Chapter 17 "—Your Crown Prince brother is here..."
Her intuition told her that Xiao Che possessed her antidote.
Instinct drove her closer and closer to him; his breath, his body temperature... everything about him seemed to soothe her restlessness.
only……
Xiao Che noticed her unusual behavior. Seeing that she seemed unable to support herself and was almost pressed against him, her body was both hot and limp, clearly not normal: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I..." Yan Jiarou bit her lip, the pain forcing her to regain a sliver of clarity: "It seems to be the old injury from Lishan... the wound from Lishan has flared up again, the wound suddenly... it hurts so much... my legs... my legs are weak..."
"Your legs are weak?" Xiao Che frowned. "Then how can you walk?"
Yan Jiarou shook her head, nestled in his arms.
Xiao Che raised his eyebrows, feeling that Yan Jiarou was acting very strangely today. Perhaps she was really feeling unwell, otherwise why would she be so close to him? Perhaps only when she was sick would she be so obedient.
He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her away: "Let go. I'll take you back and fetch the imperial physician for you."
The imperial physician... Yan Jiarou naturally knew she was ill, but she also understood that seeking help from the imperial physician would be useless for her condition. Her body told her that perhaps only Xiao Che could provide the antidote she needed.
Although she didn't know why, she guessed that she was probably possessed by an evil spirit, which was why she was restless and uneasy, and only Xiao Che could soothe her.
She didn't want to become like this at all, but she couldn't control herself. However, the illness didn't flare up frequently. Before today, she almost thought that what happened on Mount Li was over, and her various unusual behaviors towards Xiao Che... were perhaps just her imagination...
If it weren't for the slow-healing wound on her foot, constantly reminding her that the events of her trip to Lishan were real.
But it's okay, she comforted herself. It seems that this illness only flares up when she's in close contact with Xiao Che... Now that she's figured out the pattern, she'll just have to be more careful in the future.
As for the present, she believed that as long as she spent some time with Xiao Che and used him to soothe her body, she would be able to recover quickly, just like last time.
As for the imperial physicians… let's put aside the fact that they're useless… she definitely doesn't want them to see her like this…
Without looking in a mirror, she knew what she looked like... Her face was so hot, it must be incredibly red... Her vision was blurry, her eyes filled with uncontrollable tears... Her hair was also disheveled in Xiao Che's arms...
That's really embarrassing.
They might even think she's been drugged with some unspeakable substance, and if they connect her with Xiao Che, things will only get worse.
If this gets back to Xiao Jue's ears, it will be a huge disaster.
She doesn't want to.
Just a little longer, just a little longer, and I'll definitely recover: "No, it's nothing serious, I don't need to see the imperial physician... I'll rest for a bit... I'll be fine after a little while..."
Xiao Che said "Oh?" and looked down at her, "Then, could you let go of me first?"
"You!" Yan Jiarou gritted her teeth. In her current state, how could she let go of him!
She looked up and glared at him, her breath unsteady: "Xiao Wenqi, how can you be so petty? I already said I... my legs are weak and I can't stand steadily. It wouldn't hurt to let me lean on you for a bit..."
It was supposed to be a glare, but given her current state—her face flushed and her eyes moist—the glare was weak and powerless, more like a flirtation.
Especially since her voice was already soft and gentle, she tried her best to control it, and her voice trembled slightly, with the last syllable drawn out, carrying a faint sob, as if she were weeping and complaining. Her bright and flamboyant face now showed a bit of pitifulness, and her eyes were misty with water, making them even more beautiful.
Xiao Che narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her: "Yan Jiarou, what trick are you trying to pull now?"
"I...I didn't..." She looked up at him, her watery eyes filled with grievance, her rosy lips marked with wet teeth marks.
Xiao Che seemed to have said something, but she no longer cared about arguing.
All she could see was his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he spoke, and the slightly protruding blue veins on his neck. She subconsciously licked her lips. For some reason, ever since their last trip to Lishan, she had found the veins on his neck incredibly alluring.
Yes, it's tempting.
His blood flowed silently in her veins; she could even feel his pulse beating. This strange sensation stirred within her an impulse…
The craving was screaming wildly within me again.
When she was having an attack, every part of Xiao Che's body was incredibly alluring to her.
Especially in the neck where blood vessels are often hidden.
He had a strong attraction for her.
She was almost losing control of herself.
Realizing this, she quickly forced herself to look away.
Soothe him with his breath and warmth; if you can't resist biting his neck, things will get completely out of control.
To divert her attention and to keep Xiao Che calm, she deliberately changed the subject, talking about random things: "Xiao Che, I have something to tell you..."
Xiao Che indeed asked, "What?"
"I..." Yan Jiarou bit her lip, trying her best to steady her breathing and make her voice sound normal: "I...I want to tell you..."
But what should she say to him? Yan Jiarou rested her cheek on his chest, feeling the warmth from the thin yet firm skin beneath his clothes. So close, she could even feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, unlike hers, which beat wildly and erratically due to her illness.
Her nostrils filled with his scent, enveloped by his warmth, her craving was temporarily satisfied, and the restlessness in her body was indeed soothed slightly. She let out a comfortable sigh, briefly regaining her senses. And so, she thought of what she wanted to say to Xiao Che: "Xiao Wenqi, are you... are you feeling any better...?"
"What?"
"It's what my father told me... Whenever I think of them and feel sad, I bring up what my father told me to comfort myself, and I immediately feel better. It works very well... So, does it work for you? Do you feel any better after hearing those words?"
Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked down at her. The little girl had her hair styled in a fashionable half-updo, adorned with gold and copper flowers and surrounded by jade beads. He could just see that she had layered and coiled the back of her hair on top of her head, revealing her full, round head, which was extremely cute.
He smiled slightly and said, "It does feel much better, thank you."
Yan Jiarou was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Xiao Che to say such a thing... After all, he never spoke kindly to her.
She vaguely felt that this was the Xiao Che she had imagined, bowing down and submitting to her, and not the cold and indifferent way he treated her like the other young ladies from noble families.
Xiao Che paused, his gaze unconsciously falling into the air, as if lost in some kind of memory: "Many years ago, you comforted me in the same way... Some things really haven't changed. Do you still remember what you were like when you were a child?"
Yan Jiarou looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.
He suddenly leaned closer, his face abruptly pressed against mine, making it hard to breathe. He smirked and slowly uttered, "Very cute."
Yan Jiarou's fair cheeks flushed instantly. She wasn't used to Xiao Che like this, and naturally, she wasn't good at interacting with him like this. She could only stammer, "You...it's good that you feel much better..."
She racked her brains to think of some more comforting words: "Besides, although your mother is gone... you still have your father and brothers..."
This was indeed her true feeling. She lost both her parents at a young age, and even though Xiao Che had lost his mother, he was still someone she admired.
That's how people are. If she loses her father or mother, she will naturally envy those whose parents are still alive. But if she loses both her parents, she will naturally envy those who still have a father or mother.
This was far better than her being all alone in the world, and she was grateful that Xiao Che was like this. After all, she knew all too well how painful it was to lose both parents, and naturally she didn't want him to suffer the same pain as her.
Xiao Che merely scoffed, his tone ambiguous: "Father, brothers? Ha..."
"Yes, Father, brothers, they will always be by your side... not only them, but also your friends, like Yan Xiao..."
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. His light-colored pupils refracted the sunlight, sparkling like crystal, creating a strange dizziness when one looked into them: "And you? Will you stay by my side forever?"
Yan Jiarou, feeling dizzy and disoriented, nodded as if possessed: "Yes..."
Xiao Che's smile deepened as he leaned close to her ear and slowly uttered, "Let me tell you a secret: I've never actually disliked you."
Yan Jiarou's eyes widened suddenly.
Xiao Che never disliked her, so why... why did he keep teasing her, bullying her, and going against her?
His breath still lingered around her, his burning heat enveloping her, but the temporarily soothed restlessness, after a brief moment of satisfaction, was met with an even more frenzied backlash.
She wanted more.
She thought that this must be the reason why she was already somewhat out of her mind, which was why she inexplicably said "yes" to Xiao Che in front of her.
Her body trembled uncontrollably. She tried her best to suppress her desire and quickly lowered her head, burying it deep in his chest. Otherwise, she was afraid she would bite his neck.
She figured it must be for this reason that she vaguely felt Xiao Che's hand around her waist... It must be an illusion...
His hot breath tickled behind her ear, his voice slightly hoarse with a laugh, as soft as a dream: "Just this once, and the last time... After this, I will only ever consider you my true imperial sister..."
Yan Jiarou thought she was really out of her mind, because even if it was a hallucination, the Xiao Che in the hallucination was speaking in words that she couldn't understand at all...
What do you mean...? Isn't she nominally his imperial sister?
A tickling sensation behind her ear came from Xiao Che gently blowing a breath into her earlobe. His voice was magnetic and somewhat bewitching: "Are you really willing to stay with me forever?"
Before she could answer, his gaze paused, as if he had seen something. He raised an eyebrow provocatively, hissed, and said with a hint of regret, "Unfortunately, you can't stay with me anymore."
"—Your elder brother, the Crown Prince, has arrived."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Jiarou felt her embrace suddenly empty, and the captivating scent and warmth vanished abruptly.
Tormented by a strange desire, she was utterly exhausted from her desperate resistance. Her consciousness had also fallen into a state of chaos, rendering her unable to perceive anything happening around her.
When she regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was Xiao Jue's face, which was filled with worry: "Jiarou, are you alright?"
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