Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C340. Protecting the Inside.

Chapter 340: Protecting the Inside Before Dealing with the Outside

Hua Zhi's injuries had already healed significantly after nearly half a month, and he didn't stop her from going to the kitchen to make some noodles with Shao Yao. She calmly boiled water, added various ingredients, and soon a bowl of well-seasoned noodles was ready.

Meanwhile, Gu Yanxi couldn’t take his eyes off her, like a hawk locked onto its prey. His mind was empty—no schemes, no thoughts of the country, no worries about the royal family, nothing at all. All that mattered in his world was her. Just her.

“Come and eat,” she said, her voice soft but commanding.

Gu Yanxi didn’t hesitate. Every drop of that soup, every strand of noodle, was consumed with the urgency of a man starved—not just for food but for something else, something deeper. He didn’t leave a single drop, not even a trace.

Afterwards, Hua Zhi led him to a room, the same room her father and fourth uncle shared. She borrowed the bed, tidied it up like she had done this a thousand times before, and told him to sleep. She didn’t care that he’d just eaten—he looked like a man who could drop dead from exhaustion the second his body hit the bed. And she was right. He didn’t argue. His outer clothes were stripped off, shoes kicked away, and in a few seconds, he was lying on the bed, his eyes still fixed on her.

Hua Zhi sat by the bed, tucking him in with a soft, almost dismissive movement, and said, "Go to sleep."

Gu Yanxi didn’t need any more encouragement. His hand found hers, pulling it close to his cheek, rubbing it like a man starved for affection, before his eyes closed. In a matter of moments, his breathing evened out, steady and deep.

Hua Zhi waited for another fifteen minutes, ensuring that he was asleep, before gently removing her hand and looking at the man who had softened entirely in his sleep. The shadow under his eyes was now more noticeable, and she realized that she truly had some feelings for this man.

He was strong enough and disciplined enough to know what he wanted and to strive for it. He was loyal, never wavering in disappointment and keeping his sadness buried deep inside.

After gently tugging the blanket over him, Hua Zhi got up and left the room. She didn't want to be the one who made him sad, but what could she do? He was the nephew of the man who had almost uprooted her family.

And in the end, wasn’t that the cruelest twist of fate?

*

When Gu Yanxi woke up, it was almost dark outside, and he heard someone speaking softly. Without recognizing Hua Zhi's voice, he let himself idle for a moment.

Thinking about how his Ah Zhi had treated him that day, Gu Yanxi smiled. Ah Zhi, typical of her, was one who responded to kindness rather than force. Perhaps showing a bit of vulnerability from time to time could lead to some pleasant surprises in the future.

The door creaked open, and Shao Yao tiptoed in, noticing his wide awake eyes and quickly adopting a sly look as she bounced over and sat on the edge of the bed, asking, "How is Second Brother?"

"Confined," Gu Yanxi replied.

Shao Yao ground her teeth, "Just like that?"

Gu Yanxi didn't respond, getting up from the bed, "And Ah Zhi?"

"Teaching Zeng Han to write. Why did you show mercy to someone who had behaved so outrageously just because he's a prince?" Shao Yao asked.

Gu Yanxi got up and walked out. If he had to talk about this, he wanted to discuss it with Ah Zhi first.