When Lin Zhaoyue woke up the next day, she had indeed caught a cold. Her head was heavy and foggy, her whole body felt weak, and her nose was stuffy.
Upon learning that Lin Zhaoyue was ill, Chu Bai volunteered to take care of her and brew her medicine.
Seeing that someone was willing to do the work, Chun He was happy to take it easy and went to attend to Lin Zhaoyue by her bedside.
When Lin Zhaoyue saw Chun He approaching, she thought the medicine was ready and struggled to sit up.
Seeing this, Chun He hurried over to support her.
“Miss, the medicine is still brewing?”
Hearing Chun He’s words, Lin Zhaoyue slightly furrowed her brows:
“Aren’t you watching the fire?”
After all, if the medicine wasn’t brewed just right, its potency would weaken, and she would have to drink several more large bowls. That medicine was very bitter, and she didn’t want to drink it.
“Chu Bai is watching it. This servant came to attend to you, miss.”
Chu Bai?
“His injuries are serious? Why hasn’t he left yet?”
Lin Zhaoyue hoped Chu Bai would leave as soon as possible. The longer he stayed by her side, the greater the danger, and she was also afraid she might soften her resolve.
“It’s not a serious injury. Anyway, the house physician said that applying more medicine for a few days will heal it. Oh, and Chu Bai also said that once you recover from your illness, he will leave.”
Lin Zhaoyue nodded. Since he had said so, she couldn’t very well say anything more.
Besides, he had just arrived in the capital. Although she had given him silver, he still needed to find a place to stay and familiarize himself with the capital’s environment.
It was fine to let him stay a few more days to prepare.
“How is Qingzhu?”
“She can already get out of bed and move around now, though she’s still a bit weak.”
While the two were talking, a maid walked in:
“Second Miss, the Crown Prince and Princess Duanmin have come to see you.”
As soon as the maid finished speaking, Lin Zhaoyue heard Xiao Ran’s voice from outside the courtyard:
“Zhaozhao, I heard you were sick, so I came to see you.”
Xiao Ran was noble, dignified, and graceful in public, but in front of her, she revealed her true nature—doing as she pleased without any pretense.
Today, she wore a light yellow embroidered gown, a ruby gold hairpin in her hair, her head held high, proud as a little phoenix.
Xiao Yan followed behind her, dressed in a black python robe symbolizing the Crown Prince’s status, pacing toward her in expensive black boots.
His hair was like dark jade, his posture tall and straight, his demeanor handsome and distinguished.
As the true son of the dragon, he carried an innate air of authority and imperial majesty.
Lin Zhaoyue glanced at him through the beaded curtain before averting her gaze.
In the past, he had also sent gifts to the Guogong Mansion, but that was only because of their imperial betrothal—a superficial gesture. This was the first time he had actually come to see her in a meaningful way.
As soon as the two entered, they were followed by four palace maids, each holding a jade tray.
Xiao Ran had the maids place the jade trays on the table and dismissed everyone else before lifting the curtain and walking to her bedside.
There were too many people around; it was hard for her to talk to Zhaozhao freely, and she had to constantly mind her manners, which annoyed her.
Sitting by the bed, Xiao Ran reached out to touch her forehead, her fingertips slightly recoiling from the heat.
“Why are you so feverish? Have you and my Crown Prince brother both been having bad luck lately? He was bitten on the hand by a stray cat yesterday, and you caught a cold today.”
Bitten on the hand by a stray cat?
A flicker of unease passed through Lin Zhaoyue’s eyes, and she responded casually.
Glancing at Xiao Yan in the outer room, Lin Zhaoyue still dragged her sick body to stand up.
“Your Highness, Crown Prince, your subject’s daughter is unwell and begs your pardon for any impropriety.”
As she spoke, Lin Zhaoyue bowed to Xiao Yan.
As she lowered her gaze, Lin Zhaoyue saw Xiao Yan’s hand wrapped in black gauze, and her ears involuntarily flushed slightly red.
Seeing Lin Zhaoyue revert to her restrained and proper demeanor once more, Xiao Yan’s dark, ice-like eyes flickered with a trace of inquiry.
It seemed that whenever a third person was present between them, she would adopt this manner—flawless, leaving no room for criticism.
Unlike when they were alone, when she would occasionally bare her sharp claws from within her soft, plump cushion.
“No need for formalities.”
“There’s no one else here, why bother with such empty courtesies?”
As he spoke, Xiao Ran cast a somewhat resentful glance at Xiao Yan, as if blaming him for putting on airs.
Xiao Yan: …
“Zhaozhao, come quickly and see what I’ve brought for you.”
With that, Xiao Ran lifted the jade lid, revealing an assortment of chilled treats inside.
Lin Zhaoyue: …
“Are you sure this is for me?”
She had caught a cold and couldn’t eat anything cold.
“It’s for you to watch me eat.”
Lin Zhaoyue: …
Listen to that—is that even human speech?
Seeing Lin Zhaoyue’s expression, Xiao Ran waved his hand dismissively:
“What can I do? You’re sick and need to avoid certain foods.”
Lin Zhaoyue: … She felt Xiao Ran was asking for a beating.
“So, you came here to laugh at me?”
Lin Zhaoyue glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes, a hint of threat in her gaze.
Xiao Ran shrank his neck slightly and said seriously:
“Alright, alright. Crown Prince prepared medicinal cuisine and medicine for you.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhaoyue instinctively looked toward Xiao Yan.
She saw that Xiao Yan was also looking at her, yet it seemed as though he was looking through her at something else, his expression inscrutable.
Xiao Ran called for someone, and as trays of various sizes were brought in, Lin Zhaoyue thanked him.
She thought that once everything was set down, Xiao Yan would leave.
But instead, he gave a slight tug at the corner of his mouth and said leisurely:
“No need to thank me. This humble one was scratched by a little wildcat last night, so it’s just the right time to replenish.”
Lin Zhaoyue: …
Did he mean he was staying for the meal?
She had clearly bitten his hand—had his brain been damaged along with it?
“What does Your Highness mean?”
“Crown Prince means he’s going to eat with Zhaozhao.”
As he spoke, Xiao Ran leaned close to Lin Zhaoyue, winking and making faces.
“My Crown Prince brother came specifically to see you. Aren’t you happy?”
Lin Zhaoyue: … If it were before, she would have been delighted by Xiao Yan’s initiative.
But now, she wished he wouldn’t come. Seeing him only irritated her.
“I’m very considerate—I won’t disturb you two.”
With that, Xiao Ran pretended to cough lightly twice and said:
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Sister Wanwan. I’ll go play with her.”
After saying this, he dashed off in a flash, disappearing without a trace.
Lin Zhaoyue couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
Once only the two of them remained in the room, Lin Zhaoyue’s expression immediately turned cold, her tone distant:
“Your subject’s daughter has just eaten and is not hungry. Your Highness may help yourself to the medicinal cuisine. As your subject’s daughter is unwell, she will not keep Your Highness company.”
The man’s deep, phoenix-like eyes fixed on her. After a long moment, he clicked his tongue softly:
“Miss Lin, besides practicing swordsmanship, have you also learned face-changing these days? Your expression changes so quickly.”
As he spoke, Xiao Yan lifted the hem of his robe and sat down.
“Sit.”
Lin Zhaoyue remained unmoved.
Xiao Yan gently stroked the gauze on his hand, his voice indifferent:
“If someone asks This humble one what happened to his hand, should This humble one say it was bitten by the Second Miss Lin?”
Threatening her again!!
Lin Zhaoyue gritted her teeth and sat down.
“Is Your Highness satisfied now?”
“Eat the medicinal cuisine.”
Seeing Lin Zhaoyue make no move, the man added:
“Does This humble one need to feed you?”
“You are This humble one’s future Crown Princess. It is only right for This humble one to feed you.”
With that, Xiao Yan picked up his chopsticks, lifted a piece of yam, and brought it to her lips.
The young woman pressed her lips tightly together, glaring at him with those beautiful eyes.
A certain emotion in her gaze overlapped for a moment with the desperate, resentful girl from his dream the previous night.
Xiao Yan recalled again the state of her loss of control that day outside Huguo Temple when she had witnessed his secret.
It was exactly the same person as in the dream.
Combined with Lin Zhaoyue’s unusual behavior these past days, Xiao Yan knew that something must have happened—something he was unaware of or could not control.
“Does this humble one need to pry open your mouth and feed you?”
As he spoke, the man’s jade-white hand already pinched her chin.
The girl’s skin was smooth and tender; even with little force, a bright red finger mark was left behind.
Too delicate.
Even kneaded dough was probably not as fragile as her.
Seeing that Xiao Yan meant it, Lin Zhaoyue stopped her futile struggle and opened her mouth to eat the piece of yam.
After barely chewing twice, she swallowed it:
“Is the Crown Prince satisfied now?”
“Eat a bite of each of the remaining dishes.”
Lin Zhaoyue took a deep breath. If not for his status, she would have killed him right then.
She picked up her chopsticks, like an emotionless puppet on strings, and took a bite of each medicinal dish.
When she reached the fifth dish, she heard the man’s ghostly voice beside her ear:
“Zhaozhao, are you hiding something from this humble one?”