Chapter 134: Do You Like Her?

When the two stood face to face, their auras were surprisingly evenly matched. Zhong Shi released his grip on his sword hilt and cupped his hands in a salute. "Your Highness."

"What do you want with me?" Yuan Zaichun was deeply wary of this man, his gaze involuntarily turning cold.

Zhong Shi offered a bitter smile, bowing his head. "I offended you yesterday, Your Highness. Please, do not take it to heart."

Yuan Zaichun: ...
Liu Fu: ...

Was this really the same Zhong Shi who had been shouting for blood only yesterday?

But Bu Sheng-lian did not want to let it go. With a cold expression, she demanded, "Who do you think you are! How dare you harm the noble body of the Crown Prince!"

"Hah..."

Zhong Shi let out a cold laugh, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes as he looked directly at Bu Sheng-lian. "If it were not for the Princess admonishing me time and again not to hurt anyone, the first thing I would have done upon my return was to take my revenge on you."

"Take... revenge on me?"

No matter how formidable Bu Sheng-lian might be, she was still a woman; she had never expected to face such a vicious and ruthless Zhong Shi. Seeing his demeanor—like an Asura crawled up from hell—she hid behind Yuan Zaichun in terror.

Perhaps because he had already elevated Bu Sheng-lian to the status of his favored beauty, Yuan Zaichun felt that being bullied by Zhong Shi was a blow to his own prestige as the Crown Prince. His attitude chilled. "Why have you come?"

"Hah... still protecting her?" Zhong Shi smiled derisively. "The Princess said I shouldn't speak to you this way. To make her happy, I came to apologize. But this woman—she indirectly caused the Princess to suffer so terribly. Yuan Zaichun, you had best hope you can protect her for a lifetime, otherwise..."

There was no need to say more; the point was made. Zhong Shi turned to leave, feeling much lighter after the apology.

*I suppose this will make Qiao Qingyun happy, won't it?*

But Yuan Zaichun panicked. He stood up immediately, ignoring the strain on his wounds. "Stop! Is she better?"

"I don't know." Zhong Shi lowered his eyes, masking the sorrow within. "She only said I shouldn't speak to you like that, so I came. Yuan Zaichun, I truly envy you. At the very least, you once possessed the whole of her."

As for him, Zhong Shi, he could only protect her from the shadows, low and humble. Even so, he was satisfied. Even if he could only steal a glance at Qiao Qingyun from afar, it was enough.

"You love her?"

Yuan Zaichun asked the question as if no one else were present. Zhong Shi turned without hesitation, his expression resolute. "Yes! I love her, and I want to protect her. Yet you allowed her to be harmed time and again right under my nose, and I was powerless to stop it. Now that she is injured... Yuan Zaichun, touch your conscience. Does it hurt?"

Zhong Shi had seen that sword strike clearly. Had it pierced Yuan Zaichun, he would have died on the spot, which was why Zhong Shi had intentionally chosen not to intervene. He hated him—he wished Yuan Zaichun would vanish from the face of the earth—yet it had ended up harming his beloved Qingyun.

Yuan Zaichun stood frozen, scolded by Zhong Shi's harsh words. His chest ached faintly, yet when he touched it, there was no wound to be found. Why, then, did it hurt so much?

"Having said that, I shall take my leave. There is no one to attend to the Princess; I fear I must return to the palace later to report. You are on your own."

Zhong Shi did not linger. Covered in his own wounds, he ran back to the medical clinic. As soon as he entered, he was met by Feng Ke.

Qing Luo had indeed brought plenty of the dishes Qiao Qingyun loved, but she had also brought along this eyesore of a man. Zhong Shi radiated a frigid chill, heading straight upstairs without even a glance at Feng Ke. Pushing the door open, he found that Qiao Qingyun was not resting; she was staring out the window at the scenery.

Hearing the door open, Qiao Qingyun turned immediately. Her inability to express her feelings was perhaps her greatest flaw.

As their eyes met, the faint scent of blood lingering on Zhong Shi immediately made Qiao Qingyun realize that he, too, was injured. She quickly raised her uninjured right arm and beckoned. "Come here, quickly."

The man froze, seemingly unable to believe she was calling for him. After waiting a long moment, when Qiao Qingyun urged him again, Zhong Shi finally realized what was happening, a surge of sweetness flooding his heart.

He moved toward her, a smile on his face that felt unfamiliar—much like a large Golden Retriever trying to please its master—and quickly leaned in beside Qiao Qingyun.

The woman's fair, delicate hand covered the wound at his waist. Terrified, Zhong Shi immediately stepped back, eyes downcast. "It's dirty."

"Are you a fool? Come here, let me dress your wounds."

"No need. I will have Chun Cheng help me in a moment. Princess, please do not move, be careful not to pull your stitches."

Even while doing the very thing he least wanted to do, Zhong Shi could not stop himself from keeping a constant watch on Qiao Qingyun, terrified that she might accidentally hurt herself.

As he finished speaking, Qiao Qingyun's eyes suddenly reddened, and two crystal-clear tears fell.

Zhong Shi was thrown into a panic, reaching out to wipe away her tears, only to pull his hand back when he caught sight of the bloodstains on it.

"What is wrong?"

Realizing Zhong Shi's hesitation, Qiao Qingyun looked up, slightly bewildered, as if she hadn't expected it.

"My hands are dirty, I will go call someone to bring a handkerchief."

"It's alright, don't fuss." The woman smiled, wiped her tears, and pulled Zhong Shi's supposedly dirty hand, making him sit beside her before picking up an alcohol-soaked cotton ball from the table.

This was something she had spent a great deal of effort to create. Now that Chun Cheng and the others had learned how to use it, it had saved her a lot of trouble.

"This stuff is quite stinging. It might hurt a little; don't pull away."

"Yes."

Qiao Qingyun’s gentle, soothing voice gave Zhong Shi a fleeting illusion that the woman before him was already his own.

"Phew. Next time, remember to be careful. Even if you are in a rush, you must take care of yourself first."

"The Princess being injured this time was my dereliction of duty."

"It's fine."

After tidying up, Qiao Qingyun and the others returned to the palace, heading straight for the Emperor's Hall of Mental Cultivation. By chance, just as they reached the entrance, they heard the Emperor flying into a rage inside.

Xiao Shunzi, standing at the door, immediately blocked Qiao Qingyun and the others. "Princess, please wait a moment before going in. The Emperor is currently very angry."

"Why? My uncle has never been a man of such a hot temper."

Xiao Shunzi wiped the sweat from his face and, as if remembering something, immediately asked, "Is the Princess's wound feeling much better?"

"It is of no concern now."

"Oh, Princess, you don't know—today, when the subordinates came to report the news, I heard that you were injured while trying to save the Crown Prince. The Emperor is currently reprimanding the Crown Prince inside."

"Ah?"

Qiao Qingyun widened her eyes and quickly pressed herself against the door to listen to what was happening inside. Alas, the soundproofing of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was too effective; unless there was a massive commotion, hearing anything was practically a fantasy.

"Princess, do not move around, your body hasn't recovered yet."

Zhong Shi stepped forward and pulled Qiao Qingyun back with a firm, resolute attitude. Qiao Qingyun softened her expression, staring at Zhong Shi with a pitiful look. "Just for a moment."