From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Su Qing walked in without any warning, quite naturally.

I froze, instinctively turning my back to her, and instantly became so nervous that I stammered:

"You...how did you just walk in like that?!"

She stood at the bathroom door, smiling at me, and said, "Why are you so nervous? I'm your official girlfriend now. Why can't I see you like this?"

"No... I... I'm just a little uncomfortable being stared at like this by girls."

My ears were burning, and I felt incredibly awkward.

Su Qing chuckled, a hint of mischief in her voice: "Seeing how nervous and flustered you are, I'm not going out today. Are you going to just stand there like a statue?"

I was incredibly embarrassed. Even though we were already in a relationship, I still felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at so closely by her.

Before I could react, she slowly walked behind me and took the showerhead from my hand without saying a word.

The next second, warm water flowed precisely onto my back.

Then, she gently placed her soft, warm palms on my dusty and tired back and began to massage it slowly.

I shuddered violently, my body tensing up uncontrollably.

"Relax, don't be nervous."

Her gentle voice sounded from behind, "Your back is covered in dirt, you can't reach it yourself, let me clean it for you."

My first instinct was to say no, but I was afraid of disappointing her, so I had to hold back.

But I felt uneasy and flustered. This was the first time in my life, apart from my mother, that a girl had taken such close care of me and looked at my whole body.

Nervousness, shyness, panic, and a touch of warmth—all these emotions intertwined.

It made me stand taut all over, afraid to move a muscle.

In contrast, Su Qing appeared calm and natural.

Her small hands were delicate and soft, and her strength was gentle and just right. She carefully and meticulously washed my back with the water flow.

Not wanting the atmosphere to become too awkward, I forced myself to make conversation: "Have you... done this for others before?"

The words had barely left his mouth when he received a light pat on the back, tinged with a hint of playful annoyance:

"What nonsense are you talking about? When have I ever done something like that for anyone?"

I panicked instantly and hurriedly explained, "No, that's not what I meant. I was just asking casually... Ugh! The more I explain, the more confusing it gets. Anyway, I didn't mean anything by it."

Seeing my awkward and embarrassed look, Su Qing laughed even harder: "You are really lucky. You are the first one to enjoy this exclusive treatment."

I know that Su Qing may seem like a pampered rich girl who never lifts a finger, but she is actually exceptionally thoughtful and considerate.

These are skills I honed from years of taking care of my grandmother; my ability to care for people is in no way inferior to anyone else's.

Her movements were slow and gentle, carefully rubbing away the dirt that had accumulated on my back over the past few days.

My tense and sore back slowly relaxed, and the fatigue of the past few days seemed to be gently soothed, making me feel so comfortable that I was completely absorbed in it.

Gradually, I felt less nervous and shy, and only a sense of peace and comfort remained.

"How is it? Feeling much better?" she asked softly, a hint of pride in her voice.

I snapped out of my daze, still a little awkward: "It's comfortable, but... it feels a bit strange."

"What's strange about it?"

"I just feel awkward and uncomfortable all over."

Su Qing smiled gently and said, "It's normal. No one has ever taken care of you like this before. You'll definitely feel uncomfortable the first time. You'll get used to it."

I couldn't help but ask, "And what about you? This is also your first time doing this for a guy. Aren't you embarrassed?"

Without hesitation, Su Qing replied frankly and gently, "It's not awkward at all. I like you, and I'm taking care of you willingly. What's there to be awkward about?"

Her sudden, straightforward confession was both heartwarming and made me a little embarrassed.

I gave a wry smile and said, "You're making it sound like I don't like you. I really do like you, it's just that I'm instinctively shy and can't control it."

"No need to explain. If you could accept it openly and without a care in the world, that wouldn't be you."

As she spoke, her hands never stopped moving, gently and meticulously cleaning my back.

It was soothing and therapeutic; all the fatigue that had accumulated over the past twenty days seemed to vanish in her gentle movements.

After a moment, I finally spoke: "Okay, okay, I'll just rinse it off and it'll be clean. You can go out now."

"Don't you need me to rub your front?" she joked with a smile.

I blushed instantly and quickly shook my head: "No need for the front, I can do it myself, it's really too awkward."

Su Qing stopped teasing me and handed the showerhead back to me: "Okay, then wash yourself clean. I'll go out and wait for you."

"Um."

My tense body finally relaxed completely after the bathroom door closed.

I have to admit, it felt incredibly comfortable to be cared for gently by her.

Although it felt a little awkward, I felt a sweet warmth in my heart.

This complex and exciting feeling can probably only be understood by those who are truly moved.

I quickly rinsed my entire body clean, and I felt instantly refreshed and invigorated.

After changing into the brand-new thermal clothes that Su Qing had bought, I felt warm and dry all over, as if I had completely washed away the gloom of my desperate situation and been reborn.

When I came out of the bathroom, Su Qing was sitting obediently on the edge of the bed, slowly drinking a carton of yogurt.

When she saw me come out, she immediately got up and handed me a carton of yogurt.

I smiled and took it, inserted the straw and slowly sucked on it. The sweet taste dispelled the last trace of fatigue.

"Why are you standing? Aren't you tired? Sit down."

She gently pulled me to sit down on the edge of the bed, then leaned closer and carefully examined my face.

Looking at my thin and haggard face, she frowned slightly, reached out and gently stroked my cheek, her voice full of heartache:

"I didn't look closely before, but you've really lost a lot of weight, your face is completely unrecognizable. You really suffered a lot on this trip to the no-man's-land."

I gave a wry smile and nodded: "That's right, all my old pants are now loose and baggy, I have to wear a belt to keep them on, I've lost a lot of weight."

As I gazed at her clean and beautiful face so close to mine, a warm feeling welled up inside me.

Without further hesitation, I reached out and gently pulled her into my arms.

The sweet, soothing fragrance emanating from her body lingered around my nose, a stark contrast to the harsh winds and sands of the wilderness, so gentle it was captivating.

I leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Are you clean now? You don't smell anymore, right?"

"Mmm, clean and smells nice," she replied softly.

"Let me rest for a while, I'm really too tired."

She gently hugged me back, patting my back softly with both hands.

Like comforting a child who has gone through hardships, whisper softly:

"Get some rest and sleep peacefully, I'm always here for you."