Gu Qingqiu successfully moved into Chu Yunhan's room, not by shamelessly pestering him, but because Chu Yunhan requested it.

Chu Yunhan took great care of Gu Qingqiu, setting aside his noble status as a prince, and even personally fed her medicine.

"Open your mouth."

Gu Qingqiu tasted the medicine in her mouth and asked, "Your Highness, what are you feeding me?"

Chu Yunhan fed the medicine to Gu Qingqiu, then scooped up a spoonful and blew on it, saying, "It's a tonic to help you recover."

"Oh..." Gu Qingqiu said casually, "They're all tonics, so why do they taste different from the ones that were delivered before?"

Where Gu Qingqiu couldn't see, Chu Yunhan paused, holding the medicine bowl, and said with a complicated expression, "Because you have a problem with your eyes, this is a new prescription prepared by the imperial physician, which is good for your health."

Gu Qingqiu nodded obediently and drank the whole bowl of medicine.

Winter arrived, and with the cold weather, Gu Qingqiu's health seemed to deteriorate further. She coughed incessantly and even vomited blood after being exposed to the cold wind for just a few minutes, which terrified everyone in the Prince's mansion.

In the past few days, several imperial physicians who had never heard Gu Qingqiu's voice have come, but they probably haven't found a solution, because Gu Qingqiu has no other treatment options besides drinking herbal decoctions every day.

That day, Gu Qingqiu was wrapped in a fox fur coat and leaning against Chu Yunhan.

Chu Yunhan suddenly asked, "Is there any gift you would like to receive?"

"Gifts?" Gu Qingqiu asked in confusion, "Hasn't the Prince recently given me a lot of gifts? I really liked that hairpin yesterday and the hand warmer that the Emperor bestowed upon me the day before yesterday. I heard they came from the border regions, so the patterns must be very beautiful, but unfortunately I can't see them now..."

Chu Yunhan gently patted Gu Qingqiu's head with a touch of tenderness. "No, it's because your birthday is coming soon, so I wanted to prepare some gifts for you."

"My birthday?" Gu Qingqiu didn't know the exact date of this body's birth, but since Chu Yunhan brought it up, she went along with it and said, "I'll be happy with whatever Your Highness gives me, so there's no need to hold a banquet. I don't want others to see me like this."

“…Okay.” Chu Yunhan was silent for a moment, then asked, “Should we invite your father to celebrate your birthday?”

Gu Qingqiu tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Let him see me, so he can be mentally prepared in advance. But don't invite him on my birthday, I'm afraid it will cause an unpleasant situation, that wouldn't look good."

Chu Yunhan's heart skipped a beat. He had always avoided situations where the imperial physician and Gu Qingqiu were alone, but now it seemed that Gu Qingqiu was probably aware of her own physical condition.

When General Gu saw Gu Qingqiu again, he was indeed furious. His daughter, who was originally strong and healthy, had become like this in just over a year after marrying into the royal family!

However, given Chu Yunhan's status as a prince, General Gu couldn't make a scene. In the end, Gu Qingqiu sent Chu Yunhan away, saying she wanted to talk to her father alone.

After seeing General Gu off, Chu Yunhan silently embraced Gu Qingqiu from behind. "What did you say to Father?"

Gu Qingqiu chuckled and joked, "It's nothing. I just said I want to be buried with the prince in the future, and asked him to keep an eye on things so that the prince doesn't take any more concubines."

Chu Yunhan frowned. "I will not take any more concubines."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Gu Qingqiu disapproved. "I was just joking, Your Highness, please don't take it seriously! You are a prince, how can you not leave behind an heir? What will outsiders say?"

Chu Yunhan sneered inwardly. In the first place, his elder brother had betrothed Gu Qingqiu to him precisely to prevent him from having any offspring.

Recently, a high-ranking official in the court did propose to marry his youngest daughter to him as a concubine. This was not a secret, and naturally, some people in the Prince's mansion knew about it. Perhaps Gu Qingqiu overheard someone chatting with him.

Thinking of this, Chu Yunhan tentatively asked, "Could it be that the recent rumors in the manor have caused you to misunderstand?"

"Rumors?" Gu Qingqiu shook her head. "That's not the point. The point is that I was wrong at the beginning. I shouldn't have kept other women away from you. I was too selfish. I shouldn't have thought about monopolizing the prince."

The topic of taking a concubine ultimately led to an unpleasant end to their conversation.

Chu Yunhan felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Gu Qingqiu, who had initially been very possessive of him, had suddenly become magnanimous. What did this mean?

Does this mean she doesn't like herself as much anymore? Or did she already realize that her physical condition meant she wouldn't live much longer?

Regardless of the conclusion, Chu Yunhan dared not face Gu Qingqiu directly.

Chu Yunhan's escape directly handed over the task of delivering the medicine to Ziyun.

Fearing that Gu Qingqiu would find the medicine bitter, Ziyun went to the kitchen to get some candied fruit. When she returned to the room, Gu Qingqiu had already drunk most of the medicine by herself.

Startled, Ziyun rushed forward and snatched the soup bowl away. "Madam! How can you drink this hot soup directly?"

"Hot?" Gu Qingqiu was taken aback. "Oh, then let it air dry for a while."

Ziyun disregarded social status and pried open Gu Qingqiu's mouth. Seeing that there were several blisters from the scalding medicine, she cried out in distress and then rushed off to find the doctor and the prince.

When Chu Yunhan arrived, Gu Qingqiu was still sitting there in a daze. He questioned her, "When did this happen?"

Gu Qingqiu was startled by Chu Yunhan's sudden voice and trembled, "...just, just in the next couple of days."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Chu Yunhan realized his tone had been a bit harsh and softened it. "Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Gu Qingqiu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know either... You haven't spoken to me these past two days, and I... haven't found a chance to talk to you..."

have no idea……

Chu Yunhan felt as if his heart was being torn apart. Gu Qingqiu hadn't even noticed his aggressive footsteps just now. Did that mean her hearing was starting to deteriorate?

The imperial physician examined Gu Qingqiu's condition and quietly shook his head at Chu Yunhan. However, he administered acupuncture to Gu Qingqiu, which seemed to have some effect. Gu Qingqiu felt that her senses had recovered somewhat.

That evening, Gu Qingqiu's icy hand slipped inside Chu Yunhan's clothes.

Chu Yunhan grabbed Gu Qingqiu's restless hand, "What are you doing?"

"Your Highness, I want it." Gu Qingqiu's robe was half-undone. "Give it to me."

Chu Yunhan's face flushed red, and he said anxiously, "Are you crazy? Don't you know what's wrong with your body right now?"

"I only want it because I know it," Gu Qingqiu pouted. "While I still have feelings for it, Your Highness, please give it to me. Leave me something to remember it by, so I can reminisce about it later."

Chu Yunhan suddenly found himself unable to refuse. He stared intently at Gu Qingqiu, "Alright... if this is your request, I agree..."