“Imperial Physician Wen, please get up.” Yan Yunning touched her nose with unease, crouched down, and helped him to his feet. “You are a good imperial physician. This time it was my fault.”

The little old man was on the verge of venting two indignant huffs, caught a glimpse of his Highness out of the corner of his eye, and swallowed them back down.

“I’m sorry for interrupting your meal. Please go back and finish.”

Imperial Physician Wen was somewhat taken aback. Even if he had done no wrong, she had been scolded on his behalf by His Highness. She was under no obligation to apologize to him — she was His Highness’s person, a mistress, while he was merely a subject.

Once Imperial Physician Wen had withdrawn, the side room fell back into silence.

“There is no need to worry. Imperial Physician Wen just said that my sister will wake by early morning tomorrow.” Yan Yunning idly wound a strand of hair around her finger with a smile. “No need to ask over and over.”

Xuan Yanyu put on a composed expression. “This Palace simply feared that A’Yao might not wake, which is why this Palace asked a few more times. This Palace was indeed somewhat overly worried.”

Yan Yunning played along, smiling with thinly veiled mischief. “Yes, I quite understand.”

Xuan Yanyu lowered his gaze. He had not performed that very well — one look at Yan Yunning’s expression made that clear enough.

He had originally planned to make Yan Yunning feel a little unsettled — jealous enough that she couldn’t help but come to him of her own accord. And even if she didn’t come to him, he would still find a way to bring her to Xuanzhao. He had not anticipated that her injury would throw his plans into disarray.

The man cast a sidelong glance at the unconscious Yan Shiyao on the bed. What had possessed her to go around picking up someone else’s child??

“Don’t worry, she will wake. Who knows — you might be watching her right now and she’ll come to.” Yan Yunning suppressed a smile.

How was it possible for him to be both utterly unreasonable and inexplicably endearing at the same time.

Xuan Yanyu cast a slow, unhurried glance her way and said with perfect composure, “This Palace thinks you make a fair point. Go watch her for this Palace — you are this Palace’s handmaid, so watching over her on this Palace’s behalf is the same as this Palace watching over her.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

“As long as A’Yao has not woken, this Palace cannot rest easy.” The man stared fixedly at Yan Shiyao on the bed, urgency visible in his eyes.

Yan Yunning laughed quietly. “My sister has a fever — I don’t know if it has broken yet. Go and feel her forehead, so you can set your mind at ease.”

Xuan Yanyu furrowed his brow and said nothing.

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow. Not keeping up the act anymore??

“This Palace trusts Imperial Physician Wen.”

Implying: no need to check.

Yan Yunning said “Ah,” then added, “And yet just now you were threatening to remove him from his post as imperial physician. Now you trust him again?”

Xuan Yanyu looked down and met her gaze. The girl’s eyes brimmed with sly, delighted laughter.

He gave a light cough. “You watch over A’Yao for this Palace. This Palace has other matters to attend to.”

If he stayed any longer, he would lose his mind entirely!

“……” Yan Yunning curved her lips. “Xuan Yanyu, but I am hungry. Could you possibly — on account of my sister — keep me company for a meal? My hand is injured. ‘Dear brother-in-law…'”

Xuan Yanyu’s lips pressed together. He had the distinct feeling of having dropped a stone onto his own foot.

“May I, dear bro…”

“Be quiet.” The man cut her off, his gaze darkening.

Yan Yunning closed her mouth and stood obediently at his side.

Xuan Yanyu clenched his fist, closed his eyes briefly, then conceded graciously, “Very well — just this once, on account of A’Yao.”

“Wonderful.” Yan Yunning smiled until her eyes curved, and she proactively reached out to take his hand.

Xuan Yanyu’s brow shifted subtly.

In the dining hall, Ye Chen had long since prepared the evening meal. Ye Jian watched Yan Yunning hold Xuan Yanyu’s hand and raised an eyebrow. Had they made up again?

Would he not even pursue the matter of Second Young Miss Yan having poisoned him?

His Highness had only one life. Xuanzhao, the Prince of Xuan, and the Princess of Xuan had only His Highness as their precious one. Heaven forbid His Highness should throw himself away over Second Young Miss Yan.

Later on, he would remind Second Young Miss Yan — harming His Highness was grounds for execution under Xuanzhao’s laws!

“Bring a wooden spoon.” Xuan Yanyu glanced sideways and instructed Ye Chen.

“There is no need. Didn’t you just agree to keep me company for the meal? Help me a little more, won’t you?” Yan Yunning pressed her advantage.

Xuan Yanyu curved his lips, tapping his fingers lightly on the teacup. “You want this Palace to feed you? Yan Yunning, have you forgotten your station? You are this Palace’s handmaid.”

Yan Yunning held up her injured right hand and waved it before him, putting on an exaggerated aggrieved voice. “But it was on account of your A’Yao that I was injured. Should you not, on A’Yao’s behalf, look after me until my hand has healed?”

Xuan Yanyu picked up his chopsticks and twirled them between his fingers, the displeasure on his face completely undisguised. “You deserve it. Who told you to go along with her?”

“……” Yan Yunning pursed her lips.

As if she had wanted to go along. She had refused and it had done nothing — was she supposed to physically tear herself from the woman’s grip and start a quarrel?

The man gave a cold snort. “Foolish.”

Following Yan Shiyao could never lead to anything good.

He had followed her for a year and had known not one moment of peace.

Yan Yunning lowered her lashes and stared absently at the wound in her palm.

“And dim-witted as well.” Xuan Yanyu gave another cold snort.

If she were not dim-witted, she would not have thought about pushing him away.

The rims of Yan Yunning’s eyes began to sting.

“Both foolish and dim-witted,” Xuan Yanyu continued.

“I’m done eating. Eat by yourself.” Yan Yunning’s voice caught in her throat with a nasal tinge. As the words fell, she stood up and ran from the room.

The man stared after her in a stunned daze, then looked at Ye Jian and Ye Chen. “Did this Palace… say something wrong?”

Ye Chen immediately replied, “Your Highness said nothing wrong.”

How could His Highness the Crown Prince be wrong?

Ye Jian’s lips moved, but he said nothing.

Xuan Yanyu’s brow creased tightly. He stared at the table full of food for a moment, then rose and left the dining hall.

……

Yan Yunning ran out of the dining hall without going to find Yan Shiyao. She went straight back to the Prime Minister’s residence and shut herself in her room.

Curled up inside her quilted covers, the girl muttered under her breath, “Too dramatic. Was that even worth it.”

She wiped away tears that refused to behave.

“Who does he think he’s calling foolish and dim-witted?”

“As if he isn’t foolish himself. As if he isn’t dim-witted himself.”

Yan Yunning mumbled and grumbled for a good while, and before long her voice grew quieter and quieter, and she drifted off into a deep sleep.

She did not even hear Xuan Yanyu enter the side room.

The man walked to the edge of the sleeping platform and crouched down, rubbing the tip of his nose gently against her cheek. “Little fool.”

“No… I’m not.” The girl murmured something in her half-sleep.

“If you’re not a fool, then why did you mix medicine into a drink and then drink it yourself?” Xuan Yanyu pinched her soft earlobe lightly.

“If you’re not a fool, why did you go off with Yan Shiyao and get your hand wounded like this?”

The man bent and pressed his lips to hers, his fingertips tracing slow, idle circles against her cheek.

“Mm…” Yan Yunning was roused by the disturbance and raised her eyelids. When she saw who it was, she reached out and gave him a tug. Xuan Yanyu let himself be pulled and settled down beside her.

“Xuan Yanyu.” The girl rested her head against his shoulder.

Xuan Yanyu carefully took her injured hand into his. “Mm.”

“Xuan Yanyu, I’m sorry.” Yan Yunning pressed closer into his arms and said in a muffled voice.

Xuan Yanyu’s fingers curled gently through her hair. “It’s all right.”

He knew what she was referring to — nothing more than the incident where she had drugged a drink, which Yan Shiyao had then fallen unconscious over. As for what she had put into it.

In any case he had come to no harm, and he did not care. As long as she did not marry someone else, as long as she remained his, she would never need to apologize to him. He would allow her to make a little trouble now and then. Besides, that was already in the past.

His attitude toward her had not been good back then, and he had even asked her to coax Yan Shiyao for him. It was only natural that she had found him disagreeable.

“I don’t dislike you either,” Yan Yunning said quietly. “The reason I said what I said then was because I was afraid you would defy your Emperor Father’s command and anger him.”