Chapter 64

When illness struck, Xu Yunxi and her servant reacted swiftly. In no time, they were dressed neatly. Looking at the time, it was already the second quarter of the morning hour. Due to the short, cold, and freezing days, it was still dark. Ying Xing carried the medical kit while Xu Yunxi wrapped herself in a cloak and went out.

Huang Wei stood at the moon gate with a glass lamp, waiting for her.

As Xu Yunxi walked, she asked him, “How did the Third Master fall ill so suddenly?”

Without a hint of guilt, Huang Wei replied, “Third Master has been under great pressure, competing with the Twelfth Prince at court. For the past few days, he hasn’t even been able to rest for two hours at night due to the cold weather. He caught a chill, and yesterday afternoon, he accidentally drank a glass of cold water, causing a burning sensation in his abdomen. He didn’t think much of it until early this morning when I heard him groggily asking for water. When I went to serve him, I discovered he had a high fever…”

The explanation was plausible, and Xu Yunxi did not doubt it. The group hurried to the study.

Huang Wei lifted the curtain, and Xu Yunxi was the first to enter the study. She had only been there twice and had never explored further. Navigating around the display shelves, she was momentarily unsure where to go. Huang Wei quickly opened the inner room.

“Third Master is in here.”

Without a word, Xu Yunxi stepped inside and immediately saw a figure lying on the bed, the contours of his body resembling mountain ridges. Wrapped in thick bedding, his appearance was unclear. Xu Yunxi took off her cloak and placed it aside.

Just as Ying Xing was about to follow, Huang Wei grabbed her arm. She looked at him puzzled, but he didn’t explain, merely taking the medical kit from her and placing it on the small table by the bed. He then quickly pulled Ying Xing out of the room.

As they left, he closed the door tightly.

Ying Xing looked at him suspiciously, “What are you doing?”

Huang Wei shushed her and smiled, “It’s just a minor cold. Young Madam can handle it herself. You can rest in the adjacent room.”

Seeing Huang Wei’s enigmatic smile, Ying Xing quickly understood. The couple had been at odds recently, and this was a good opportunity to mend the atmosphere.

Ying Xing gave Huang Wei an “I understand” look and, yawning, went to wait in the side room.

Inside, Xu Yunxi held up a lamp to examine Pei Muheng. He was curled up in the bedding, his cheeks flushed with a clear reddish hue, his brows tightly furrowed, and he was shivering—symptoms of a high fever.

Xu Yunxi quickly put down the lamp and immediately pulled Pei Muheng out of the thick bedding a bit. He wasn’t exactly unconscious but seemed to be in a deep, muddled sleep. His handsome face turned to the side, looking feverish. Perhaps sensing someone approaching, his weary eyes fluttered open slightly before closing again.

Xu Yunxi placed her hand on his forehead, and the scorching heat made her pull back. “How did he get so seriously ill?” she wondered.

If it were anyone else, Xu Yunxi would remain calm, but the concern for her husband made her a bit flustered.

The quickest way to reduce the fever was to administer acupuncture, but he needed to drink more water beforehand to induce sweating.

She immediately pulled back all the bedding, revealing Pei Muheng lying messily in his white inner clothes. She filled a cup of water from the kettle on the table and softly called to him, “Third Master, wake up and drink some water.”

The person on the bed didn’t move at all and even turned to sleep inward.

Xu Yunxi, helpless, got up and leaned over to support him. As soon as she got close, still carrying the frosty chill from outside, Pei Muheng, like a person finding water after a long drought, quickly turned over and wrapped his arms around her waist, desperately seeking warmth, pressing against her lower abdomen. Xu Yunxi’s face turned red, and she had no choice but to sit down and accompany him. “Wake up and drink some water; I need to help you reduce your fever.”

Pei Muheng found her cold body extremely comforting and held onto her tightly, panting weakly.

Though he was confused by his illness, his strength was unwavering. Xu Yunxi felt as if she was being held by a pair of pliers, unable to move. She laughed in exasperation and lightly patted his shoulder. “Are you going to drink the water or not? If you don’t, I’ll go straight to the acupuncture.”

Her voice was still soft, sounding particularly comforting.

The man in her arms remained motionless, his breathing rapid and dry, his large hand familiarly roaming her back, gradually moving upward. Xu Yunxi’s body trembled slightly, and some inappropriate images flashed through her mind. When did she become so sensitive? Xu Yunxi shook her head to clear her thoughts. At that moment, he had already pushed her against the soft pillow, climbing up along her waist and snuggling into her embrace.

Xu Yunxi felt extremely embarrassed and laughed helplessly, pushing him away. “Pei Muheng, wake up. You’re ill. I need to reduce your fever. If it keeps burning like this, something terrible might happen.”

The last sentence was meant to scare him.

Pei Muheng ignored her. He caught a whiff of her fragrant, icy scent and started desperately seeking the source of relief. Soon, he touched a patch of her cold skin, and his brows relaxed.

Outside, frost was forming, and some dampness gathered at her hair tips and neck, condensing into droplets in the warmth. He held her in his arms, drinking in the moisture. Xu Yunxi gasped and covered his mouth with her hand, but even her hand was cold. His rough stubble rubbed against her palm, making her tingle all over, and she had to withdraw her hand. That gave him the opportunity to press her down further onto the soft cushion, almost pinning her beneath him.

This was like a lamb entering a tiger’s den.

Pushing him only made him press harder, yet letting him do as he pleased was highly inappropriate. Xu Yunxi was frustrated and angry, but she couldn’t move him an inch. She lay sideways on the bed, her slender body completely pinned under him. Compared to his usual clear-headed self, he was much more unruly now, with his broad hand exploring under her clothes. Xu Yunxi’s face flushed red, and she angrily slapped his hand. “Pei Muheng, calm down!”

The clear sound echoed, and he opened his dazed eyes, looking at her in a haze. For a moment, his consciousness seemed to return. “Yunxi, are you calling me?”

It seemed he heard her calling his name. He really didn’t want to hear “Third Master” anymore—it felt distant and dull.

Pei Muheng was filled with deep resentment and helplessness, yet he still softly coaxed her, “Call me again…”

Xu Yunxi was at a loss for words. She helplessly looked up at the beam and, with patience, said, “If you get up, I’ll call you.”

After saying this, she herself found it unbelievable. Who was comforting whom? She was there to treat his illness, yet it had come to this.

Xu Yunxi rubbed her forehead and looked sideways at the man on top of her, waiting for his reaction. Then she saw that handsome face hovering above her; his pupils seemed to be covered in a layer of mist, looking confused and dazed as if weighing whether to move aside to hear his name or continue pressing down.

Pei Muheng quickly made the choice that favored him more: to continue pressing down and leaned in for a kiss.

Xu Yunxi dodged while staring at him in confusion and disbelief, almost about to explode. “Pei Muheng, wake up!”

Look at that; even when he continued pressing down, she called him.

Pei Muheng hugged her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder bone, finding a comfortable position.

The warmth from his soft lips transmitted through the fabric, making Xu Yunxi’s shoulder blade tingle. She could no longer tolerate it and glanced up at the cup of water she had poured earlier. She tried to move her body and reach for the cup, but at that moment, he skillfully grabbed her earlobe. Xu Yunxi couldn’t control her trembling arm, and water splashed on her hand and face. Forced to give up, her arms were pinned under him, rendering her powerless. She could only turn her head and use her forehead to push him away. His body was burning hot, like a fireball enveloping her. The water droplets on her cheeks felt like a refreshing spring, which Pei Muheng couldn’t possibly ignore.

His scorching red lips followed the path of the water droplets. He must have been extremely thirsty because he licked and sucked away the water droplets with no discernible order, and the heat from his lips eased somewhat.

Xu Yunxi, however, was not feeling well. His rough stubble brushed across her face, making her feel completely uncomfortable.

Soon, he also grabbed her hand and put each finger in his mouth.

Xu Yunxi took a deep breath. She was already too exasperated to be angry anymore.

When it came to patients, Doctor Xu usually had her ways, but this patient was different; she was at a loss.

Well, she wasn’t entirely without options; acupuncture would do the trick.

Just as Xu Yunxi raised her hand to fetch her medical pouch, a muffled voice came from behind her. “Yunxi, is that you?”

Heavy breaths spilled across her neck, bringing a slight tickle, and the voice carried a hint of sadness.

Xu Yunxi paused momentarily and looked back at the handsome face close by. His eyes were closed, long lashes neatly resting below, and his illness left him extremely weak. The cold, sharp look in his eyebrows had completely softened under the dim yellow palace lamp, making his entire face look particularly gentle and beautiful.

“It’s me,” she replied clearly.

Pei Muheng seemed dissatisfied with this answer. His eyes remained closed, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips. “You only come to see me at times like this…”

Xu Yunxi’s lashes trembled violently, as if a furry dog’s tail brushed against her heart, catching her off guard. Her earlier annoyance suddenly dissipated, and she slowly turned to face him, staring at him for a moment.

“Third Master…” Xu Yunxi didn’t know what to say to such a sick yet sincere person.

Pei Muheng’s burning forehead rested against her hair, his entire body draped over her, holding her. He seemed to try hard not to press down on her, yet he refused to let her go.

It was just like this marriage.

Pei Muheng’s words had a significant impact on Xu Yunxi. If she didn’t understand his feelings now, she’d be a fool.

Xu Yunxi truly didn’t know how to respond. They were already married, and she thought things were fine as they were. Mutual respect had always seemed like a comfortable distance to her. Now, it was clear that Pei Muheng wanted to cross that line. With this realization, Xu Yunxi sighed.

In fact, over the past few days, Xu Yunxi had also reflected on their marriage. She had twice suggested separating from him. The first time, he firmly dismissed the idea, assuring her she could continue practicing medicine freely. The second time, faced with the possibility of her grandfather implicating Prince Xi’s mansion, he resolutely took on the burden. A man with such courage, intelligence, and responsibility was hard to find. Xu Yunxi didn’t think she had any reason to back down.

She wasn’t the type to trap herself in a cocoon. As a couple, growing feelings were a good thing, but she didn’t know how to reciprocate his deep affection. She had never had such an experience, nor had anyone taught her.

For a moment, she was at a loss.

“You’re ill now; let’s treat your illness first, alright?” she coaxed him softly.

For a man who was usually as aloof and self-contained as a high mountain flower, he mumbled two words through his confusion, “No.”

Xu Yunxi: “…”