The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 268 Tender and Lingering Love
Zhiwan was startled and turned around. "What?"

"My hand injury hasn't healed yet, so I can't move it freely. My cousin needs to lend a hand," Lu Zhan said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Zhiwan's gaze fell on the bundle on his back. So, her cousin came to see her late at night to ask her to help him bathe?

She looked at him with a strange expression. "Where are the servants who serve you in your courtyard?"

“Chen Jiu hasn’t returned yet. I’ve sent Jiang Shi here to protect you. I’m not used to letting the other servants get close to me.” Lu Zhan’s handsome brows furrowed slightly, looking somewhat troubled. “I didn’t wipe myself down last night either. It’s been hot these past two days, and I’m covered in sweat.”

Zhiwan: "..."

"Besides, I just saw my cousin, and she can... see back," Lu Zhan said in a low voice.

Zhiwan's face flushed, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

She's not the type to take advantage of others.

Despite her thoughts, her body betrayed her. She stepped forward, first untied the bundle from her cousin's back, then loosened his belt and helped him take off his outer robe.

After undressing, she didn't dare to look down, and said hesitantly, "I just washed myself in this water. It's too much trouble to ask someone to fetch water again, and the servants might start to have all sorts of thoughts."

“Isn’t there cold water over there? I can wash with cold water. Or I can wash with the water you used, that’s fine too, I don’t mind,” Lu Zhan said gently.

How could Zhiwan possibly let him wash with the water she had just washed in?

She took a wooden basin, filled it with some cold water, and planned to use a cloth to wipe her cousin's body.

But when she turned around, she saw that her cousin had already stepped into the bathtub.

Zhiwan: "..."

Meeting his cousin's surprised gaze, Lu Zhan coughed lightly and explained, "The water is still very clean, and after I'm done washing, my cousin can rinse me off with cold water."

Since things had come to this point, Zhiwan could say nothing more.

She took a cloth and went over to make sure his arm was on the edge of the tub and wouldn't get wet before she started wiping his back.

After washing up, Zhiwan was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and her face was flushed. Her cousin's fair and perfect figure flashed through her mind.

This was the first time she had seen her cousin's body so directly, and her heart was pounding.

She restrained her gaze from her cousin, took out a change of clothes from the bundle he had brought, and helped him put them on one by one.

Looking at her cousin dressed in a white undergarment, Zhiwan suddenly had an idea and wanted to draw it quickly, so she said to her cousin, "It's getting late, cousin, you should go back now."

Lu Zhan: "..."

Thinking he hadn't heard her, Zhiwan added, "Cousin, you should go back now."

Lu Zhan's eye twitched slightly, and he gave a faint "hmm" before heading towards the door.

Upon seeing this, Zhiwan's eyelids twitched, and she quickly stepped forward to stop him, "Cousin, we can't go through the front door, or people will find out. You should go out through the window instead."

Lu Zhan glanced down at her. "Don't you have anything to ask me?"

Zhiwan was taken aback, then remembered that she had said during the day that she wanted to ask her cousin about her uncles, but now that she had met her cousin, she had forgotten about it.

Thinking of this, she quickly put her arm around her cousin's waist and said, "I have something to ask you, so why don't you wait a bit before you leave, okay?"

She suddenly snuggled into his arms, which softened Lu Zhan's heart. "Okay."

Zhiwan led him into the inner room, then took out a bottle and some gauze from his bundle and asked, "Is this medicine for wounds?"

"Mm." Lu Zhan nodded.

"Have you applied the medicine yet? Should I apply it again now?" Zhiwan asked.

Lu Zhan nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, cousin." Zhi Wan shook her head, let him sit on the bed, then took off his undergarment and gently unwrapped the gauze on his arm.

When I saw the injuries on my cousin's arms, my heart sank.

Her cousin's injury was much more serious than she had thought.

Many places were scalded, turning bright red, and in some places, the skin and flesh were torn open, and blood was flowing out. Even though two days had passed, the situation did not look much better.

How painful must that be?
She held back her tears and gently applied the ointment to her cousin's wound.

"It doesn't hurt much anymore," Lu Zhan said softly, seeing the redness in her eyes.

"It clearly hurts a lot." Zhiwan's voice was slightly choked.

She couldn't imagine the scene of her cousin rushing into Huan'er's house without hesitation when it caught fire.

If it weren't for helping her clear her name, my cousin wouldn't have had to suffer like this.

Lu Zhan seemed to know what she was thinking and said gently, "Even if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have stood by and watched someone die in that situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhiwan felt a lump in her throat, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

She didn't say anything, and continued to apply the medicine to her cousin.

She knew that although her cousin looked cold, he had a kind heart and a strong sense of righteousness.

Lu Zhan struggled to raise the back of his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of Zhiwan's eyes, and said with a smile, "I only suffered some superficial injuries, but I saved four lives."

Zhiwan knew the value of human life, but seeing her cousin's injury, she couldn't help but scold him, "This is no ordinary injury. If it's not treated properly, your hand could be ruined."

“It’s ruined, so it’s perfect for you to raise,” Lu Zhan said jokingly.

"You're still in the mood for jokes? I'm not joking with you. Your hand injury is so serious. If it doesn't heal properly, it won't just leave a scar," Zhiwan said angrily.

"I understand. I won't let my hand be crippled. The Emperor had the best imperial physician in the palace treat my injury and prescribed the best medicine. Don't be fooled by how scary it looks now, it's really nothing serious." Lu Zhan quickly reassured him.

"Really?"

"of course it's true."

Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Zhiwan felt relieved, but still said, "Please ask that imperial physician to come and take a look again tomorrow."

She wouldn't feel at ease until she heard the imperial physician say with her own ears that there was nothing seriously wrong.

“Okay, I hope I can get better soon too. I don’t want to be unable to marry you by then…” Lu Zhan paused here.

"Can't what?"

"I can't... hug you." Lu Zhan rested his smooth chin on her shoulder, his voice low and tender.

Zhiwan's face flushed slightly, but she remained silent. After carefully applying the medicine, she took a clean gauze and wrapped it around his neck.

"Given your condition, it's best not to wear clothes indoors. It's still hot, and that will only make the wound worse."

"I understand." Lu Zhan nodded, then paused and asked, "Are you trying to ask about your uncle?"

Upon hearing this, Zhiwan was taken aback. "He's my uncle?"

“Yes, he is your father’s twin brother,” Lu Zhan replied.

It turns out he's her father's twin brother; no wonder he looks so much like her father.

Zhiwan clenched her fingertips, asking nervously, "Then... how is he now?"

Lu Zhan pursed his thin lips, and after a long while, he said, "If I told you that I had already executed him, would you blame me?"