Chapter 33: Surviving the Ordeal, Affections Deepen

“Uncle, how are you?” Prince Zian was anxious, not knowing anything about medicine or poison, and his mind was in complete chaos.

Su Jinye knew he didn’t have much time left either. With a bitter smile, he shook his head. “Don’t bother trying to save me. An’er, I need to ask you a favor.”

Prince Zian glanced at Shen Yunran beside him and immediately knew what Su Jinye was going to say.

“I won’t agree! She’s your wife-to-be, you have to protect her yourself, I’m not taking over!” Prince Zian’s eyes reddened as he stubbornly refused.

The atmosphere grew increasingly somber.

【Brother, Uncle, stop arranging your farewells! Don’t panic, I can cure this poison.】

Prince Zian froze.

His sister had a solution!

Su Jinye’s gaze shifted to Ah Bao, who was blinking her large, round eyes at him, babbling as if eager to speak.

“Hug… hug…”

【Brother, let Uncle hold me, I can help him detoxify.】

“Uncle, my sister is a little lucky star. Since you’re poisoned and on the verge of death, why not hold her, chat with her, or… arrange some last words.”

Ah Bao: ???

Brother, do you even hear what you’re saying?

Su Jinye, already suffering greatly from the poison in his body, almost coughed up blood when he heard Prince Zian’s words.

Prince Zian placed Ah Bao in Su Jinye’s arms.

Su Jinye lifted her up.

Ah Bao snuggled into Su Jinye’s embrace like a little piglet.

【Uncle’s arms are so warm.】

She giggled at Su Jinye.

【Such a handsome uncle can’t die from poison!】

Ah Bao, with her wide eyes, cupped Su Jinye’s pale face with her tiny hands and gave him a kiss.

She clenched her little fist, gathered her strength, and released spiritual energy from her mouth, which seeped through Su Jinye’s facial pores and into his body.

Instantly, the air around them filled with a fresh, fragrant scent of plants and trees. Withered branches sprouted new buds, and flowers bloomed in abundance.

All the insects and birds in the forest, awakened from their slumber, bowed in reverence in their direction.

The remaining clouds in the sky scattered, and the stars shone even brighter.

Prince Zian, sensing the changes around him, was astonished.

Could a kiss really detoxify?

Su Jinye felt Ah Bao’s warmth like a little fireball. The dampness on his face gradually dispelled the coldness within him.

As more warmth flowed into him, the pain in his organs subsided.

His blackened lips slowly regained their normal color, and his complexion improved significantly.

“Ah Bao…” Su Jinye was shaken to the core.

This child was truly extraordinary.

【Don’t worry, handsome uncle, as long as I’m here, nothing will happen to you.】

【But… I’m so tired and sleepy now.】

【Ugh, I’ve done so much work today, I can hardly keep my eyes open.】

Ah Bao felt that the spiritual energy she had absorbed from Feng Zhuo had been nearly depleted after today.

Prince Zian quickly picked Ah Bao up. “Good girl, take a nap. Brother will hold you.”

Ah Bao didn’t hear what Prince Zian said. She couldn’t hold on any longer and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

When Shen Yunran woke up, she saw Su Jinye and Prince Zian, and she froze for a moment.

Prince Zian awkwardly cleared his throat. “Miss Shen, uh, you two definitely have things to talk about, so I’ll just take my sister down the mountain.”

After surviving this ordeal, their affections would surely deepen.

Prince Zian didn’t want to be a third wheel, so he quickly left with little Ah Bao.

After they left, Shen Yunran noticed the blood at the corner of Su Jinye’s mouth. She looked down at her own arm and the blood spat out nearby. As a doctor, she instantly understood what had happened.

“Why are you here?” Shen Yunran tried to suppress the worry rising in her heart.

“I went to the Shen residence to find you. When I learned from the maid that you had come here, I followed…”

“Su Jinye, we already agreed to call off the engagement. Why are you still looking for me? You even followed me here! Did you seriously suck the poison out for me? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Shen Yunran’s voice trembled, unsure whether from anger or urgency, as she stared blankly at Su Jinye. “Give me your hand!”

Su Jinye quietly looked at her, obediently cooperating.

After taking his pulse, Shen Yunran sighed in relief. His body was fine.

That was close!

But considering how potent the poison was…

“Ranran.”

Shen Yunran pressed her lips together and handed him a violet herb along with the other medicinal herbs from her pouch. “These herbs are effective for treating wounds. After this, we owe each other nothing.”

She stood up to leave, but Su Jinye pulled her into his arms.

Shen Yunran gasped, “Let go!”

“I won’t let go. Not in this lifetime. Ranran, let’s get married.”

“Heh, Su Jinye, what is this supposed to be?”

Su Jinye sighed. “Ranran, I’m sorry. Back then, I mistook Shen Congyue for you, thinking she was the one who saved me.”

“You figured it out?”

Su Jinye nodded. “Yes, I know how you feel about me. But you don’t know how I feel about you.”

“Su Jinye, you want to marry me just because I saved you, right?”

“Ranran, I love you. It has nothing to do with that. You might not believe me, but I’ve loved you since I was very young.”

A bitter smile appeared in Shen Yunran’s eyes. “You don’t need to comfort me like this.”

Feelings should never be given out of pity or charity.

“Our engagement was only arranged because of the agreement between my grandfather and your family when he was still alive. I know you were forced into it…” Shen Yunran began.

Su Jinye cut her off immediately. “Ranran, do you really think I would compromise because of a childhood engagement?”

“All these years, every time my father went to the Marquis’s estate, I followed him. Do you think I was really there just to watch him and Marquis Shen play chess?”

Shen Yunran’s heart trembled. “But… don’t you love studying chess?”

“If I were truly passionate about chess, why would I only watch at the Marquis’s estate? And never visit a chess house?”

“Then why…?”

“If I didn’t go to the Marquis’s estate, how could I see you?” Su Jinye gave a bitter smile. Every time Shen Yunran returned to her family, he would ask his father to take him to the estate.