Ye Wanmian gasped, unable to believe that those words had just come out of his mouth.
Thinking she hadn't heard clearly, he repeated, "Want to be close to you..."
What was even more unbearable was that as he said this, he rubbed his cheek against hers and even planted a gentle kiss on her palm.
It was as if a flame had been lit in her palm. She quickly withdrew her hand, flustered and at a loss. "You—"
She wanted to say something but found she didn't know where to start. After all, his mental state was still flawed at this moment, and he probably didn't even know what he was doing.
Her gaze fell on Dahuang, who was squatting quietly by her legs, wagging its tail. A sudden inspiration came to Ye Wanmian.
Could it be that he lacked a sense of security and wanted to stay where he could always see her, just like Dahuang? Since he couldn't get into the house, he simply slept outside the door?
Would he be able to sleep well if she let him into the house and let him stay where he could see her?
However, he was a man and she was a woman. They had no relation at all. How could they share a room? What would Li Zhao and Qi Wen think of her if they knew about this?
Ye Wanmian frowned in distress.
Got it!
Anyway, no one would easily enter her room, and no one would know what was inside. As long as they didn't see Xiao Jingcheng coming out of her room, it would be fine, right?
She put her finger to her lips and motioned to Xiao Jingcheng. Looking across, she found the lights were already out. She gently pulled Xiao Jingcheng to the next room, directed him to carry an empty table, and then carefully returned to her own room with him.
Ye Wanmian put the two tables together, rummaged through and found a clean quilt to spread on them. A simple bed was ready.
Hands on her hips, she said to Xiao Jingcheng, "I can allow you to sleep in my room, but you can only sleep on this bed. Don't come near me. And you must return to your own room before dawn. No one must notice. I'll let Dahuang supervise you."
"Dahuang!" she called out. Dahuang trotted over and sat obediently in front of her.
Ye Wanmian said to it, "You stay here and keep a good eye on him. Wake him up before dawn and drive him back to his own room. If you understand, bark softly. If you don't, stay quiet."
Dahuang opened its mouth and let out a soft "woof" that only she could hear.
Good.
Ye Wanmian nodded in satisfaction. Then she ignored Xiao Jingcheng, yawned, blew out the oil lamp, and turned to lie down on her own bed. She was so exhausted that she fell into a deep sleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Xiao Jingcheng stood in the darkness, looking at the slight bulge on the bed. The faint fragrance from the girl filled his nostrils.
The panicked heartbeat that had started since the daytime gradually calmed down. He stood there for a long time before lying down on the "bed" made of two tables and closing his eyes.
The next day, Ye Wanmian woke up and saw the simple bed made of two tables at a glance. She was stunned for a moment and then remembered what had happened last night. She sat up in bed in shock.
She was the only one in the room now. Xiao Jingcheng was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, he had been woken up by Dahuang and driven back to his own room.
Ye Wanmian slapped her forehead hard.
Ye Wanmian, you're really crazy. Why did you let him into the room on a whim last night? It was all because his eyes were so captivating that she temporarily let down her guard...
Although she knew there was no one else in the room, Ye Wanmian still felt nervous when changing her clothes, afraid that Xiao Jingcheng would suddenly pop out from a corner.
However, he didn't show up until she tied her belt and fixed her hair.
After getting everything in order, she was about to go out when, to her surprise, she opened the door and saw Xiao Jingcheng and Dahuang sitting outside.
Dahuang was extremely excited and barked at her twice proudly, as if saying that it had obediently woken Xiao Jingcheng up and driven him outside.
Xiao Jingcheng also stood up and said very obediently, "Goudan... is obedient."
Ye Wanmian didn't know what to say. He had indeed listened to her words and left her room before dawn without causing her any trouble. But he didn't leave completely. Instead, he still guarded outside her door.
She didn't know why she always felt a sense of guilt. She tugged at the corner of her lips and said with a smile, "Goudan is really good."
Just like the day before, Xiao Jingcheng followed Ye Wanmian to the medical clinic to receive patients. Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner without any abnormalities. At the time of Shen, Qi Wen delivered the pills that Ye Huan had ordered the day before to Liuxiang Tower.
"Here, these are the pills you asked for. The medicinal properties have been greatly reduced. Don't say that our Dr. Jiang is deliberately targeting your sister this time."
Qi Wen stuffed the pills into Ye Huan's hand with a gloomy face. Finally, he sized Ye Huan up and down, snorted, muttered "pretentious", and then swaggered away.
Ye Huan originally wanted to ask about Dr. Jiang's situation. But after being scolded by Qi Wen like this, he was choked for a long time. When he came to his senses, Qi Wen had already disappeared.
Carrying the pills, Ye Huan knocked on Ye Wanxing's door and sat by her bedside.
Ye Wanxing turned her head away angrily. "Brother doesn't care about my health. Why are you still coming here?"
Her voice was still very hoarse. She even covered her lips and coughed for a while after speaking.
Ye Huan was quite helpless. "Xing'er, don't be so willful. You're my only sister. If I don't care about you, who else should I care about?"
Hearing the words "only sister", Ye Wanxing's complexion improved a little. She bit her lower lip and shed tears, crying, "Brother, the medicine is really too bitter. I don't want to drink it anymore."
"Okay, if you don't want to drink it, then don't." Ye Huan softened his voice. Just when Ye Wanxing thought she didn't have to take the medicine anymore, Ye Huan took out the porcelain bottle that Qi Wen had just brought and handed it over.
"I know the medicine is too bitter and you girls are not used to it. I specifically went to Huichuntang and asked them to make the medicine into pills, so it won't be so bitter. Take one of these pills at Chen and Xu every day with water. Try them first."
Ye Wanxing's complexion changed. She tightened her grip on the quilt. "Brother, I really..."
"Be obedient," Ye Huan said in an unyielding tone. "Mother asked me to accompany you to Dongli Town to take care of you. If you're still so willful, I'll have to take you back to the capital for the time being."
She came to Dongli Town for a purpose. She had originally planned to act after the Prince of Mu left Dongli Town with the Crown Prince's body, but unexpectedly, she fell ill.
She couldn't leave now that the matter was not yet completed.
If she couldn't solve that matter, there would probably be many hidden troubles in the future. So, she had to endure it.
Ye Wanxing gritted her teeth tightly and had no choice but to take the porcelain bottle. Her voice weakened. "I understand."
Ye Huan's face was filled with relief. He specifically poured a glass of water and handed it to her, watching her take the pills with his own eyes.