Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Inseparable from Lucia

As her hand neared Lucia, she felt a pang of worry that he would resist, just as the servants had said.

However, to her surprise, Lucia didn’t show any signs of resistance.

Su Yaoyao couldn’t help but sigh in relief, and only then did she feel at ease enough to carefully bandage his wounds.

Her movements were gentle and practiced. She handled every detail with the utmost care, her gaze full of both heartache and concentration.

Once she finished, Su Yaoyao gently gave Lucia’s small head a rewarding rub, as if soothing an injured child. The corners of her lips curved into a tender smile as she whispered, "Such a good boy. How about I feed you something?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

With that, she reached for the nutrient liquid that had been prepared nearby. It was in a syringe, designed for easily feeding weak and injured animals.

She slowly brought the syringe to Lucia’s mouth. Her movements were gentle and slow as she fed him the nutrient liquid little by little.

Lucia watched Su Yaoyao quietly the entire time, a hint of dependence in his gaze. He lay obediently in her warm embrace, dutifully swallowing the nutrient liquid.

When she was done feeding him, Su Yaoyao thought Lucia should get some rest and gently tried to put him down.

But the little fox seemed to sense her intention. He immediately began to struggle, letting out weak but urgent cries.

Su Yaoyao was taken aback. Fearing his struggles would tear his wounds open, she quickly pulled him back into a tight embrace, cooing softly, "Okay, okay. I won’t put you down, I won’t. I’ll hold you."

She held Lucia tightly, as if he were the most precious treasure in the world, muttering endless gentle reassurances, as if that alone could give the injured little fox boundless comfort and a sense of security.

It was only then that she noticed her clothes were flecked with blood, which she’d gotten on herself while bandaging Lucia’s wounds.

Su Yaoyao’s gaze shifted to Lucia in her arms. His once-lively eyes were now filled with wariness and dependence. The slightest movement from her would cause him to let out an uneasy whimper.

A wave of helpless frustration washed over Su Yaoyao. ’Do I really have to hold him while I take a bath? If he were just a simple little fox, it wouldn’t matter. But I know perfectly well that this seemingly harmless little fox is actually a grown man.’

At this thought, Su Yaoyao grew troubled, her expression filled with hesitation.

She gently stroked Lucia’s head and said softly, "I’m going to take a bath now. If you watch me, I’ll get shy." As she spoke, she slowly tried to put him down again.

However, as if sensing he was about to be abandoned, Lucia’s small paws gripped Su Yaoyao’s clothes like pincers. His gaze was filled with endless fear and pleading, as if desperately begging, ’Don’t leave me behind.’

His pathetic appearance was enough to make anyone’s heart ache with pity.

Su Yaoyao felt her heart clench painfully, as if squeezed by an invisible hand.

She sighed in resignation. She couldn’t bring herself to be cruel and finally gave in, carrying Lucia to the bathroom with her.

A short while later, they arrived at the bathroom door.

Su Yaoyao looked down at Lucia, her eyes full of gentleness and patience. She began to bargain softly, "You be a good boy and wait for me right here by the door. I’m just going to take a bath inside, and I’ll be out very soon. I promise I won’t disappear. All right?"

Lucia seemed to be considering her words. ’Though he couldn’t bear to be apart from Yaoyao and was always afraid she would leave him, he knew she was right. He had to consider her feelings, too.’

Then, he slowly nodded.

Seeing him agree, Su Yaoyao quickly fetched a soft blanket. She placed it gently on the floor and carefully settled Lucia on top of it, as if he were a priceless treasure. Only then did she step into the bathroom, finally at ease.

The bathroom door slowly closed, separating them.

Although the glass on the door was too frosted to make out any clear details, it did show a blurry silhouette.

Lucia kept watch by the door, his eyes fixed on it. Through the glass, Su Yaoyao’s every move as she bathed was displayed before him as a hazy figure.

At first, he was simply afraid that if he looked away, Yaoyao would leave.

But as time passed, he found himself having a physical reaction. Blushing furiously, Lucia slowly lowered his head and lay down on the blanket, listening to the sound of the running water.

After some time, the bathroom door opened with a CREAK, and Su Yaoyao walked out, wrapped in a towel.

Due to his angle, Lucia inadvertently glanced up and saw something he shouldn’t have. Su Yaoyao was wearing nothing at all underneath the towel.

Su Yaoyao patted her head in annoyance and muttered, "For goodness’ sake, I forgot to grab my clothes." It was a good thing she had a habit of dismissing her servants when she bathed; otherwise, this would have been incredibly awkward.

Su Yaoyao quickly bent down, scooped up the little fox, and hurried toward her bedchamber.

The little fox, as if drawn by the fresh scent from Su Yaoyao’s bath, buried his head in her chest and couldn’t resist taking a deep, long sniff. His heart filled with delight. ’She smells so good... and she’s so... soft.’

Back in her bedchamber, Su Yaoyao immediately saw that the servants had already replaced the blood-stained sheets. The entire room looked brand new.

She gently placed Lucia on the bed and said softly, "Wait here for me a moment. I need to get dressed." With that, she took her clothes and walked with light footsteps behind the folding screen to change.

The faint rustle of clothing came from behind the screen. Lucia lay quietly on the bed, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if savoring the lingering fragrance he had just inhaled.

A short while later, Su Yaoyao emerged gracefully from behind the screen. She wore a pale pink long dress, its hem swaying gently with her steps, making her look as fresh and gentle as a blooming peach blossom.

Su Yaoyao walked to the bedside and sat down. She reached out to gently scratch Lucia under the chin and asked with a smile, "Lucia, how are you feeling now?"

Lucia lifted his head slightly, looking up at her with dewy eyes. He let out a soft sound, a note of languid contentment in his voice, as if in response to her concern.

Seeing his adorable expression, Su Yaoyao couldn’t resist pulling him into her arms again and murmuring, "You have to get better quickly, all right? Otherwise, I’ll never stop worrying."

Lucia suddenly thought that being injured wasn’t so bad. ’Su Yaoyao will spend more time with me, and she’ll always be thinking about me, worrying about me.’

A warmth spread through Lucia’s chest at the realization.

He tilted his head back slightly and nuzzled affectionately against Su Yaoyao’s chest, his movements filled with dependence and affection.

Su Yaoyao smiled. "Little darling, why are you so needy? It’s adorable." She couldn’t resist rubbing her cheek against his.