The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

She bent down and gently massaged every inch of skin with her hands.

An imperceptible blush crept up on Xie Tianyi's face. This sudden gentle care made him feel a little uncomfortable, yet also unusually warm.

Having been alone for many years, he has long been accustomed to being alone, and now this care makes him a little overwhelmed.

Chen Xi's thoughts were immersed in the upcoming treatment plan. He knew that every effort would add a guarantee to Xie Tianyi's road to recovery.

Thinking of this, he moved more focused and his heart was filled with desire for success.

Fortunately, despite the long-term lack of exercise, Xie Tianyi's muscle condition did not deteriorate, which gave Chen Xi hope and made the road to treatment seem less bumpy.

About a quarter of an hour later, Chen Xi slowly stopped moving. When he raised his eyes, he happened to meet Xie Tianyi's slightly shy and embarrassed eyes, as if he was overwhelmed by this sudden concern.

"Are you feeling any discomfort? Am I using too much force, or is it a pins-and-needles itch?"

Chen Xi's brows were filled with worry, and his eyes were flashing with concern.

Xie Tianyi just shook his head slightly, his voice as thin as a mosquito: "No...it's okay."

Seeing that the other party didn't want to talk more, Chen Xi stopped asking questions and carefully wiped Xie Tianyi's feet with a soft cloth, then gently placed them back in the warm bedding.

Then he took out the silver-gleaming acupuncture instruments from the medical bag beside him.

Looking at Xie Tianyi's legs again, the smooth lines and muscles that had not been damaged by time gave Chen Xi great confidence.

He took a deep breath, held the slender silver needle between his fingers, and inserted it into several key acupuncture points with incredible precision. His technique was so skillful that it was breathtaking.

There were three injections in total, and each one seemed to tell Xie Tianyi that the hope of recovery was approaching step by step.

"You may feel a little uncomfortable, please try to be patient and stay still. These three injections need to be left in for a quarter of an hour, so you can rest assured. We will test the effect today, and if the response is good, we will continue in the future."

Chen Xi's words were gentle but firm, which brought strength to Xie Tianyi.

Xie Tianyi nodded heavily, this little pain was not worth mentioning at all.

At this moment, the unintentional physical contact between the two made the air suddenly become subtle.

Chen Xi's fingers gently touched the back of Xie Tianyi's hand, and the unexpected warmth was quickly transmitted through the fingertips, and both of their cheeks flushed lightly at the same time.

Chen Xi suddenly withdrew his hand as if he was struck by an electric current, and his heartbeat accelerated involuntarily.

Xie Tianyi coughed lightly a few times, breaking the delicate silence, and both parties tacitly chose to let everything return to calm.

Time passed silently, and Chen Xi carefully pulled out the needle. Every movement revealed his meticulousness and respect as a doctor.

"How does it feel? Any numbness?"

Chen Xi's question was full of anticipation, as if he had already pictured in his mind the day when Xie Tianyi would stand up again.

Xie Tianyi sat by the window, his eyes lightly sweeping over his leg that had not been truly exercised in many years, with a hint of helplessness and relief in his tone.

"I still don't feel anything. I don't have high hopes. It's not that I doubt your medical skills, but my leg has been stiff for many years. In the past, I have had doctors with great skills treat me, but they were unable to restore it to its original state. You don't have to blame yourself too much. After all, this is not a one-day accident."

As he spoke, his hand gently patted the crutch that had almost become a part of his body, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that was hardly noticeable to others.

Chen Xi heard this, his eyes flashed with determination, and he responded softly: "The effect of acupuncture cannot be seen overnight, it takes time to accumulate, and then you can gradually feel its magic. I will give you acupuncture every few days, and after about four or five times, maybe you can see a turn for the better."

Although Xie Tianyi was half-believing and half-doubting, he could feel the sincerity in Chen Xi's words. He thought that these were just her well-intentioned words of comfort, but he never expected that there was real hope and determination hidden behind them.

"Then you should rest early. I have to rush to the clinic tomorrow."

Chen Xi smiled slightly and explained, "I usually see patients every other day, but tomorrow a patient specifically requested that I see him again, so I decided to make an exception."

The night was as dark as ink, and everything was silent. On either side of the bed, the two people were silent, immersed in their own thoughts.

Chen Xi's heart was churning as she repeatedly recalled the warm scene of the night. Those delicate emotions surged gently like spring water, making her unable to fall asleep for a long time.

Xie Tianyi closed his eyes and rested, while every word of today was replaying in his mind.

At dawn, Xie Tianyi opened his eyes. The bedside was empty and Chen Xi seemed to have left quietly.

However, just as he was about to get up, Chen Xi's clear voice came from outside the door, like the most pleasant bird song in the morning light: "Chen Rong, go call your brother-in-law to come for breakfast."

It turned out that she did not leave. Hearing her voice, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth inadvertently. Even he himself was a little surprised by this sudden joy.

Chen Xi didn't have to rush to the clinic this morning, so he leisurely prepared breakfast.

She personally cooked a pot of fragrant rice porridge. The delicate rice aroma filled the air, which greatly increased people's appetite.

While strolling in the mountains yesterday, she accidentally discovered a large number of wild mushrooms and wood ears. She suddenly decided to consult with the village chief and organize the villagers to pick them in time so as not to miss the season. However, her personal strength is limited after all, and it is difficult for her to complete this task alone.

Just as she was getting ready to go, Chen Rong's crisp voice came from outside the door, interrupting her thoughts: "Brother-in-law, are you up? My sister asked me to call you for breakfast."

"I'm awake." Xie Tianyi responded in a low voice, with a hint of hoarseness from just waking up.

At this time, Chen Rong had already pushed open the door lightly and stepped into the room, holding a basin of face-washing water that was emitting hot steam in his hand.

At the dining table, Xie Tianyi's gaze involuntarily fell on Chen Xi's hands, which were covered with traces of time.

Those calluses and tiny scars were like a silent story. The feeling he had when he was massaging him last night came to his mind again, making him feel mixed emotions.

He secretly thought that the days and nights that Chen Xi spent in the Chen family must have been difficult. How much unknown bitterness did this young and tenacious brother and sister bear to make Chen Xi's hands look so weathered.

So in his heart, Xie Tianyi secretly made a vow that from now on, he would be her shield, protecting Chen Xi from wind and rain, and not allowing any harm to get close to her again.

Chen Xi finished her breakfast quickly, and her hurried eating pace revealed her anxiety.

Then, she turned to Chen Rong and said, "You will be responsible for washing the dishes later. I have to go to the village chief."

Upon hearing this, Xie Tianyi and Chen Rong exchanged puzzled looks with each other, puzzled by Chen Xi's sudden decision. Just as they were about to ask, they saw Chen Xi had already put on his coat and walked out of the door in big strides.