After he left, Pearl Su struggled to sit up. She felt wet underneath and knew she needed to change her menstrual cloth.
Luckily, she had some strength from eating earlier, or she would not have been able to get up from the bed.
After changing, she took a thin quilt from the wardrobe and lay back down, covering her chest and lower stomach. She soon dozed off again.
When she woke up, the sky outside the window was fiery red. It was already dusk.
She had slept all day and felt much clearer in her head, without dizziness. But lying in bed so long made her bored. If only she had some stories or books to pass the time.
She stayed in bed for a while longer, then looked outside again. The sky was darkening.
Time passed so fast, she thought, and sat up. Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Miss Pearl."
"Come in," she replied.
Alaric Yun came in quietly, speaking softly and kindly. "Miss Pearl, please have some dinner."
Pearl took the bowl he handed her. It was chicken soup with rice, the chicken meat without bones, and some slices of codonopsis root.
She ate silently, then thanked him. After he left, she stood and changed her menstrual cloth again.
The flow was heavy. She knew she would have to get up again at night to change it. She sighed in frustration.
The next day, Pearl woke with sharp pains shooting through her calves, and her lower belly hurt even more than before. The pain made her head throb.
It was so unbearable. Slowly calming herself, she felt wetness again underneath.
Her heart raced. She fought through the pain to get out of bed and undo her pants.
As expected, the cloth was soaked, and some had stained her pants, but not much.
After a painful change of the cloth and pants, she checked the bed. There were no stains. She sighed with relief.
Weak, she lay back down, staring at the ceiling without words. This must be the worst pain she had ever suffered.
Every part of her ached so badly, she did not even want to speak.
As she rested, her eyes started to darken. Black clouds appeared in her vision.
She felt weak all over, her calves twitching painfully, her belly cold as ice, a mix of cold and pain.
Faintly, she heard someone calling. She responded weakly.
The door opened, and a low gentle voice came close.
"Miss Pearl."
She slowly opened her eyes, still drowsy, and saw a figure.
The image became clearer. It was Alaric Yun, holding a bowl.
She tried to get up but failed after a long effort.
"Miss Pearl," Alaric quickly came to support her.
"Thank you," Pearl said softly, her voice weak.
"Please drink this porridge. It will help you feel better," he said, bringing a spoon to her lips.
"No, I can do it myself," she said coldly, stopping him, reaching out to take the bowl.
Alaric's face tensed, and he let go, letting her take it.
"Are you injured?" After a moment of silence, Alaric looked at her and asked.
"No," Pearl lowered her eyes and drank the porridge calmly.
"Is that so?" Alaric stood up and walked toward the foot of the bed. His face darkened.
Yesterday he had faintly smelled blood. Today it was stronger.
He lifted the curtain that hung as a screen.
Behind it was a bath tub and a wicker basket. The blood smell came from that basket.
His eyes fell on the basket. Inside was a pair of pants stained with patches of blood. Alaric Yun's face grew even darker.
He walked over and picked up the bloodstained pants. He clearly smelled three different scents on them.
A strong blood smell, a familiar faint scent he recognized from when Pearl Su had rested against him, and another scent he could not describe. This scent made his body feel strangely excited and comfortable. It even caused a faint heat to rise inside him.
This indescribable scent mixed with her faint fragrance made him want to rush out and hold her tightly in his arms.
He imagined kissing her soft lips deeply, then kissing all over her body, wanting to melt her completely in his embrace.
Just as this strange feeling grew, Alaric's reason returned sharply. He crushed the illusion in his mind and frowned.
The faint scent still came to his nose, and the familiar heat returned.
Smelling the mixed scent again brought back that strange feeling once more.
Alaric forced himself to crush the feeling again. His face darkened as he put down the pants and looked back at the basket, at the blood-red cloth inside.
His eyes flickered. The strong blood smell hit him again, mixed with that strange scent. Suddenly he understood something. His ears turned hot and red.
She is having her period.
His brows furrowed, troubled that she was suffering so much pain.
He put the pants back into the basket. Then silently turned and lifted the curtain to leave.
Pearl Su tried to call him when he was about to enter, but before she could speak, he had already gone inside. She stayed quiet and, seeing him come out, forced a calm face.
He came to her side and looked at her pale cheeks. He asked, "Pearl, are you having your period? Does it hurt much?"
"Not too bad," Pearl Su answered quietly.
He looked at her deeply for a long moment, then said, "Alright, rest well." He reached out and took the empty bowl away.
After Alaric left, Pearl Su lay down to rest. She was really in too much pain. Exhausted, she soon fell asleep again.
When she woke, it was noon. Her lower body was wet again. She endured the pain, changed the cloth, then lay back down to continue resting.
Her mind was clearer now, but the clearer her mind, the more she felt the pain in her body.
While she was suffering, the door was knocked. After she answered, she heard steady footsteps. Pearl Su propped herself up.
"Miss Pearl, do you feel better?" Alaric asked as he came closer, placing a tray beside the bed.
Pearl Su looked over. On the tray were a bowl of rice, a plate with some meat and vegetables, and a bowl of brown sugar egg soup.
"Thank you, young master," she said and started eating.
Alaric's face softened after hearing her words. A gentle smile appeared in his eyes that he tried to hide.
With some free time, Alaric glanced around the room, noticing the simple furnishings he had not paid attention to before.
The room was very simple—a wardrobe and a small low cabinet. On the cabinet sat an oil lamp, a bronze mirror, and a wooden comb. Nothing extra.
A light yellow gauze hung over the bed. The room was clean and comfortable, with a faint scent of her lingering in the air.
Alaric was momentarily lost in thought, but the sound of the bowls and chopsticks brought him back.
Seeing that she had finished the rice and soup, but some meat and vegetables remained, he asked, "Miss Pearl, if you need anything, just tell me."