Chapter 208 -

Chapter 208: Chapter

Yueqing’s face instantly turned as red as a hot tomato. She gasped and quickly threw her hands up, crossing them tightly over her chest to cover herself from his burning gaze.

"How on earth can you still get turned on even when you are having a fever?" she whisper-yelled, completely embarrassed and flustered. "You men are built like beasts!"

[He is literally burning up with a fever and he is still thinking about this?! Is his brain melting?!]

Wenzhe heard her loud, panicked thoughts loud and clear, but his intense expression did not change. He did not care that he was sick, and he definitely did not care that she was calling him a beast. He just slowly lifted his hand and patted the empty space on the mattress right next to him.

His dark eyes locked onto hers, leaving absolutely no room for arguments.

"Come here," he commanded softly, his rough voice sending a sudden, electric shiver straight down her spine.

Yueqing hesitated. She stood frozen in the middle of the room, still crossing her arms tightly over her chest.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice sounding a little nervous. [Is he going to do something crazy? I cannot read him at all when his face is this serious!]

Wenzhe did not smile. His dark eyes stayed locked on hers, completely intense and serious. He did not answer her question. He just patted the bed again and repeated his command.

"Come."

Yueqing bit her bottom lip. Her heart was beating fast, but she slowly uncrossed her arms. She took one hesitant step forward, then another, until she finally reached the edge of the large bed.

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Wenzhe reached out. He grabbed her wrist firmly but gently, and pulled her right onto the mattress.

Yueqing let out a small gasp as she fell forward. With one smooth move, Wenzhe shifted his body and pulled her directly into the space between his long legs. He made her sit down right in front of him, her back resting against his hot, firm chest.

[Oh my god! He is so warm! His fever is definitely not gone!] she panicked in her head, her face turning even redder.

But Wenzhe did not do anything wild. He just wrapped his large arms loosely around her waist to keep her safely in place. Then, he lifted his hand and began to gently stroke her long, dark hair.

The heavy, tense feeling in the room instantly melted away. His long fingers were incredibly soft and careful as they slowly ran through her loose hair.

"Did you go see Xiao Chen?"

"Did you go see Xiao Chen?" he asked softly. His deep voice rumbled right against her back.

Yueqing completely froze. Her heart slammed against her ribs.

[What?! How does he know?! Did he follow me? Did someone see me tackle him?!] she screamed in her head.

Wenzhe’s hand did not stop moving. He kept stroking her soft hair, feeling her whole body go stiff in his arms. He heard the wild panic echoing in her mind, but he kept his face totally calm. He could not let her know his secret.

"Well?" he asked, leaning in closer. His hot breath brushed against her ear.

Yueqing swallowed hard. [Lie! Deny it! Play dumb!]

"Xiao Chen?" she squeaked, trying to sound confused. "Why would I go see him? I told you, I was in the garden! I tripped over a rock!"

Wenzhe let out a low, dark chuckle. The sound vibrated right through her.

"You are a terrible liar, Yueqing," he said bluntly. "You smell exactly like the old dust and dry weeds from the ruined Cold Palace. I know you were there."

He did not tell her the real truth. He did not tell her that he had just heard her loud thoughts about fixing his broken friendship.

Yueqing bit her bottom lip. [Crap. He is too sharp. I am completely trapped.]

She sighed and let her shoulders drop, leaning back against his warm chest. "Fine," she muttered softly. "Yes. I saw him."

Wenzhe stopped stroking her hair. His large arms tightened around her waist just a little bit.

"And?" Wenzhe asked, his rough voice suddenly going very cold and serious. "What did my dear wife have to say to my worst enemy in the middle of the night?"

[I told him he was a stubborn idiot for hating you!] she thought loudly, her anger flaring up again. [I told him the adults ruined your friendship and that you suffered just as much as he did!]

Wenzhe’s breath hitched in his throat. Hearing her fierce defense in her mind hit him straight in the chest. A warm, heavy feeling washed over his heart, but he kept his mouth shut tight. He just held her close, waiting quietly in the dark to see what she would actually say out loud.

"I told him he is a complete idiot," Yueqing finally said out loud.

She turned her head slightly to look at him over her shoulder, her dark eyes flashing with determination. "I told him that hating you is exactly what the Empress wants. You two are the strongest men in the empire. By fighting each other, you are just playing right into her hands."

⁠[And I might have tackled him into the dirt and stomped on his royal foot... but Wenzhe definitely does not need to know that part.]⁠

Wenzhe had to bite the inside of his cheek as hard as he could to stop himself from smiling. He pulled her back so she was resting fully against his chest again, and rested his chin gently on top of her head.

"You are far too bold, Yueqing," Wenzhe murmured. His rough voice was low, but there was a strict warning in it. "Xiao Chen is dangerous. The palace is full of traps. If you push him or the Empress too far, they will kill you. Do not go behind my back to play peacemaker ever again."

Yueqing sighed. She was too tired to argue. The warmth of his chest was actually really comfortable, so she just closed her eyes and let herself relax against him.

⁠[I have to do it, though,]⁠ she thought to herself, her mind shifting back to her real goal. ⁠[I have to fix this toxic mess. Once Xiao Chen and Wenzhe finally stop fighting and team up to take the throne, my mission here will be complete. Then I can finally leave this crazy world for good.]⁠

Wenzhe’s entire body went completely rigid.

The soft, warm feeling in his chest vanished in a split second, replaced by a sudden, icy drop in his stomach. His hand froze instantly in her hair.

Mission? Wenzhe thought, his dark eyes snapping wide open in the dark room. His heart started pounding with a new, terrifying panic. Leave? Leave where?!

He stared blankly at the wall, his chest rising and falling quickly. He tightened his arms around her waist, holding her securely against him. She was sitting right here in his arms, but for the very first time, he suddenly felt like she was slipping right through his fingers.

"Wenzhe?" Yueqing mumbled softly, feeling his muscles tense up like a stone wall. "Are you okay? Did your fever get worse?"

"I am fine," Wenzhe lied. His voice was completely flat, but his mind was racing wildly. He held her even tighter, his jaw clenching.

You are not leaving, he vowed silently in his own mind, his eyes narrowing in the dark. I do not care what this mission is. I will not let you go.