22 Chapter 22: Recovering from a Severe Illness

But Mateo had gone. When Grandma found out, she almost fainted. Mateo was her only grandson, and if something happened to him, it would be devastating.

Two days later, Mateo, covered in injuries, returned. In his mouth, he held a Ganoderma grass, a black plant that looked like clouds. Gloria cooked the medicine in a stone pot and fed it to Clara.

Clara smelled a floral fragrance in the air. What flower was it, peach blossom? Plum blossom? Winter jasmine? It seemed like the scent of winter jasmine, different from the fragrance in Grandma's yard back then.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw sunlight filling the room, warm and cozy. Mateo was sitting by the bed, his long platinum hair now much longer, covering his eyebrows and eyes.

Her arms and back had many scars. Clara called out to Mateo in distress. In her dream, she saw Mateo holding her, crying sadly, and looking very scared. 

Mateo looked up at Clara in a daze. When he saw Clara looking at him with her eyes open, her eyes suddenly became clear. He hugged Clara and his body shook slightly, "Cla! From now on, I will never bully you again." Mateo said with a tearful tone. 

What happened in these past few days? Mateo was covered in injuries. Clara touched the scars on his back—deep claw marks that looked terrifying. Clara felt a chill in her heart. What had happened during her illness?

At this time, Gloria and Dani also came. In the past two days, Gloria and Dani had been sad together because of Clara. They seemed to have found a soulmate, and their relationship became better and better. When Gloria saw Clara and Mateo hugging each other, she covered Dani's eyes and said shyly, "I'm so ashamed! I'm so ashamed." 

Dani desperately pulled Gloria's hand, trying to see inside the room.

Clara, recovering from her severe illness, couldn't eat meaty things, so she instructed Mateo to cook some light dishes, such as boiled cabbage and sweet potatoes.

Gloria and Dani squatted at the bedside, each taking turns describing Clara's condition during her illness. Everyone thought she would die, and they even performed a ritual, but nothing worked. In the end, Mateo went deep into the mountains and found the fairy grass, saving her. Of course, the story wasn't as simple as Clara described. The two embellished the tale, adding twists and turns, making Clara's heart ache with their vivid descriptions of the hardships and horrors.

Clara listened to their words, silently surprised for a while. She couldn't believe she had a severe illness, and Mateo went to such a dangerous place for her. If he had been captured by white tigers and mountain people, it would have been dangerous.

Quietly observing Mateo, he was earnestly cooking, looking much thinner. Dark stubble had grown on his chin, and he appeared tired and messy. Yet, Clara felt that Mateo seemed to have grown, exuding a sense of security she could rely on.

After Gloria and Dani left, Clara ate a bit and felt much better. She decided to tidy up the room. After being sick for so many days, the house was in a mess, and she felt uncomfortable. Her menstruation had ended, and it was time for a good wash.

Seeing Clara about to get out of bed, Mateo hurriedly stopped her, shouting, "Don't get down, you're still bleeding." Saying that, he lifted Clara back onto the bed and covered her with a blanket.

"No more bleeding, I'm completely fine now," Clara found her explanation useless. Mateo insisted, pressing down the blanket to keep her from moving. It seemed that she would have to find an opportunity to explain the menstruation matter to him. If he got so nervous every time, what would happen in the future?

Clara wanted to take a bath, but Mateo wouldn't allow it, fearing that water might dissolve the wounds. Helpless, she let him check, ensuring there was no bleeding before giving up!

Despite their intimate relationship, being touched by the opposite sex in the most private places still made Clara blush crimson. Confirming that Clara was truly okay, Mateo also felt relieved. It was all his fault! If he hadn't forcefully entered, Clara wouldn't have gotten hurt. He promised himself never to do that again.

Although he wanted to touch Clara very much when he first touched her, he never dared to do so again. 

The big stone vat was adjusted and washed by Mateo. At Clara's request, it was moved behind the screen. Mateo fetched water, and Clara placed firewood around the stone vat and heated the water directly. 

Finally, there was a bathing tub, and it was heated directly, better than the bamboo one. When there's time, Mateo could smooth it out further, making it not only skin-friendly but also more aesthetically pleasing!

Soaking in the tub, Clara was so blissful that she almost wanted to scream. Finally, she could soak, and those with cleanliness obsessions surely loved bathing! Clara cleaned every inch of her body thoroughly and closed her eyes to soak for a while.

Outside the folding screen, Mateo dared not enter. Annoyed with the screen, he wondered what was taking Clara so long.

Unable to resist, he shouted a few times with no response. Startled, he immediately went around the screen and found Clara actually asleep in the tub.

Her little face was rosy from the steam, head tilted, peacefully asleep like a child. Unable to resist, Mateo kissed Clara's lips and then shook her gently. "Cla, wake up! The water is getting cold."

Clara suddenly woke up, groggy. She didn't want to move; she was so tired. Murmuring, she said, "Hug me!"

Mateo indulgently smiled, lifting Clara out of the tub. Having done this before, he was quite skilled. He helped Clara dry off, then tucked her into bed. He jumped into the tub himself for a quick wash.

Since Clara came to this home, Mateo noticed he had changed a lot, such as becoming more fond of cleanliness.

Cuddled under the blanket with the Clara, Mateo struggled to control his desires. Ever since their intimate encounter, he found himself always yearning for Clara. However, the thought of Clara's bloody scene made him break into a cold sweat.

The next day.

Since the weather had improved since yesterday, today was even better. Clara sharpened a small knife, moved a wooden stool, and asked Mateo to sit. She wanted to shave his beard.

She liked cleanliness and freshness. Clara carefully shaved the recently grown beard on Mateo's chin, washing his face afterward. She even used a cloth to wipe his cat ears. In the sunlight, his clean face, well-defined features, delicate skin with water droplets, appeared like a dazzling diamond. If this face were in her world, it would undoubtedly be considered a handsome guy.

Unable to control herself, Clara kissed Mateo's cheek. He looked so good that she couldn't let other female creatures see him naked. She needed to quickly make him a shirt.

Blushing, Mateo saw Clara's fair face, rosy lips, and had the urge to kiss her. As his lips approached, Clara turned around and said, "Go hunt! The sooner, the better!" Seeing Mateo's bewildered and frustrated expression, Clara couldn't help but laugh inwardly. She wasn't that easy to forgive him.