Ruined Appearance, A Crying Child Gets Candy

Blood kept dripping from the wound, but Serena Feng stubbornly refused to say a word. Still, she was no iron statue—after a while, her body began to sway.

Even so, Serena held her silence, clenching her teeth and refusing even to cry out in pain.

Nolan Dongling sighed again. Fine, he admitted defeat—defeated by Serena Feng. If she wouldn't care for her own body, then he would.

Setting the palace lantern at his feet, Nolan took out a snow-white handkerchief and stepped forward to wipe the blood from Serena’s face.

Serena awkwardly tried to dodge, but Nolan pulled her back with force. Serena simply shut her eyes, not even bothering to look at him.

Nolan’s movements were feather-light, as if a plume brushed her cheek. Serena shivered slightly, her body tense. Soon, Nolan had wiped all the blood from her face.

But Nolan didn’t stop there—he continued wiping the blood from the top of Serena’s head, wanting to see exactly what kind of wound she had.

The Emperor had struck too quickly and too hard. Nolan knew Serena’s injury was at the crown of her head, but not how severe it was. He wiped for ages, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop, and he grew anxious, speeding up his movements...

“Tss...” Serena couldn’t bear the pain and cried out, secretly cursing—was Nolan trying to get revenge or something?

Nolan quickly pulled his hand back, but then, still a little annoyed, tapped the left side of Serena’s head. “Idiot. If it hurts, say so.”

“Your wound needs treatment.” It was too dark, and Serena’s hair was matted with blood in clumps—he couldn’t see exactly where she was hurt, but something in his heart felt uneasy.

Serena would be confined for a month, and Nolan himself was busy during that time, unable to keep track of everything.

“I’m a doctor; I can handle it myself.” The wound was on the crown of her head—she’d have to cut the hair there to clean and medicate it, but in this world, hair and body were gifts from one’s parents, not to be harmed.

No outside physician would ever allow her to do that, so when Serena left, she hadn’t let the eunuch take her for treatment.

“With an injury on your crown, how do you plan to treat it? That’s settled—you’ll come with me.” Without giving Serena a chance to refuse, Nolan led her straight to his palace.

“This is my palace, granted by the late Emperor. I lived here until I came of age, and it’s still kept as it was.” Nolan spoke as if it didn’t matter whether Serena wanted to know or not.

“Back then, I was cared for by the Crown Prince’s mother. She was kind, but unsuited for palace life, and died young.” That was why Nolan always favored the Crown Prince.

Serena listened in silence. Soon, palace maids brought warm water and wrung out cloths for her to clean her face. Normally Nolan would have left, but he just sat there, unmoving, as if oblivious.

Serena knew that once Nolan decided something, no one could change his mind. She calmly took the cloth and wiped the blood from her face and hands.

Serena knew she wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. Seeing herself still sticky with blood, and knowing her scalp wound needed cleaning, she said directly, “Ninth Royal Uncle, I’d like to change clothes.”

The implication was that she wanted a bath.

“Take Miss Feng to the bath.” Nolan was straightforward. Before Serena left, he added, “Serve her carefully—don’t let water touch the wound.”

Serena paused. Did Nolan forget she was a doctor? She hardly needed his reminders for things like this.

He called it a bath, but to Serena, Nolan’s bath was almost as big as a swimming pool. The water steamed, and she couldn’t help feeling a surge of envy.

Power and privilege really do make life better.

“Miss, this bath is fed by natural hot spring water—it’s excellent for your health. Soaking often is good for you.” The palace maids were as quiet and cold as Nolan himself.

Serena had no interest in prying into Nolan’s private life. She undressed, slipped into the pool, and with the maids’ help, carefully washed her long hair, finally ridding herself of the stench of blood. Fresh and clean, she stepped out of the bath.

Nolan was gone. In his place, an imperial physician and a female medical aide waited. Serena didn’t recognize the physician, but asked no questions, obediently sitting and letting them work.

The wound on Serena’s scalp was only as big as a coin, but astonishingly deep—a raw, bloody hole at the crown of her head. The physician managed to stay composed, but the medical aide trembled at the sight. Just then, Nolan returned.

“What’s wrong?” His cold voice held a hint of accusation, startling the physician so much his hand jerked, poking straight into the wound.

“Ah…” Serena nearly cried from the pain.

She was certain now—Nolan was taking revenge for her earlier manipulations.

Nolan strode forward and yanked the physician aside. “Why is the wound so deep?”

Seeing the injury, even Nolan was shocked. The skin and flesh at the crown had been gouged away—a fingertip could sink into the hole.

Serena didn’t need to worry about cutting her hair—the hair at the wound site had already fallen out. Whether it would ever grow back was another question.

On a man, such a wound would already be disfiguring—let alone for a woman. Even after healing, Serena would be left with a bald, scarred patch atop her head. What would she do in the future?

Nolan’s eyes turned cold, a flash of murderous intent flickering across his face…

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