Soulbound: Chronicles Of A Shadow Assassin-Chapter 50: Deadline

As they entered the infirmary, Jiang Yichen got off Feng Zhenyu’s back and dashed to Madam Wang’s side to get Mingyu off her, gently placing him on the bed with Lin Xiaowei’s help.

Jiang Yichen’s eyes scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the physician on duty before snapping back to Mingyu. With an obvious urgency, he began to gently but firmly usher Madam Wang, Feng Zhenyu, and Lin Xiaowei towards the exit. "You can all go now. This room feels so stuffy with so many people in here. Let’s not suffocate him, okay?" he said, his eyes never leaving Mingyu’s face to make sure his eyes were still closed.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, with Madam Wang wanting to insist that she stay with with, but they eventually retreated, leaving Jiang Yichen alone with the physician and Mingyu.

Even with just the physician in the room, Jiang Yichen remained cautious and unrelaxed, hovering about the physician throughout the examination.

The physician began his examination, by checking Mingyu’s vital signs first. As he reached for Mingyu’s eyelids to check his pupillary response, Jiang Yichen’s eyes snapped towards the physician’s hands.

"Don’t!" Jiang Yichen exclaimed, his voice low and urgent. Before he could realize, he had grasped the physician’s wrist, holding it in place.

The physician looked up at Jiang Yichen in surprise. "But, Young Master, I need to check his eyes to assess—"

"I’ll do it," Jiang Yichen interrupted, his eyes locked intensely on the physician. "You can focus on his other vitals."

The physician hesitated for a moment before nodding and continuing with the examination.

Jiang Yichen subtly shifted his position, obscuring the physician’s view of Mingyu’s face. With a gentle touch, he slightly opened Mingyu’s right eyelid, and his heart skipped a beat as he confirmed that the eye color remained the same as earlier.

The physician noticed the sudden tension from the way Jiang Yichen’s body stiffened, and out of concern and curiosity, asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Jiang Yichen forced a calm tone. "It’s nothing. His eyes are responding just fine." He said before quickly changing the subject. "Did you notice anything on your end?" He asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

The physician looked up, puzzled. "His vital signs are stable, but I’ll have to check his injuries to determine their severity, and also to clean and dress them."

As the physician prepared to undress Mingyu, Jiang Yichen intervened, his voice firm but laced with a hint of nervousness. "I’ll do it."

The physician raised an eyebrow in surprise at Jiang Yichen’s borderline overprotective behavior, but he didn’t argue. He simply nodded, stepping aside to let Jiang Yichen do as he pleased.

Jiang Yichen’s hands trembled slightly as he began to lose Mingyu’s robes. The fabric parted, revealing the pale skin beneath which had become marred with cuts and bruises.

Jiang Yichen’s gaze faltered, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the sight of Mingyu’s bare upper body for the first time. The stark reality of Mingyu’s malnourished state hit him like a ton of bricks - his skin stretched taut over prominent bones, a haunting testament to the hardships the real Yinzhi must have endured. Though the injuries themselves were relatively minor, they seemed magnified against Mingyu’s already fragile frame, making the sight even more unbearable. Jiang Yichen’s heart sank, weighed down by a complex tangle of emotions he couldn’t quite name.

For a moment, Jiang Yichen forgot to breathe. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him, his mind replaying the events that had led to Mingyu’s condition.

Everything was all Mingyu’s doing. Mingyu had been the one who chose to risk both their lives and he hadn’t even warned Jiang Yichen in advance, but Jiang Yichen still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was responsible for it.

With a deep breath, Jiang Yichen composed himself, carefully continuing to undress Mingyu until his pants were the only clothing on his body. The physician waited patiently, his expression sympathetic as he took in the pitiful state of his patient’s body.

After Jiang Yichen was done, he stepped back, allowing the physician to clean and dress Mingyu’s wounds.

As the physician worked, Jiang Yichen’s gaze remained fixed on Mingyu’s face, his expression a mask of concern and guilt. When Mingyu began to stir, moaning in pain despite being unconscious, Jiang Yichen’s anxiety spiked.

He couldn’t count the number of times he kept telling the physician to be more careful, even though he could see how the poor man was trying his best to be overly gentle.

Once the physician finished dressing the wounds, he prepared a special analgesic tea, infused with magical herbs known to dull pain and accelerate healing.

The physician handed the steaming cup to Jiang Yichen, his expression a silent acknowledgement that he knew Jiang Yichen would want to feed it to his servant himself.

"How is he?" Jiang Yichen asked, accepting the cup from the physician.

"He’ll be fine," the physician said with a reassuring wave of his hand. "The injuries weren’t too deep, so he didn’t sustain any fractures or broken bones. He just needs some rest, and he should recover just fine. I’ll leave you two now."

"Thank you." Jiang Yichen’s tense shoulders relaxed as the physician exited the room. He let out a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion wash over him. Slumping onto the side of the bed, he sat in silence, his breathing slow and labored.

For a moment, he had forgotten that he was also supposed to be a patient undergoing recovery. It was only now, that he was alone with Mingyu and no longer needed to be vigilant that the exhaustion began to catch up with him.

Gazing at Mingyu’s peaceful face as he slept, Jiang Yichen’s expression softened. He gently reached out, lifting Mingyu’s eyelids once more. This time, his gaze was met with a familiar grey Iris, and a wave of relief washed over him. He sighed softly, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

With a wry smile on his face, he said, "Look at you, leaving me to take care of the mess you created even when you didn’t involve me in your reckless plan from the onset. Never again should you risk your life so carelessly. " Unlike his words which revealed his grievances, his voice was laced with tenderness.

Shaking his head, he gently cradled Mingyu’s neck, raising his head slightly to feed him the tea.

As they entered the infirmary, Jiang Yichen got off Feng Zhenyu’s back and dashed to Madam Wang’s side to get Mingyu off her, gently placing him on the bed with Lin Xiaowei’s help.

Jiang Yichen’s eyes scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the physician on duty before snapping back to Mingyu. With an obvious urgency, he began to gently but firmly usher Madam Wang, Feng Zhenyu, and Lin Xiaowei towards the exit. "You can all go now. This room feels so stuffy with so many people in here. Let’s not suffocate him, okay?" he said, his eyes never leaving Mingyu’s face to make sure his eyes were still closed.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, with Madam Wang wanting to insist that she stay with with, but they eventually retreated, leaving Jiang Yichen alone with the physician and Mingyu.

Even with just the physician in the room, Jiang Yichen remained cautious and unrelaxed, hovering about the physician throughout the examination.

The physician began his examination, by checking Mingyu’s vital signs first. As he reached for Mingyu’s eyelids to check his pupillary response, Jiang Yichen’s eyes snapped towards the physician’s hands.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, with Madam Wang wanting to insist that she stay with with, but they eventually retreated, leaving Jiang Yichen alone with the physician and Mingyu.

Even with just the physician in the room, Jiang Yichen remained cautious and unrelaxed, hovering about the physician throughout the examination.

The physician began his examination, by checking Mingyu’s vital signs first. As he reached for Mingyu’s eyelids to check his pupillary response, Jiang Yichen’s eyes snapped towards the physician’s hands.

"Don’t!" Jiang Yichen exclaimed, his voice low and urgent. Before he could realize, he had grasped the physician’s wrist, holding it in place.

The physician looked up at Jiang Yichen in surprise. "But, Young Master, I need to check his eyes to assess—"

Everything was all Mingyu’s doing. Mingyu had been the one who chose to risk both their lives and he hadn’t even warned Jiang Yichen in advance, but Jiang Yichen still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was responsible for it.

With a deep breath, Jiang Yichen composed himself, carefully continuing to undress Mingyu until his pants were the only clothing on his body. The physician waited patiently, his expression sympathetic as he took in the pitiful state of his patient’s body.

After Jiang Yichen was done, he stepped back, allowing the physician to clean and dress Mingyu’s wounds.

As the physician worked, Jiang Yichen’s gaze remained.