All Hail Cousin Brother

152 I’ll Give Cousin a Massage

Zhou Linghuai pursed his lips. Chang An usually took care of his daily life. As he did not like to be busy, he tried his best to keep everything around him simple.

Now that the little girl was making a fuss, he was not used to it. No matter how much he indulged her, he could not help but have a headache. The veins on his forehead bulged, and he could not help but reach out to press them.

When Chang An saw this, he couldn’t help but glance at Yu Youyao sympathetically.

He was used to seeing how Young Master doted on Yu Youyao. Seeing that Young Master was getting impatient with her, she couldn’t help but gloat a little.

!!

Yu Youyao did not notice her cousin’s attitude and chattered on. “Not only that, but I also made arrangements for Cousin to recuperate. Cousin has to…”

Zhou Linghuai pressed his forehead hard.

Oh no, oh no, Young Master was really angry. Chang An subconsciously retreated to the door. After preparing himself for a while, he rushed out.

But soon, he was slapped in the face!

At first, Zhou Linghuai did feel a little angry, but when he heard the young lady’s words of concern, he suddenly calmed down. He took a deep breath and interrupted her. “Let’s do as Cousin says.”

Chang An was in disbelief. That was it?

“Then Cousin, you can soak first. I’ll go out first…” If her cousin wanted to soak his feet, he had to show his legs. However, she couldn’t stay any longer, lest she made her cousin feel uncomfortable.

Seeing that the little girl was about to turn around and leave, Zhou Linghuai somehow recalled the sadness that flashed across the little girl’s face at noon. His heart trembled violently, and he said, “No need!”

Yu Youyao stared in a daze.

By the time Zhou Linghuai reacted, he had already taken off his shoes and socks. His hands were even more out of control as he lifted his pants and placed them into the wooden bucket.

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened. She accidentally saw her cousin’s legs, and her heart skipped a beat. She almost couldn’t help but cry on the spot.

There was a long scar on her cousin’s right leg that ran from his knee to his ankle. It looked like a twisted centipede, hideous and terrifying. Even if she thought about it with her toes, she could tell how serious the injury had been.

Perhaps because he had not walked for a long time as the flesh on his legs was reduced and looked a little shriveled. They were even thinner than his arms…

The little girl bit her lip and kept staring at his legs without saying anything. Zhou Linghuai suddenly pursed his lips and was about to lower his pants.

The little girl suddenly squatted in front of him and pouted. “Cousin’s legs are atrophied. How did Chang An take care of them? Even if he can’t walk for a while, he still has to use medicinal oil every morning and night to massage his legs. No wonder Cousin’s legs hurt every time it rained. He didn’t take good care of them.”

With that, she looked up and glared at Chang An.

Chang An’s face was also puffed up with anger. Uncle Sun had already said that Young Master’s legs had to be nourished with medicinal oil and had even taught him some massage techniques. However, no one was allowed to look at Young Master’s legs.

Did he really not take good care of him?

Zhou Linghuai’s breathing relaxed. Only then did he realize that he had unknowingly held his breath.

Now that he had relaxed his breathing, there was a foul air in his chest that he couldn’t help but exhale. For a moment, even his stiff back relaxed.

After Yu Youyao finished glaring at Chang An, she turned around. “Cousin, don’t worry. I’ve learned a massage technique from Nanny Xu and made a good medicinal oil. In the future, with me helping you nurse your legs carefully, your legs will recover a lot. In the future, when your legs are cured, it won’t hinder you from walking.”

Zhou Linghuai was stunned again. “Aren’t you going to ask me how my legs were injured?”

Such a long scar was not a minor injury.

To be honest, she wanted to ask, but that was all in the past, so she shook her head. “Let me know when you want to talk about it in the future. Right now, I just want you to be well.”

If he really wanted to tell her, her cousin would have told her without her asking.

Zhou Linghuai looked at the little girl deeply and said nothing.

Yu Youyao changed the topic. “Cousin, let me help you apply some ointment on your leg.”

For a moment, Zhou Linghuai did not know if he should refuse.

Logically, he should have refused.

No matter what, the young lady was still a young mistress who had never been involved in any chores. She couldn’t possibly do such manual labor. Although they were cousins and were closer, it was still inappropriate for them and they had to be wary of each other…

Zhou Linghuai glanced at Chang An. “Leave!”

He liked peace and quiet. The little girl always came to the Green House alone. Even when she brought her maidservants over, all of them were smart people. Only Chang An was left in the house.

Outside, Xia Tao was chatting. When she saw Chang An coming out dejectedly, she pursed her lips.

She had never seen anyone more insensible.

It was said that he was the son of a young general under Eldest Master Zhou. After his father died in battle, his widowed mother had also married again. Eldest Master Zhou had then brought Chang An to the Zhou Residence to raise him. He had not been raised by anyone else, and had grown up with his young master. The two of them had an extraordinary relationship.

The Zhou family had undergone a huge change. Some of the servants had been released, while others had left. There were not many left.

Chang An had taken the initiative to stay and take care of Young Master, but he was not a servant from a young age after all. He was not a reliable person.

He did not even think that when Young Miss was with Young Master, they would always be endless things to say and do. Other people would become unnecessary, so how could he not be an eyesore?

In the room, Yu Youyao took a towel and helped her cousin apply the warm medicinal water to his legs. “Soak them more in hot water. When your legs are warm, you’ll definitely feel better.”

After soaking his legs for a while, Zhou Linghuai indeed felt a little more comfortable.

Feeling that the water temperature had cooled a little, Yu Youyao stopped her cousin from continuing to soak his legs “I’ll do a massage for Cousin. It’s my first time doing this, so I can’t really find the acupuncture points accurately. If I find the wrong place, Cousin will feel uncomfortable. Cousin, don’t hold it in. You have to tell me.”

Zhou Linghuai opened his mouth, and the smell of ginger and pine oil rushed into his mouth and nose. It wasn’t too unpleasant, but the smell was too strange.

He wanted to refuse.

However, when he saw the little girl sitting in front of him with an eager expression, he couldn’t help but feel a lump in his throat and couldn’t speak.

He did not know why, but in the face of the young lady’s earnest concern and care, he suddenly became wooden and did not even know how to speak.

Yu Youyao rubbed the medicinal oil in her palm and found an acupuncture point on her cousin’s leg. She first applied a layer evenly, then pressed on the acupuncture point and started to make circles. “Cousin, do you feel anything?”

Zhou Linghuai shook his head and said hoarsely, “No.”

His leg muscles were numb, so he didn’t feel any pain. Usually, he didn’t feel much either. It was only when it was raining and cold that his bones hurt.

Yu Youyao adjusted her position. “And now?”

Before Zhou Linghuai could react, the withered muscles on his legs were already trembling slightly. Clearly, she had found the right acupuncture point this time. The massage technique had stimulated the acupuncture point, causing a slight reaction in his legs.