Some pain in cleaning the wounds is expected. Xue Yang might still be somewhat of a vindictive person (though he's working on changing that), even he knows that hurting him isn't Zichen's intent. His golden core is stronger now, but infection, if allowed to take root and go untreated, can take even a strong cultivator.

He won't make his beloved A-Lan a widower.

He leans into the hand on his cheek, adoration shining as his breathing slows, calming under the force of this man's love. "I'll work on something at the forge, something to wear that covers my chest and my back." Whenever his beloved husband lets him return to work, of course.

The stolen kiss makes him grin and he wraps his arms around Zichen's shoulders as he's picked up, and steals a kiss of his own. He nuzzles their noses together before he's settled in the tub as the water rises.