Do they look alike?

She cursed under her breath, but her hand, which was pushing him away, aggravated his wound as she felt his body tremble slightly. Her fingertips were unexpectedly touched by a warm, sticky substance—blood seeping from under the bandage! Her heart clenched, her movements froze instantly, and her strength weakened by a third.

But just then, a strange dizziness struck without warning, like a surging undercurrent that instantly overwhelmed her tense nerves.

The intense tension, exhaustion, worry, and fear of the past few days had already pushed her energy to its limit.

The medicine Xuanru gave her just now seems to have analgesic and sedative effects.

At this moment, the drugs seemed to have finally found a breakthrough, and with her rapid breathing and turbulent emotions, they quietly accumulated their effects in her body.

Under the heat of Xiao Chengyan's burning body temperature and the catalysis of her own intense emotional fluctuations, the medicinal power suddenly erupted on the edge of her already shaky will!

"Hmm..."

Gu Jinghong groaned, and his vision suddenly went black. The embroidered patterns on the tent ceiling in his field of vision instantly became distorted and blurred.

The hand that had been pressed against Xiao Chengyan's chest lost all strength and slid down limply. An irresistible heaviness surged from her limbs to her brain, as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on her eyelids.

It's medicine! It must smell like a tranquilizer!

In that instant, Gu Jinghong subconsciously roused himself.

No! I can't fall asleep!

There's something fishy about Pisces Kaname's situation; she needs to go find Xuanru to verify it...

The intelligence from Zhuangmu Pavilion should have arrived by now...

There's more to Xie Yan's illness than meets the eye...

But... she was so tired... so tired that she didn't even want to move a finger...

Her willpower, which she was so proud of, finally... completely collapsed under the combined attack of physical exhaustion and the effects of the medication.

The tense body, as if all its tendons and bones had been removed, gradually and extremely slowly relaxed, no longer showing any intention to resist.

His straight back unconsciously swayed slightly, as if to provide a more comfortable support for the person in his arms. His heavy eyelids could no longer hold on, blinking and blinking until finally... they slowly closed.

She even unconsciously rested her chin gently on the top of his soft hair, finding a point of support, and almost instantly sank into boundless darkness.

In the end, she let the seriously injured prince hold her tightly in his arms and bury his head in her chest.

Time seemed to stand still.

Inside the bamboo hut, the charcoal fire crackled softly, and the air was filled with a strong medicinal smell and a silent, suffocating ambiguity.

Xiao Chengyan's heavy breathing gradually became long and even, as if he had found some strange peace in her arms. His tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Only the arm wrapped around her waist remained stubbornly entwined, as if it were his only safe haven.

His straight back unconsciously swayed slightly, as if to provide a more comfortable support for the person in his arms. His heavy eyelids could no longer hold on, blinking and blinking until finally... they slowly closed.

She even unconsciously rested her chin gently on the top of his soft hair, finding a point of support.

The moonlight silently streamed through the window lattice, spilling into the tranquil bamboo hut.

On the bed, the heavily injured prince clung tightly to the woman in his arms like a vine, burying his head in the warm crook of her neck, sleeping soundly.

Gu Jinghong stiffly and obediently let him hold her in his arms, her head resting against the top of his head, her breathing gradually becoming long and steady.

The two slept in an extremely intimate yet slightly awkward embrace.

The air was filled only with the scent of medicine and a strange tranquility, as if the dust had settled after a catastrophe.

Even in her sleep, Gu Jinghong's slightly furrowed brows and the barely perceptible curve that crept up to the corners of her mouth revealed the deepest part of her heart, a sense of belonging and peace that even she herself was unaware of.

Outside the bamboo hut, Changfeng glanced at the two sleeping in each other's arms, his brows furrowed.

...

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the bamboo hut, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Gu Jinghong's consciousness returned before the aches and pains in her body.

She found herself still tightly held in Xiao Chengyan's arms, his arms pressing heavily on her waist, his breathing even and deep, clearly still unconscious.

The harrowing hug from yesterday and the ensuing chaotic emotions instantly returned, and my cheeks involuntarily flushed again.

She moved cautiously, trying to break free from his embrace. Xiao Chengyan seemed to sense something in his sleep; his brows furrowed slightly, and his arms tightened instinctively. Gu Jinghong held her breath, afraid to move again, but her gaze involuntarily fell on his face so close to hers.

Shedding his usual coldness and majesty, Xiao Chengyan's face appeared somewhat gentle in his sleep. His thick, dark eyebrows still retained their sharp curves, his nose was high and straight, and his lips were tightly pressed together, exuding an unassailable aura even in his sleep.

The sunlight outlined his striking features, and this serene handsomeness subtly overlapped with a vague yet profound image in her memory… Gu Jinghong’s heart clenched suddenly, as if pricked by a fine needle.

Her eyes darkened, and with a little skill, she slowly and deliberately pried Xiao Chengyan's arms off her body.

As she escaped his burning embrace, the cool air instantly enveloped her, bringing a sense of clarity and taking away a... inexplicable emptiness.

She rose quietly, quickly straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes, and took one last look at the man sleeping on the bed—his brows seemed to furrow even more, as if he was unhappy about the disappearance of the warmth in his arms—before gently pushing open the door and leaving the bamboo hut filled with the smell of medicine and his unique aura.

Outside the door, Changfeng stood like a silent statue by the stream not far away, staring blankly at the flowing water.

Gu Jinghong hesitated for a moment, but still walked over and stood beside Changfeng, looking at the clear yet ever-flowing stream.

"Guard Changfeng," she called softly.

Changfeng seemed to only then realize someone was approaching. He snapped back to reality, saw that it was Gu Jinghong, and immediately clasped his hands in a salute, his voice slightly hoarse: "Miss Gu, you're awake? How are your injuries?"

"It's alright now. Don't you trust Xuanru's medical skills?" Gu Jinghong shook her head, her gaze falling on Changfeng's bloodshot eyes and tired face. "But you, you've been staying here the whole time. You should go and rest."

Changfeng forced a bitter smile and said, "I'm not tired. Seeing that Your Highness and... have both come out safely, I feel at ease."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Gu Jinghong, his eyes filled with sincere gratitude and a hint of lingering fear: "Miss Gu, yesterday... thank you so much! In that desperate situation, you... you didn't abandon the Prince, you carried him back from the brink of death... Changfeng... on behalf of the Prince, on behalf of everyone in the Jin Prince's Mansion, on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Southwest, thank you for your great kindness!"

As he spoke, he bowed deeply.

Gu Jinghong quickly stepped aside and reached out to help him up, saying, "General Changfeng, there's no need for that. The Prince has saved me from danger several times, and yesterday in the miasma, he risked his life to protect me. How could I abandon him? This is what I should do."

Seeing Changfeng's still somber expression, she changed the subject, her tone becoming slightly teasing, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere: "Speaking of which, Changfeng, aren't you the same?"

Changfeng looked up, somewhat puzzled: "Me?"

“Yes,” Gu Jinghong’s lips curved into a slight smile, “Xie Yan, that guy, has a sharp tongue. He made you so angry before that you almost hit him. But when you actually went into that deadly miasma, didn’t you still not abandon him and bring him out?”

Mentioning Xie Yan, Changfeng's face instantly tightened, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—anger, helplessness, and a barely perceptible... dark expression? He turned his face away and said in a muffled voice, "It's different."

"Oh? How is it different?"

Changfeng straightened his back, his gaze regaining its firmness and sharpness, carrying the integrity and respect unique to soldiers.

"This humble general is a soldier, Miss Gu. I am a soldier under the Prince's command. The Prince often instructs us that as soldiers, we are armed and protected to safeguard the territory and people of Dayong. Outside the battlefield, we should do our best to help any Dayong citizens in danger, even if we are complete strangers. This is our duty, and it is also the Prince's ironclad rule."

"Your Highness's ironclad rule..." Gu Jinghong repeated softly, as if something had quietly struck her heart, causing ripples to spread.

Following Changfeng's lead, she almost blurted out, "So... Your Highness should also set an example?"

"Of course!" Changfeng said decisively, his tone full of respect. "Your Highness has always been like this! When you were commanding troops in the southwest, amidst the flames of war, whenever you encountered separated women and children or people being robbed by bandits, Your Highness never stood idly by for a moment."

His gaze drifted into the distance, as if lost in memories, his voice growing more somber: "The most perilous time was the surprise attack deep behind enemy lines. To save an orphaned girl trapped in the flames of the ruins, the prince nearly exposed himself, ultimately shielding the child with his own body from a deadly stray arrow..."

Protecting him with her own body—Gu Jinghong slightly raised her eyelashes, her gaze calmly falling on Changfeng.

As Xiao Chengyan's confidant, Changfeng must have stayed by the bamboo hut's side every minute last night. How could he not know what was going on between the two people on the bed?

At this very moment, he abruptly mentioned the orphan girl that the prince had rescued in the southwest, and deliberately emphasized that it was merely "his duty" and a protection that treated all "citizens of Dayong" equally.

Its meaning is obvious.

Changfeng wanted to tell her that no matter how differently the prince treated her, it was because he was a general who saved the people from suffering, a military commander who upheld his duty. This "difference" had nothing to do with romance, or even with her, Gu Jinghong. If any citizen of Dayong were dying in front of him, Xiao Chengyan would have acted the same way.

Oh.

Such words might fool a sheltered young lady, unaware of the ways of the world. But Gu Jinghong is the chief advisor of Qianyuan Pavilion. She has a keen eye for the ways of the world and the hearts of men; how could she lose her composure because of a few words from others?

But right now...

A knowing glint flashed in Gu Jinghong's eyes, but she didn't point it out. A loyal servant protecting his master is a testament to his loyalty, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Changfeng felt a chill run down his spine under Gu Jinghong's meaningful gaze, and subconsciously looked away, gazing at the shimmering waves dancing on the stream. The sunlight was dazzling, and he couldn't help but squint.

"...Later, the orphan girl had no one to rely on, so the prince took her back to the southwest headquarters and hired someone to teach and raise her. She has been cared for ever since. Everyone in the mansion calls her Miss Chu Chu."

“Miss Chu Chu…” Gu Jinghong repeated the name softly, “She sounds like a kind and understanding girl… How is Miss Chu Chu now?”

Changfeng: "The Prince has always taken good care of her, treating her like...like a young lady in the manor. It's quite a coincidence that the old folks in the manor say that her features resemble those of Princess Yongning—the one you asked about last time."

The mere title of "Miss Chu Chu" was not enough to arouse any interest in Gu Jinghong, but "Princess Yongning" was a different story.

Gu Jinghong's mind immediately drifted back to the nights when Xiao Chengyan was injured, his incoherent babbling, and the "A-Ning" that was sometimes clear and sometimes blurry, all of which he called out with tenderness and affection.

As if by some strange twist of fate, Gu Jinghong asked, "Do I look like that Princess Yongning?"

Changfeng turned around to look at Gu Jinghong, then pointed to the area above Gu Jinghong's collarbone: "This spot should look quite similar."

Gu Jinghong looked down and saw that it was the mark that allowed her to enter the Prince's mansion. If this mark didn't match, there was really no reason for Xiao Chengyan to keep her here.

Seeing Gu Jinghong in a daze, Changfeng's eyes seemed to dart away, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, then said, "...Actually, when I was with the Prince, Princess Yongning was no longer around. I suppose, with your features, young lady, you are no less beautiful than Princess Yongning."

Gu Jinghong forced a smile, nodded to Changfeng to indicate that he was leaving, and then walked towards Xuanru Bamboo House.

As Changfeng watched Gu Jinghong's retreating figure, a belated unease crept into his heart.