His Beloved Treasure

Indeed, as expected, after setting down the insulated box, the moment she looked up, she saw the papers laid out on the side, those ordinary sheets of white paper bearing the most valuable things he had ever drawn.

He had just taken a walk by Ghost Gate Pass during the day, so it must have been quite late at night when he worked on these, right?

She quietly sat by his hospital bed, her eyes and brows lowered as she gazed at the drawings he had made, until the sun had risen so high.

When Jian Yan woke up, the first thing he saw upon turning over was Qin Mu sitting there, watching him intently.

The sorrow on her small face was so evident, and her eyes even sadder.

It was as if she were reminiscing about something, or perhaps recalling something.

He made an uncomfortable sound in his throat, and finally, Qin Mu snapped back to reality, ”Master, you’re awake.”

”Hmm, help me raise the bed.”

There was a button on the side, and Qin Mu pressed it for him, positioning the pillow from under his head to his waist as he struggled to move. Despite her expressionless face, her mind was very alert at that moment, completely understanding what he needed, and her strength was consistently gentle.

Only after Jian Yan propped himself up against the pillow did she sit back down, her clear eyes locking with his as she realized her expression was a bit stiff. She immediately stretched her mouth into a smile, ”I made a special trip here early in the morning. Don’t I seem like a good disciple?”

”Yes, indeed, you arrived early just to stare at my back - you truly are a good disciple.”

Jian Yan smiled wryly in response.

”I had just spaced out for a moment. Do you now want to get up and wash up, or go to the bathroom?”

Qin Mu got up again, moving the stool to the side as she asked him.

”Yes! But you stay right there, don’t move.”

He instructed, and then tried to get out of bed, but with his physical condition, getting up on his own was very strenuous.

She didn’t know if he had called for the nurse last night when she wasn’t there, but now she knew she could not sit by idly.

”Haven’t you always said that I call you master all day but don’t show the filial piety of a disciple to you? Now it’s my turn to show it.”

As she spoke, she had already approached, and, bowing her head, she wrapped one of her arms around him, ”Quick, get up!”

Jian Yan looked up at her earnest expression, and at that moment, his eyes inexplicably moistened.

But he merely gave a slight smile and then resignedly let her help him up.

”You better not come into the bathroom.”

Inside the washroom, Qin Mu called out.

”Just wait a moment.”

Qin Mu held him steady with one hand while with the other she opened the bathroom door and then lifted the toilet seat.

”Okay, you come here, I’ll step out and wait for you outside.”

She was insistent, knowing this would embarrass him, but if she left and he accidentally fell, that would be troublesome.

She leaned against the sink, her head bowed as she looked at the wedding ring on her hand, thinking that if Mu Yichen knew about this, he would probably be so irritated he’d want to hit her. Well, she’d let him vent to his heart’s content.

However, she hadn’t anticipated that spacing out would help avoid some awkwardness.

When Jian Yan came out from inside, he looked quite pale and weak, supporting himself against the wall.

Qin Mu looked up immediately and went to support him as he displayed that expression, ”Tired?”

”I’m alright!”

One of his hands rested on the wall while the other was supported by her, and after a difficult washing up in the washroom, they returned to the bed.

Indeed, he lay in bed panting heavily, while Qin Mu was already preparing his breakfast.

Jian Yan couldn’t help but laugh while catching his breath. How could he have imagined that one day, he would be in such a pitiful state, weak enough to receive such care from his beloved disciple?

Perhaps she had never even done as much for Mu Yi, had she?

”The porridge from the Mu family’s kitchen tastes even better than what’s served in the restaurants. We’ll wait a bit more for it to cool down before you eat it.”

As Qin Mu spoke, she brought the bowl to the small table by the bed, then sat down beside it: ”Master, why are you drawing at this time?”

”When I have ideas in my head, if I don’t draw them out, my hands itch and my brain can’t endure it.”

She believed Jian Yan’s answer, remembering how once Mu Yichen was enjoying himself when suddenly she ran off him, and she still recalled just how endearing his expression was back then.

Jian Yan watched her, his gaze soft with a hint of regret, but eventually, he simply smiled and let it pass.

Qin Mu, however, was earnestly looking at the drawing, and after Jian Yan took a few sips of porridge, he told her, ”You’ll still have to go back to the studio later. You’re allowed to visit me in the morning and evening; at other times, focus on your actual work.”

”You think I want to come running over here early in the morning? It’s only because I’m thinking that in three or five days you’ll be off to Paris, and I can break free from you, so that’s why I’m showing such dedication.”