Chapter 73: Which Eye of Yours Saw Me Ill?

Hua Qinci was puzzled. As she reached out once more to examine Qin Youtian’s pupils, something flashed across them at a speed almost like light. Startled, she drew her hand back instantly. “What was that?” she wondered, trying hard to recall the crimson flicker she had glimpsed. Was it a thin, long vessel? Or some kind of worm?

Her curiosity only grew. Seeing that Qin Youtian had not yet awoken, she felt compelled to uncover the furry black mask he wore—a mask that, upon closer inspection, struck her as strangely mysterious. Hua Qinci herself had often worn masks when about her business, but never had she seen one quite like this.

Nervously, she extended a finger and touched it. The mask was soft, slick—almost as if some animal’s skin and flesh had fused with a human face. She sniffed cautiously, but there was no unusual scent.

She glanced again at the unconscious Qin Youtian. She began to suspect that her father had married her off not only to a hideous man, but to one stricken by some bizarre illness. Yet, as a physician, she had sensed nothing amiss all this time. Apart from his oddness at night, Qin Youtian seemed perfectly normal during the day. The only anomaly lay in the herbs growing in the Qin family’s courtyard. They appeared ordinary enough, but a few among them she could not identify.

The more she thought, the more her curiosity deepened. What did the hidden half of Qin Youtian’s face look like? Her thoughts drifted, and her hand, as if possessed, reached out once more.

The closer her hand came, the tighter her nerves clenched. She glanced at his tightly shut eyes, fearing that at any moment he might awaken. Imagining the scar-ridden face beneath the mask made her hand tremble. She took a deep breath, glanced at the heavy rain outside to steady herself, and gripped the mask firmly. With just a bit of force, she could unravel its secrets.

Summoning her resolve, she closed her eyes, ready to reveal what lay beneath.

“What are you doing?”

It was Qin Youtian’s voice. At the same time, her hand was seized. His voice was so low it seemed to echo from the depths, like the scream of some ghost, chilling her to the bone.

Hua Qinci felt as if lightning had struck her mind, leaving her stunned for a moment. The sharp pain in her hand brought her back to herself. She looked up at Qin Youtian—his eyes glared blood-red, like a vicious beast, terrifying.

“You—you’re awake?”

Her guilt made her nervous. She weakly tried to pull her hand free. “You’re hurting me. Let go.”

Qin Youtian, in his fear, looked as though he faced some dreadful creature. His panic only deepened her confusion.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m your wife—Qinci!”

Seeing Qin Youtian still staring fiercely at her, she pointed outside.

“When we were coming down the mountain just now, it started to rain and you slipped and fainted. I was trying to help you.”

As soon as she finished, the blood-red hue in Qin Youtian’s eyes began to fade, and his grip loosened. Noticing the fresh blood oozing from her wrist, he quickly lifted her hand and gently blew on it, his tenderness so striking that Hua Qinci felt his earlier transformation had been nothing more than a nightmare.

“How are you? Why were you so careless? From now on, never approach me when I’m unconscious, and never try to touch me. Do you understand?”

“I—I understand!” Hua Qinci had wanted to ask why, but the question was driven back by the depth in Qin Youtian’s gaze.

“Does it still hurt? Let’s apply some medicine.” Qin Youtian glanced at the rain still pouring outside. He knew they’d have to wait for it to stop before descending the mountain. Rising, he took herbs from the basket, selecting those that would staunch the bleeding.

“You...are ill. Do you realize that?” Hua Qinci could not help but ask.

“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m strong and healthy. Which eye of yours sees me as sick?” Before she could finish, Qin Youtian was already before her, gripping her chin tightly, his teeth clenched, eyes blazing with menace.