The door to the warden’s office was closed.
The doctor stood nervously at the office door, gathered courage, and knocked a few times, “Sir, it’s me, Doctor Garner. Can you please open the door and hear me out?”
As he spoke, he listened attentively to any sounds from inside.
The room was eerily quiet, without any response.
‘Is he not there?’
The doctor frowned, staring at the pitch-black door in front of him.
“Doctor Garner,” the guard responsible for patrol greeted warmly upon seeing the familiar figure, “Are you here to see Lord Warden?”
Doctor: “Yes, is he not here?”
Guard: “He hasn’t come back yet. Lord Warden just took that lowly thief to that room. With Lord Warden taking charge, that thief will surely confess immediately. Oh, are you here because Lord Warden called you to prepare to save that prisoner? That room hasn’t been used for a long time. I didn’t expect it to get some use after so long.”
“I’ve been here for so many years, and entering that room still gives me chills. This crown theft case seems really tricky; no one can walk out of that room intact. That thief is probably on the verge of death now, begging Lord Warden to finish him quickly,” the guard chuckled, “But Lord Warden won’t let him die. He’s an important prisoner, and we need to keep him alive for the upcoming hanging.”
“Doctor Garner, you probably haven’t seen scenes of blood splattering and flesh flying for a long time. It might be tough for you later. I really admire our Lord Warden. He could remain indifferent to the mess everywhere. Worthy of being the nightmare in Black Hell.”
The doctor’s expression gradually eased, and he covered the nearly uncontrollable smile with his mouth, “It’s okay, helping Lord Warden clean up is my duty. Even with the worst patients, as long as there’s a breath left, I can revive them. If Lord Warden doesn’t want him to die, I can snatch his life from the hands of death.”
‘Ah-ha.
So, Lord Warden has taken the criminal to that unspeakable room.
I was indeed overthinking.’
‘I could someone like Lord Warden have sympathy for a lowly, dirty thief.
As Lord Warden himself said, that’s just an important prisoner. Saving him is to find the Kiss of the Sun and avoid the Queen’s punishment.’
‘That room is Lord Warden’s exclusive interrogation room, and no prisoner who enters it has ever come out unscathed.
Hehehe.’
A hint of madness flashed in the doctor’s eyes.
He really looked forward to how that beautiful face would appear before him later.
‘Covered in blood-soaked holes?
Or with severed limbs?
Perhaps eyes gouged out and teeth pulled?
Or tendons and ligaments picked apart?’
He was so looking forward to it, he couldn’t wait to see how that beautiful body would be tragically mangled.
Familiar footsteps approached from the other end of the corridor.
The guard’s body stiffened. He immediately suppressed the cheerful expression and leaned against the wall respectfully.
The doctor looked toward the end of the corridor with anticipation.
Two sets of footsteps, one after the other, slowly appeared in their line of sight.
Leading the way was Lord Warden, the person the doctor admired, and following closely behind was the perfectly unharmed beautiful prisoner.
The moment the doctor saw the prisoner clearly, his entire face distorted uncontrollably.
He was not only unharmed, but he was even wearing Lord Warden’s black felt coat!!
“Why are you here?” The two approached the office, and the man’s cold gaze fell on the doctor.
The doctor quickly suppressed the resentful look in his eyes and spoke with the utmost respect, “Sir, I wanted to check if this prisoner’s condition has improved to avoid delaying your subsequent interrogation. After all, Her Majesty has great expectations for you, Sir. We cannot let her down, can we?”
The man opened the door, “Good timing, I was planning to find you to re-examine his body. He’s shivering all over, see if he has a fever again.”
As he spoke, he glanced at the guard beside him, “Get some charcoal and light up the fireplace.”
The doctor’s respectfully lowered face became distorted again.
Fireplace?
Lord Warden wasn’t afraid of the cold, they all knew that.
Even in temperatures twenty degrees colder than now, he had never lit the fireplace.
But now he wanted to?
Wasn’t the brazier enough? Just for such a lowly thief.
Footsteps approached, and the man’s indifferent voice came from the direction of the door, “Doctor, what are you standing there for? Come in quickly.”
“Yes, sir.” When he looked up again, the doctor had perfectly concealed the resentment on his face, leaving only a serious demeanor.
The pale and weak young man tightened the coat around himself, swept past the doctor without saying a word, and silently walked to the bedside and sat down.
He casually placed the coat aside and wrapped himself up with a warmer blanket, staring unblinkingly at the doctor, whose eyes looked obscurely distant.
The doctor looked at the coat casually piled at the foot of the bed, then glanced at the fragile young man wrapped in the warden’s blanket. He gritted his teeth, nearly biting his lip until it bled, but he restrained himself from going over and strangling him.
Not only was he wearing the warden’s coat but he was also covered with the warden’s most intimate blanket.
This damned prisoner, he really wanted to strangle him to death!
“Doctor, you seem to be coming here quite frequently today; I assume you didn’t rest well yesterday.” The man’s indifferent voice brought the doctor back from his thoughts of violence, “Are you planning to stand like a post in my office?”
The doctor quickly regained his composure and calmly walked to the young man to examine his condition.
He took out a mask and latex gloves from the medical box, not even looking at the young man as he ordered, “Take off your shirt first, I need to check if the whip wounds on your body are infected.”
The seemingly weak prisoner was very obedient, or perhaps in the current environment, he was the most fragile life and could only be obedient.
Though his movements were slow, the young man didn’t say anything as he uncovered himself and took off his shirt.
Only then did the doctor lift his eyelids and carefully inspect the wounds on the young man’s body.
The red marks that looked very ferocious in the morning had faded considerably now, indicating that the wounds had been properly treated with ointment.
The doctor’s gaze hidden in the shadows darkened again.
‘Ointment?’
It was easy to guess who applied the ointment for him.
That aloof Lord Warden actually personally applied ointment to a lowly prisoners.
The doctor clenched his teeth, the veins on the back of his hand protruding through the latex gloves.
Not only was ointment applied, but it seemed that the dirt on the young man’s body was also gone.
So, did the warden also clean him up?
The possibility of this made malice uncontrollably rise from the depths of his heart.
Where the warden couldn’t see, he raised his chin, his resentful gaze fixed firmly on the young man. If looks could kill, the young man would be dead now.
The innocent young man was originally bowing his head, but when he suddenly saw the doctor’s gaze, he froze, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.
‘Afraid just because I glared at him?
Tsk, coward.’
The doctor looked at the young man’s expression with satisfaction before withdrawing his gaze and speaking respectfully, “Sir, there are no signs of infection in his wounds. After applying ointment a few more times, these scars will disappear completely. I’ll apply the ointment for him again now.”
“No need, leave the medicine, I’ll administer it later.” The man seated on the sofa interrupted the doctor’s actions, “Why is he shivering now? Did he develop a fever again?”
The doctor’s raised hand froze, “Alright, I’ll check his temperature.”
After saying that, the doctor placed the thermometer under the young man’s arm. He turned his back to the man and stared at the young man gloomily again.
He didn’t take this prisoner seriously at all.
He had seen a lot of people in this place who would get sick when whipped.
They were all the same.
No matter how arrogant and fierce they were outside, once they received a beating here, they immediately became docile, their dignity completely erased.
The initial arrogance was worn away, and afterward, they would only beg for mercy and tolerance in the most humble manner.
—Please, don’t hit me again.
—Be gentle, it hurts.
—I was wrong, I confess to everything.
Self-respect was the last thing this place wanted; all they needed to do was be obedient like well-trained dogs.
A defeated dog begging with its tail between its legs, that was their identity.
The prisoner in front of him was no exception.
He was quite angry now.
He admired the Lord Warden and knew the man was cold, aloof, and solitary. So, he had always buried this affection deep in his heart.
He had never worn the Lord Warden’s coat, slept in his bed, or covered himself with the Lord Warden’s blanket. But now, a dog much lower than himself had managed to do all that.
Jealousy, humiliation, resentment – all these emotions brewed within him.
He couldn’t release these emotions on the Lord Warden, but the guy in front of him was different.
The doctor stared unabashedly at the pale young man.
The Lord Warden couldn’t be with him 24/7. When he gets better and the Lord Warden throws him back into the cell, he had plenty of ways to torment this defeated dog.
Administering personal punishment that left no visible wounds on a person was too simple for a doctor.
The young man stared blankly at the doctor, looking dumbfounded as if he had been scared silly.
‘Heh.’
The doctor chuckled inwardly.
‘A lowly prisoner with unrealistic ideas.
Just you?
Look at your pathetic state; I merely gave you a glance, and you’re scared silly. What else can you do?’
He was about to withdraw his gaze when he saw the young man blink twice.
The vacant, foolish gaze gradually disappeared beneath the shadow of long lashes, replaced by an expression very familiar to the doctor.
Ridicule, disdain, contempt.
Sitting on the pitch-black bed, the young man casually draped the scattered blanket over himself with one hand from behind, then lazily leaned back with one hand supporting the bed surface, looking down at the doctor who was crouching in front of him to examine him.
He didn’t speak, but his eyes had already conveyed his meaning to the doctor.
‘An ant.
Are you worthy of fighting with me? You think too much of yourself.’
The doctor was stunned, and the object in his hand nearly slipped to the ground.
—————————
In the live broadcast room
[Tsk tsk tsk, this damn shura field.]
[I can already smell the scent of a dead love rival.]
[Can this be considered a love rival? At most, it’s the doctor being delusional. Our boss only sees the doctor as a tool.]
[Damn it, before we only saw the crazy big bosses being jealous and fighting over God Xin, but this is the first time I’ve seen God Xin declare ownership of the big boss. So bold, I want to see more.]
[This doctor is really unlucky. Why pick a fight with God Xin of all people? Choosing love over gold, isn’t he just cannon fodder?]
[Thank doctor NPC for contributing rare plotlines for us. In gratitude, let’s light up a candle for the doctor.]
[This must be a snatch-the-meat situation, brother.]
[Let’s fight. Snatch the boss! Go, God Xin! Charge, don’t hesitate, we are all witnesses to your love!]
——————————-
The doctor shook his head to clear his thoughts, and when he looked up again, he found the young man’s eyes had reverted to their initial innocence and vulnerability.
Looking at the young man’s expression doubtfully, the doctor was a little puzzled.
Could he have been mistaken just now?
“Is it done?” A voice suddenly came from very close behind him. The doctor was startled. He quickly removed the thermometer, and checked it.
The Lord Warden was actually right behind him. When had he come over? He didn’t even hear a sound.
“37.9, he still has slight fever. Another dose of fever-reducing medicine should do the trick.” The doctor shook the thermometer in his hand, then turned to take medicine from the medicine box.
As his hand hovered over the fever-reducing medicine, he hesitated for a moment, then subtly reached for another medicine bottle.
He took out two white pills from the bottle, wrapped them in paper, and placed them on the bedside table. The doctor instructed, “Take this medicine after meals, two tablets at a time. Remember, too much medicine can be harmful. There may be side effects after taking the medicine, such as nausea and headaches for some, or abdominal cramps for others. The duration of side effects won’t be too long, about a few hours; just endure it. I’ll need to check on you again tomorrow. If the fever hasn’t subsided, I’ll try another medication.”
“To get better, you must take the medicine, don’t forget that,” the doctor concluded.
There was a knock at the door, followed by several guards entering one after another to add charcoal to the unused fireplace.
Watching the busy figures of the guards, the expression on the doctor’s face twisted once again.
Obviously, the Lord Warden was planning for this prisoner to stay here tonight.
It seemed he wouldn’t leave the Lord Warden’s room until he was better.
Even if there was no chance to torment him now, he had ways to make him uncomfortable.
The medicine he just gave him was for reducing fever, but it was specially made to punish unruly prisoners who refused discipline. After taking it, the body would experience severe abdominal pain.
This pain was almost as excruciating as having one’s bones drilled through and lasted for about four hours, but it wouldn’t pose any life-threatening danger.
Even if the Lord Warden wanted to investigate later, he wouldn’t find any problems.
Under Dijia’s gaze, the guards worked quickly and soon finished setting up the fireplace and leaving the room.
The charcoal used was special and didn’t emit any irritating smoke or ash.
Once filled, the fireplace could burn for the whole day. After everyone left the room, Dijia glanced at the young man curled up in a ball on the bed. “Still cold?”
The young man snorted softly, neither confirming nor denying the cold.
When he didn’t get an answer, the man wasn’t angry at all. He picked up the scattered coat on the bed and hung it on the coat rack, then turned to look at the young man on the bed. “If you’re not cold, then you must have been frightened, right?”
The young man finally pulled his head out from the soft blanket. His fluffy hair was disheveled, spread across the pillow. He stared at Dijia with a pair of big, bright eyes. “A bit.”
The man’s eyes flickered slightly and he walked towards the bed.
He first looked down at the young man, then suddenly bent down, grabbed the young man’s arm and pulled him out from under the blanket.
Their faces were almost close, and Dijia’s cold eyes stared directly at the young man. “No one can leave that room intact except me. I advise you to confess quickly because once you recover, I’ll take you back to that room. It won’t be a simple introduction by then, and you should know what will happen.”
“Don’t think of delaying the recovery by not taking the medicine; I’ll watch you swallow it. Don’t pretend to be sick; your disguise can’t escape my eyes. The sooner you recover, the earlier our game begins.” The man paused. “Or, while I still have patience, you have a chance to terminate this game early.”
The young man frowned and shook his head, staring at the man with slightly reddened eyes. He repeated the unchanged words: “I’m really not the culprit.”
The man didn’t continue to argue with him. He threw the young man back onto the blanket, not looking back as he walked to the sofa. “Close your eyes and sleep.”
Bai Lixin pulled the quilt and covered his head completely, then he turned over and stopped talking to the man.
The man’s voice was cool. “Expose your head. Do you want to suffocate yourself when you have a fever?”
Bai Lixin stiffened for a moment, then grumpily used his foot to pull down the blanket, revealing his head.
…
When Bai Lixin woke up again, it was snowing outside.
This snowfall was even heavier than the morning one. Goose feathers fell, and the accumulated snow on the ground was approaching the edge of the window.
Outside, it was gradually getting dark, approaching dusk.
Bai Lixin didn’t wake up naturally; he was nudged awake.
The one who woke him up wasn’t someone else; it was the culprit who threw him onto the bed and didn’t let him cover his head.
The visibility outside was already very low, and the room was not lit, it was pitch black. When he looked up, he could only see a dark figure standing at the bedside, with a pair of eyes emitting a cold light in the darkness.
Bai Lixin wiped the sweat from his forehead. “What’s the matter?”
Although it looked very cold outside, this room was warm.
The charcoal in the fireplace was burning vigorously, dispelling the chill in the room, making it the warmest haven.
It was warm enough to make Bai Lixin sweat.
Dijia raised his hand and touched Bai Lixin’s forehead. “It’s not so hot anymore. Get up, eat something, and take medicine before sleeping again.”
Bai Lixin sat up and realized that his prison clothes were soaked with sweat, sticking uncomfortably to his body. He pulled the collar and tugged at it. “I’ll take a bath, I’ve sweated a lot.”
“No.” The man refused almost as soon as Bai Lixin said it. “Take a bath after the fever breaks tomorrow. You’ve just sweated a lot; if you wash now, you’ll get a fever again.”
Although a bit reluctant, Bai Lixin understood. “Alright, I’ll wash tomorrow.”
A big hand covered Bai Lixin’s eyes without warning. The person’s skin was very cold, as if soaked in icy water. Even though the indoor temperature was already high, the person’s temperature was still chilling.
Bai Lixin was wondering why Dijia covered his eyes when he vaguely saw some light through the gaps in the person’s fingers.
A few seconds later, the man’s hand moved away.
“Come eat.” The man dropped a brief sentence, then turned and walked towards the sofa.
Bai Lixin looked at the man’s upright figure, glanced at the light above his head, and hesitated. “Did you cover my eyes just now because you were afraid that suddenly turning on the light would dazzle my eyes?”
The man had already sat on the sofa. He neither admitted nor denied, just urged again, “It seems like I’ve been repeating myself today. Whether it’s you or the doctor, it seems like you’re both testing my bottom line.”
Hearing the word “doctor,” a radar in Bai Lixin’s brain suddenly perked up. He immediately got off the bed, walked to Dijia, and sat down beside him. He picked up the soup and took a sip. Then he tentatively asked, “Who is that doctor? He seems quite powerful, and I see that the guards are very respectful to him.”
The man glanced at Bai Lixin sideways. “Can’t even shut your mouth while eating? Now you’re very eloquent, but you can’t say a word when you should.”
Bai Lixin blinked. “How many times do you want me to say it? I really don’t know where the Kiss of the Sun is.”
Dijia didn’t dwell on this issue. “Are you curious about the doctor?”
Bai Lixin nodded. “Curious.”
How could he not be curious about his love rival?
After all, this was his husband!
He didn’t feel angry about others being interested in his old gong.
After all, his old gong was so outstanding, handsome, and capable. It was normal to have admirers, right?
What made him uncomfortable was the way that doctor looked at Dijia, as if he wanted to claim Dijia as his own, with strong malice and paranoia towards him.
He was very kind to friends, but he never showed mercy to enemies.
Especially to the love rival who coveted his old gong.
Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles.
Although he believed his old gong had no interest in that doctor, it didn’t mean the doctor wouldn’t stab him in the back.
Once a person with a perverted and paranoid personality does not get what he wants, he is likely to hate out of love.
Dijia: “This doctor was appointed as the prison doctor here by the Queen. He’s highly skilled.”
Bai Lixin listened attentively.
After several seconds, he asked in confusion, “Is that all? Just this?”
Dijia raised an eyebrow slightly. “What else do you want to know?”
Bai Lixin: “What’s his name? How old is he? Does he have a fiancée?”
Dijia’s frowned, and his voice involuntarily turned colder. “Isn’t what you want to know a bit too much?”
“Why are you asking these questions?”
Bai Lixin: “I’m just curious. He seems out of place in this prison. It’s almost like he’s a palace etiquette teacher. Yet, he’s working as a prison doctor here.”
Dijia pondered for two seconds before saying lightly, “I can’t answer that question. I don’t even know his name.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Hmph.
I heard the guards call him “Doctor Garner”!’
Bai Lixin: “Then how do you usually address him?”
Dijia: “Doctor.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Well played.
My old gong is such a good boyfriend, with twenty-four filial piety, he feels so secure.’
Other people’s husbands are like eggs that flies can’t bite, but his is an impregnable fortress.
He had wanted to stage a husband-chasing show, but now he couldn’t even get started.
The door to the warden’s office was closed.
The doctor stood nervously at the office door, gathered courage, and knocked a few times, “Sir, it’s me, Doctor Garner. Can you please open the door and hear me out?”
As he spoke, he listened attentively to any sounds from inside.
The room was eerily quiet, without any response.
‘Is he not there?’
The doctor frowned, staring at the pitch-black door in front of him.
“Doctor Garner,” the guard responsible for patrol greeted warmly upon seeing the familiar figure, “Are you here to see Lord Warden?”
Doctor: “Yes, is he not here?”
Guard: “He hasn’t come back yet. Lord Warden just took that lowly thief to that room. With Lord Warden taking charge, that thief will surely confess immediately. Oh, are you here because Lord Warden called you to prepare to save that prisoner? That room hasn’t been used for a long time. I didn’t expect it to get some use after so long.”
“I’ve been here for so many years, and entering that room still gives me chills. This crown theft case seems really tricky; no one can walk out of that room intact. That thief is probably on the verge of death now, begging Lord Warden to finish him quickly,” the guard chuckled, “But Lord Warden won’t let him die. He’s an important prisoner, and we need to keep him alive for the upcoming hanging.”
“Doctor Garner, you probably haven’t seen scenes of blood splattering and flesh flying for a long time. It might be tough for you later. I really admire our Lord Warden. He could remain indifferent to the mess everywhere. Worthy of being the nightmare in Black Hell.”
The doctor’s expression gradually eased, and he covered the nearly uncontrollable smile with his mouth, “It’s okay, helping Lord Warden clean up is my duty. Even with the worst patients, as long as there’s a breath left, I can revive them. If Lord Warden doesn’t want him to die, I can snatch his life from the hands of death.”
‘Ah-ha.
So, Lord Warden has taken the criminal to that unspeakable room.
I was indeed overthinking.’
‘I could someone like Lord Warden have sympathy for a lowly, dirty thief.
As Lord Warden himself said, that’s just an important prisoner. Saving him is to find the Kiss of the Sun and avoid the Queen’s punishment.’
‘That room is Lord Warden’s exclusive interrogation room, and no prisoner who enters it has ever come out unscathed.
Hehehe.’
A hint of madness flashed in the doctor’s eyes.
He really looked forward to how that beautiful face would appear before him later.
‘Covered in blood-soaked holes?
Or with severed limbs?
Perhaps eyes gouged out and teeth pulled?
Or tendons and ligaments picked apart?’
He was so looking forward to it, he couldn’t wait to see how that beautiful body would be tragically mangled.
Familiar footsteps approached from the other end of the corridor.
The guard’s body stiffened. He immediately suppressed the cheerful expression and leaned against the wall respectfully.
The doctor looked toward the end of the corridor with anticipation.
Two sets of footsteps, one after the other, slowly appeared in their line of sight.
Leading the way was Lord Warden, the person the doctor admired, and following closely behind was the perfectly unharmed beautiful prisoner.
The moment the doctor saw the prisoner clearly, his entire face distorted uncontrollably.
He was not only unharmed, but he was even wearing Lord Warden’s black felt coat!!
“Why are you here?” The two approached the office, and the man’s cold gaze fell on the doctor.
The doctor quickly suppressed the resentful look in his eyes and spoke with the utmost respect, “Sir, I wanted to check if this prisoner’s condition has improved to avoid delaying your subsequent interrogation. After all, Her Majesty has great expectations for you, Sir. We cannot let her down, can we?”
The man opened the door, “Good timing, I was planning to find you to re-examine his body. He’s shivering all over, see if he has a fever again.”
As he spoke, he glanced at the guard beside him, “Get some charcoal and light up the fireplace.”
The doctor’s respectfully lowered face became distorted again.
Fireplace?
Lord Warden wasn’t afraid of the cold, they all knew that.
Even in temperatures twenty degrees colder than now, he had never lit the fireplace.
But now he wanted to?
Wasn’t the brazier enough? Just for such a lowly thief.
Footsteps approached, and the man’s indifferent voice came from the direction of the door, “Doctor, what are you standing there for? Come in quickly.”
“Yes, sir.” When he looked up again, the doctor had perfectly concealed the resentment on his face, leaving only a serious demeanor.
The pale and weak young man tightened the coat around himself, swept past the doctor without saying a word, and silently walked to the bedside and sat down.
He casually placed the coat aside and wrapped himself up with a warmer blanket, staring unblinkingly at the doctor, whose eyes looked obscurely distant.
The doctor looked at the coat casually piled at the foot of the bed, then glanced at the fragile young man wrapped in the warden’s blanket. He gritted his teeth, nearly biting his lip until it bled, but he restrained himself from going over and strangling him.
Not only was he wearing the warden’s coat but he was also covered with the warden’s most intimate blanket.
This damned prisoner, he really wanted to strangle him to death!
“Doctor, you seem to be coming here quite frequently today; I assume you didn’t rest well yesterday.” The man’s indifferent voice brought the doctor back from his thoughts of violence, “Are you planning to stand like a post in my office?”
The doctor quickly regained his composure and calmly walked to the young man to examine his condition.
He took out a mask and latex gloves from the medical box, not even looking at the young man as he ordered, “Take off your shirt first, I need to check if the whip wounds on your body are infected.”
The seemingly weak prisoner was very obedient, or perhaps in the current environment, he was the most fragile life and could only be obedient.
Though his movements were slow, the young man didn’t say anything as he uncovered himself and took off his shirt.
Only then did the doctor lift his eyelids and carefully inspect the wounds on the young man’s body.
The red marks that looked very ferocious in the morning had faded considerably now, indicating that the wounds had been properly treated with ointment.
The doctor’s gaze hidden in the shadows darkened again.
‘Ointment?’
It was easy to guess who applied the ointment for him.
That aloof Lord Warden actually personally applied ointment to a lowly prisoners.
The doctor clenched his teeth, the veins on the back of his hand protruding through the latex gloves.
Not only was ointment applied, but it seemed that the dirt on the young man’s body was also gone.
So, did the warden also clean him up?
The possibility of this made malice uncontrollably rise from the depths of his heart.
Where the warden couldn’t see, he raised his chin, his resentful gaze fixed firmly on the young man. If looks could kill, the young man would be dead now.
The innocent young man was originally bowing his head, but when he suddenly saw the doctor’s gaze, he froze, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.
‘Afraid just because I glared at him?
Tsk, coward.’
The doctor looked at the young man’s expression with satisfaction before withdrawing his gaze and speaking respectfully, “Sir, there are no signs of infection in his wounds. After applying ointment a few more times, these scars will disappear completely. I’ll apply the ointment for him again now.”
“No need, leave the medicine, I’ll administer it later.” The man seated on the sofa interrupted the doctor’s actions, “Why is he shivering now? Did he develop a fever again?”
The doctor’s raised hand froze, “Alright, I’ll check his temperature.”
After saying that, the doctor placed the thermometer under the young man’s arm. He turned his back to the man and stared at the young man gloomily again.
He didn’t take this prisoner seriously at all.
He had seen a lot of people in this place who would get sick when whipped.
They were all the same.
No matter how arrogant and fierce they were outside, once they received a beating here, they immediately became docile, their dignity completely erased.
The initial arrogance was worn away, and afterward, they would only beg for mercy and tolerance in the most humble manner.
—Please, don’t hit me again.
—Be gentle, it hurts.
—I was wrong, I confess to everything.
Self-respect was the last thing this place wanted; all they needed to do was be obedient like well-trained dogs.
A defeated dog begging with its tail between its legs, that was their identity.
The prisoner in front of him was no exception.
He was quite angry now.
He admired the Lord Warden and knew the man was cold, aloof, and solitary. So, he had always buried this affection deep in his heart.
He had never worn the Lord Warden’s coat, slept in his bed, or covered himself with the Lord Warden’s blanket. But now, a dog much lower than himself had managed to do all that.
Jealousy, humiliation, resentment – all these emotions brewed within him.
He couldn’t release these emotions on the Lord Warden, but the guy in front of him was different.
The doctor stared unabashedly at the pale young man.
The Lord Warden couldn’t be with him 24/7. When he gets better and the Lord Warden throws him back into the cell, he had plenty of ways to torment this defeated dog.
Administering personal punishment that left no visible wounds on a person was too simple for a doctor.
The young man stared blankly at the doctor, looking dumbfounded as if he had been scared silly.
‘Heh.’
The doctor chuckled inwardly.
‘A lowly prisoner with unrealistic ideas.
Just you?
Look at your pathetic state; I merely gave you a glance, and you’re scared silly. What else can you do?’
He was about to withdraw his gaze when he saw the young man blink twice.
The vacant, foolish gaze gradually disappeared beneath the shadow of long lashes, replaced by an expression very familiar to the doctor.
Ridicule, disdain, contempt.
Sitting on the pitch-black bed, the young man casually draped the scattered blanket over himself with one hand from behind, then lazily leaned back with one hand supporting the bed surface, looking down at the doctor who was crouching in front of him to examine him.
He didn’t speak, but his eyes had already conveyed his meaning to the doctor.
‘An ant.
Are you worthy of fighting with me? You think too much of yourself.’
The doctor was stunned, and the object in his hand nearly slipped to the ground.
—————————
In the live broadcast room
[Tsk tsk tsk, this damn shura field.]
[I can already smell the scent of a dead love rival.]
[Can this be considered a love rival? At most, it’s the doctor being delusional. Our boss only sees the doctor as a tool.]
[Damn it, before we only saw the crazy big bosses being jealous and fighting over God Xin, but this is the first time I’ve seen God Xin declare ownership of the big boss. So bold, I want to see more.]
[This doctor is really unlucky. Why pick a fight with God Xin of all people? Choosing love over gold, isn’t he just cannon fodder?]
[Thank doctor NPC for contributing rare plotlines for us. In gratitude, let’s light up a candle for the doctor.]
[This must be a snatch-the-meat situation, brother.]
[Let’s fight. Snatch the boss! Go, God Xin! Charge, don’t hesitate, we are all witnesses to your love!]
——————————-
The doctor shook his head to clear his thoughts, and when he looked up again, he found the young man’s eyes had reverted to their initial innocence and vulnerability.
Looking at the young man’s expression doubtfully, the doctor was a little puzzled.
Could he have been mistaken just now?
“Is it done?” A voice suddenly came from very close behind him. The doctor was startled. He quickly removed the thermometer, and checked it.
The Lord Warden was actually right behind him. When had he come over? He didn’t even hear a sound.
“37.9, he still has slight fever. Another dose of fever-reducing medicine should do the trick.” The doctor shook the thermometer in his hand, then turned to take medicine from the medicine box.
As his hand hovered over the fever-reducing medicine, he hesitated for a moment, then subtly reached for another medicine bottle.
He took out two white pills from the bottle, wrapped them in paper, and placed them on the bedside table. The doctor instructed, “Take this medicine after meals, two tablets at a time. Remember, too much medicine can be harmful. There may be side effects after taking the medicine, such as nausea and headaches for some, or abdominal cramps for others. The duration of side effects won’t be too long, about a few hours; just endure it. I’ll need to check on you again tomorrow. If the fever hasn’t subsided, I’ll try another medication.”
“To get better, you must take the medicine, don’t forget that,” the doctor concluded.
There was a knock at the door, followed by several guards entering one after another to add charcoal to the unused fireplace.
Watching the busy figures of the guards, the expression on the doctor’s face twisted once again.
Obviously, the Lord Warden was planning for this prisoner to stay here tonight.
It seemed he wouldn’t leave the Lord Warden’s room until he was better.
Even if there was no chance to torment him now, he had ways to make him uncomfortable.
The medicine he just gave him was for reducing fever, but it was specially made to punish unruly prisoners who refused discipline. After taking it, the body would experience severe abdominal pain.
This pain was almost as excruciating as having one’s bones drilled through and lasted for about four hours, but it wouldn’t pose any life-threatening danger.
Even if the Lord Warden wanted to investigate later, he wouldn’t find any problems.
Under Dijia’s gaze, the guards worked quickly and soon finished setting up the fireplace and leaving the room.
The charcoal used was special and didn’t emit any irritating smoke or ash.
Once filled, the fireplace could burn for the whole day. After everyone left the room, Dijia glanced at the young man curled up in a ball on the bed. “Still cold?”
The young man snorted softly, neither confirming nor denying the cold.
When he didn’t get an answer, the man wasn’t angry at all. He picked up the scattered coat on the bed and hung it on the coat rack, then turned to look at the young man on the bed. “If you’re not cold, then you must have been frightened, right?”
The young man finally pulled his head out from the soft blanket. His fluffy hair was disheveled, spread across the pillow. He stared at Dijia with a pair of big, bright eyes. “A bit.”
The man’s eyes flickered slightly and he walked towards the bed.
He first looked down at the young man, then suddenly bent down, grabbed the young man’s arm and pulled him out from under the blanket.
Their faces were almost close, and Dijia’s cold eyes stared directly at the young man. “No one can leave that room intact except me. I advise you to confess quickly because once you recover, I’ll take you back to that room. It won’t be a simple introduction by then, and you should know what will happen.”
“Don’t think of delaying the recovery by not taking the medicine; I’ll watch you swallow it. Don’t pretend to be sick; your disguise can’t escape my eyes. The sooner you recover, the earlier our game begins.” The man paused. “Or, while I still have patience, you have a chance to terminate this game early.”
The young man frowned and shook his head, staring at the man with slightly reddened eyes. He repeated the unchanged words: “I’m really not the culprit.”
The man didn’t continue to argue with him. He threw the young man back onto the blanket, not looking back as he walked to the sofa. “Close your eyes and sleep.”
Bai Lixin pulled the quilt and covered his head completely, then he turned over and stopped talking to the man.
The man’s voice was cool. “Expose your head. Do you want to suffocate yourself when you have a fever?”
Bai Lixin stiffened for a moment, then grumpily used his foot to pull down the blanket, revealing his head.
…
When Bai Lixin woke up again, it was snowing outside.
This snowfall was even heavier than the morning one. Goose feathers fell, and the accumulated snow on the ground was approaching the edge of the window.
Outside, it was gradually getting dark, approaching dusk.
Bai Lixin didn’t wake up naturally; he was nudged awake.
The one who woke him up wasn’t someone else; it was the culprit who threw him onto the bed and didn’t let him cover his head.
The visibility outside was already very low, and the room was not lit, it was pitch black. When he looked up, he could only see a dark figure standing at the bedside, with a pair of eyes emitting a cold light in the darkness.
Bai Lixin wiped the sweat from his forehead. “What’s the matter?”
Although it looked very cold outside, this room was warm.
The charcoal in the fireplace was burning vigorously, dispelling the chill in the room, making it the warmest haven.
It was warm enough to make Bai Lixin sweat.
Dijia raised his hand and touched Bai Lixin’s forehead. “It’s not so hot anymore. Get up, eat something, and take medicine before sleeping again.”
Bai Lixin sat up and realized that his prison clothes were soaked with sweat, sticking uncomfortably to his body. He pulled the collar and tugged at it. “I’ll take a bath, I’ve sweated a lot.”
“No.” The man refused almost as soon as Bai Lixin said it. “Take a bath after the fever breaks tomorrow. You’ve just sweated a lot; if you wash now, you’ll get a fever again.”
Although a bit reluctant, Bai Lixin understood. “Alright, I’ll wash tomorrow.”
A big hand covered Bai Lixin’s eyes without warning. The person’s skin was very cold, as if soaked in icy water. Even though the indoor temperature was already high, the person’s temperature was still chilling.
Bai Lixin was wondering why Dijia covered his eyes when he vaguely saw some light through the gaps in the person’s fingers.
A few seconds later, the man’s hand moved away.
“Come eat.” The man dropped a brief sentence, then turned and walked towards the sofa.
Bai Lixin looked at the man’s upright figure, glanced at the light above his head, and hesitated. “Did you cover my eyes just now because you were afraid that suddenly turning on the light would dazzle my eyes?”
The man had already sat on the sofa. He neither admitted nor denied, just urged again, “It seems like I’ve been repeating myself today. Whether it’s you or the doctor, it seems like you’re both testing my bottom line.”
Hearing the word “doctor,” a radar in Bai Lixin’s brain suddenly perked up. He immediately got off the bed, walked to Dijia, and sat down beside him. He picked up the soup and took a sip. Then he tentatively asked, “Who is that doctor? He seems quite powerful, and I see that the guards are very respectful to him.”
The man glanced at Bai Lixin sideways. “Can’t even shut your mouth while eating? Now you’re very eloquent, but you can’t say a word when you should.”
Bai Lixin blinked. “How many times do you want me to say it? I really don’t know where the Kiss of the Sun is.”
Dijia didn’t dwell on this issue. “Are you curious about the doctor?”
Bai Lixin nodded. “Curious.”
How could he not be curious about his love rival?
After all, this was his husband!
He didn’t feel angry about others being interested in his old gong.
After all, his old gong was so outstanding, handsome, and capable. It was normal to have admirers, right?
What made him uncomfortable was the way that doctor looked at Dijia, as if he wanted to claim Dijia as his own, with strong malice and paranoia towards him.
He was very kind to friends, but he never showed mercy to enemies.
Especially to the love rival who coveted his old gong.
Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles.
Although he believed his old gong had no interest in that doctor, it didn’t mean the doctor wouldn’t stab him in the back.
Once a person with a perverted and paranoid personality does not get what he wants, he is likely to hate out of love.
Dijia: “This doctor was appointed as the prison doctor here by the Queen. He’s highly skilled.”
Bai Lixin listened attentively.
After several seconds, he asked in confusion, “Is that all? Just this?”
Dijia raised an eyebrow slightly. “What else do you want to know?”
Bai Lixin: “What’s his name? How old is he? Does he have a fiancée?”
Dijia’s frowned, and his voice involuntarily turned colder. “Isn’t what you want to know a bit too much?”
“Why are you asking these questions?”
Bai Lixin: “I’m just curious. He seems out of place in this prison. It’s almost like he’s a palace etiquette teacher. Yet, he’s working as a prison doctor here.”
Dijia pondered for two seconds before saying lightly, “I can’t answer that question. I don’t even know his name.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Hmph.
I heard the guards call him “Doctor Garner”!’
Bai Lixin: “Then how do you usually address him?”
Dijia: “Doctor.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Well played.
My old gong is such a good boyfriend, with twenty-four filial piety, he feels so secure.’
Other people’s husbands are like eggs that flies can’t bite, but his is an impregnable fortress.
He had wanted to stage a husband-chasing show, but now he couldn’t even get started.
