My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 132 Part 1

Chapter 132 Extra (18) The Story of Da Taohe

When Shen Qingyue woke up, the day was almost ever.

The sunset dyed half the sky red, quietly spilling in through the window, filling the room with a dusk color somewhere between dim and bright.  

The daytime heat had subsided in the forest wind at the mountain peak, making it the most cool and comfortable time. Scholars usually would leave the dormitory building to stroll around the academy, relieving their bodies from writing assignments.

Because of this, it was noisy outside, even more lively than during the day.

Shen Qingyue did not make a sound. He turned his head and saw the young man sitting at the table not far away, currently resting his cheek on his hand with his head slightly bowed.

The setting sun fell on half of his face, faintly revealing a tightly furrowed brow.

He made no sound, using his elbows to push himself up from the bed. The faint noise he made alerted the person nearby.

"Young master, you're finally awake!"

The young page boy guarding the room rushed over swiftly upon seeing this.

Huo Anding also stood up abruptly at the sound. He looked towards the bedside and, while sighing in relief, hurriedly poured warm water from the table. He was about to carry it over but seemed to remember something.

His stepped foot froze, maintaining a distance from Shen Qingyue, and he said to the page boy, "A-Yu, come here."

The young page boy quickly went to take the water and brought it over to Shen Qingyue.

Huo Anding stood not far away, watching the page boy give Shen Qingyue some water. His somewhat dry lips looked much better after being moistened.

Only then did he say, "You have hemophobia. Seeing that bloody scene today is why you fainted."

"I know."

Shen Qingyue stated.

"Then why didn't you say so earlier? If I had known sooner, I could have taken precautions."

Shen Qingyue, however, did not respond to his words.

Huo Anding paused. After all, having such a condition wasn't something one typically mentioned to others. Furthermore, the affliction could be considered serious or not, depending on the circumstance.

So he didn't press further on the matter and instead asked, "Is your head still dizzy?"

Shen Qingyue said, "It's fine."

"Are you hungry then? I'll go get you something to eat."

Shen Qingyue averted his gaze at this point, signaling to the page boy that he didn't want more water.

He lifted his gaze and looked at Huo Anding standing before the table. The young man appeared unchanged from before, yet in reality, he was profoundly different.

"A-Yu, go to the dining hall and bring back some food."

The page boy responded, "Alright, I'll go right away."

The page boy put the cup back on the table, glanced at Huo Anding, turned, and went out, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

Huo Anding blinked upon seeing this. Looking at the closed door, he coughed dryly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, as if the room had instantly become scorching hot, though he didn't know if it was due to lack of ventilation.

When he turned back, Shen Qingyue had already gotten out of bed by himself and walked to the table to sit down.

"You took my pulse."

Huo Anding looked at the person in front of him. It was still the same face, the same demeanor, but it made him dare not look directly anymore.

He pursed his lips. "Yes."

"The situation was sudden, and there were no other physicians in the academy, so I just..."

Shen Qingyue's expression was calm. "You know everything now."

Seeing Shen Qingyue so composed, Huo Anding pulled up a stool and sat down, saying somewhat anxiously, "How could a ger like you come to the academy like this? The academy is full of men. What if someone else found out?"

Shen Qingyue said, "I'm not afraid, so what are you afraid of?"

Huo Anding was stumped by Shen Qingyue's words. He was just flustered and spoke anxiously.

"That... I don't mean to blame you, don't be angry. I just feel a little..."

Huo Anding stopped his habitual next word in time, suddenly becoming like a fool who couldn't speak.

"A little what?"

Unexpectedly, Shen Qingyue pressed further.

He looked at the person who, breaking all precedent, had become formal and somewhat hesitant in speech, and suddenly felt this was better than his past self who was full of nonsense.

"Worried."

Although times were different now, facing Shen Qingyue's scrutiny, Huo Anding still supplied the word he hadn't spoken.

Shen Qingyue didn't respond.

"Why did you pretend to be a man to come to the academy?"

Perhaps to avoid the previous awkwardness, Huo Anding asked, "Did your family make you do something you didn't want to do, so you left?"

Shen Qingyue shook his head. "My parents and elders are reasonable people who have never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do."

"I came up with this myself, defying convention."

Huo Anding fell silent.

He actually understood Shen Qingyue. Most of the gers and women he had seen were largely confined within deep mansions and courtyards. Even if they could go out, there were many rules and restrictions.

They had never been able to go wherever they wanted and do whatever they wished, free and unfettered, like men.

In all these years, the only one he had seen who could act like a man was his uncle Jin (Jin Kelu).

"I see."

Huo Anding promised, "Don't worry, I will absolutely not let another person know about this."

Shen Qingyue gave an affirmative sound, indicating agreement.

Huo Anding's eyes flickered, thinking of previous events, making his ears grow warm and feeling ashamed.

Actually, he had sometimes felt Shen Qingyue was somewhat different from ordinary men, but he had never thought deeply about it.

His appearance was fine, his figure slender and weak, but there were even shorter, smaller, and weaker men in the academy.

Moreover, because he had delicate, pretty features since childhood, Huo Anding was often mistaken for a little ger. As a boy, his playmates would tease him about it, which upset him greatly.

Later, when he grew older and could physically dominate his playmates, and he also learned to play dumb, he no longer cared about others commenting on his appearance.

But he still remembered the troubles of his youth, and therefore never thought of or spoke of Shen Qingyue in that way.

Who would have thought…