Chapter 986: 463 Scheming Xiao Hen (Part 2) Chapter 986: 463 Scheming Xiao Hen (Part 2) Upon being addressed by Yu Yaya in such a manner, Xiao Hen looked down at his own legs.

He finally understood where that sense of oddness during the changing of clothes had come from. He hadn’t used a cane, nor had he limped; he… walked out like a normal person.

“Son-in-law! Your leg is healed! Your leg is healed!” Yu Yaya was too excited, repeating the sentence twice in one breath; if it weren’t for the others still asleep, she would have wanted to say it three or four times!

At that moment, Gu Jiao also woke up and came out from the eastern room.

Xiao Hen immediately gestured to Yu Yaya to keep quiet.

Yu Yaya was stunned for a moment, and as Xiao Hen signaled her with his eyes to keep it a secret, she finally got the message, her eyes flashing as she nodded in agreement!

Gu Jiao walked towards them, and Yu Yaya continued to air out the blankets.

Actually, Yu Yaya should have greeted Gu Jiao as she was a maid who understood manners, but because she was in cahoots with her son-in-law on a naughty secret, her conscience was not clear, and she dared not meet her mistress’s eyes!

Fortunately, Gu Jiao was not one to sweat the small stuff and did not notice Yu Yaya’s unusual behavior. Instead, she was struck by her husband’s austere and strict demeanor, now that she saw him in his official attire after so many days.

The sudden shock of attractiveness left Gu Jiao drooling in place for several seconds.

Xiao Hen, as if unaware, greeted her, “Good morning.”

“Hmm, good morning,” Gu Jiao responded blankly.

Xiao Hen suppressed the urge to smile, and limped over to the well to draw water.

Gu Jiao would not let him do heavy work. She hurried forward to take the bucket from his hands, “I’ll do it.”

Xiao Hen’s hand lifted slightly, and as she failed to grab the handle of the bucket, she ended up grabbing his hand instead.

Xiao Hen cleared his throat and glanced at Yu Yaya behind him, saying earnestly, “Be mindful, it’s early in the morning.”

Gu Jiao: “…”

After breakfast, Xiao Xiaojing and Grandfather went to Guozijian, and Gu Yan along with Gu Xiaoshun headed for Qinghe Academy. Everyone at home knew of Xiao Hen’s identity, but also knew that his situation was quite complicated, choosing not to publicize it; therefore, they still referred to him as Xiao Liulang.

“I’m off to the Hanlin Academy,” said Xiao Hen, using his cane to approach Gu Jiao, who was packing her first aid kit to go to the Medical Hall.

Gu Jiao, remembering something, asked him, “By the way, how’s your hand? Does it still hurt? Can you write yet?”

The sutures had been removed, and he had been doing rehabilitation exercises these past few days, even using his left hand to eat.

“It doesn’t seem too good,” Xiao Hen extended his right hand and said, without changing his expression, “Doesn’t have much strength.”

“Really? Let me see,” Gu Jiao put down the first aid kit.

Xiao Hen limped over to her and extended his right hand.

His hand was pale and clean, the fingers long and slender, joints pronounced, nails even exuding a pearly sheen. Gu Jiao couldn’t help but once again marvel that in her previous life, these would have been the hands of a surgeon, or perhaps a pianist.

She started to check his wound.

There was a thin layer of Scar Ointment on the wound; compared to the beginning, the scar had faded, but it still stood out conspicuously on that perfect hand.

Gu Jiao pressed on the wound, “Does it hurt?”

“Hmm?” Xiao Hen was slightly taken aback, but then as if quickly catching on, he continued, “It hurts, but not too badly.”

Gu Jiao asked, “Does it hurt without touching, or only when touched?”

Xiao Hen answered, “Only when touched.”

Gu Jiao paused, then placed her hand in the palm of his, saying, “Try to grip.”

Xiao Hen gripped her hand.

Her hand was truly small; his large palm could completely engulf it. Due to martial arts and labor, there was a thin layer of callus on her palm and the base of her fingers, not as soft as Princess Xinyang’s hands. He heard those ladies of nobility had such soft hands, but he did not care for that softness.

“Is that all the grip strength you have?” Gu Jiao frowned slightly.

“Is my hand going to be like my legs, needing…” He sighed, hesitating to finish.

“Let me check again.” Gu Jiao grabbed a brush and handed it to him, then laid out a piece of paper on the table, “Write a character.”

Xiao Hen gripped the brush, didn’t hesitate much, and wrote the character ‘Jiao’.

It was truly a character that was painful to look at.

Even worse than Gu Jiao’s writing!

Gu Jiao stared, dumbfounded–was it really this bad?

His expression turned somewhat disappointed, “It seems… not very effective.”

Gu Jiao frowned, “Then, we need to intensify your rehabilitation, and add hand massage.”

Xiao Hen looked at her deeply, “Mhm.”

Gu Jiao said, “I’ll take you to the Hanlin Academy then, and I can massage it on the way.”

Xiao Hen’s lips slightly curled up, “Okay.”

After returning from sending off the old Libationer and the young monk Jingkong, Liao Quan saw the two had not yet departed and said to Xiao Hen, “Haven’t you gone to the Hanlin Academy yet? Come aboard; you should not walk today, or else you might be late!”

Xiao Liulang, in the past, mostly walked to the Hanlin Academy for his rehabilitation.

That had been Gu Jiao’s intention as well.

The two got into the carriage, and Gu Jiao sat down next to Xiao Hen, carefully placing his hand on her own legs.

After autumn arrived, the Yao Family had all added layers to their clothing, yet the soft touch coming from Gu Jiao’s legs clearly indicated she had sneakily worn one less layer of undergarments.

Xiao Hen couldn’t help but feel restless.

Gu Jiao had no idea that this seemingly innocent and ascetic young man’s thoughts had already strayed.

She massaged earnestly, “Is this too strong?”

“I don’t feel much.” Xiao Hen said.

“How about this?” Gu Jiao slightly increased the pressure.

“Hmm…” He winced slightly, letting out a low groan of pain.

Gu Jiao hastily lightened her touch, “Then, this?”

Merely searching for the right pressure took half a quarter of an hour, and there was only a quarter of an hour left until they reached the Hanlin Academy, so Gu Jiao hastened the massage.

She was incredibly serious about it.

Xiao Hen leisurely observed her.

The pressure in the palm of her hand was actually too light for him; each touch felt like a feather, tickling at his heart.

“Hss—-” He suddenly took a deep breath.

Gu Jiao looked at him oddly, “What’s wrong? Did I press too hard again?”

Xiao Hen slowly exhaled, “No, it’s not that, keep going.”

After a while, he suddenly uttered a phrase out of the blue, “Eat a bit more.”

Gu Jiao was puzzled.

Why should she eat a bit more?

Had she gotten thinner recently?