The sound of water dripping echoed in her ears.
When You Yuji woke up, she found herself sitting in the water.
She felt a bit confused.
Her bewildered face was reflected on the water’s surface in front of her. Slowly raising her hand to rub her eyes, the water on her hand made her face wet.
Her fine eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked around in confusion.
She was sitting in a square pool made of jade stones, with two cranes standing at the edge of the pool. Fresh water gushed out from the heads of the cranes, which were held high, and fell into the pool.
Soft white gauze surrounded the pool, adding a misty layer to You Yuji’s vision, making it hard to see beyond the shroud.
The creak of a door opening made You Yuji instinctively raise her hand to cover her chest and turn her head towards the sound.
The open door let in a cool breeze from outside, causing the draped white gauze to flutter lightly, partially revealing Si Que as he stepped inside.
You Yuji slowly lowered her hand from her chest.
The white gauze, stirred by the wind, gradually settled back down, floating on the water’s surface.
Si Que carried a food tray in one hand and parted the white gauze with the other, looking at You Yuji. “Sister, you’re finally awake.”
“Why am I in the water?” You Yuji asked softly.
Although she had been intimate with Si Que many times, the thought of him undressing her while she was asleep still made her feel a bit awkward and uneasy.
Si Que bent down to place the food tray on the edge of the pool, speaking as he undressed, “It’s to help you recuperate, of course.”
You Yuji nodded slowly, reluctantly believing his words. But watching him undress, she couldn’t help but ask, “If it’s for my recuperation, why are you coming in?”
“To sit with you, of course,” Si Que replied nonchalantly.
He turned and walked towards a nearby clothes rack, continuing to undress and hang his clothes on the rack.
Watching his back, You Yuji noticed that he was still dressed as a man today and couldn’t help but ask, “Not dressing as a woman anymore?”
She had a doubt in her mind—perhaps he would never return to the Jinban Prince’s Mansion again?
“This is the Poison Pavilion.”
You Yuji suddenly understood. The people in the Poison Pavilion probably didn’t know that their master and the beautiful Princess Que were the same person.
Si Que, now undressed, turned back and walked towards You Yuji. Her gaze, fixed on him, faltered and quickly shifted away.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Si Que said comfortably as he settled into the water.
The water surface rippled, brushing against You Yuji’s chest, making her snow-white skin appear more vivid. Si Que’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer.
Lowering her head, You Yuji pondered Si Que’s words, slowly realizing what he meant. She murmured weakly, “Shameless.”
Si Que merely chuckled.
His long legs beneath the water stretched out, with his right leg lifting and resting his ankle on his left knee, touching You Yuji’s leg beside him.
You Yuji moved her leg aside.
Si Que glanced at her, and his foot reached out underwater to touch her leg again.
The corners of You Yuji’s mouth curved slightly, but this time, she didn’t move away, pretending not to notice.
Si Que adjusted his position, placing both his legs on You Yuji’s. Only then did You Yuji turn her gaze towards him, meeting a pair of eyes that seemed either to be laughing or provoking.
Unable to hold back her smile any longer, You Yuji let it show completely. She asked, “What did you bring over?”
Only then did Si Que reach for the food tray placed at the edge of the pool, which held a bowl of clear porridge and a few small dishes.
You Yuji sniffed the faint fragrance, and it immediately made her feel a bit hungry. She had slept deeply and for a long time last night, and it was already almost noon now. Given her current poor health, Si Que had brought only light food for her.
You Yuji reached out towards Si Que to take the small spoon, but he dodged.
“With your hands trembling like that, wouldn’t you spill the porridge and dirty the water,” Si Que said, holding the bowl of porridge and scooping up a spoonful to feed her.
You Yuji quickly took a bite, glancing at her hands. She felt that Si Que was making excuses, as he seemed to enjoy feeding her. The second spoonful was already at her lips, and she hurriedly leaned forward.
But Si Que suddenly pulled the spoon back a bit and said slowly, “Come on, open wide. Ah—”
He even demonstrated with a playful expression.
“Que, you’re acting like a three-year-old,” You Yuji said with a bemused smile.
She moved closer to Si Que, her chest gradually emerging from the water. With her wet, delicate hand resting softly on Si Que’s wrist, she leaned in, opened her mouth, and took the spoon into her mouth, savoring the fragrant porridge.
She closed her eyes in satisfaction and then leaned back a little, withdrawing her hand from his wrist and pressing her fingertips to her lips.
As her chest submerged back into the water, the surface continued to ripple gently.
Si Que’s gaze, initially fixed on the lightly rippling water, slowly moved up to her lips, lingering there.
Gripping the small porcelain bowl tightly, Si Que silently called her a “vixen” in his mind.
After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, “It seems your body is almost recovered.”
— She had enough energy to tease him, after all.
You Yuji shook her head and said, “Leaving aside the poison’s effects, my stomach is already empty. I really have no strength at all.”
“Is that so?” Si Que raised his voice slightly, “Let me check.”
He reached into the water, his hand covering her abdomen and pressing gently, speaking slowly, “It does seem a bit empty.”
You Yuji said nothing, smiling as she looked at the bowl in Si Que’s hand.
Even if he insisted on feeding her, he should at least feed her enough to fill her up.
“Come sit up here,” he said.
You Yuji was taken aback and instinctively asked, “What?”
“Sit closer; it’ll be easier to feed you porridge,” Si Que said, a compliant smile slowly spreading across his lips, as if he were entirely serious.
He wanted her to straddle his legs and move closer to him before he would continue feeding her.
Later, Si Que realized he had made a bad decision. His bright smile had long disappeared, replaced by tightly pressed lips. He repeated the stiff motion of feeding You Yuji, spoonful by spoonful.
Finally, the porridge in the small blue porcelain bowl was finished. Si Que placed the bowl back on the tray with a heavy hand, his face grim.
“What kind of fruit is this from?” You Yuji asked.
Si Que had not only brought porridge but also a few pieces of candied fruit. Hearing her question, he begrudgingly picked up a piece of candied fruit to feed her.
The taste was delightful, and You Yuji’s appetite was good; she ate three pieces in a row.
“Are you done?” Si Que almost ground out these words through his teeth, losing his usual elegance. He had been enduring for too long and was at his limit.
In response, You Yuji let out a soft yawn.
Si Que’s heart skipped a beat, sensing something bad was about to happen.
The next moment, You Yuji’s eyes slowly closed as she leaned against his chest. Her soft, wet body pressed against him, while his back was against the hard jade stone pool wall, leaving Si Que no room to escape. The effects of the poison, Ruan Wusan, made You Yuji drowsy again.
Si Que looked down at You Yuji, seeing the slight curve of her lips.
His face darkened as he pinched her cheek, complaining, “Are you a pig? Eating and then wanting to sleep? You get full and then ignore me? Wake up.”
He patted her face, droplets of water falling on her fair cheek and slowly trickling down, meandering over her long neck, eventually disappearing.
Si Que wanted to knock on her head harder to wake her up and tease her again. But seeing her sleep so soundly, with a smile on her lips, he slowly lowered his raised hand and gently moved a strand of wet hair away from her ear.
“Sister sleeps so well only in my arms, isn’t that right?”
Although the poison’s effects made You Yuji drowsy, she didn’t fall asleep immediately. She leaned powerlessly against Si Que, her eyelids too heavy to lift. Her mind, though sluggish, was still awake, aware of Si Que’s every move and hearing every word he said.
After a moment, she heard Si Que mutter to himself, “Sister not saying anything means she agrees.”
The curve of You Yuji’s lips deepened.
The gentle water surface rippled, brushing against her chest, softly knocking on her heart. She silently questioned her heart, whether her feelings for the person she was leaning against had grown a bit more.
Si Que’s hand rested on You Yuji’s shoulder.
You Yuji felt completely enveloped by his presence. She thought, if time could stop at this moment, it wouldn’t be so bad. She hadn’t felt such complete relaxation in a long time.
What about him?
Had his feelings for her grown any more?
You Yuji didn’t dwell on it further. She nestled in Si Que’s embrace and slowly fell asleep.
When You Yuji woke up again, she was no longer in the water but lying on a bed. She turned her head to look out the window, seeing darkness.
Had it really turned night already?
“Awake? Get up and eat.” Si Que paused for a moment, then added, “Pig fox.”
You Yuji propped herself up to sit and was about to get out of bed when she realized she wasn’t wearing any clothes. She looked at Si Que in shock and questioned, “Why didn’t you dress me?”
She made a move to get up and fetch her clothes, but Si Que pressed her shoulder, making her sit back down on the bed.
“I’ll get them for you.” Si Que turned and walked towards the wardrobe to fetch her clothes.
You Yuji watched his back with suspicion, wondering what he might have done while she was asleep.
Si Que glanced back at You Yuji, a smile in his eyes.
He hadn’t done anything, but he enjoyed seeing her overthink because of him.
Si Que dressed You Yuji and then picked her up, carrying her to the outer room.
Upon arriving in the outer room, You Yuji was surprised to see several unfamiliar maids setting the table. She gently pushed Si Que’s shoulder and whispered, “I can walk by myself.”
Obviously, Si Que ignored her.
He rarely got to see You Yuji weak and completely dependent on him, and he cherished this brief moment of her reliance.
Needless to say, You Yuji didn’t do anything herself during the meal, as Si Que fed her everything. She sneaked a glance at the maids, who kept their heads down, silent and motionless.
Unable to hold back, You Yuji whispered, “Don’t just feed me; you should eat too.”
Si Que let out a heavy sigh and said, “Just looking at you makes me feel full. Why eat?”
You Yuji glared at him, about to speak, when the piece of green bamboo shoot he was offering almost poked her lips. She hurriedly opened her mouth to eat it and then asked without much hope, “Could you help me find out the whereabouts of the guards who went out with me that day? I feel like the Crown Prince wouldn’t let them live. Please… please help me look for them?”
Si Que didn’t respond immediately, instead using his silver chopsticks to pick a piece of green bamboo shoot that caught his eye and put it in his mouth. As he chewed on the fragrant bamboo shoot, he leaned closer to You Yuji.
You Yuji’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. She quickly glanced at the maids standing like wooden figures with their heads down, feeling a bit conflicted. Then, she swiftly kissed Si Que on the cheek.
She quickly pulled back, lowering her eyes demurely and reaching for the cup of tea in front of her to cover her pounding heart. Whether it was the effects of the poison making her hands weak or her racing heart making her nervous, her hands trembled, causing the tea to spill slightly.
Si Que’s smile widened.
He gazed at You Yuji, his eyes growing deeper.
I will never let you cry again, never let you fall into danger, and never let anyone dare to covet you.
He held You Yuji’s trembling hand, helping her steady the restless cup of tea.
