The night was silent and calm, the peacefulness broken only by the hushed voices of two maids as they made their way back to the servants' quarters after a long day of work.
Their slow footsteps echoed faintly as they walked down the path that passed by the guest area of the Jin Manor. A soft glow spilled out from the window of one of the rooms.
“That's where Lady Fan is staying, isn't it?” one of them whispered.
“It is,” the other confirmed.
“Say, which young lady do you think will end up as the Young Master's lover?” The first maid giggled, leaning closer. “My guess is Lady Fan. She's his mother's disciple, and they have good chemistry, don't you think?”
“Are you serious? Aren't both of them already his lovers?” the second maid asked, her tone matter-of-fact.
“They are? Really?” The first maid blinked in surprise.
The other nodded knowingly. “That's what I heard from the others.”
As they passed by the lit window, faint voices from inside caught their attention. Curious, they slowed to a stop, straining to listen. The voices grew louder, cutting through the still night air.
“Aaah! S-stop!”
“This is necessary.”
“Stop! Stop! Ah!”
“We can’t stop yet.”
“I-it hurts!”
“Hold on, just a little more.”
“AAH!! JIN SHU!!”
The maids’ faces turned crimson, their wide eyes locking on each other in shared shock. One let out a hiccup, and without a word, they hurried off, their steps a panicked clatter.
Inside the room, Jin Shu was leaning over Fan Biyu, his forehead slick with sweat as he worked with focused determination. Her face was flushed crimson, a mix of pain and exertion evident as her breaths came in ragged gasps.
His qi-infused hands moved firmly down her leg, kneading the stiff muscles with increasing pressure. “Just hold still,” he said calmly, though beads of sweat trickled down his temples.
Fan Biyu yelped in pain, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks, glistening like pearls as she whimpered through gritted teeth.
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes stretched into what felt like hours as Jin Shu continued his treatment, his hands tirelessly wringing and massaging her leg like a soaked rag.
Finally, around midnight, he exhaled heavily and climbed off the bed. “That’s it for tonight,” he said, stepping back.
Fan Biyu glared at him through tear-soaked eyes. “I told you to stop!” she snapped, her voice hoarse with frustration and pain.
“You read the instructions. It clearly said the first session would hurt, and if we stopped halfway, it could make your injuries worse,” he replied with a shrug.
“Hmph!” She yanked the blanket over her head, muffling her next words. “Get out!”
Jin Shu sighed, shaking his head as he made his way to the door. “I’ll be back in the morning,” he said casually before stepping out.
The moment he closed the door behind him, his composure shattered. He doubled over, his face flushing a vivid red. “Damn this body!” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in embarrassment as he walked away.
“Thank you for suppressing my body’s reactions, Nano.”
“You're welcome. However, prolonged suppression may prove harmful.”
“Can I last a week?” Jin Shu asked hesitantly.
“A week would be pushing it. Our recommendation is no more than five nights. Any longer could severely impact your ability to reproduce.”
Jin Shu choked at Nano’s clinical response, his face flushing a deep red once more. “...Five nights, then…” he muttered reluctantly.
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Sleep eluded Jin Shu after the night’s events. Restless, he decided to work on something to occupy his hands and mind while he planned for the future.
He pulled out a sturdy wooden chair and began modifying it. His movements were deliberate, adding soft padding to the seat and backrest, and carefully affixing two pairs of iron wheels—smaller ones at the front and larger ones at the back.
As his hands worked, his thoughts drifted.
I need to renew my old training. I don’t have access to the fighting techniques of this world, but I can use what I learned on Earth. If I tweak my methods to incorporate simultaneous pistol-and-knife combat, alongside unarmed techniques, it should work well with my enhanced physical abilities in this world. If I refine it further, I might develop something entirely unique to myself.
His mind continued racing with ideas as he tightened the last bolt on the wheelchair. Satisfied with his work, he tucked the finished product into the storage space in his earring and finally retired for the night.
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Knock! Knock!
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Early the next morning, Jin Shu tapped on the door to Fan Biyu’s room. “Biyu, can I come in?” he called softly.
After waiting a few moments without a response, he raised his hand to knock again. Just as his knuckles hovered near the door, it creaked open. His hand froze midair.
“Good morning,” he greeted, a polite smile tugging at his lips.
He almost burst out laughing at the sight before him.
Fan Biyu, normally the picture of elegance and poise, looked utterly disheveled. Her luscious evergreen hair was a tangled mess, her eyes still red from last night’s tears, with dark bags shadowing them. Her usual grace was replaced with a glaring, sharp-eyed irritation that could have sent weaker men running.
“What do you want?” she snapped, her voice dripping with annoyance.
Jin Shu held back his laughter, clearing his throat. “Um… I brought you a gift,” he said carefully, taking in her chaotic appearance.
She extended a hand impatiently. “Hand it over and leave.”
“It’s not a small gift, see?” Jin Shu gestured as his earring released a soft glow. A wheelchair materialized in the open space outside her doorway.
Fan Biyu stared at the contraption, her sharp gaze softening into curiosity as she studied its design. The chair was padded with jade-green silk and sported two small iron wheels at the front and two larger ones at the back. The backrest had two handles attached at the top.
“What is it?” she asked, eyeing it warily.
“It’s called a wheelchair. Here, sit down,” Jin Shu said nonchalantly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to guide her into the chair.
Too engrossed in examining the strange contraption, she didn’t react to the casual touch.
“Comfortable…” she murmured, running her hands over the smooth silk padding.
“Do you like it?” Jin Shu asked with a gentle smile, watching her explore the chair.
“I still don’t know what it does.”
“Here, try this. Hold onto the handles of the large wheels and push them forward,” he instructed.
Following his directions, she grasped the wheels and pushed. The chair moved smoothly, rolling forward.
However, she underestimated her strength and the chair surged forward, heading straight for Jin Shu.
“Ah!” she yelped, panicking as she lost control.
The next moment, she tumbled from the chair. Jin Shu lunged forward and caught her before she hit the ground—only to lose his own balance. They both collapsed, Jin Shu hitting the ground with a heavy thud, Fan Biyu landing on top of him.
For a moment, neither moved. Their breaths mingled as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Then, Fan Biyu felt something press against her stomach. Without thinking, she reached down to move it away, her hand brushing against—
Jin Shu moaned involuntarily, his face flushing bright red. Both their eyes widened in realization.
“OH MY!!” a loud voice shrieked from the courtyard gate.
They turned their heads in unison to see a maid standing there, her hands covering her mouth. “Excuse me!” she squeaked, turning on her heel and fleeing, slamming the gate shut behind her.
Jin Shu and Fan Biyu slowly turned back to face each other, mortified.
Jin Shu tried averting his gaze, but as his eyes dropped, they landed on her chest pressed tightly against his own. His body reacted before his mind could stop it, and his little brother twitched against her hand.
He jolted upright, shoving her back into the wheelchair in a panic. He quickly turned away, one hand shielding his lower half as his face burned in embarrassment.
Clearing his throat, he stammered, “T-that was just a physical reaction! I-I didn’t mean for that to happen!”
Fan Biyu didn’t respond immediately. She was staring down at her hand, her expression unreadable.
“Biyu?” Jin Shu ventured hesitantly.
She slowly looked up, pausing briefly as her gaze passed his pelvic region before meeting his eyes. “What happened?” she asked, her tone genuinely curious.
Jin Shu blinked in confusion.
She tilted her head. “Weren’t you going to teach me how this wheelchair works?”
Jin Shu scratched the back of his neck, his face still red. “R-right… the wheelchair,” he muttered, eager to steer the conversation back to neutral territory.
He turned toward the chair, carefully avoiding looking directly at Fan Biyu, and crouched to point at the wheels. “So, as I was saying, you just roll these forward gently. Not too hard this time, okay?”
Fan Biyu tilted her head, her curiosity rekindled. “Like this?” She pushed the wheels slowly, the chair rolling forward a short distance.
Jin Shu smiled, relieved. “Exactly. And if you need to stop, just hold the wheels steady.”
Fan Biyu practiced for a moment, her movements growing more confident. A soft smile replaced her earlier irritation. “It’s… actually pretty useful,” she admitted.
“Of course it is. I made it, after all,” Jin Shu said, his usual confidence returning as he straightened up.
She rolled her eyes at his smug tone but didn’t deny his craftsmanship. “Fine. It’s decent.”
As she turned the chair to test its maneuverability, Jin Shu’s voice stopped her.
“And one more thing,” he said, his tone softer now.
“What?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
“I just… wanted to say I’m sorry about last night,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck again. “The treatment was rough, but I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Fan Biyu blinked, her expression softening further. For a moment, silence lingered between them. Then, she smirked.
“If you’re really sorry,” she said, her voice teasing, “you can bring me more gifts.”
Jin Shu chuckled, the tension breaking. “Don’t push your luck.”
They both laughed, the awkwardness fading into a lighthearted warmth.