Jiang Li slept for two full days and nights. Though she woke briefly a few times to take her medicine, she quickly fell back into a deep sleep.
By the third night, her high fever had subsided into a low-grade one.
Yang Huiniang and Jiang Ling, who had been at her bedside the entire time, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Exhausted, they retired to their rooms for some much-needed rest.
The distant sound of the third watch drum marked the dead of night. The tavern courtyard was silent, its occupants fast asleep. A tall figure leapt over the white wall with practiced ease and slipped quietly into Jiang Li’s room.
Jiang Li stirred restlessly in her sleep, a sheen of cold sweat glistening on her forehead. In her hazy state, she felt herself enveloped in a warm embrace, the scent of bamboo and musk unmistakably familiar.
“A’Li.”
The low, hoarse voice was soft but carried an undercurrent of deep emotion.
Jiang Li, half-conscious, immediately recognized the voice. “Huo Jue?”
“It’s me.”
The arms around her tightened, holding her close as though afraid to let her go.
Her muddled mind didn’t question his presence or whether this was a dream. Instead, her thoughts turned to the pearl flower hairpin she had lost in the lotus pond. The weight of that loss hit her anew, and grief welled up inside her. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“Huo Jue,” she choked out, her voice trembling with sadness. “The pearl flower you gave me… it’s gone. I looked for it in the lotus pond for so long, but I couldn’t find it.”
Huo Jue’s heart clenched at her tearful voice, and for a brief moment, panic flickered in his eyes. “It’s alright. If it’s lost, I’ll find it for you,” he said hurriedly, his voice soothing.
Jiang Li shook her head, her tears falling faster. “No, it’s gone forever,” she cried. “The token of love you gave me is gone.”
Her tears soaked into his sleeves, each drop cutting into his heart like a blade.
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her cry. In his previous life, when she learned he had been castrated to enter the palace, she had cried outside the palace gates, inconsolable.
She had begged him to tell her the truth, asking if he’d been forced into it. She’d even vowed to avenge him.
The memory of that bitterly cold winter came rushing back. Snow had blanketed the ground, and the sky was heavy with dark clouds the day she came to see him.
Her tears had frozen on her lashes, only for new ones to replace them moments later. She had tried to smile through her tears, her voice light and comforting despite the anguish in her eyes.
“Huo Jue,” she had said, her tone trembling, “even if you’ve been castrated, you’re still a man who stands tall and proud. Don’t lose hope—I’ll find a way to redeem you.”
Huo Jue closed his eyes as the memory clawed at him. How many nights had he woken, haunted by the thought of that day? If only he could go back, he would never have faced her with such cold indifference.
He would have held her, wiped away her tears, and kissed her pain away.
“A’Li,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry.”
Nestled in his arms, Jiang Li’s body trembled as her tears fell harder. But then, suddenly, she froze.
A single tear rolled down her cheek and met the warmth of his lips.
His breath was hot, and so were his lips.
Huo Jue kissed her tears away, his movements tender and reverent. “Don’t cry, A’Li,” he whispered, his voice low and soothing, resonating in the stillness of the night.
His fingers brushed her lips, dry and trembling. Tilting her chin gently, he leaned in and claimed her lips.
The kiss was fervent yet careful, his tongue sweeping over her lips and exploring her mouth with a mix of passion and restraint.
It was both an overwhelming storm and a gentle drizzle—an unrelenting tide that pulled her in.
Jiang Li’s head spun, her breaths quick and shallow. Her fingers clutched tightly at his collar, her knuckles turning white.
When Huo Jue finally released her lips, his forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling. His voice dropped to a whisper, warm and steady against her skin.
“A’Li,” he said, “breathe.”
-
Jiang Li woke up the following afternoon.
The first thing she did was ask, “Did Huo Jue come last night?”
Yang Huiniang had just finished taking her temperature. Hearing the question, she nodded and said, “Huo Jue has been coming two or three times a day these past few days. He’s been helping A’Ling boil medicine for you. Sigh... I misjudged him before. I thought he was cold and indifferent, but he’s warmhearted beneath that exterior.”
Jiang Li hesitated for a moment before asking, “Then... did he come into my room?”
“What nonsense are you thinking?” Yang Huiniang gave her a pointed look. “Huo Jue is always proper and polite. How could he possibly barge into your boudoir?”
Jiang Li lowered her gaze, her fingers unconsciously brushing her lips.
So... last night was just a dream?
Xue Zhen hadn’t seen Huo Jue in three days. Normally, when he came to the academy, he would stop by the bamboo house to greet her father.
For reasons unknown, she had spent the last few days lingering in the bamboo house from morning to night, yet she hadn’t had a single “chance encounter” with him.
After subtly probing her father, she learned that Huo Jue had taken leave.
One morning, just as Xue Zhen finished her breakfast, a servant who attended to her father came sneaking over to inform her, “Mr. Huo has arrived.”
Xue Zhen’s spirits lifted immediately. She hurried to prepare herself, carefully applying makeup before heading to the bamboo grove. She calculated her timing perfectly, arriving just as a tall figure emerged from the trees.
Her heart leapt with delight. Composing herself, she stepped forward, bowed lightly, and greeted him with a soft smile. “Mr. Huo.”
“Miss Xue,” Huo Jue replied indifferently, his expression calm, his pale eyelids half-lowered.
“Zhen’er hasn’t seen Mr. Huo in a few days,” she said, feigning casual concern. “My father mentioned you had taken leave. Is everything alright at home?”
“Thank you for asking,” Huo Jue replied evenly. “An elder in my family has been ill, so I took a few days off to care for them.”
So, it wasn’t because of Jiang Li.
Xue Zhen let out a subtle breath of relief, her smile softening. “You’re very filial, Mr. Huo. I’m sure your elder will recover soon.” She tilted her head slightly, letting the sunlight accentuate her carefully made-up face. “By the way, I heard Miss Jiang fell into the water during Old Lady Chen’s birthday banquet. I hope she’s alright?”
Huo Jue’s expression remained unchanged, but his gaze sharpened slightly. “Oh? I wasn’t aware A’Li fell into the water.”
Xue Zhen’s smile didn’t falter. She assumed Jiang Li hadn’t dared to tell him, fearing he wouldn’t believe her.
“Indeed,” Xue Zhen said, her tone carrying just the right hint of concern. “During the banquet, Miss Jiang fell into the lotus pond. Suiyun and I happened to be nearby and immediately called for help. Thankfully, she was rescued quickly and wasn’t in the water for long.”
She paused, her voice dropping. “But...”
Huo Jue’s gaze fixed on her. “But what?”
Xue Zhen’s eyes reddened slightly, and she shook her head, sighing. “Forget it... It’s nothing worth mentioning.”
“What do you mean by ‘forget it’?” interrupted Suiwu, the maid standing beside her, lips pursed in indignation. “Miss, you were kind enough to save her, yet she accused you of harming her. She’s clearly jealous and used the opportunity to smear your reputation.”
“Suiwu, don’t speak nonsense,” Xue Zhen reprimanded lightly, though her tone remained graceful. “Perhaps Miss Jiang was just frightened and said things in a moment of panic. Let the past stay in the past; there’s no need to bring it up again.”
She turned to Huo Jue, her voice gentle and reassuring. “Mr. Huo, please don’t take what I’ve said to heart. As long as Miss Jiang is unharmed, I’m relieved.”
Huo Jue’s gaze bore into Xue Zhen, his dark eyes unreadable. After a long moment, the corners of his lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile.
“In that case, Miss Xue, rest assured—I won’t take it seriously.”
Huo Jue’s figure quickly vanished at the end of the path.
Sui Wu smirked and turned to Xue Zhen. “Miss, you see? I was right. That girl didn’t dare to complain at all. Mr. Huo wouldn’t believe anything she said anyway. It’s obvious he doesn’t take her seriously. Otherwise, how could he not even know she fell into the water?”
Xue Zhen lowered her gaze, lightly dusting off her sleeves, and smiled faintly. “I suspect the pearl flower she wore that day wasn’t a gift from Mr. Huo at all.”
Sui Wu’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Sui Yun must have been mistaken. She was so far away that day—how could she clearly see what Mr. Huo bought? Sui Yun’s eyesight has always been poor, so it’s no surprise she got it wrong.”
Xue Zhen glanced at Sui Wu with a cool expression. “Sui Yun truly lacks the capability to handle things. You, on the other hand, did well just now. From now on, you’ll accompany me instead.”
Sui Wu beamed with joy. She hadn’t served the young lady as long as Sui Yun had and was always overshadowed by her. Finally, she had the chance to surpass Sui Yun!
“Miss, should I arrange for someone to spread rumors in the city tomorrow?”
“Forget it,” Xue Zhen said with a slight smirk. “In a few days, I’ll be going to Lanruo Temple with my mother to pray for a good marriage. Let’s set this matter aside for now.”
-
After school, Huo Jue didn’t return to Zhufu Street immediately. Instead, he made his way to Hongfu Restaurant in the eastern part of the city.
Inside Room No. 1, a lively girl in pink was sipping tea, looking bored. Moments later, a waiter’s voice echoed from the corridor. “Miss Bihong, the person you’ve been waiting for is here.”
Bihong’s crisp voice rang out. “Let him in.”
As Huo Jue entered, Bihong prepared a cup of tea for him. “Mr. Huo,” she asked, “has A’Li’s cold improved?”
“A’Li is recovering. She should be able to leave her bed in a few days. I’m deeply grateful to you for your kindness, Miss Bihong,” Huo Jue said, bowing solemnly.
Bihong quickly waved her hands. “There’s no need to thank me. If I’d stayed by A’Li’s side that day, she wouldn’t have been pushed into the water.”
Seeing that Huo Jue still bowed respectfully, Bihong hurriedly returned the gesture and pushed a mahogany box toward him. “This is some salvia miltiorrhiza that the old lady gave me. I was planning to give it to A’Li anyway. Please take it to her for me, Mr. Huo.”
Huo Jue declined the box with a firm shake of his head. “Miss Bihong, I appreciate your thoughtfulness on behalf of A’Li, but please keep the salvia miltiorrhiza for yourself.”
Having dealt with Huo Jue just two days ago, Bihong had already realized he was a man of unwavering principles.
Studying his expression, she smiled faintly. “Alright then. With Mr. Huo and A’Li’s family taking such good care of her, I have no reason to worry.”
She took back the medicine, sipped her tea thoughtfully, and hesitated for a moment before asking, “May I ask why Mr. Huo sought me out today?”
Bihong was puzzled. Two days ago, Huo Jue had already come to her to inquire about the details of A’Li falling into the water. She had told him everything she knew. Why had he come to see her again?
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