On the sofa,
Qin Hanyue gently applied the ointment to the scar, massaging it in circles with his fingertips, slowly working the ointment into her skin.
The cool ointment,
his warm fingertips rubbing against her smooth skin, heating up just slightly, perfectly melting the ointment between their skin.
The faint medicinal aroma blending beautifully with the nice scent of her body wash, wafting right up to his nose.
Qin Hanyue carefully applied the ointment, making sure to cover every inch of the scar. His gaze kept lifting to look at her.
She held a pillow the whole time, eyes glued to her phone.
The scar on her shoulder was quickly covered, next was another slash wound a bit lower, about 10 cm long.
Qin Hanyue looked at the knife scar, hesitating for a moment.
As he applied the ointment to her shoulder, he had been eyeing this scar, wondering how to apply it. Not that the scar was worse than the one on her shoulder, but it was mostly covered by her bra strap.
The 3-finger wide strap blocked most of the scar.
Qin Hanyue glanced at her again, then silently skipped over it for now, moving on to apply ointment to a scar on her lower right back near her waist.
Soon, his gaze returned to the obscured knife scar.
Qin Hanyue hesitated, then lightly pressed his ointment-covered fingers over the fabric onto the scar below: "This one is blocked."
Qiao Ying replied in a neither cold nor warm tone: "Just unclasp it."
Qin Hanyue put down the ointment, brought both hands to the hooks, but didn't know how to proceed.
Qiao Ying: "Don't know how?"
Qin Hanyue examined the clasps carefully: "I know how."
He slipped two long index fingers under the strap following her skin, while pressing the outer fabric with his thumbs. With a pinch, the hooks popped open.
She was much calmer than him about this.
But Qin Hanyue noticed that the moment her bra came loose, she pulled the pillow she was hugging a little tighter.
Qin Hanyue hurried to apply the ointment.
Soon he looked up: "Done. We should leave it unclasped until the ointment absorbs, clasping it now might wipe some off."
Qiao Ying didn't reply.
Qin Hanyue hesitated, then decisively grabbed the ointment and moved to sit facing her.
Qiao Ying raised her eyes from her phone to look at him.
Meeting her gaze, Qin Hanyue's voice caught for a second before he said: "I finished the back."
Qiao Ying spoke calmly: "Oh, so now what?"
Qin Hanyue: "I'll apply it to your front."
Qiao Ying: "I think I can manage the front myself."
Qin Hanyue willfully misconstrued her questioning tone: "Which means there are still hard to reach spots, so I'll just do it all for you."
His gaze was clear and righteous, without any ulterior motives.
Qiao Ying's fine brows raised slightly as she watched him, her eyes tinged with coolness.
That look seemed to say: you asked for this.
Just as Qin Hanyue couldn't withstand her stare and was about to give up, Qiao Ying looked away, silently pulling down the pillow covering her chest to reveal the scar over her left breast.
The wound on her back had gone straight through the front near her heart, it was extremely serious at the time.
Qin Hanyue steadied his mind, keeping his eyes in check as his ointment-covered fingers moved closer to her fair chest.
He applied downwards from the top.
She had lost a lot of weight recently, her shoulder blades protruded sharply against his hand, completely unlike the softness of her chest. The skin here was even more delicate.
The lower he went, the more pronounced the curve, and the softer it felt under his hand.
So his touch grew lighter.
Qin Hanyue was secretly adjusting his breathing when suddenly, not controlling his force properly, his finger sank slightly into the soft flesh of her breast.
This instantly shot his blood pressure through the roof, like pressing into a marshmallow. He quickly pulled back his hand somewhat flustered: "Sorry..."
The apology slipped out.
On its own it was nothing, but his apology gave the action more meaning, Qin Hanyue had clearly lost composure.
He couldn't help swallowing, pressing his lips lightly.
Qiao Ying looked up, a glint of coolness in her watching eyes.
That look seemed to say: you brought this upon yourself.
But Qin Hanyue soon collected himself when he saw how calm she remained on the surface. Though he noticed her ear tips were tinged red.
Qin Hanyue understood.
That time washing her, she had also appeared indifferent, yet his kiss had given her away.
Qin Hanyue continued applying the medicine.
Starting up conversation: "Fidel said a Sky Eye robot broke down, told me to let you know."
Qiao Ying: "Oh."
Qin Hanyue followed along: "Where's Qiao Yi?"
Trying to dispel the vaguely awkward, intimate atmosphere, while also curious about the AI system.
Qiao Ying clearly didn't want to discuss it.
Eyes on her phone, she replied in an unfriendly tone: "Can't you see that huge thing in the corner?"
Qin Hanyue looked over and saw Qiao Yi obediently standing in the corner.
Apparently powered off.
Qin Hanyue: "Did you change its system and name too? What's the new name?"
Qiao Ying lied without blinking: "Didn't change it."
Qin Hanyue's whole demeanor relaxed, tone turning casual: "You can freely use my voice samples, no need to ask permission."
Qin Hanyue guessed it was when she went to see Amna, a few days prior she had suddenly asked him to send her a voice clip. No doubt that was when she had used his voice.
Qiao Ying glanced at his pleased expression: "Big shot, huh."
Qin Hanyue smiled: "You didn't take advantage of me? Or my voice, I mean."
Qiao Ying: "I'm not that bored."
Qin Hanyue nodded slightly, his voice slowing deliberately, tinged with obvious intent, he suddenly called out: "Dear?"
Qiao Ying's screen-swiping halted for a second before she looked over.
Qin Hanyue: "I was a bit surprised you had it call you that. Did the system really malfunction?" His smiling eyes clearly suggestive.
Qiao Ying: "I already said it malfunctioned."
Qin Hanyue nodded: "Got it."
But the corner of his mouth betrayed he didn't really buy it.
Damn him! Qiao Ying's brows and eyes leaked irritation.
Qin Hanyue retracted his hand: "Done."
"Let me check your back."
He got up and walked around behind her, seeing the ointment hadn't fully absorbed yet.
"Give it a bit more time."
He picked up a blanket, shook it open, and draped it over her shoulders.
"Don't catch cold."
Qin Hanyue capped the ointment, wiped his hands with a tissue, then sat back down facing her. Seeing Qiao Ying still engrossed in her phone, he asked: "Busy with something?"
Qiao Ying didn't respond. After a while: "Get me some water."
"Ok."
Qin Hanyue went and poured some water, downing a glass himself first since his mouth was parched. Then he brought her a glass.
Qiao Ying took the water and handed him her phone.
Qin Hanyue looked at it puzzledly, then back at her: "This is you."
On the screen was unmistakably Xue Ying.
He had seen Qiao Ying's real appearance on Dr. Seely's medical license. Stunningly beautiful, almost unreal.
Exquisite, gorgeous, with an innate aura of aloofness and bewitching charm in her features - simply a great beauty.
No wonder Yi Saisi was obsessed with her, and Shangguan Qingmu had also called her the most beautiful girl he'd seen.
Unfortunately when Xue Ying was making waves as Nameless in M State, Qin Hanyue had been tied up in domestic affairs at the time.
He hadn't attended that year's Underground Deathmatch, so they never crossed paths, he never got to see her shine in the arena.
If he had gone to M State back then and met her, would everything have been different?
Qin Hanyue felt a pang of regret.
Then later, Nameless had blown up his God's Arms.
By the time he arrived, she had already left M State.
The girl on screen sat on the floor, leaning over a desk busily drawing something, utterly engrossed in concentration - for a moment reminding Qin Hanyue of her younger self immersed in analyzing the lethal toxins in his father's body, a total science maniac.
Her ponytail tied up high, with a few strands falling just right.
Qin Hanyue carefully examined the girl's delicate features on the screen.
Qiao Ying took a sip of water: "Pretty?"
Qin Hanyue: "Very pretty."
Qin Hanyue tore his gaze from the phone to look at her: "I never asked, why did you blow up God's Arms?"
Qiao Ying shamelessly spat out: "Didn't like it, so blew it up for fun."
