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Mu Shengsheng felt a sense of satisfaction seeing him so frustrated.
She quickly wriggled free from his arm and tried to push him toward the door. “Shengsheng is tired and needs to rest. Uncle Regency Prince, please leave.”
The man stood there like a mountain; no matter how hard she pushed, he didn’t budge an inch.
Stamping her foot in frustration, she turned and lifted the beaded curtain, entering the inner room.
Lan Xun remained where he was, watching the direction the girl had gone. The curtain swayed and clinked lightly, and for a long while, the room was silent.
Recalling how Mu Shengsheng had been during her last episode, Lan Xun ultimately decided to stay. To be safe, he summoned Luo Qing and the others to wait outside the door.
Tonight was destined to be sleepless.
Lan Xun glanced at the outer room’s bed. Although it was a little short for his height, tonight he would have to make do.
He then called Zisu and Lülü outside, instructing, “Prepare this room.”
They exchanged astonished looks.
The Regency Prince was humbling himself to stay in the outer room of her house!
Still shocked, the two quickly followed his instructions, fetching bedding and arranging the outer room neatly.
As darkness fell, the many pavilions and buildings of the Regency Prince’s mansion were shrouded in shadow, appearing eerie and mysterious.
Even though it was past dinner time, Mu Shengsheng still sulked in the inner room.
The table was laid with an array of hot, fragrant dishes.
Lan Xun gestured to Zisu to call Mu Shengsheng for dinner.
She hugged a soft pillow and sat on the bed. Though the food smelled delicious, making her mouth water, she still turned her face away in a huff. “I’m not hungry!”
Lan Xun, used to having no close women around, had never seen anyone sulk like this.
He suspected she was playing some sort of teasing game. With a cold snort, he said, “Then go hungry!”
He then proceeded to eat dinner by himself.
After the dishes were cleared, Lan Xun called for official documents and began reviewing them on the outer room’s table.
Mu Shengsheng, lying on the bed in the inner room, waited for a long while. There was no sound from outside; it seemed Lan Xun had no intention of leaving tonight.
She didn’t want to face him, but after hiding for so long, she urgently needed to use the restroom.
She slipped from the bed, put on her embroidered shoes, tiptoed, and peeked through the beaded curtain.
Lan Xun was reviewing documents at the table, and the soft bed had been prepared—clearly for him to sleep there tonight.
Previously, he had stayed by her bedside for two sleepless nights. Now he intended to sleep here.
He had said a man and woman shouldn’t share a room—apparently he didn’t see himself as an outsider.
Hmph, such a hypocrite!
Mu Shengsheng acted casual, walking straight out, ignoring him, and opened the room door.
Lan Xun looked up. “Where are you going?”
Without turning, she said irritably, “To the restroom. Do you want to accompany me, Uncle Regency Prince?”
“….” Lan Xun winced. Could she stop calling him “uncle”? Did he look that old?
Before he could respond, Mu Shengsheng had already opened the door and stepped out, helped along by Zisu to the outhouse.
When she returned with freshly washed hands, Lan Xun buried his head in the documents, pretending to concentrate, not glancing at her once.
Mu Shengsheng walked straight up to him, didn’t speak, poured herself a glass of water, grabbed a few snacks, and retreated into the inner room. She even made a face at him when he wasn’t looking.
The two of them—one reviewing documents in the outer room, pretending focus but glancing toward the inner room; the other hiding on the bed, using a pillow to slap as if it were Lan Xun.
That man! If it weren’t for her needing the medicine to survive, she wouldn’t demean herself to please him. If she had a normal, healthy body, she wouldn’t marry him even if he begged at the Xuanwu Marquis’ gate!
Suddenly, “knock, knock”—the sound of a door being tapped broke the silence.
Mu Shengsheng tossed the pillow and quickly lay on the bed, pretending to sleep. Lan Xun set aside his work and responded, “Come in.”
The door opened, and Zisu carried in a tray. She presented it to Lan Xun. “Your Highness, this is the new medicine Doctor Luo prepared for the young lady.”
Earlier, Luo Qing had consulted with Lan Xun and discovered two more prescriptions in the medical texts, which might help Mu Shengsheng’s condition.
Lan Xun glanced at the tray. It held a bowl of herbal soup and a small bamboo basket of oranges.
Zisu intended to deliver it to Mu Shengsheng, but Lan Xun said, “Set it down.”
She knew the Regency Prince would personally give the medicine.
She placed the tray on the table and withdrew respectfully, closing the door behind her.
Lan Xun carried the tray, lifted the beaded curtain with his elbow, and entered the inner room.
By the bed, he saw Mu Shengsheng lying with her back turned, eyes tightly shut. Though she seemed asleep, her trembling eyelashes betrayed her act.
Lan Xun snorted and placed the tray on the bedside table. His tone was almost a command: “Stop pretending. Get up and take the medicine.”
Caught, Mu Shengsheng had no choice but to open her eyes and sit up.
Lan Xun lifted the bowl toward her.
Mu Shengsheng glared at him and at the dark, foul-smelling medicine, pouting in reluctance.
Seeing her still sulking, Lan Xun frowned even tighter. “Mu Shengsheng, I’ve stayed here with you. Enough.”
Mu Shengsheng rolled her eyes. He didn’t think this was some great favor, did he?
“I’m not in the mood. Uncle Regency Prince should go back to his room. Shengsheng doesn’t need your company. A man and woman alone in a room—it would be shameful if known,” she said.
Lan Xun inhaled sharply, slightly annoyed. “I’ve already compromised multiple times. Must you provoke me?”
And she had deliberately stressed “uncle”—was she trying to anger him?
Mu Shengsheng raised her chin, snorting.
They faced off for a long while, neither willing to yield. The tension stiffened.
Finally, Lan Xun sighed, sat on the bed, and softened his tone, seemingly making the greatest concession. “Fine. If you don’t want me to declare us as sworn siblings, I won’t. Just take your medicine first.”
Mu Shengsheng glanced at him, almost challenging: “Then… what are we?”