was about to speak again when the door opened slightly. Seeing this, Lu Yun'er handed the menstrual pad through the gap, her tone warm and caring, like an older sister. "Young Lord Su, does this size seem suitable?"
A delicate hand reached out from inside, taking the long strip of cloth. Su Qingwan stared at the pad in shock, waves of emotion stirring in his heart as he shyly accepted it. "The size is just right."
Relieved by his response, Lu Yun'er comforted him, "Use this first, and change into the clean clothes. I'll make a few more for you."
Before Su Qingwan could respond, Lu Yun'er had already left. He looked down at the menstrual pad in his hand and fell into a long silence.
Why is Yun'er Jie so knowledgeable about matters concerning men? Could it be that she already has someone she loves?
The thought made Su Qingwan dig his nails into the soft flesh of his palm. The blush on his face slowly faded, replaced by a pallor.
Lu Yun'er returned to the courtyard and made a few more pads before going to the kitchen to boil some hot water. She carefully washed the bloodstained handkerchief that belonged to the young lord, dried it, and then prepared a bowl of hot sweet soup.
She returned to the room and knocked on the door again. "Young Lord Su, may I come in now?"
Just as she finished speaking, there was a dull thud from inside. Worried about what might be happening after so long, she pushed the door open and entered the room. Finding no one in sight, she set the bowl of sweet soup on the table and hurried toward the screen.
As she approached, Lu Yun'er stopped abruptly, hearing faint sobbing from behind the screen. Concerned, she asked, "Young Lord Su, are you feeling alright?"
From behind the screen, Su Qingwan's voice came, tinged with tears, "Yun'er Jie, could you please help me? Don't worry, I've already changed into clean clothes."
Only then did Lu Yun'er step behind the screen, where she found him curled up on the floor, clutching his abdomen. His long black hair only accentuated his pale, bloodless face, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead, with damp strands sticking to his skin.
Lu Yun'er was startled, knowing that menstrual pain varies from person to person. Some people feel almost nothing, while others suffer even after taking painkillers.
Her university roommate, for instance, once fainted from menstrual pain and had to stay in the dorm, where she became the focus of their care, with food and drinks provided by her friends.
So, when it comes to this kind of situation, Lu Yun'er instinctively offers her full support.
She frowned and quickly helped him up, only to realize that his body was cold. "Does it hurt too much?"
Suddenly, his slender arms wrapped around her shoulders, and she felt warmth from his touch. The familiar cool fragrance surrounded him, causing Su Qingwan to pause his breathing and flutter his eyelashes. He deliberately leaned closer into Lu Yun'er's embrace, clutching her clothes tightly, his voice trembling, "Yes, it hurts."
Seeing him drenched in cold sweat and weakened by the pain, Lu Yun'er didn't notice anything unusual, her attention fully focused on his menstrual cramps. She gently suggested, "The floor is cold. Let me help you to the bed to lie down."
However, as soon as she helped him up and they took a few steps, Su Qingwan's legs gave out. Embarrassed, he avoided her gaze, "I... I..."
Before he could finish, Lu Yun'er simply lifted him in a bridal carry and headed toward her bed, her tone serious. "A man's menstruation is a normal physiological occurrence, so there's no need for you to feel embarrassed. Just lie down on the bed for a while. The bedding is freshly changed, and no one has slept in it, so rest assured, there's no odor."
Lu Yun'er would always change the bedding before returning to the residence, sending the old ones back for washing.
She turned and brought the bowl of sweet soup over. "I made you some hot sweet soup. It can help ease the pain."
"Thank you," Su Qingwan responded, his gaze complicated as it fell on the bowl of soup. He lowered his eyes to conceal the darkness within them. Stirring the soup with the spoon, he tried to sound casual yet probing. "Yun'er Jie, how do you know so much about men's matters?"
"This... I..." Lu Yun'er's expression changed slightly, hesitating before she smiled. "After all, one day I'll have to marry and bear children, so I've studied and learned about men's matters in advance."
Because she had experienced menstrual pain herself, she knew how to take care of herself in such situations. But she couldn't tell him that, and she didn't want to seem like a weirdo either, so she came up with a reasonable excuse.
"I see. No wonder you're so knowledgeable," Su Qingwan murmured, his eyes dimming further as his grip on the porcelain bowl tightened.
So, Yun'er Jie has rejected his feelings multiple times because she already has someone she loves. Not only does she care for that person so well, but she also studies men's matters just for them. Does she truly like that person so much?
The thought that Yun'er Jie might be so devoted to someone else made Su Qingwan's heart ache. He suppressed the pain in his chest and forced himself to taste the soup, finding it bitterly sweet.
"How's the sweetness? Is it too sweet or too bland?" Lu Yun'er asked as she watched him take a sip. "It's my first time making this, so I hope you'll forgive any mistakes, Young Lord Su."
"First time making it?" Su Qingwan's head snapped up in surprise, struggling to keep his composure. "And the menstrual pad, was that also your first time making one?"
Could it be that Yun'er Jie hadn't made one for that person before? Desperate to confirm his suspicions, he stared at Lu Yun'er intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.
Seeing his skeptical expression and how seriously he was watching her, Lu Yun'er carefully replied, "That's right. Why, does it seem like I'm not telling the truth?"
"A little. I thought Yun'er Jie was used to doing this, especially since the menstrual pad you made is so well-crafted," Su Qingwan remarked, trying to keep his tone light as he continued drinking the sweet soup, suppressing the joy rising in his heart.
So, the menstrual pad he used was actually the first one Yun'er Jie had ever made. She hadn't made one for anyone else, not even that person. His heart began to race uncontrollably at the thought.
After using menstrual pads for over twenty years, Lu Yun'er could craft them with her eyes closed. But from Su Qingwan's words, it seemed like he thought she had some peculiar hobby involving men's items.
Lu Yun'er quickly found an excuse, explaining, "Really? Maybe it's just that I have a talent for this sort of thing! I learn quickly."
At that moment, a cold wind beat against the windows. The sky outside was dark and heavy with clouds, resembling a monstrous mouth that might devour the world at any moment. Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, accompanied by a loud clap of thunder.
Lu Yun'er, hearing the noise, walked over to the window to take a look at the sky. It was clear that a heavy rainstorm was imminent, which likely meant that today’s polo match would be canceled.
As expected, within moments, a torrential downpour began, with rain falling like countless strands of silver thread from the sky. The sound of the rain echoed outside, and the world was soon a blur of white. A strong wind carried the rain through the windows, bringing a chill that made Lu Yun'er shiver. She quickly closed the windows and door.
She then hurried to Orange’s sleeping mat, finding the small animal startled awake by the thunder. She carefully covered it with a blanket and patted it gently to soothe it before going to the cabinet to retrieve a thin quilt. She walked over to the bed where Su Xiaoshi was resting, saying, "It’s raining heavily outside now, and it’s gotten quite cold suddenly. This blanket is a bit thin, so let me add another layer."
Su Qingwan felt warmth in his heart. "Thank you, Sister Yun'er."
"Sister Yun'er, it’s raining heavily today, so I think the polo match..." Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Liu Lan walked in unceremoniously, placing her oiled-paper umbrella by the door. Not seeing anyone in the room, she sensed something was off and was about to step behind the screen.
Lu Yun'er, of course, heard someone coming and immediately stepped out from behind the screen to block her, smiling slightly. "Sister Lan, what brings you here?"
Liu Lan glanced behind the screen with the corner of her eye and smiled, "What, am I not welcome, Sister Yun'er?"
"How could that be? Of course, you’re welcome here!" Lu Yun'er gestured towards the front of the room. "Let’s sit and chat over tea."
"Sure!" Liu Lan agreed readily, but her lips curled into a smile. Suddenly, taking advantage of Lu Yun'er's momentary lapse in attention, she quickly slipped behind the screen, teasing, "Sister Yun'er is hiding a beauty in a golden house! I wonder who it is?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than she froze in shock, staring at Su Xiaoshi lying on the bed. Then, with a teasing smile, she remarked, "So this beauty is none other than Su Xiaoshi!"
She carefully observed the changes in Su Xiaoshi's expression, her curiosity piqued. "Why is Su Xiaoshi on Sister Yun'er's bed? Could it be that you two have already..."
Su Qingwan was rendered speechless by her words, his face flushing red with embarrassment. He stammered, "I... I..."
At that moment, Lu Yun'er quickly grabbed Liu Lan and tried to pull her out of the room, apologizing to Su Qingwan, "Su Xiaoshi, please don't mind her. General Liu has a habit of speaking her mind. You should rest." She then forcibly dragged Liu Lan away.
It was only after they had left the area behind the screen that Lu Yun'er released her grip on Liu Lan.
Liu Lan, however, showed no sign of being upset. Instead, she smiled knowingly, as if expecting to hear something juicy. "Let’s sit and chat."
Lu Yun'er sighed and explained, "Su Xiaoshi came over today to submit his assignments, but then he suddenly got his period, so I let him rest in the room for a while. When the rain stops, I'll have someone send him back home."
"I see," Liu Lan replied, her tone tinged with disappointment, but she was still convinced of her suspicions. With her years of experience, she knew that even if nothing had happened between them yet, there was no telling what the future might hold. "I really thought something was going on between you two! I got all excited for nothing."
"Nothing happened between me and Su Xiaoshi," Lu Yun'er said, relieved, knowing exactly what Liu Lan had hoped for. "But if you really want to spar with Prince Yun, you could ask Su Xiaoshi for help."
"I’d rather not! Why don’t you help me, Sister Yun'er?"
Lu Yun'er was taken aback. "Me?"
Liu Lan grabbed Lu Yun'er's hand, pleading, "Sister Yun'er, you have a good relationship with Prince Yun. Maybe if you asked, my wish could be granted. Please help me, Sister Yun'er! I’m worried that if war breaks out in Huabei again, I might not get another chance..."
With that, she put on a pitiful act, pretending to be heartbroken.
"Alright, I'll give it a try," Lu Yun'er agreed, remembering that she had to visit Prince Yun's residence to play chess anyway. It would be a good opportunity to bring it up.
"I knew you were the best, Sister Yun'er," Liu Lan said with a smile. "By the way, I came to tell you that with the weather like this, it’s likely to rain for several days in a row, so the polo match will be postponed until after Qingming Festival. I’ve already informed the others."
"Since there’s nothing else going on now, I’ll take my leave." Liu Lan got up, took her umbrella, and left.
Comments
Post a Comment