At night, while the sky was not yet completely dark, Qin Ke followed his usual routine and applied medicine to Lu Youqing. The wounds and bruises on her wrists had nearly healed after two days of treatment. Now, only the scar on the side of her face remained.
The wound had been too deep and too large to disappear overnight.
The household was so poor that they couldn't even find an extra stool, let alone something like a mirror. Most people used bronze mirrors, cast from bronze with a high tin content. Even when available, such mirrors were far from clear, nothing like the mirrors of later generations.
So as long as he wasn't too busy, Qin Ke would personally help Lu Youqing apply the ointment.
"It's already much better than when we started. Give it about half a year, and it should recover completely."
Qin Ke's movements were exceptionally gentle as he applied the medicine. Even though the wound no longer hurt, he still worried about causing her pain.
Lu Youqing's long, dense lashes fluttered lightly as she felt the soft touch on her cheek. She spoke quietly,
"How could that be possible? Even if Hua Tuo were alive, a scar like this would be hard to remove completely."
She had to admit that the ointment he used was indeed exceptional. Even back in the capital, she had never heard of such an effective scar-removal balm.
But such a deep wound—how could it truly disappear?
"Then how about a bet?" Qin Ke smiled mysteriously. "Whoever loses has to agree to one request from the other."
This ointment had cost him half his remaining points. If it didn't have the effect the system claimed, he would—well—swallow the system whole.
He didn't regret spending his already scarce points on the ointment. Rationally speaking, given his current situation, medicine was the least cost-effective purchase. Yet he hadn't hesitated for a moment.
Part of it was atonement for the original owner. But more importantly—when he first saw her, she had been so fragile, her body thin, her face pale as paper, yet she held her head high, stubbornly refusing to let her tears fall.
That combination of vulnerability and cold pride—the fractured dignity—had instantly awakened his desire to protect her.
In his previous life, he had been too busy striving for financial independence to even think about romance. Perhaps there had been the faint stirrings of feeling, but they were always smothered by the wrong timing and circumstances.
What Qin Ke, a complete novice in matters of the heart, didn't realize was this:
the moment you feel a desire to protect someone, the seed of love has already been planted deep inside you.
"Alright."
Now free from the burden of her appearance, Lu Youqing rarely showed such interest.
After tidying up, the two lay side by side on the bed once more. Over time, Lu Youqing had come to see that Qin Ke truly wouldn't do anything improper, and she was no longer as stiff and guarded as she had been at first.
Used to staying up late in his previous life, Qin Ke found it difficult to adapt to the ancient schedule. But once night fell, there was nothing to do but sleep, and so he developed the habit of chatting while lying in bed.
Most of the time, he was the one talking; Lu Youqing rarely responded.
"The land's ready. I've decided—four acres for rice, and the remaining one for watermelons. It's March now, the perfect time to plant them. Tomorrow I'll start with the watermelon."
"The watermelon you mentioned before—is that the round green fruit you asked me about?"
Tonight was rare—Lu Youqing didn't let him talk to himself.
"Yes. We'll harvest in summer. Once they're ready, I'll bring you the very first one to try. They're sweet, and after chilling, they're perfect for beating the heat."
Lu Youqing wasn't someone driven by appetite. She focused on the key point.
"If it's really as you say, then those watermelons will fetch a very high price."
She knew that among the nobility, just the cost of ice in summer was already considerable. A fruit that could relieve the heat so effectively would surely be in great demand.
"So the target customers for the watermelons won't be ordinary folk," Qin Ke said with a smile, pleased that she grasped the point so quickly.
They fell asleep chatting as usual. What was different this time was that Lu Youqing had begun to actively take part in planning for the future. Perhaps only then did Qin Ke's heart finally settle—truly realizing that she would stay by his side.
No matter how long that future might be, at this moment, a quiet joy filled his heart. Even in sleep, the corners of his lips curved upward.
The next day, on his way to the fields, Qin Ke noticed that villagers were deliberately avoiding him. In the past, the original owner had been disliked too, but never to the point where people would detour upon seeing him.
He clicked his tongue. It seemed yesterday's fight had made him infamous. That was fine—it would save him the trouble of people meddling in his affairs.
All he wanted now was a peaceful life in the village with Lu Youqing.
He chose the most secluded plot for the watermelons. The land he had been given was both barren and remote. Unless someone deliberately watched him, whatever he did there wouldn't attract attention.
For now, it was just planting. Until the watermelons matured, villagers would only feel mild curiosity. But once they were sold for a high price, envy was inevitable.
Those worries were still far off. For now, his priority was staying low-key and avoiding attention. Most importantly, the plot closest to the mountain slope was slightly elevated, with deep soil and a sandier texture—ideal conditions for growing watermelons.
While reclaiming the land, he had already dug furrows, drainage ditches, and surrounding channels. With proper irrigation and drainage in place, all that remained was sowing the seeds. System-provided seeds didn't require pre-treatment—only proper spacing, neither too sparse nor too dense.
Everything seemed no different from the days before—until near noon, when Qin Ke turned and saw a slender figure standing at the edge of his field.
That figure slowly walked toward him.
Bathed in dazzling sunlight, he saw Lu Youqing wearing the old clothes left behind by his mother, dressed plainly. She had even wrapped her head in cloth like the village women.
And most importantly—just as she had said the day before—she no longer hid the injured side of her face. She stood tall, her head held high, appearing openly before others.
Qin Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked in confusion,
"Why are you here?"
"I brought you water. I've finished most of the chores at home, so I thought I'd come help."
Qin Ke looked at her delicate, translucent skin and fell silent.
"Do you think I can't do this? Or that I can't endure hardship?"
Lu Youqing's amber eyes fixed on him without blinking, as though she wanted to see straight through him.
"No—" Qin Ke shook his head hurriedly. "That's not it. I just think this place is far too dirty. You shouldn't be doing this kind of work."
He had spent over a decade studying, then years sitting in an office—his hands had never known real labor. Thankfully, this body was tough-skinned and sturdy. Otherwise, he couldn't imagine how many blisters he would've gotten.
And the fields weren't just dirt and dust—there were insects too. Even he had taken a long time to get used to it. How much harder would it be for Lu Youqing, with her delicate skin that bruised at the slightest pressure?
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Currently at chapter 84 for advance chapters
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