Chapter 82 What if you need me?
"Your Majesty, I can swim. Consort Zhang at that time..." Su Jingyu tried to explain.
"Whether she can swim or not is none of your business! Are all those eunuchs and palace servants in the Eastern Palace dead?! Do you, the Crown Princess, need to personally go and save her?!" Xiao Jingzhan's chest heaved violently, his fingertips pinching her cold chin with a bit of force. "If anything happens to you, what will I do?! Hmm?!"
His voice was hoarse, trembling almost imperceptibly. Su Jingyu then saw clearly that besides anger, his eyes also held deep fear and lingering dread. Her heart skipped a beat, and all her explanations were swallowed back, leaving only overwhelming heartache.
She reached out her still-cold hand and gently stroked his tense cheek: "Your Highness, I know I was wrong. I promise I will never do it again. Don't be angry, don't be afraid... I'm here, I'm fine."
Her soft, cool fingertips, and the complete trust and reassurance in her eyes, miraculously calmed Xiao Jingzhan's violent rage, but the lingering fear of his heart being clenched still remained.
He suddenly pulled her and the blanket into his arms tightly, so tightly that he almost suffocated her. He buried his face in her wet hair, which smelled of the pool water, and remained silent for a long time.
The imperial physician arrived quickly, and after taking the pulse, he said that the patient had been chilled and frightened, and needed to be well cared for. He prescribed a formula to dispel the cold and calm the mind.
He dismissed all the palace servants and carried her into the pool. The water was warm, rising above their chests. Su Jingyu felt weak all over, leaning softly against him, letting him do as he pleased.
Xiao Jingzhan had her lean against his chest, his arms passing under her armpits to hold her firmly in his embrace, his chin resting on the top of her wet hair, forming a posture of absolute possession and protection.
"Your Highness... I can manage on my own..." Faced with his current emotions, Su Jingyu was somewhat nervous, and her voice was weak.
"Don't move." Xiao Jingzhan's voice was hoarse, and he tightened his arms around her, as if trying to embed her into his body. He picked up a soft towel from the side, soaked it in warm water, and gently wiped her smooth, satin-like back and her beautifully shaped shoulders and neck. The hot water made her skin turn a light pink, delicate and tender, making her even more charming.
However, at this moment, there was no hint of romance in Xiao Jingzhan's eyes, only heartache and lingering fear.
He repeatedly poured warm water over her shoulders, as if trying to wash away all the coldness of the pool water and any potential harm. He held her icy little hands in his large hands, gently kneading them in the warm water until her fingertips were warmed as well.
"Sweetie, are you still cold?" He would occasionally lower his head, his thin lips lightly touching her earlobe, feeling her body temperature.
"It's not cold anymore, the water is warm." Su Jingyu replied softly. Being held so tightly by him, feeling the steady heartbeat and the burning body temperature from his chest, her emotions gradually calmed down, leaving only a full sense of dependence and peace of mind.
She knew that he was using this method to confirm her existence and soothe his frightened heart.
After bathing, Xiao Jingzhan wrapped her tightly in a large, soft cotton towel before carrying her out of the bath and back to the bedroom, where he carefully dried her hair.
He held her in his arms and fed her a calming and warming herbal medicine, blowing on each spoonful perfectly and feeding her with utmost patience.
He only breathed a slight sigh of relief after she was tucked into the warm quilt and her complexion regained some of its rosy glow.
The bedchamber was warm and inviting, yet it couldn't dispel the somber look in Xiao Jingzhan's eyes. He sat by the bed, gazing intently at the sleeping figure on the couch.
He reached out and gently touched her forehead with the back of his fingers, then felt the side of her neck, sensing the temperature beneath her skin, his brow furrowing slightly. Thankfully, she didn't have a high fever.
"Someone come here," he called softly.
"This servant is here." Yun Shu, who had been guarding outside the curtain, immediately tiptoed in upon hearing the voice.
"Go check if the ginger soup is still warm. Also, have the kitchen keep some on hand, so we can heat it up anytime."
"Yes." Yun Shu accepted the order and withdrew.
Before long, Yun Shu brought in a bowl of steaming ginger soup. Xiao Jingzhan took it, tested the temperature, and thought it was just right. He then bent down, gently lifted Su Jingyu's upper body with one hand, letting her lean against his arm, and with the other hand, he carefully scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and then brought it to her lips.
"Sweetie, wake up, drink some ginger soup to warm you up." He lowered his voice, coaxing her.
Su Jingyu wasn't sleeping soundly. She vaguely sensed a familiar presence and a warm embrace, and subconsciously opened her mouth slightly.
The warm ginger soup, with its spicy sweetness, slid down her throat, and the warmth spread along her esophagus, causing her to let out a soft, sweet sigh.
She barely opened her eyes, her vision blurry, and could only see Xiao Jingzhan's taut jawline.
"Your Highness..." she called out indistinctly.
"Yes, it's me. Drink some more, sweetie." Seeing that she was awake, Xiao Jingzhan felt a little relieved and fed her another spoonful.
Su Jingyu took small sips of the ginger soup from his hand. After finishing the bowl, a light sweat appeared on her forehead, and her complexion seemed to have regained some color.
Xiao Jingzhan carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, then touched her hands and feet, finding them warmer than before, before laying her down again and carefully covering her with the blanket.
"Sleep well, I'll be here with you." He gently tidied her messy hair, cupped her face in his hands, and let his fingertips linger on her warm cheeks.
Su Jingyu closed her eyes peacefully and quickly fell into a deep sleep again. However, Xiao Jingzhan dared not be careless. He sat by the bed, and every half hour or so, he would reach out to check her forehead temperature or hold her hand to feel her temperature.
If she notices that her fingertips are cold or that she seems to be sleeping restlessly, she will immediately have someone bring her hot ginger soup and then coax and feed her to drink it.
After a long while, as night deepened, he dismissed all the palace servants and sent them to the outer room, leaving only the two of them in the bedchamber.
In the silence, Xiao Jingzhan's heart remained suspended. The heart-stopping scene by the lotus pond during the day, and the feeling of her icy trembling when he carried her back, replayed repeatedly in his mind, causing his heart to clench in waves.
He lifted a corner of the brocade quilt and climbed onto the bed himself. He lay down on his side and carefully pulled the still somewhat chilly woman into his arms. He put his arm under her neck and wrapped his other arm tightly around her waist, pressing her back against his burning chest. He then used his body heat and the thick brocade quilt to wrap her up completely.
Seemingly sensing a familiar presence, Su Jingyu unconsciously snuggled closer to him in her dream, letting out soft moans before falling into a deep sleep.
Xiao Jingzhan, however, was wide awake. He maintained his embrace, his chin resting on the top of her head, and could clearly smell her sweet fragrance.
He tightened his arms, holding her even closer, as if he wanted to embed her into his very bones and never be separated again.
"There will never be a next time, Yu'er." He whispered silently in her hair, with unwavering resolve, "I will never allow it."
He held her like that until late at night, feeling that her body temperature remained normal and her breathing was completely steady and long, and only then did his heart slowly settle down.
As weariness washed over him, he finally closed his eyes, but still held her tightly in his arms, as if guarding the most precious treasure in the world.
The next morning, when Su Jingyu woke up, she found herself tightly embraced in a strong arms, almost unable to move.
She stirred slightly, and a deep voice immediately came from above her, hoarse from just waking up and filled with concern: "Awake? How are you feeling, sweetie? Are you still cold? Are you dizzy?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com