Ten Rules to Bind Her Heart - Chapter 26
# Chapter 26: Anya
Consciousness returned slowly.
It was like surfacing for a breath after drowning in the depths of the sea.
Her eyelids felt weighted with lead, and her throat was scorched dry.
Xia Zhiyao’s lashes fluttered. Before she could open her eyes, she felt a soothing coolness spread across her back. Much of the burning pain had faded, replaced by the comforting scent of medicinal herbs.
It felt wonderful.
Still lying on her stomach, she moved her fingers and felt a soft silk quilt beneath them.
She wasn’t dead.
She had survived.
The thought had barely crossed her mind when she sensed someone behind her.
A warm hand was applying something to her lower back with gentle movements.
She let out a dazed murmur and forced her heavy eyes open.
Her vision was still blurred. A vague figure slowly took shape before her.
Close-cropped hair, the dark stubble neat and sharp. Healthy, sun-browned skin with a warm sheen. A black diamond stud in the left ear reflected a cold glint beneath the light.
A man.
A very handsome man, at that.
Terror crashed over her like a tsunami.
No.
This couldn’t happen.
Yesterday—no, just before she had blacked out—that demon had carved his ownership into her bones on the punishment bench.
Who do you belong to?
I belong to Mr. Shen.
Without my permission, even dreaming about another person is betrayal.
I belong to you… All of me belongs to you…
If Shen Yu learned that another man had seen her body while she was unconscious—had even touched her back…
He would kill her.
It wouldn’t matter that she had been helpless. In that tyrant’s logic, it would still be an unforgivable betrayal. This time he might not use a whip at all. He might simply throw her onto the mountain for Masha to eat.
“No… Don’t touch me…”
Xia Zhiyao forced the hoarse words out with all the strength she had. Ignoring the stabbing pain, she tried to struggle upright, but her body had no strength. Terror filled her bloodless face.
“Please, don’t touch me… Mr. Shen will kill me… He really will…”
She wept incoherently and squeezed her eyes shut in despair.
The air froze for two seconds.
Then came a snort of laughter.
The “handsome man” was not angered by her scream. Instead, one eyebrow rose. An open tube of ointment remained in one hand, and amusement colored that striking face.
“Awake, little rabbit?”
The moment that voice sounded, Xia Zhiyao went still.
It was low and carried a distinctive husky magnetism, but…
It wasn’t a man’s voice.
Tears still covered her face as she opened her eyes in astonishment. Her vision focused, and she stared at the person before her, still shaken.
The stranger wore the Black Wolf Guard’s signature dark green combat uniform and military boots, with an immaculate white coat over the top.
Her features were deep and sharply defined, her brow high, giving her a roguish, heroic air. Her South Asian heritage was obvious. She was undeniably handsome, but there was a feminine softness in her teasing eyes and the slight upward curve of her lips.
A… woman?
And a woman with a formidable presence.
“What? Afraid I’m a man?”
She raised an eyebrow and waved the tube of green ointment. Her Mandarin was slightly accented.
“Don’t worry. Shen Yu’s possessiveness is pathological. If he let a male doctor in here, the man’s legs would probably be broken before he made it through the door.”
Only then did the tension slowly leave Xia Zhiyao’s body. She panted for breath and realized that cold sweat had soaked her from head to toe.
“I’m Anya, the doctor here.”
Anya pulled over a chair and sat down. Her gaze swept unabashedly over Xia Zhiyao.
“Spread your legs.”
The order was blunt and direct.
Xia Zhiyao stiffened. Her face turned scarlet, and she instinctively clamped her thighs together.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Anya waved the disposable medical gloves in her hand. Her tone regained a doctor’s cool professionalism.
“I’m a doctor, and I’m a woman. Shen Yu, that son of a—Ahem. Mr. Shen left you in this state, so I need to examine the injuries.”
“Here, staying alive matters more than dignity,” she added seriously.
Staying alive mattered more than dignity.
Xia Zhiyao bit her bloodless lower lip. Her lashes trembled as she slowly released her grip on the nightgown and submitted to the examination.
Only then did she realize someone had changed her into a fresh nightgown.
The examination was neither pleasant nor comfortable. It was awkward and sometimes painful. But Anya’s technique was highly professional, swift yet gentle, minimizing her discomfort as much as possible.
“Mm.”
Anya removed the gloves, nodded, and tossed them into the medical-waste bin.
“Not too bad. Just swelling and abrasions. He may look insane, but apparently he retains some restraint when it matters.”
“Don’t get wet today, and for the next few days… try not to let him touch you.”
Even Anya found the last part almost laughable.
At this base, who had any say in what Shen Yu did? And what right did this little rabbit have to refuse him?
After treating the injuries, Anya told Xia Zhiyao to turn back over. She put on a fresh pair of gloves and resumed applying ointment to the welts on her back.
The soothing coolness spread across her skin again.
“Shen Yu likes you quite a lot,” Anya said suddenly, teasing her.
Lying against the pillow, Xia Zhiyao went blank at those words.
She turned her head with difficulty, confusion filling her swollen, red-rimmed eyes.
“Likes… me?”
