Chapter 27 027 Looking down at those slightly parted red lips
Su Furong leaned against the side of the bed, looking at Lin Wan, who was delirious from illness and kept having nightmares and talking nonsense, feeling very conflicted.
Yesterday, I learned that Lin Wan had developed a fever last night. Feeling guilty and unable to find a good doctor due to the curfew, I thought of helping to take care of her.
Little did she know that she was almost constantly muttering Xie Huaiyuan's name.
It turns out she had kept her feelings hidden so deeply; she had secretly fallen deeply in love with Xie Huaiyuan.
It's clear that she completely forgot her earlier advice not to get close to Xie Huaiyuan and not to have any feelings for him, and didn't listen to it at all.
Just then, Madam Meng arrived early in the morning and asked, "Are you feeling any better?"
Su Furong avoided eye contact and stopped Meng Shi from peeking into the bed curtains: "No, Mother, you just recovered from your illness and your body is still not fully healed. Don't overexert yourself. I'll take care of her."
"But it's been a whole night, and he still hasn't woken up. We need to hurry and find a doctor to come and take a look."
Although Su Furong was angry that Lin Wan was hiding her feelings for Xie Huaiyuan, she wouldn't condemn Lin Wan too much. After all, she didn't understand much about politics in the court. However, if her mother heard the nonsense Lin Wan was muttering from time to time, it would probably be very bad.
While helping Meng Shi up, she led her out of the house, saying, "Mother, go back and rest first. I'll send someone to find a doctor to treat you."
There are many famous doctors in the capital, but Su Furong did not go to the bustling market as usual. Instead, she ordered the coachman to drive to the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion.
As luck would have it, just as Su Furong's carriage stopped in front of the Xiangyang Prince's Mansion, the mansion gates opened, and Xie Huaiyuan, dressed in court attire, emerged from the mansion, followed closely by Hua Yisheng, seemingly on his way to the palace.
Xie Huaiyuan: "What's up?"
Su Furong, looking troubled, recounted how Lin Wan had fallen into the water the day before and was still unconscious. She hesitated before asking, "Young Master, could you please ask Physician Hua to examine Miss Lin?"
After speaking, Su Furong secretly sized up Xie Huaiyuan, her heart filled with unease, fearing that he might not agree. Although Xie Huaiyuan had never completely severed ties with her family, their friendship was no longer what it used to be, especially after her grandfather's death, when their only remaining connection was her grandmother. Although he appeared to be an easy-going gentleman, anyone who delved into the past would know that he was actually an extremely cold and ruthless person.
After mentioning that Lin Wan had fallen into the water and developed a fever and hadn't woken up, Su Furong kept a close eye on his expression, but he remained indifferent and unmoved by the matter. It seemed that this was just Lin Wan's wishful thinking, and Xie Huaiyuan was not interested. Su Furong couldn't help but feel sorry for Lin Wan. There were many talented young men in the capital, so why did she choose to fall for Xie Huaiyuan?
"good."
When Xie Huaiyuan's cool voice rang out, Su Furong hesitated for a moment, wondering if she had misheard.
Although it wasn't Xie Huaiyuan's first time entering the Su residence, he had never been to the courtyard where Lin Wan lived. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he was surprised to see a small magnolia tree planted next to a sycamore tree.
In the bedroom, only Shiliu was by the bedside. Lin Wan, who was burning up with fever, had her eyes tightly closed and her forehead was covered with fine sweat. She tossed and turned, seemingly trapped in a nightmare and unable to wake up. When Shiliu looked up and saw that Su Furong had brought a doctor, she was overjoyed and burst into tears. She knew that when her daughter was wounded by an arrow last time, it was the renowned physician Hua who cured her. Now, to see Hua the physician again, Shiliu felt hope that her daughter would recover quickly.
Xie Huaiyuan did not go forward, but sat in a round chair by the window a little away from the bed, letting Hua Yisheng treat Lin Wan. He could hear Hua Yisheng and Su Furong talking to each other from time to time, asking about what happened after falling into the water yesterday.
A gentle breeze blew by, stirring the papers pressed down on the desk by the window. The papers rustled and turned over, and suddenly, Xie Huaiyuan inadvertently noticed a page of messy scribbles tucked underneath.
On the slightly wrinkled paper, beneath the crisscrossing ink lines, the three characters "Lu Liangyu" are written in varying sizes. The dense, staggered lines then cross out these three characters. The ink is so powerful that it penetrates the paper, showing that the person who wrote it was extremely angry at the time, and perhaps also unwilling to accept it. In the only blank space next to it, the two characters "liar" are repeatedly written.
Staring at the messy piece of paper for a long time, Xie Huaiyuan chuckled helplessly.
After carefully taking Lin Wan's pulse, Hua Yisheng comforted her, saying, "It's nothing serious. She just caught a chill from falling into the water, and she also had some lingering emotional distress, which is why she fell ill. She'll be fine after drinking a few doses of herbal medicine."
Su Furong: "That's good."
Lin Wan, who was still tormented by nightmares in bed, felt dizzy and drowsy and wanted to sleep, but there was a constant noise in her ears that made her head ache even more and made her more irritable. She wanted the person talking in her ear to stop and said impatiently, "Don't bother me!"
This sudden remark startled everyone in the room, causing them to fall silent instantly.
The skilled physician Hua, who was administering acupuncture to Lin Wan, trembled and almost misplaced the needle due to Lin Wan's startling presence. Fortunately, Hua remained calm and steadily removed the needles that had been placed on Lin Wan's forehead one by one. As the last needle was removed, Lin Wan said impatiently and angrily again, "Xie Huaiyuan, you liar, get out!"
The atmosphere in the room froze. Su Furong, who was standing by the side, panicked. She glanced at Xie Huaiyuan sitting by the window and hurriedly tried to salvage the situation: "Cousin, you're delirious from your illness. There are no liars."
This person is delirious from illness, what kind of things are they saying!
Lin Wan listened vaguely and unclearly, finally lifting her heavy eyelids and gradually seeing the people surrounding her. Her consciousness gradually returned and she became clear.
As Hua Yisheng tidied up the needles in his hands, he said, "It's good that the young lady is awake. I'll have someone prepare the medicine right away."
After Hua Yisheng got up and left the bedside, Xie Huaiyuan came into view.
Lin Wan muttered under her breath, "Ugh, why am I still dreaming..."
A slightly cool voice came: "Could it be that Miss Lin had a bad dream while she was ill?"
A moment later, Lin Wan finally realized that she was not dreaming. The person she had condemned and scolded in her dream was now sitting in front of her. She broke out in a cold sweat and looked at Su Furong by the bed for help. Could it be that she had said something stupid?
"Did I...did I just say something nonsense?"
Just as Su Furong was about to say something to remind her, Hua Yisheng, who had just left to prepare medicine, reappeared at the door and specifically asked Su Furong to come and help.
The room was now quiet except for her and Xie Huaiyuan, who was still sitting in the armchair by the window.
Lin Wan sat up and leaned against the edge of the bed, her head still spinning. It took her a while to come to her senses before she asked hesitantly, "Young Master... how come you're here?"
Xie Huaiyuan: "Su Furong said you are sick and came to seek out the renowned physician Hua to treat you."
So that's how it is. Lin Wan's heart had just settled down when she caught sight of Xie Huaiyuan's seat. She remembered that there were still papers she had scribbled on on the desk. Could he have seen them? Her heart skipped a beat.
"Your Highness, you are sitting too far away. It's difficult for me to speak. Could you please sit closer?"
"good."
Xie Huaiyuan actually agreed and even got up and walked over to sit on the chair placed beside the bed, which surprised Lin Wan.
"Miss Lin, what do you want to say?"
Lin Wan suddenly realized that it wasn't her who was sick, but Xie Huaiyuan who was sick. Otherwise, why would he be so easy to talk to? She stared at him in disbelief.
Xie Huaiyuan said, "What, do you think I'm lying to you again?"
cheat?
Lin Wan was fully awake now, and said guiltily, "...How could this be?"
Xie Huaiyuan smiled, his long, slender, cold fingers pointing to the desk by the window: "It's written in black and white: Lu Liangyu, a liar."
"That was just something written randomly, it's not real." Lin Wan was shocked, her eyes welling up with tears. "That...that's just..."
Xie Huaiyuan watched as she leaned closer in her haste, so close he could feel her warm breath. He looked down at her slightly parted red lips, the blush of which was faintly visible. Xie Huaiyuan felt his blood rush to his head in an instant, and a strange sense of irritation washed over him.
He gazed at her with a deep, melancholy look. Lin Wan didn't notice that the blanket that had been covering her had slipped off with her movements. Her nightgown was slightly wrinkled, outlining the soft, snowy peaks tightly wrapped in the clothes. A subtle fragrance wafted by, and wisps of sweet, alluring scent clung to her.
"But what is it?" Xie Huaiyuan asked, his voice slightly hoarse.
Lin Wan pondered for a moment. Since she had already been seen, there was no need to hide it anymore, so she decided to go all out: "I'm just telling the truth. Does the young master dare to say that he hasn't lied to me?"
"..."
Lin Wan continued, "You lied to me once, and I offended you once, so it evens out... But it's also your fault. You knew you should just return the painting to me, but you insisted on taking it away."
Why do you want that painting?
"Since you can't help liking me, I'll just have to draw you... and hide you away."
His voice grew softer and softer, but Xie Huaiyuan still heard it. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he suddenly felt an intense itch in his heart. Perhaps he was having a nightmare, or perhaps he hadn't forgotten the absurd dream from last night. His heart was in turmoil. If before he still had some self-control and knew that a gentleman should observe propriety, now he vaguely sensed that he probably wouldn't be able to remain celibate and abstinent in the future.
After a moment, he sighed softly, "Yes, I understand."
Now it was Lin Wan's turn to be confused. What did he know? Did he mean he wouldn't blame her for offending him? Just as she was about to ask again, Shi Liu came in carrying the brewed medicine.
"Young lady, the renowned physician Hua said that after taking the medicine and getting a good night's sleep, the illness will be greatly cured."
The dark black medicine had a bitter smell. Lin Wan glanced at it, frowned, and declined, saying, "Let it cool down a bit before drinking it."
Xie Huaiyuan sighed softly: "Are you afraid the medicine will taste bitter?"
He spoke so frankly, as if he wouldn't leave until Lin Wan took her medicine.
Left with no other choice, Lin Wan frowned, picked up the medicine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp. The sip of the medicine still glistened on her lips, making her stand out.
She took the medicine, and as it took effect, she fell into a deep sleep again without realizing it.
The room was extremely quiet.
Xie Huaiyuan quietly looked at Lin Wan, who was already asleep, and heard her slow breathing.
He had already backed down and avoided her time and time again, but she kept taking the initiative to provoke him. Since she had already provoked him, she shouldn't be fickle and provoke others.
Suddenly, Lin Wan, still half asleep, mumbled something and reached her hand out from under the covers, placing it right on his hand as he was about to pull away.
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