Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

Chapter 103 Applying Medicine

After returning to the Prince's residence, she finally had time to take off her clothes and examine her wounds.

The lion's slap on her was quite forceful; although there was no bleeding, the pain was considerable.

She had thought it was just some bruises, so she had been enduring the pain.

But when he looked in the bronze mirror after returning, he realized that his skin had been rubbed raw and bloody. Patches of purple welts stretched from his shoulders all the way down to his waist. Even a light touch sent a sharp pain through him.

"Rong'er," she called softly.

A short while later, the door was pushed open, and a maid hurriedly approached: "What are your orders, Miss Jiang?"

"I have a minor back injury. Go and get me some pain-relieving and bruise-reducing ointment."

Upon hearing that she was injured, Rong'er quickly went to find some ointment. Seeing the dense blood spots on her back, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss Jiang, how did you get this injury? The Prince must be heartbroken to see this."

Jiang Wan shook her head: "I just bumped into it by accident." She paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, is the Prince's illness cured?"

"Your Highness seems to be fine today. Although Your Highness used to be sick every three days and seriously ill every five days when you were young, you have become stronger as you have grown older."

Jiang Wan was a little puzzled. Xiao Hengzhi was only eight years old when he went to the Jiang residence. He was not old, but she had never seen him sick. How could he be a weak and sickly child?

As her thoughts were churning, she suddenly heard the sound of the door being pushed open.

Rong'er looked up and quickly bowed, saying, "This servant greets Your Highness."

"Go down."

"Yes."

Rong'er slowly withdrew and gently closed the door.

Jiang Mian hurriedly straightened her clothes, stood up and bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Xiao Hengzhi's gaze swept over her slightly open collar and the ointment on the table. Remembering the pain she had mentioned earlier, his brows furrowed instantly.

"Why are you applying medicine? Where are you injured?"

Jiang Mian replied softly, "Just now, the lion was accidentally slapped by another lion, and there are some bruises."

"Come here and let me take a look."

“The medicine has already been applied, it’s not too serious.” Jiang Wan said, standing up. “Your Highness has just recovered from a long illness, you should rest early.”

She spoke in a respectful tone, as if separated by mountains and rivers, completely unlike her obedient manner a few days ago.

After all, what happened today has shown Xiao Hengzhi that she is still on Ning Zhi's side. No matter how docile she is now, Xiao Hengzhi will only think that she is pretending.

He must have been extremely wary of her.

If that's the case, Jiang Mian thought she might as well be more at ease.

Xiao Hengzhi saw that she had no expression on her face and looked like she was seeing him off.

She was being kissed by him just a moment ago, but now it's like he's turned his back on her.

He simply stepped forward, reached out, and pulled her outer garment down.

"What are you doing!" Jiang Wan exclaimed in surprise.

"Don't move." Xiao Hengzhi pinched her wrist. "It's not like we haven't seen this before. Sit down."

Jiang Mian tried to shrink back, but she couldn't break free from him at all, and could only sit down reluctantly.

"Hurry up, I'm freezing."

Her clothes were pulled down to her arms, leaving only a thin undergarment in front of her. A chill ran down her smooth back, and Jiang Mian shivered, hugging her arms.

Xiao Hengzhi looked at the deep and shallow purple marks on her back, interspersed with tiny bloodstains, which were painful to look at.

He gritted his teeth. Whether it was Ning Zhi or Duan Zhi'an's doing, he wasn't finished with that lion today.

"Have you finished reading?" Jiang Wan asked listlessly.

Although she had nothing to hide in front of Xiao Hengzhi, she still felt uncomfortable with her back exposed to him.

She raised her hand, trying to pull her clothes up.

Then I felt a gentle pat on my back.

Turning her head, she saw Xiao Hengzhi applying medicine to her.

“That maid hadn’t finished applying the ointment yet.” He paused for a moment, then said, “Why didn’t you tell me you were injured?”

"Why say all this? Telling the prince won't make you recover any faster."

Xiao Hengzhi rubbed the ointment in his palm, warmed it, and then applied it to her back, massaging it in little by little until the medicine seeped into her skin. This was indeed more effective than applying it directly.

Jiang Mian felt that Xiao Hengzhi's palms seemed warmer than before, unlike the icy cold hands that used to be.

She lowered her head and let him apply the medicine to her, without saying a word.

The room was so quiet that only his breathing and the soft sound of the ointment being rubbed together could be heard.

"Do you remember the first time I applied medicine to you?" he suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Jiang Wan was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to say that. "I don't remember."

"It was in Changfeng Town. When you were rowing, the boat capsized, and you fell into the water and hit a rock on the shore. I jumped in and rescued you. You choked on water and were injured. I was so worried..."

Xiao Hengzhi recalled the past and smiled slightly: "Later, when I applied the medicine to you, you cried from the pain and blamed me, saying, 'It's all your fault.'"

Jiang Mian lowered her eyes, still reminiscing.

“Back then, your catchphrase was ‘It’s all your fault.’ I didn’t know what to blame myself for. But since you said it, I guess I should blame you. It’s better to blame me than to blame someone else.”

Jiang Mian felt a little embarrassed by his words, and lowered her head to rub the hem of her clothes. Was she really that spoiled back then?

If she's so willful, what exactly does Xiao Hengzhi like about her?

There are so many beautiful women in the world, surely he, a prince, can't find one he's satisfied with? Why does he have to fixate on her?

As if knowing what she was thinking, Xiao Hengzhi suddenly said, "What you said to Li Zhijing that day—'When you truly like someone, you feel joy even in the midst of a thousand trivial matters, and you are willing to do your best for her happiness, to share her joy and sorrow.'"

“…Jiang Wan.” His voice suddenly softened. “I feel the same way about you. No matter what you look like, I will love you.”

After he finished speaking, he helped her put her clothes on, one by one. Finally, as she was about to get up, he suddenly hugged her gently from behind.

"Since you can get Li Zhijing to understand Wen Qian... could you also try coming to my side, maybe... try to like me..."

Jiang Mian was a tiny bundle in her arms, yet she risked her life to protect Ning Zhi.

The way she stood in front of Ning Zhi today not only angered him but also deeply hurt him.

He originally thought that as long as she stayed by his side, it wouldn't matter if she was thinking of someone else; he would be fine with it.

But when he saw it with his own eyes, he still couldn't accept it.

He was driven mad with jealousy whenever he thought about how Jiang Mian had been Ning Zhi's wife and had a child with him.

He couldn't bear to see her looking at other people. He wanted her to have only him in her eyes and heart.

But it's too difficult. Even now, holding her, I'm worried she might run away at any moment.