When it was ten o'clock, Song Yanqing was awakened by the trembling of the person in his arms.
He suddenly opened his eyes and saw the person in his arms, pale-faced and trembling in his embrace, with furrowed brows, clenched teeth, and fists white from being squeezed. He knew then that the painful punishment had begun.
" A-Jue... wake up... A-Jue, I'm here..."
Song Yanqing held Shang Shujue's hand, afraid that his nails would dig into his flesh and hurt him. He called out his name, trying to wake him up, and hugged him even tighter, as if that would ease his pain.
Shang Shujue woke up in a hazy, painful state. Through his blurred vision, he seemed to see a familiar figure. He blinked, and his vision gradually cleared.
"Song... Song Yanqing..."
As soon as Shang Shujue finished speaking, a dense, throbbing pain surged through him. Unable to bear it any longer, he wrapped his arms around his neck, a suppressed cry of pain escaping his throat. He frowned, his eyes filled with agony.
" A-Jue, I'm here..." Song Yanqing hugged him tightly, somewhat flustered, but her expression remained calm. Her voice was hoarse and uncertain. "How can I help you? Do I need to kiss you?"
"I... I need... uh..." Before Shang Shujue could finish speaking, an unprecedented pain shot through his body, causing him to curl up uncontrollably into a shrimp-like shape. His eyes were bloodshot and tears streamed down his face. "Damn, it hurts so much..."
Song Yanqing frowned, pulled Shang Shujue into his arms, let him wrap his arms around his waist and back, then carefully held his neck and kissed his lips tenderly.
Song Yanqing's kiss was like water droplets being poured into boiling oil; it caused an explosion in an instant. Shang Shujue's pain was relieved by the kiss; although it still hurt, it wasn't as intense.
Like a thirsty fish, Shang Shujue clung tightly to Song Yanqing's back, forcefully surrendering herself to gain more relief from the pain.
Song Yanqing couldn't muster any romantic thoughts; he only felt a sharp pain in his heart, and self-blame and guilt spread rapidly through his mind. The overwhelming heartache made his eyes redden.
If he hadn't told Shang Shujue about his experiences, would he have avoided violating the World Law...?
... did they do something that violated the rules of this world, using supernatural means to save him?
How painful must the backlash be from such intense, unnatural methods?
As Song Yanqing's thoughts churned, he sensed that the person in his arms seemed to be in less pain, and knew that his actions had been effective for him, so the kissing continued.
They would briefly separate, then kiss again when he touched Shang Shujue's furrowed brows and the barely suppressed groan he was about to let out.
This situation lasted for an unknown amount of time. Both of them were breathing heavily, and their clothes were soaked through, their original colors unrecognizable.
The stars outside the window are exceptionally bright, without a single cloud in sight. Tonight should be a full moon night, but not a single ray of moonlight can be seen, as if the moon has shyly hidden itself away...
The group of people guarding outside the ward, unable to sleep no matter what, peeked through the viewing glass in the ward door again and again, only hearing a few sporadic groans of pain, and then the occasional smacking sounds of kisses.
"Oh dear, you've been kissing for so long... cough cough, it's not a good idea for us to just stay here and guard them, is it? We don't even know their current situation inside..."
After Xu Jiaqiao finished speaking somewhat awkwardly, the already heavy atmosphere in the corridor became tinged with an indescribable awkwardness, and no one spoke for a moment.
"Ahem... Judging from this situation, the solution is probably the same as when Brother Jue was in pain last time. We'd better not gather here, otherwise it will be a bit awkward when they recover and see us."
Zhang Zhichen was also a little embarrassed. Although he had some Bai Zhiyi, he had never crossed the line with her, and he didn't even dare to confess his feelings.
After all, he was a young man, and although it wasn't the first time he had encountered this situation, it was the first time he had faced it in front of his elders, so he was somewhat embarrassed.
Zhang Zhichen's suggestion wasn't without merit, but no one in the corridor moved, not even Bai Zhiyi, who even wanted to lean closer to the door to listen for any sounds.
His gossip-loving spirit was burning quite fiercely, and after confirming that there was a solution to Shang Shujue's excruciating punishment, he relaxed.
All that's left now is gossip about what's going on inside. Is it really just kissing? Nothing else... cough cough...
"Ahem... Judging from Xiao Jue's condition, there shouldn't be any major problems. Xiao Chen's words make sense. Everyone has been working hard running back and forth lately. Everyone should go back and rest. Let the two of them handle this themselves."
As Shang Shujue's father, it wasn't appropriate for Shang Yuanzhen to remain standing there, so he spoke up, telling everyone to head back home. Although they were somewhat disappointed, they each found an excuse to leave.
After everyone had left, Shang Yuanzhen looked at Shang Shunan and Song Hengzhe, who was holding his hand, then at Shang Shujue in the house, and sighed softly.
"You two rascals, how did you end up liking men? ε=(´ο`*))) Sigh, whatever, children and grandchildren have their own destinies. I don't care anymore, you two can do whatever you want."
As soon as Shang Yuanzhen finished speaking, Yun Yuanmei pulled him away. Along the way, Yun Yuanmei kept saying nice things to comfort him, afraid that he would develop a rift with his two sons because of this.
"Big brother, second brother, fourth sister, and... sister-in-law, you all go back and rest. Big brother, sister-in-law's injuries have only just healed, she needs to go to bed early and get up early to recover her energy. Leave the rest to me."
Looking at her family members who remained, Shang Shuyu called out to everyone, hesitated for a moment, then called out to Song Hengzhe's sister-in-law before finishing what she wanted to say.
Song Hengzhe was somewhat dazed by being called "sister-in-law," and didn't know what he was thinking afterward. He was led away by Shang Shunan without coming back to his senses.
"Third sister, I'm back at the research institute. Just give me a call once my brother has recovered."
Shang Shuying's face was expressionless, but she showed no less concern for her younger brother, Shang Shujue. She was just not good at expressing her emotions; she was not an indifferent person.
"Okay, Fourth Sister, be careful on your way back."
"Okay, second brother, shall we go together?"
"Okay, let's go."
Shang Shuchen and Shang Shuying left together. Shang Shuyu glanced at the closed ward door, raised her hand to press the privacy mode to block out outside sight and sound, and then walked towards the on-duty doctor's office. She needed to rest there for a while.
Shang Shuyu walked to the corner and saw Jian Yichen leaning against the wall, holding a thermos. She paused slightly. When Jian Yichen heard her footsteps, she looked up, saw her, and smiled.
"I made some chicken soup. I saw you've been busy all day and haven't eaten much. Would you like some?"
Jian Yichen looked at Shang Shuyu, her earlobes slightly red, and showed her the thermos in her arms. When she said this, her tone was gentle, and her expression was a little blank.
Shang Shuyu's gaze fell on Jian Yichen's earlobe, paused slightly, then she smiled, her eyes sparkling, "I want it!"
Upon hearing this, Jian Yichen felt her heart pounding, and with a smile, she took a few steps forward. "Okay."