Chapter 190: Chapter 189: Scheming_2

This kindness, she engraved in her heart.

“Lady, you are too polite. The young lady also said that you should come visit whenever you can, the medical book she was telling you about last time isn’t finished yet.”

As Qing Wu spoke, she felt a piercing, inquisitive gaze fall upon her.

Her heart fluttered, and she looked toward He Ying.

He Ying sat at the table, holding a book, flipping through it as if he hadn’t glanced in her direction at all.

Could it be… she had an illusion?

Qing Wu dismissed the peculiar feeling and quickly bid farewell to Sang Yan.

Sang Yan was unaware of the true situation and thought He Ying had scared her.

“Don’t always keep such a cold face, it’s quite frightening.”

As the Emperor, his aura of authority was so powerful that when he did not restrain it, it even made her somewhat afraid.

Upon hearing this, He Ying squeezed out a slight smile, “Really? I haven’t done anything.”

Sang Yan didn’t argue with him and brought the medicine bowl over, “Alright, take your medicine.”

The soup in the bowl was dark and thick.

And exuded a strong bitterness.

He Ying looked at it, his eyes flickering. After taking it, he did not drink but placed it on the table.

“Ah Yan, go fetch me some preserved fruit.”

“Preserved fruit?”

Sang Yan thought she had heard wrong, “Don’t you dislike sweet things?”

Just the other day, she had specially prepared some, and he didn’t eat it, saying he disliked sweets and didn’t fear bitterness.

Today was strange indeed.

“I am sick.”

He Ying frowned slightly, deliberately softening his tone, “For some reason, I just suddenly felt like eating it today.”

His expression appeared to be quite aggrieved.

“Alright, I’ll order someone to fetch it.”

Sang Yan immediately gave in, unable to do much about him.

“Wait–”

He Ying suddenly grabbed Sang Yan’s hand, his tone almost whining, “You go fetch it. I want the one you personally bring.”

Sang Yan: “…”

This man is being shameless!

Becoming less and less decent!

Without considering the medicine as the underlying issue, she thought that he wanted her to fetch it personally because he felt things brought by his own people were more dependable to consume.

“Okay. I’ll fetch it. Wait for me a moment.”

Saying this, Sang Yan hurried out of the room to the kitchen.

When He Ying had sent her away, his gaze suddenly turned cold.

He looked at the bowl of medicine on the table, and without hesitation, he poured it all into the flowerpot beside him.

When Sang Yan returned with the preserved fruit, she saw the empty medicine bowl on the table and exclaimed, “You finished it? Didn’t you think it was bitter?”

He Ying lied without a trace of change in his face, “I felt a bit uncomfortable just now, so I drank it first.”

Sang Yan: “…”

Hearing him say this, how could she still care about the preserved fruit?

“Where does it hurt? What’s wrong? Are you feeling better now? Should I call Sister Hong Zhao to take a look?”

Her eyes filled with urgency, questioning him non-stop, the smile on her face entirely gone.

Seeing this, a tinge of guilt rose in He Ying’s heart.

He shouldn’t have used this excuse to fool his Ah Yan!

His heart felt tender and heavy.

He hugged her tightly, soothing her softly, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Sang Yan frowned slightly, somewhat distrustful of his words.

After observing his complexion and noting that he looked rosy, his eyes bright and in good spirits, she then touched his forehead, which showed no sign of fever. Finally, she examined his wound, which seemed to be healing well.

Only after assuring herself that there was nothing unusual about his body did she relax.

“You’ve taken your medicine, you should rest now.”

She took the book from He Ying’s hands, placed it on the table, and led him to the edge of the bed.

“You just mentioned feeling uncomfortable; it’s probably because you didn’t get enough sleep and didn’t rest well last night.”

She still remembered him going out late last night and returning very late.

He Ying played along, “That might be it.”

He obediently lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

As Sang Yan listened to his breathing becoming more even, as if he was asleep, she let go of his hand, thinking about going to learn medicine from Hong Zhao.

However, upon standing up, she found her skirt was caught in He Ying’s grasp.

“Ah Yan, don’t leave, don’t leave me, please, don’t go–”

Although his eyes were closed, He Ying’s lips moved slightly, as if he was having a nightmare.

Seeing him in this state, how could Sang Yan leave?

She quickly sat back down, held his hand, and kissed his fingers, whispering softly, “Mhm. I won’t leave, Xinyuan, don’t be afraid, I’m here, I’m here with you.”

After staying with him a while, and feeling that he had fallen into a deep sleep, she thought about leaving again, but hearing him muttering in his sleep, still not wanting her to leave, she simply took off her shoes and lay down beside him in her clothes.

She had only intended to accompany him, but feeling the warmth from his body, drowsiness swept over her.

Sang Yan fell asleep unknowingly.

And He Ying, who was supposedly asleep beside her, slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at the little woman who lay sweetly in his arms and curved his lips: She certainly wouldn’t have guessed that he would use such a childish tactic as pretending to have a nightmare to stop her going to find Hong Zhao.

Thinking about his recent trickery, he couldn’t help feeling a bit smug: Indeed, he mattered the most in Ah Yan’s heart!

And Hong Zhao?

She should never again fool her affections for a single moment!

*

South Courtyard

Hong Zhao glanced at the darkening sky and murmured, “She probably won’t come today.”

Saying so, she threw her hand-held fan to Qing Wu, “You go boil the medicine.”

These past few days to win Sang Yan’s favor and trust, she purposefully timed it so Sang Yan would see her boiling the medicine.

Today, since she wasn’t coming, she couldn’t be bothered to pretend.

“Yes.”

Qing Wu obeyed and went to the small kitchen in the courtyard, took the medicine pot from the stove, and went to the back door, emptying the dregs inside.

Every morning someone in charge of cleaning would take care of it.

After Qing Wu disposed of the medicine dregs, she entered the courtyard, oblivious to a shadow hiding in the dark.

Only after the back door was completely closed,

did that shadow emerge, gathered some of the dregs, and swiftly departed.