The earlier confrontation seemed to have drained Xiao Jinyu of all his strength. Lying on the couch, he weakly held Chu Chu's hand, eyes closed and brows tightly furrowed, his breathing labored.
Sitting in the familiar carriage, everything that had just happened at the Xue residence felt like a nightmare that had inexplicably forced its way into her mind. Chu Chu hadn't fully processed it all, nor did she care to understand matters that had little to do with her. Her only concern was the person lying on the couch. All the fear and anger in her heart at that moment stemmed from the threats and suffering Xue Rucheng had inflicted upon him.
Chu Chu even regretted not snatching the dagger from Xiao Jinyu's hand earlier and stabbing Xue Rucheng a few more times.
"Chu Chu... don't be afraid..."
These were the only words Xiao Jinyu had left her before vomiting blood and losing consciousness. When he struggled back to wakefulness, he was already in the bedroom of One Heart Garden, deep in the night.
Seeing Xiao Jinyu open his eyes, Chu Chu, who had been keeping vigil by the bed, immediately reached out to touch his face, helping him orient himself to her presence. Her face was full of anxiety and relief, yet her voice remained exceptionally gentle, as if afraid of startling the newly awakened man.
Xiao Jinyu parted his lips, but the single word he managed to utter came out as a hoarse rasp. Understanding his need, Chu Chu picked up a bowl of water and carefully fed him spoonful by spoonful until he shook his head slightly. Only then did she set the bowl aside and meticulously tuck the quilt snugly around him.
Seeing Xiao Jinyu's unwavering gaze fixed on her, Chu Chu knew what he was waiting for. Gently stroking his feverish forehead, she said softly, "Wang Ye, rest assured. Brother Jing went to check—Shi Niang and Xue Ming are both safe. Shi Niang has already... already completed the wedding ceremony with... that person. Ping'er and Wulan are staying with Mr. Gu for now. With the wet nurse looking after them, they're playing happily..."
Chu Chu pursed her lips, hesitating briefly before continuing, "Mr. Gu said the dampness and pathogenic factors in your body have already affected the heart meridian. With all the recent exhaustion, catching a cold, and the emotional turmoil aggravating your old internal injuries, you need proper rest for a few days."
Xiao Jinyu's heart sank. He had long known that the rheumatism in his body would eventually affect his heart, triggering a series of deeper torments and pushing him closer to the underworld... but he hadn't expected it to happen at such an inopportune time.
Noticing the dimming of his gaze, Chu Chu hurriedly added, "Wang Ye, don't be afraid. Mr. Gu said if you take good care of yourself, you can still recover... at least a little..."
He had long since researched the nature of this illness thoroughly.
A faint, bitter smile touched Xiao Jinyu's lips as he shook his head weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "Help me..."
Chu Chu bit her lip. Of course, she knew what Xiao Jinyu wanted her help with—it was a task she had no desire to perform. Yet, she couldn't bear his pleading gaze. Nodding reluctantly, she leaned down and kissed his dim, lackluster eyes. "Your joints are still swollen... it might hurt a bit. You'll have to endure it."
Xiao Jinyu watched her quietly. This girl's eyes were too pure, incapable of hiding anything. Even with his own mind in turmoil, he could see at a glance that she was trying hard to feign calmness to comfort him—for those beautiful eyes were clearly filled with nothing but worry and fear.Xiao Jinyu felt both guilty and heartbroken, wanting to tell her it was alright to cry, yet ultimately unable to disregard her thoughtful intentions.
"Thank you..."
Chu Chu brought over a stack of clean clothes, unfolding a smile warmer than the air in the room, and pressed her lips to his pale yet fever-hot ones. Only after receiving Xiao Jinyu's weak but earnest response did she speak gently yet firmly, "Wang Ye, I believe you will surely capture that person."
Xiao Jinyu gave a faint smile. "Thank you..."
☆ 121 Manchu Han Imperial Feast (13)
When Mu Yao saw Xiao Jinyu, he was already dressed neatly and sitting in the study of One Heart Garden. A dagger lay on the desk before him, its blade cleaned of bloodstains until it gleamed like new.
After rising from his bow, Mu Yao frowned at Xiao Jinyu's unusually pale complexion but remained silent, keeping his eyes meekly lowered to the ground.
"Thank you for the dagger..."
Mu Yao slightly bowed his head, every muscle in his body relaxed as if Xiao Jinyu had merely borrowed his dagger to peel a radish. "If it suits Your Highness, you may keep it. I have others."
"Thank you for listening to me and not acting recklessly..."
Mu Yao rubbed his nose and shrugged. "Your reasoning was sound... and your household has many experts I cannot defeat."
Xiao Jinyu coughed softly several times, each breath labored and wheezing. Mu Yao couldn't help looking up at him. "Wang Ye, do you need my assistance?"
Xiao Jinyu gave a slight nod. "Xue Rucheng knows your feelings for Shi Niang... To save her, I need you to die."
Mu Yao paused briefly, then nodded. "If it can save Shi Niang, it's acceptable."
"My thanks..."
Once Mu Yao left, Chu Chu emerged from behind the screen in the corner. Without asking a single question, she helped Xiao Jinyu back to his room, supported him onto the bed, and changed his clothes—already soaked through with cold sweat from just a short while of sitting. As she carefully massaged his pain-stiffened body, watching his faintly bluish complexion gradually ease, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Wang Ye, are you feeling better now?"
Xiao Jinyu managed a strained smile. "Cold... hold me..."
Over the past two years, Xiao Jinyu had grown increasingly fearful of cold. Winter to him was like a months-long natural disaster, and each time he survived it, he felt as though he'd narrowly escaped death. This year's winter had only just begun, yet he already felt frozen through to his core.
Chu Chu slipped under the covers, holding his feverishly hot body tightly. After a long silence from Xiao Jinyu, she thought he had fallen asleep, when suddenly she felt a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then came his ever-soft voice, "Chu Chu... could you divorce me?"
Thinking she must have misheard, Chu Chu sat up and stared at him blankly. "Wang Ye, what did you say?"
Befuddled by fever, Xiao Jinyu weakly grasped her hand, his gaze both resolute and deeply nostalgic. Before he even spoke, Chu Chu's heart had already twisted into knots. Looking intently at her, he whispered slowly, "I don't want to divorce you... so you divorce me instead... If you divorce me, even if I lose to him, you could still live..."
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