Chapter 83: The Sudden Kiss

Ah... Li Yexuan, must you be so heavy? Truly a miscalculation—I should have asked Kong Juelin to put Li Yexuan on the bed before leaving. Now, with only myself here, how am I supposed to move Li Yexuan? After several attempts, I couldn’t budge her at all. He was already sprawled atop the wine jar, dozing off.

What should I do with the medicine Kong Juelin gave me? I can’t simply not give it to him.

I placed the medicine on my person and steeled myself to try again with Li Yexuan. Grabbing one of his arms, I dragged him toward the bed. It took every ounce of my strength, but thankfully Li Yexuan wasn’t completely passed out from the drink. He staggered toward the bed, and just as he seemed about to collapse before reaching it, I gave him a forceful shove. He finally tumbled onto the bed, avoiding the floor.

But I had used too much force and fell atop him myself. Worse still, half of my body rested on him while the other half was on the floor.

Ugh, my knees hurt so much.

I crawled up and settled Li Yexuan’s dangling foot back onto the bed. Just as I was about to leave, I realized his hand was gripping mine tightly—I couldn’t break free.

Wasn’t he asleep?

How could he still be so strong?

I pulled down a blanket and laid it on the floor, sitting atop it. Leaning at the bedside, I watched Li Yexuan.

He looked so handsome.

Thick brows, long lashes veiling his eyes—those eyes so profound, with a faint smile at the corners of his lips.

I swallowed, averting my gaze.

Such a bewitching face—surely it’s enough to claim my life.

I may not have tasted pork, but I’ve certainly seen pigs run. In my previous life, I’d seen plenty of handsome men, but I never imagined someone like Li Yexuan would exist in this era.

My eyes inadvertently drifted to his collar.

Something was off. I quickly pulled open his collar, and sure enough, faint red spots appeared.

This must be an allergic reaction to the alcohol.

I took out the medicine Kong Juelin had procured, retrieved a pill, and placed it at Li Yexuan’s lips.

His eyes snapped open, and his other hand gripped the one holding the pill.

“Don’t fuss. You drank too much. This is medicine from Kong Juelin. Take it quickly.”

Regardless of whether Li Yexuan, so skilled, could understand me in his drunken state, I said it anyway. Who knows if someone like him would ever truly be drunk, or if his guards would snap my neck for my troubles.

Li Yexuan squinted at me, and seeing it was me, released my hand.

“Hurry and take it—you’ve developed alcohol rash. If you don’t, you’ll ruin yourself.” I pressed the pill to his lips, and he slowly opened his mouth and swallowed it.

“That’s a good boy... mm—”

The next moment, Li Yexuan pulled me down, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other circling my neck. I couldn’t move; our lips met.

“No, stop... mm—”

His lips were hot, insistent, biting mine with unrestrained desire.

I couldn’t break free, so I let him kiss me, although it hurt terribly.

Gradually, his strength waned, and I managed to push Li Yexuan away abruptly.

I hurried back several steps, clutching my lips.

Ouch... it hurt, surely swollen from his biting.

Li Yexuan lay motionless on the bed. What was happening?

“Li Yexuan, Li Yexuan, what’s wrong with you?” I shook him, but got no response. Listening closely, I heard his steady breathing—he had fallen asleep.

How am I supposed to take this?

I stood up and kicked Li Yexuan twice. Hmph!

Still, I worried whether his rash would fade, fearing it might worsen overnight. I sat again on the blanket on the floor.

Night had deepened. I checked doors and windows once more, lit an extra candle.

Can I admit—I’m still a little afraid of the dark?

The candle burned all night. I kept vigil over Li Yexuan, only allowing myself light, wary naps, never fully surrendering to sleep. Like a woman famished for affection, I kept sneaking peeks at his collar to check if the rash had faded, and eventually simply left his robe open—what was the point of fussing? When we fell from that cliff, I saw his abs anyway.

What does it matter? I don’t mind, and surely Li Yexuan wouldn’t either.

Only now do I realize how hard it was for Li Yexuan to watch over me before. Only after keeping vigil for him myself do I truly understand.

A single night is so long, yet not enough for me to think through everything that’s happened since meeting Li Yexuan.

It must have been more than half a year. So much has happened between us. I even wonder if my fate with Li Yexuan far outweighs that with Yun Heng. If I’d met Li Yexuan first, perhaps I would have fallen in love with him.

That night of turmoil in the palace—if Yun Heng hadn’t rescued me a moment sooner, Li Yexuan would surely have saved me the next moment. Perhaps then he would have discovered I was the Ruo Fu Ziyun he sought.

It was a forked path, and I had no choice but to be pushed down one.

My hand couldn’t resist tracing his lips.

Li Yexuan, do you truly see me as a substitute for the one in your heart? Though we are both Ruo Fu Ziyun, I stand before you as Mu Fan. That’s not the same, is it?

I withdrew my hand. The room was brightening—dawn was near.

Unable to resist my weariness, I lay my head on the bedside and drifted to sleep.

In a dream, powerful hands lifted me from the depths of the sea.

Opening my eyes, I found myself in bed.

Li Yexuan was on the inner side of the bed, smiling at me.

“I woke you, didn’t I? You looked so sweet asleep down there. But I couldn’t bear to let such a fine quilt be wasted.”

“It’s only a quilt—surely the Night King can afford another?”

“Last night, I drank myself into oblivion. Did I do anything to you?”

Li Yexuan was undoubtedly speaking deliberately, nearly whispering in my ear, his warmth almost driving me mad.

“No,” I replied, unconsciously licking my lips.

Those enchanting eyes lit up.

Must you be so clever, you devil?

“Dawn is here, let’s rise.” I quickly excused myself.

Being so close to Li Yexuan, I could feel his body, his warmth—it truly was embarrassing.

I turned away, intending to get up.

“Stay with me a little longer,” Li Yexuan said, pulling me back. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

“Your Highness, you’ve mistaken me. I am Mu Fan, not the princess.” Sure enough, with those words, Li Yexuan loosened his grip.

I got out of bed.

“If you’re tired, rest a bit more. Last night you only got drunk. Mu Fan is His Highness’s maid; it’s only right to care for her master.” I kept my back to Li Yexuan, saying nothing more.

“You truly aren’t her. She would never, as you do, share a room with a strange man.”

Li Yexuan sat up.

Must your words wound so deeply?

“His Highness dreams of a princess, high and mighty, who lives in comfort, while Mu Fan is thrice blessed to serve as your little follower, or maid, doing only what a servant must.”

We sparred, neither yielding.

“Come here.”

“For what?”

“When your master calls, dare you not obey?”

I had no choice but to walk over, trembling. Li Yexuan surely wasn’t planning some wicked trick again, was he?

He grabbed my hand, and I was pulled into his arms. With a forceful motion, I was pressed onto the bed, Li Yexuan above me.

“Li Yexuan, what madness is this? Let me go.”

My legs kicked, but the next moment, he pinned them firmly.

“Why, unwilling?”

“Yes, I am unwilling.”

“Am I so lacking that even you, a little maid, look down on me?” He called himself “this king”—what now? It seems I’ve truly provoked this old tiger.

His kiss fell upon my lips, my face, trailing downward.

Ha... the innocence I nearly lost by biting my tongue back then still cannot be preserved? My tears fell, and Li Yexuan stopped.

He rolled off, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Experience tells me: the more inconceivable the events, the calmer I must be. Li Yexuan must not have fully sobered up, or he wouldn’t be so easily aroused by a female.

Ugh, I just called myself “a female”—how sinful.

Calmly, I sat up and straightened my collar, but my hand was seized once more.

“I’m sorry.”

“Your Highness, please don’t drink so much again. I was only following Kong Juelin’s instructions, caring for you. I only want to do my duty, not aspire to rise above my station.”

“You know I don’t mean that.”

Li Yexuan’s grip only tightened.

“Your Highness, I belong to the Princess. If you are sad or grieving because she left, Mu Fan can accompany you. But Mu Fan isn’t the Princess; surely you drank too much, so I won’t fuss this time. Next time, whoever wants to be your follower can do it.”

“Alright.”

Li Yexuan’s eyes shone with both sadness and joy.

“Let go. I’ll go buy you some breakfast.”

“Alright.”

He finally released me, and I pushed open the door and left.

Forgive me—times have changed. I have my own path to walk. Li Yexuan, if you’d never met me, how much better it would be. You could live in Ruo Fu Ziyun’s dream, not in Mu Fan’s reality. And so, let me accompany you as I do. If one day Yun Heng is no longer a problem, and the pain of a lost kingdom can be let go, how wonderful that would be. But we both know how remote that hope is. I still refuse to dwell on it. Since Yun Heng is unattainable, and Li Yexuan unrealistic, I’ll tuck away my heart and bury it deep; that will suffice.

“So early, you’re already up. Yexuan is alright now.”

Kong Juelin appeared behind me.

“He’s fine.”

“Say, you two, alone in a room—did anything happen?”

Already fuming, Kong Juelin just had to provoke me further. Was he asking for death?

He leaned in too close. Without hesitation, I landed a punch.

“Ah....”

Kong Juelin howled, his cries echoing through the entire inn, leaving behind a scene to be remembered in history.

Because his shout was so loud, I dragged Kong Juelin back inside—Li Yexuan was still there.

“What happened?” Li Yexuan evidently hadn’t a clue.

“He needed a beating.”

“You...” Kong Juelin pointed at me, and I raised my fist again.

Kong Juelin fled to Li Yexuan’s side. “What did you do to this girl? She’s so fiery this morning, and you look so weak—could it be excessive indulgence...?”

Li Yexuan’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He clearly had intentions, but didn’t succeed, and Kong Juelin was truly courting death—how had I not noticed this before?

“Shut up...”

“I’m telling you two, if you’re not careful now, then later—”

Another punch; I blew on my knuckles.

“Finally, peace. Your Highness, let’s get breakfast.”

“Let’s go.”

Li Yexuan and I left.

Kong Juelin remained on the floor, pointing after us.

“You two are too much...”