Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play

Chapter 796 - 774: Flirting

Xie Jue was awakened by the pain, his body drenched in sweat. Fang Chuning, who had been sleeping beside him, had already heard his groans. She got up to brew the medicine. The Imperial Physician, aware of Xie Jue’s unbearable pain, had specially concocted a pain-relieving decoction. Fang Chuning saw him asleep and didn’t wake him to drink it, so now it was already cold. She heated it on the stove and brought it to Xie Jue to drink. Xie Jue’s face was pale, tormented by the pain to an embarrassing degree. Although the pain was bearable, its intensity made it hard to endure, especially in the dead of night.

"Why are you sleeping in my room?"

"To take care of you," Fang Chuning said, using a warm towel to wipe his sweat. The decoction didn’t take effect immediately. "It’s just past midnight, still early. Once the medicine kicks in, you can sleep for a bit."

Xie Jue was no longer sleepy, resting against the soft pillow. Fang Chuning looked extremely tired. Xie Jue patted the spot beside him, "Come over and sleep."

"I’m not tired. I’ll keep you company and chat with you."

"Your eyes are bloodshot. Have you been watching over me all along?" In empathy, Xie Jue remembered a year when Fang Chuning was seriously injured. He too stayed up all night, not daring to close his eyes, fearing Fang Chuning would awaken in pain in the night, discomforted with no one to talk to, or unable to get a sip of hot water. He dared not close his eyes, and at that time, with a hidden sentiment, he could only gaze at Fang Chuning unabashedly when he was in a deep sleep.

Being exposed, Fang Chuning was not embarrassed and soon brought hot water for him again. "Are you feeling better?"

"The medicine has taken effect. It doesn’t hurt as much now."

"So soon? The medicine from the Imperial Hospital is indeed better than that from the military doctor." In the military camp, pain-relieving decoctions took at least half an hour to work. Seeing he wasn’t thirsty or hungry and seemed in good spirits, Fang Chuning obediently lay next to him. The truth was Xie Jue’s medicine hadn’t fully worked yet, but he didn’t want Fang Chuning to wait for him, so he closed his eyes to rest, clearly feeling that heated gaze beside him.

"Fang Chuning, close your eyes!"

"How did you know I was looking at you?"

Xie Jue thought, when you’re too familiar with someone’s presence, you don’t need to open your eyes to know their state. Fang Chuning, noticing he hadn’t felt tired for a long while, understood that Xie Jue wished for him to rest well, feeling a slight warmth in his heart. Even when he speaks of spending a lifetime like this, his heart always softens. To be honest, the nature of Ting Feng was genuinely aloof.

He had no particular hobbies nor anything he especially wanted to do. If it weren’t for the influence of the men from the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion throughout his life, he wouldn’t have had such a strong devotion to protecting the people. Seemingly wanting nothing, as if he could leisurely read a book even if the sky were falling. His emotions weren’t intense, hardly considering anyone, and the joys and sorrows of others had nothing to do with him. He was so cold to everything, except towards him. From childhood to adulthood, Ting Feng’s heart always softened easily.

Thus, he dared to take advantage!

Fang Chuning’s hand measured gently on his waist for a moment, ambiguously saying, "Ting Feng, you’ve lost a lot of weight."

"Take your hand off, don’t touch recklessly."

"Where on your body can’t I touch?" The heat lingered around Xie Jue’s ear. Some people took advantage of his current pain, teasing him intentionally. Frustrated, Xie Jue had nowhere to vent, feeling it was truly karma.

"I remember when I got injured in Beiman, you teased me this way too, measuring me from head to toe with a ruler every three days, right?" Fang Chuning touched his waist, "Should I follow your example?"

"Scram!"

Enduring the pain was one thing, but enduring Fang Chuning’s harassment was another. Xie Jue closed his eyes and pretended to be dead, ignoring whatever Fang Chuning said, as if he heard nothing.

Fang Chuning thought to himself, cowardly!

Missing the unrestrained Ting Feng in Beiman.

With Fang Chuning in the room, the shadow guard went to rest early. Xie Jue endured his teasing until the medication finally took effect. After the pain-relief decoction worked, drowsiness set in with the diminishment of pain. Once truly sleepy, Fang Chuning became quiet, watching him silently, gently patting him as if soothing a child, quickly luring Xie Jue into a deep, sweet dream.

Early the next morning, Han Ziqi came to see Xie Jue, but Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin stopped him outside, "The Prince is seriously injured and not yet awake."

"It’s already midday. Even if he’s deeply asleep, he should be awake by now." Han Ziqi and Xie Jue were considered equals, and when he came to visit, Xie Jue, by etiquette, couldn’t avoid him. Yet, he really didn’t want to make small talk with Han Ziqi, so he sent Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin to deal with him.

Han Ziqi knew Xie Jue wasn’t pretending about his injury. The doctors in Shuilan City had also examined his injury, confirming it couldn’t be moved around frequently in its current state, hence they needed to recuperate in Shuilan City for two days.

"Does the Princely Heir really want to argue with a sick person? When you’re unwell, don’t you wish to sleep a few more hours?"

"That’s true, but why isn’t Fang Chuning here to see me, and it’s you instead?" Han Ziqi raised an eyebrow, "The etiquette in Beining is certainly lacking."

Indeed, it did seem a bit discourteous.

Zhang Boxin said, "General Fang took care of the Prince last night and hasn’t risen today either."

Han Ziqi mused, based on reports from the spies in the post station, Fang Chuning and Xie Jue were sleeping in the same room. The post station was arranged by them personally, and Han Ziqi was entirely clear about the furnishings inside. Sleeping together?

Even though Prince Yan is of noble status and has the Imperial Physicians watching over him, why would he need Fang Chuning to personally attend to him?

It was truly strange!

Even if Fang Chuning and Xie Jue had a good relationship, it didn’t warrant Fang Chuning degrading himself as a servant to attend to him, right? He had seen how arrogant the young men from Beining were and found it hard to believe Fang Chuning would go to such lengths. Could they be putting on a show for him? Why?

Unable to make sense of it, Han Ziqi, unable to see either Xie Jue or Fang Chuning, decided to wait at the post station. Fang Chuning had actually been up for a while and only came to see Han Ziqi after changing Xie Jue’s bandages and watching him fall asleep again.

Han Ziqi warmly invited Fang Chuning to explore Shuilan City, "Everyone needs to recuperate in Shuilan City. Why not join me to explore Shuilan City and experience the customs of Sannan?"

For most of them, it was their first time in Sannan. Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin were eager to explore Shuilan City, so when Han Ziqi proposed, they were naturally delighted.

Fang Chuning didn’t join them. He had no interest in touring the city, preferring to stay with Xie Jue until he woke up.

Han Ziqi didn’t press and took Lin Xiao, Zhang Boxin, and the others to tour Shuilan City.

After Xie Jue awoke, he calmly said, "Han Ziqi is very enthusiastic about welcoming our delegation this time. When he was in the Capital City, he was arrogant, but here in Sannan, he’s playing the role of a gentle nobleman, making us seem rude."

"Feigning obedience surely indicates a hidden agenda. Just wait, he won’t hold off until you’re fully recovered before coming to see you."