CHAPTER 32 (PART 3)

Thinking of that lunatic, who could order the deaths of more than ten people with just one sentence, Shi Li felt her head throb.

She carefully considered her options, only to realize that, in her current state, she had no way to take the initiative.

…Forget it. For now, waiting quietly was the safest choice.

With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and soon drifted into sleep again.

This time, her sleep was far from restful. She dreamt of the people Shen Jingyan had killed, their blood-soaked figures chasing after her, screaming for her life. She ran frantically, only to crash straight into Shen Jingyan’s arms. And then—he pulled her down to do that again.

…Just let her die already. She would rather be dead than go through that again.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she abruptly woke up.

The moment she opened her eyes, she found herself staring straight into the gaze of an old man with a white beard.

For a moment, they both froze.

“Madam Shen, you’re awake?” The old man smiled kindly. “I have already performed acupuncture treatment on you. Do you feel any better now?”

Shi Li’s eyelashes fluttered, and after a brief pause, she cautiously asked, “What happened to me?”

“You developed a high fever last night and even suffered from convulsions. Lord Shen ordered me to tend to you. Your fever has now subsided, and after taking a few more doses of medicine, you should recover completely.”

“…Is that so? Thank you.” Shi Li hadn’t expected Shen Jingyan to arrange for medical treatment, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to react.

The old man nodded and gave a few instructions to a nearby maid before turning to leave. The maid followed him out, and the room fell silent again.

The pain in her body persisted, but it was no longer as unbearable as last night. Shi Li exhaled deeply and forced herself into a sitting position.

She had only been sitting for a short while when the maid returned with a bowl of medicine. “Madam, it’s time to take your medicine.”

“…Leave it there. I’ll drink it once it cools down.” Shi Li forced herself to remain composed.

The maid hesitated. “But medicine is most effective when taken while hot.”

“Then give it to me,” Shi Li relented, reaching out for the bowl.

The maid hurriedly said, “Allow me to serve you, madam.”

“There’s no need. Just hand it over—I’ll drink it myself,” Shi Li said calmly.

Seeing her insistence, the maid had no choice but to pass her the bowl. Shi Li took it and slowly raised it to her lips. But halfway there, she suddenly furrowed her brows.

“Leave the room. I don’t like being watched.”

The maid froze, then quickly knelt down. “M-Madam, I would never dare to spy on you! I was only worried about your health…”

“Alright, I understand. You can leave now. I’ll drink the medicine myself and get some more rest,” Shi Li said helplessly.

The maid had been frightened earlier, so as soon as she heard Shi Li dismiss her, she quickly turned and ran out. Once the maid had left, Shi Li immediately propped herself up, trembling as she walked to the bedside. She poured the medicine in her hand into a flower vase.

There was no other way. The male supporting character in this world was far too ruthless—she had to be cautious at all times. When it came to things like medicine, it was best not to take a single sip.

After doing this, Shi Li placed the empty bowl on the table and then returned to bed. But even such a simple action left her body covered in a thin layer of sweat, her complexion turning paler. She took a moment to steady her breathing and then glanced down at her arm. Seeing the fair skin, she realized that someone had bathed her while she was unconscious.

She recalled that, in this world, Shen Jingyan had always enjoyed bathing her. But now… it must have been the maids! Otherwise, that would be too terrifying! Shi Li shook her head vigorously, driving those dreadful thoughts away before closing her eyes again to rest.

For the next two days, every time the maid brought her medicine, she would find an excuse to send her away and then pour the medicine into the flower vase. She had considered disposing of it elsewhere, but in this massive room, there was nowhere suitable to hide it. So, she had no choice but to keep using the same spot.

Perhaps because she hadn’t been taking the medicine, her recovery was slow. Three days passed without much improvement, though at least the pain had lessened considerably, and she was now able to get out of bed.

On the fourth day of her illness, Shen Jingyan, who had been absent all this time, finally appeared. Shi Li had been sleeping when she vaguely felt someone’s gaze on her. With a soft groan, she struggled to wake up, only to find herself staring into a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 110%

Shi Li’s heart clenched in alarm. Instinctively, she sat up, trying hard to suppress her fear and keep it from showing on her face. “You… why are you here?”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 112%

Shi Li: “…” Looks like I failed.

“Am I not allowed to come?” Shen Jingyan countered.

Shi Li forced a dry laugh. “Of course, you can.”

Shen Jingyan gave her a sweeping glance before reaching out to take her right hand. Shi Li stiffened for a moment and instinctively tried to pull away, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she wisely decided to stop resisting.

Shen Jingyan pressed three fingers against her wrist, feeling her pulse. After a long moment, he spoke slowly, “Doctor Zhou once worked in the imperial hospital. His medical skills are exceptional. You only had a common fever—after taking his prescribed medicine for a few days, you should have been fully recovered. So why are you still so weak?”

Shi Li: “…” I don’t know how to answer that.

Shen Jingyan cast her an indifferent glance. “Well? What’s the explanation?”

Under his piercing gaze, Shi Li felt guilty. She forced another awkward laugh and tried to change the subject. “You know medicine?”

The corners of Shen Jingyan’s lips lifted in a faint smile. “The land of exile is harsh and unforgiving. Illness is common, and there were no doctors willing to treat someone like me. I had to learn a few things myself if I wanted to survive and come back for you.”

Shi Li: “…” So much for changing the subject.

She awkwardly lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

But in the next second, Shen Jingyan tilted her chin up and leaned in to press his lips against hers.

Shi Li’s face instantly paled. She thought he was about to force himself on her again. But considering her current situation, if she wanted to stay alive, she absolutely couldn’t afford to anger him.

She forced herself to endure, closing her eyes and bracing for the worst. However, after prying her lips open and kissing her for a moment, Shen Jingyan suddenly let go. When she opened her eyes again, he had already straightened up.

“Madam truly has a unique constitution,” he said flatly. “You’ve been taking medicine for days, yet your lips remain sweet without the slightest trace of bitterness.”

“…I rinse my mouth after drinking the medicine and eat a lot of candied fruit afterward, so of course, it wouldn’t taste bitter,” Shi Li said, trying to cover her panic.

Shen Jingyan shot her a glance before getting up and strolling around the room. Shi Li’s eyes followed him closely. When he stopped in front of the flower vase, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

However, Shen Jingyan didn’t touch it. He simply turned and walked back to her side. Before she could let out a sigh of relief, he suddenly said in an indifferent tone, “Are you avoiding the medicine because you’re afraid I might poison you? Or have you lost the will to live?”

Shi Li clamped her mouth shut, not daring to answer.

“If you’ve given up on living, just say the word. I can call someone in right now to prepare a lethal dose for you and fulfill your wish,” Shen Jingyan said, already about to summon someone.

Shi Li panicked and hurriedly grabbed his sleeve. “I—I want to live!”

“Then that means you were afraid I poisoned it?” Shen Jingyan asked.

Realizing she had fallen into his trap, Shi Li resigned herself to silence.

A trace of mockery flashed in Shen Jingyan’s eyes. “What exactly have you done to betray me that makes you so afraid I might kill you?”

Shi Li instinctively shrank back, avoiding his gaze.

The room fell into a brief silence. Then, Shen Jingyan spoke again in an almost casual tone. “You’re overthinking things. Since I’ve brought you back, I won’t kill you—at least, not yet. You’re still useful to me. If I truly wanted you dead, I wouldn’t need poison. There are countless ways to end your life, and poison… is far too merciful.”

Shi Li felt a chill run down her spine. She had goosebumps all over and desperately wanted to steer the conversation away from ways he could kill her. She hesitated before asking, “What do you want me to do?”

Since he had said she was “useful,” he must have some purpose for keeping her alive. Though she doubted he would answer, she still wanted to try.

To her surprise, Shen Jingyan actually responded directly. “The emperor wants to arrange a marriage between me and the third princess. But I have no interest in marrying into the royal family, so I brought you back. Even though my grievances have been cleared, and your crimes no longer exist, your reputation is still tainted. If the emperor had any thoughts of making the princess my secondary wife, they would be swiftly dismissed.”

As he spoke, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “After all, no one wants their daughter to share a husband with a dishonorable woman.”

Shi Li figured that at this point, she ought to show some humiliation and distress. She took a moment to compose herself, just about to put on an aggrieved expression when Shen Jingyan suddenly added, “Doctor Zhou will prescribe you a few more doses of medicine. I want you fully recovered in three days. If you aren’t…”

Shi Li knew he was making a veiled threat, but she couldn’t help but ask, “What will happen?”

Shen Jingyan’s expression remained gentle, but his words were chilling. “Then I’ll grant your wish and let you taste some real poison.”

Shi Li swallowed hard. “I’ll do my best to recover. You mustn’t act rashly. After all… I’m still useful to you. I can help block the imperial marriage decree.” She desperately reminded him of her value.

Shen Jingyan let out a soft chuckle, his fingers trailing up from her wrist like a venomous snake. “Of course, you’re very useful to me—especially this body of yours. I simply can’t get enough of it.”

A shiver ran down Shi Li’s spine. She forced a stiff smile and, the moment Shen Jingyan left, she immediately jumped out of bed and ordered the maid to prepare her medicine.

For the next few days, she focused solely on her recovery, never leaving her room. But that didn’t stop her from hearing rumors from the outside. She had to admit—Shen Jingyan’s move was brilliant. Not only did it block the imperial edict granting him a marriage, but it also painted him as a devoted lover, winning him favor among the court and common folk alike.

The only downside? She was being cursed even more than before.

Listening to the maid animatedly recount how people were insulting her, Shi Li’s head began to ache. “Enough, stop talking. If you keep going, my brain is going to explode.”

“Yes, my lady. I won’t say another word.” The maid quickly shut her mouth.

Shi Li sighed and was just about to dismiss her when the maid hesitated and then spoke in a low voice. “Madam, the lord is coming to your chambers tonight. Do you wish to prepare in advance?”

Shi Li froze. “Who told you that?”

“One of the lord’s attendants came by just now and informed me personally. But as soon as I entered, you had me recounting the gossip from the streets, so I forgot to mention it right away,” the maid explained carefully, then added, “Oh, and the lord also said… there’s no need for you to bathe and change beforehand. He said… he would personally attend to you.”

The young maid, still unmarried, blushed as she spoke, secretly marveling at how well the lord treated Shi Li.

Shi Li: “……” I want to die.