“……”

“……”

The words she was most sick of hearing right now were: “I’m injured.”

Xuan Yanyu gave a light cough. “If I didn’t remind you a few more times……”

“Shut up. Go pour me some tea — I’m thirsty.” Yan Yunning couldn’t be bothered to listen to any more of his nonsense.

The man gave a soft laugh, picked up the teacup, poured a cup of tea, and tilted his chin upward to signal for her to open her mouth. “You see — this is how tea is properly served.”

Yan Yunning’s mouth twitched. She sat up and pulled a soft pillow behind her back. Xuan Yanyu brought the teacup to her lips, clearly intending to feed it to her.

Since someone was waiting on her, Yan Yunning was happy to accept.

Why wouldn’t she? He had been ordering her around for the past few days. Her A’Jie had even offered to come and take care of him, and he had told A’Jie, “No need — Yan Yunning is enough.”

And A’Jie had actually urged her to take good care of him.

Those two were absolutely baffling!!!

When the cup was empty, Xuan Yanyu poured Yan Yunning another.

“I don’t want any more.”

The heat from the tea had flushed the young woman’s fair cheeks a soft pink, and faint traces of tea lingered at the corners of her rosy lips.

Yan Yunning licked her lips. Xuan Yanyu’s breath caught. He raised the teacup and drank the rest in one go, the slightly scalding tea sliding down his throat and suppressing the restlessness within him.

“Xuan Yanyu! You……you……” Yan Yunning pointed at the teacup, unable to get out a single complete sentence.

She had already drunk from it!

Xuan Yanyu looked at the teacup in his hand and feigned composure. “It’s not as though I mind.”

His heartbeat grew more and more erratic, and Xuan Yanyu’s throat bobbed repeatedly.

“Xuan Yanyu!” Yan Yunning took a deep breath. “I mind!”

Was this even a question of minding or not?

The man gave a cold snort. “You dare mind?”

Yan Yunning swallowed. “I……don’t……”

Xuan Yanyu’s eye corner lifted slightly. He gave his lips a light swipe with his tongue, reached out and pulled her arm, and his thin lips landed on her soft ones.

Yan Yunning was caught completely off guard. Her mind buzzed, and she did not dare move a single inch.

“Do you still mind?” The man’s voice was low and husky, his tone slightly taut.

Yan Yunning instinctively smacked her lips together. A faint, unfamiliar sensation lingered between her teeth.

Xuan Yanyu let out a soft laugh — a very pleased one.

Yan Yunning realized what she had just done, buried her face into the brocade quilt, and her cheeks burned crimson.

“Xuan Yanyu, stop laughing.” From beneath the brocade quilt came Yan Yunning’s muffled voice.

It was so embarrassing — she had completely forgotten to settle accounts with him.

“My lord, it’s time to take your medicine.” Ye Jian pushed the door open, and Imperial Physician Wen walked in one after the other behind him.

Imperial Physician Wen frowned. He looked at Yan Yunning on the bed, curled up inside the brocade quilt, and thought: the girl is yet unmarried, the man is yet unwed — what kind of way was this to carry on?

He looked over at Xuan Yanyu again. His lordship seemed to be in a very fine mood.

Imperial Physician Wen stroked his beard. He still remembered that when His Highness had brought the Second Young Miss Yan to him for an examination, His Highness had said the bed was one he had slept in and would not let the Second Young Miss Yan lie in it again.

And yet here he was today, perfectly happy to let the Second Young Miss Yan lie on his bed. So much for standing on ceremony.

Yan Yunning let out a breath, threw back the brocade quilt, and greeted Imperial Physician Wen and Ye Jian.

This was even more embarrassing now — being seen lying on Xuan Yanyu’s bed.

“My lord, the decoction is just the right temperature. You may drink it now.” Ye Jian placed the medicine into Xuan Yanyu’s hands.

Xuan Yanyu’s sharp brows furrowed slightly. He took the bowl with one hand. Yan Yunning watched the man’s throat bob several times as he drained the entire bowl of medicine in one go.

Ye Jian retrieved the empty bowl and handed him a clean cloth.

Xuan Yanyu wiped the corners of his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Yan Yunning putting on her shoes and running over to Imperial Physician Wen with a question. “Doctor Wen, didn’t you say his wound had already scabbed over? So it shouldn’t hurt anymore, right?”

Under Xuan Yanyu’s warning gaze, Imperial Physician Wen told a lie for the first time in his life. “Second Young Miss Yan, it is a sword wound, after all — it cannot heal that quickly.”

Once he had said it, his aged face burned crimson. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought the day would come when he deceived a young girl.

Yan Yunning was visibly unconvinced. That was not what he had said yesterday.

“Xuan Yanyu, let me take a look.” Yan Yunning stepped closer to Xuan Yanyu, her slender hand reaching to push back his sleeve.

Xuan Yanyu gave a soft, quiet laugh and smoothly took hold of her hand. “There are others present.”

Ye Jian lowered his head, utterly perplexed. It was just a look at his arm — not anywhere improper. He and Imperial Physician Wen had both seen it before. Did they need to be kept away too?

Yan Yunning looked at him strangely.

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, I’m coming in.” Yan Shiyao pushed open the wooden door and carried a tray inside.

“First Young Miss Yan.”

“First Young Miss Yan.”

Yan Shiyao smiled and nodded. She noticed that Doctor Wen and Ye Jian, Elder Brother were truly very courteous.

Yan Yunning withdrew her hand and put some distance between herself and Xuan Yanyu, standing obediently to one side.

Xuan Yanyu lifted his eyelids slightly.

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, I made you some crucian carp soup — do try it.” Yan Shiyao set the tray on the round table and carried the soup over to Xuan Yanyu.

“I’m not hungry yet — give it to her.” The man’s lips curved with a smile as his long fingers pointed toward Yan Yunning.

“There is more in the kitchen. If you’re not hungry, you can eat it a little later.” With that, Yan Shiyao looked toward Yan Yunning. “Ningning, why don’t you go have a meal with Doctor Wen and Ye Jian, Elder Brother? I can manage here with Yanyu, Elder Brother.”

“All right.” Yan Yunning didn’t hesitate for a single moment — she turned and walked out.

Xuan Yanyu ground his teeth silently in fury.

Imperial Physician Wen sighed with admiration. The Crown Princess-to-be was truly virtuous — he had never imagined he would one day have the privilege of drinking soup made by her own hands. When he returned to Xuanzhao, he would absolutely go boast about it to all those old fellows at the Imperial Medical Academy.

Ye Jian and Imperial Physician Wen followed behind Yan Yunning and withdrew from the side chamber.

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?” Yan Shiyao asked with concern.

She felt deeply guilty — she had indirectly injured the Second-in-Command, and had also caused Yanyu, Elder Brother to be hurt.

“It is nothing serious.”

An injury like this was hardly worth his notice. He had only been teasing Yan Yunning — that was why he had kept up the act of not yet being recovered.

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, you mustn’t push through it. I heard Ningning say your arm can’t even lift a cup of tea.” Yan Shiyao bit her lip and wiped away a tear.

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, does Imperial Physician Wen have confidence that your arm will recover?” Yan Shiyao’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Xuan Yanyu suppressed the irritation rising in his chest. He despised people who wept and sobbed most of all.

Seeing Xuan Yanyu say nothing, unease welled up in Yan Shiyao’s heart. Could it be that Yanyu, Elder Brother’s arm could not be healed?

At that thought, Yan Shiyao’s tears flowed more freely. “Yanyu, Elder Brother.”

Xuan Yanyu pressed his fingers to his temple, his voice turning somewhat cold. “Stop crying. It will recover.”

“Yanyu, Elder Brother, is that true? You’re not just saying that to comfort me?” Yan Shiyao’s lashes still held teardrops clinging to them.

Xuan Yanyu had reached the very limits of his patience. He said with barely concealed impatience, “I am not comforting you. Now go outside — I need to rest.”

Yan Shiyao’s expression stiffened for a few seconds. “Then I won’t disturb you any further. Remember to drink the soup.”

“Mm.”

Reaching the doorway, Yan Shiyao turned and looked back at him, saying gently, “Yanyu, Elder Brother, since you are all right now, I’ll tell Ningning not to come and take care of you anymore.”

After all, Ningning was not yet married. It was not good for her reputation.

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

Early the following morning, Nan Chu rose to cook. In the night she had heard the sounds coming from Wenjing, Elder Brother’s room and had cried the whole night through. Even now her eyes were still swollen.