Recovery

Lu Yan stood in front of the huge mirror in the bathroom. With a soft click of the scissors, the last few wraps of medical bandages around his chest and arms came off and fell into the trash can.

He gazed silently at himself in the mirror.

The terrifying cracks on his body had completely disappeared.

No scars were left.

He not only recovered, but also became more energetic than ever before.

With each breath, I can feel the vibrant life force pulsating within my body.

"Phew~" Lu Yan let out a long sigh of relief, casually pulled a clean white shirt over his shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned and his muscular chest half-open.

Looking back on the past few days since returning from the hospital, Lu Yan couldn't help but smile wildly.

That was a bittersweet torment, a mixture of pain and pleasure.

In order to strictly follow the doctor's orders to never get wet and to stay in bed, Aemeath completely transformed into an emotionless overseer and a meticulous full-time caregiver.

The most enjoyable part was definitely the body-wiping session last night.

Aemeath held a soft towel in her hand, carefully avoiding the scabbed wounds, and gently wiped his body.

But when the towel wanders into some unspeakable sensitive areas, one feels both shy and expectant.

Lu Yan was aroused by her subtle touches several times, his body reacting honestly, but he couldn't do anything because of his injuries, and could only let the little pink cat devour him with her mouth.

And when it came to meals, Aemeath insisted on feeding him bite by bite.

Once, she was holding a bowl of freshly cooked hot soup. In an attempt to cool it down for him, she puffed out her cheeks and blew too hard, splashing the soup directly onto Lu Yan's nose.

Seeing the oil droplet hanging on Lu Yan's nose, Aemeath hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe it off for him, but tripped over her own feet and fell headfirst into Lu Yan's arms. The two stared at each other for a long time before finally bursting into laughter in a hug.

Those chaotic yet cloyingly sweet little episodes were like the best painkillers, soothing the wounds Lu Yan brought back from the past.

Lu Yan walked out of the bathroom, through the corridor, and immediately saw Aemeath Yan Catcher on the small sofa in the living room, flipping through recipes.

Hearing footsteps, Aemeath looked up abruptly. When she saw that Lu Yan had not only come out on his own, but also that all the unsightly bandages on his body were gone, the book in her hand fell to the carpet with a "thud".

"A-Yan! Where's your bandage? Why did you take it off yourself!" Aemeath jumped up from the sofa, her black stockings clicking on the wooden floor, and rushed to Lu Yan in a few strides.

She nervously looked him up and down, reaching out her soft little hand, wanting to touch his half-open chest, but then hovering it in mid-air in disbelief.

Lu Yan smiled and took her hand, pressing it against his firm chest, letting her feel the strong, powerful heartbeat beneath his palm.

"Don't worry, I'm completely healed," Lu Yan said in a gentle yet confident voice. "Look, there's not even a scar left."

"I feel like I could kill the Tacet Discord right now."

Aemeath's fingertips stroked his smooth skin, and after confirming that there were no wounds, her tense nerves finally relaxed.

She suddenly threw herself into Lu Yan's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face in his clean white shirt, and taking a deep breath of his scent.

"That's great... it's really great!"

Lu Yan hugged her back and gently stroked her soft, long pink hair.

The two embraced quietly for a long time in the sunny living room, savoring this hard-won peace.

"By the way, Little Aemeath," Lu Yan lowered his head slightly and whispered in her ear, "I've been sleeping very soundly these past few nights."

Aemeath looked up at him, somewhat puzzled. "Isn't it good to be sleeping soundly? It means your body is repairing itself quickly."

"No, what I mean is..." Lu Yan's eyes softened, "I haven't been dreaming for the past few days."

Aemeath was stunned, her beautiful eyes widening slightly as she immediately grasped the deeper meaning behind Lu Yan's words.

Lu Yan gently stroked Aemeath's cheek. "It seems the loop is completely closed. It doesn't seem to need me to go back anymore."

Aemeath's heart skipped a beat, and an unprecedented sense of security filled all the emptiness deep within her soul.

She knew that A-Yan, who always appeared when she needed him most but was always forced to turn into specks of light and disappear, was finally free from those pains.

A-Yan now belongs completely and truly to her present self.

"Yes!" Aemeath nodded emphatically, a radiant smile spreading across her face. "No more. Those dreams of the past are gone. From now on, you can only dream about our future!"

"Yes, my little pink cat."

Lu Yan chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Let's go. The weather's so nice today. Now that I'm completely free, let's go out into the yard and soak up some sun."

Lu Yan took Aemeath's hand, and the two pushed open the French windows of the living room and stepped into the courtyard filled with the atmosphere of summer.

The scenery in the courtyard is much more vibrant than when they first moved in.

The forget-me-nots and hydrangeas that the two of them planted together a few days ago have sprouted lush green leaves under the nourishment of abundant sunshine and water. Some impatient flower buds have even eagerly poked their heads out, swaying gently in the breeze.

The persimmon tree in the corner of the yard has lush foliage, casting a large patch of dappled green shade.

Lu Yan walked to the tap, picked up the kettle that Aemeath had previously forbidden him from touching, and turned on the tap to fill it with water.

He carried the water jug, which was full of water and quite heavy, but felt no weight at all.

The lightness he felt after his body was cleansed by the Frequency made his perception of the world much clearer.

Aemeath, on the other hand, was like a lazy cat, comfortably reclining in a wicker chair under the persimmon tree.

She held a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in her hands, her eyes following Lu Yan's busy figure among the flowers without blinking, enjoying this kind of life.

Sunlight shone on Lu Yan's broad shoulders and long legs as he casually and naturally carried the watering can to water the plants.

Water droplets refracted a rainbow of light in mid-air, then fell into the dry soil with a soft hissing sound.

Aemeath watched this scene, a straw dangling from her lips, her heart felt sweeter than if she had drunk honey.

She had imagined this scene countless times on her journey: no disaster, no mission, only sunshine, flowers, and the people she loved most.

And now, all of this is within reach.

"A-Yan, turn around for a second," Aemeath suddenly called out.

Lu Yan stopped watering the plants and turned around in confusion.

"Snap!"

With a crisp click of the shutter, Aemeath held up her phone and captured Lu Yan's handsome figure standing in the sunlight, carrying a water bottle, his white shirt slightly transparent, in her photo album.

"You're taking pictures of me without my permission." Lu Yan put down the kettle, raised an eyebrow, and walked over.

"There's no such thing as secretly taking photos; I'm just openly documenting my life!"

Aemeath proudly waved her phone, "I'm going to set this photo as my wallpaper and post it on WeChat Moments with the caption: 'My handsome gardener has been given a new lease on life!'"

Lu Yan smiled helplessly, walked to the rattan chair, and placed his hands on the armrests, Aemeath in his shadow.

He lowered his head, his nose almost touching hers, his voice deep and magnetic. "Since... you've taken my picture, shouldn't you pay some image rights fee?"

Aemeath didn't back down; instead, she boldly met his gaze, wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head back, and offered her soft, pink lips to him.

A kiss, carrying the sweet scent of sunshine and fresh orange juice, lingered and gentle under the shade of a persimmon tree.