He had not actually been injured—his collapse had been brought on purely by the enormous drain on his spirit and inner energy. After a period of sleep, he had already begun to recover.
It was only now that Tang San realized his left hand was wrapped around something warm and soft. It was a small hand belonging to Xiao Wu. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her upper body slumped beside him, fast asleep. He could just make out that her eyes were still red and swollen, her delicate face a touch pale. Her long scorpion braid hung over the side of the bed, and her long lashes rested against her eyelids, trembling slightly now and then—clearly, her sleep was not a peaceful one.
Looking at her gentle face, her dark hair, and the furrow in her brows that had not yet fully eased from the lingering fear, Tang San felt an irrepressible surge of tenderness.
He eased himself out of bed as quietly as he could, then picked her up just as gently, as though lifting a wisp of silk, and laid her on his own bed. All he wanted was to let her sleep a little more comfortably.
Whether it was because his movements were so soft, or because Xiao Wu was simply too exhausted, she did not wake. In the dim haze of sleep, her arms instinctively wound around his neck, refusing to let go no matter what.
Everything felt perfectly natural. He held her gently in his arms, pulled the blanket over them both, and did not use the time to cultivate and restore his inner energy. Wrapped in a heart full of softness, he drifted back to sleep alongside her. There was not a trace of impropriety—only boundless tenderness.
Her brow gradually smoothed without either of them noticing. His heart found comfort in the warmth held against his chest. An unprecedented sense of peace and warmth quietly bloomed upon that simplest of beds.
In the morning, when the first sliver of sunlight slipped through the window and into the room, Xiao Wu stirred in Tang San's arms. Perhaps some unspoken instinct was at work—they both opened their eyes at almost the same instant, and both quickly shut them again.
A deep crimson spread across her face. He tried to quietly release his hand in the awkwardness of the moment, only for her to tighten her grip and hold on.
Neither of them said a word. Not a single syllable passed between them—only the sound of their own quickening heartbeats filling the strange silence.
Footsteps approached. Like a pair of startled birds, they sprang apart. There was no time to dwell on the embarrassment; Tang San leaped off the bed and threw on his outer robe.
"Xiao Wu, is Xiao San doing any better?" A knock came at the door. It was Oscar.
Tang San looked toward Xiao Wu. She was already on her feet, and the blush on her face was impossible to hide no matter what she did. They exchanged a glance. Xiao Wu pointed at herself, then at the door, then at Tang San, and finally at the bed.
Their wordless understanding was seamless. Tang San lay back down on the bed. Xiao Wu took a deep breath, steadying her racing heart, and then opened the door.
Seeing the blush still fading from Xiao Wu's lovely face, Oscar looked a bit puzzled. "How is Xiao San?"
"He hasn't woken up yet," Xiao Wu replied. "But his breathing is much more even now. He should be fine."
Oscar gave her a knowing look and chuckled. "That's good, that's good. Let him rest a bit longer, then. I'm heading off to grab breakfast—you want to come along? Oh, and the Great Master said that once Xiao San wakes up, he should go straight to see him."
Xiao Wu nodded quickly. At that moment, she could not have wanted Oscar to leave any faster, if only to let her composure settle.
Only after Xiao Wu closed the door did Tang San sit back up in bed. They looked at each other, and Xiao Wu ducked her head in a fluster. Tang San walked over to her and ruffled her hair gently. "I'm perfectly fine now. I'm going to find the teacher."
Not until Tang San had left the room did Xiao Wu's emotions finally begin to calm. She cupped her face in both hands and realized that the thing she had never been able to see clearly before was becoming sharper and sharper in her mind. A certain special light gleamed in her eyes, together with a quiet resolve—and a hint of a smile.
She cast one last glance at the bed where they had slept through the night, then hurried out.
"Teacher, I'm here." When Tang San arrived at the Great Master's room, the door was open.
A lavish breakfast was still laid out on the Great Master's desk.
The Great Master smiled faintly. "Eat first. We'll talk after."
Tang San did not stand on ceremony. He had not eaten anything the night before, and his appetite had always been a large one. He sat down immediately and set to with relish. During this time, the Great Master did not ask a single question—he simply sat in quiet thought.
Only after Tang San had swept every last morsel from the table did the Great Master fix him with a meaningful look. "Did someone ambush you yesterday? Tell me everything in detail."
With the Great Master, Tang San would never hold anything back. He nodded at once. "It was Shi Nian from Canlan Academy."