Su Zhenzhen woke up from her sleep, and the first thing she saw was the gauze lantern hanging under the eaves.
The window was left unclosed, allowing the summer morning light to pour in.
The four-sided gauze lantern rotated slowly with the gentle, fragmented breeze.
Two of its sides bore the ink blots she had painted last night, while the other two sides featured two curly-haired puppies in different poses. One was gnawing on a chicken claw, and the other was eating watermelon. It had a pair of dark, round eyes and tilted its head slightly, looking incredibly adorable.
Su Zhenzhen was speechless. Why didn't you draw two kittens eating honey and sweet ice instead?
While grumbling inwardly, Su Zhenzhen could not deny the young man's exceptional painting skills; the two puppies were indeed drawn vividly and true to life.
It was a pity there were no smartphones here, otherwise she would have recorded this beautiful moment.
So there was nothing wrong with that writing brush after all.
After watching the lantern for a while, Su Zhenzhen finally remembered that she hadn't washed up yet.
Today was another beautiful day. After freshening up, Su Zhenzhen sat at the dressing table to comb her hair. When she lowered her head, she noticed a tiny mole on the tip of her left finger.
Because this body was not her own, Su Zhenzhen had never observed such minute details so carefully before.
Of course, it wasn't that she didn't look at her hands normally, but from such a tricky angle, Su Zhenzhen would never have noticed it.
If Mu Dan hadn't mentioned it, she might not have noticed it for the rest of her life.
What a tiny mole.
Hidden beneath the warm, fair skin, it showed a crimson hue.
As sunlight shone in through the window, the color of the mole became even more pronounced. For some reason, Su Zhenzhen felt a slight, stinging itch from the mole, a sensation just like when the young man had pinched and rubbed it with his fingertips last night.
Your Majesty, the evidence is conclusive. Sun Zhaohua has confessed. Wei Heng placed the blood-stained confession document on the imperial desk.
The young man sat there, resting his forehead on one hand, with a bowl of iced tea beside him.
Mm.
The memorials on the imperial desk had already been processed.
Lu Hexu was by no means a foolish person; once familiar with the procedures, he handled the memorials with great speed.
While feeling silently gratified in his heart, Wei Heng lowered his head and glanced under Lu Hexu's hand.
After finishing the memorials, the young man surprisingly had the refined mood to draw on a piece of paper.
One puppy, two puppies, three puppies... Before Wei Heng could finish counting, Lu Hexu raised his leg and kicked him, clearly feeling that he had gotten too close.
Only then did Wei Heng realize that he had unknowingly walked right up to Lu Hexu's side.
Wei Heng had served this tyrant for many years.
He knew exactly where this young emperor's safe distance lay.
And now, he had actually encroached into the danger zone.
It was merely a warning kick, rather than a long sword piercing his abdomen, so Wei Heng only felt fortunate.
It must have been because the puppies were too cute, making him temporarily lose his vigilance.
Lu Hexu pressed a memorial over the paper with the drawn puppies and asked impatiently, What else is there?
Wei Heng immediately replied, There is also the matter of the vacant position of the Chief Grand Secretary.
Decide it yourself. Lu Hexu did not know much about the officials in the court.
Wei Heng thought for a moment. Within the Grand Secretariat, the person capable of bearing this heavy responsibility is Shen Yanci.
Shen Yanci.
The name sounded somewhat familiar.
Lu Hexu thought back for a moment, but his temples began to throb with pain again. He simply gave up thinking and said, As you wish.
Seeing Lu Hexu's complexion turn pale again, Wei Heng instinctively asked, Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?
Lu Hexu paused for a moment, his eyes lowering and his voice turning deep. What day is it today?
Wei Heng calculated the date. The twenty-fifth of July.
Lu Hexu's eyes instantly darkened with gloom. Do not come looking for me for the next few days.
Wei Heng vaguely knew of this emperor's habit. After the twenty-fifth of July, he would disappear for a few days. Aside from Shadow One, no one knew where he went or what he did. Every time he returned, he would lose a significant amount of weight, and his entire physical condition would be close to collapse, especially mentally.
Wei Heng hesitated. ...Yes.
Su Zhenzhen had not seen Mu Dan for several days.
She guessed that Sun Zhaohua's case might have kept him too busy to get away.
The plot developed according to the original book without any deviation. The Brocade Guards swiftly arrested Sun Zhaohua, the powerful elder of the cabinet, on charges of treason and colluding with the enemy.
Ordinary charges might not have done anything to him, but colluding with the enemy was a capital offense. Sun Zhaohua would never have a chance to turn things around this time.
Su Zhenzhen heard that the aristocratic class, led by Sun Zhaohua, had been severely suppressed by Wei Heng taking advantage of the situation. Many important positions had been replaced by Wei Heng with people of real talent and practical knowledge. Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction.
But in reality, the virtuous minister Shen Yanci, who was about to take over as Chief Grand Secretary and had a very high reputation, was not the upright and kind person he appeared to be on the surface.
The dragonslayer eventually becomes the dragon.
In the original book, after bringing down Sun Zhaohua, Shen Yanci quickly rose to power and established contact with Mongolia.
He chose a brother of the current Khan to cooperate with, doing exactly the same thing Sun Zhaohua had done.
Provoking a war between the Great Zhou and Mongolia.
Because war could bring him immense profits, and he needed a lot of money to restore the State of Yan.
And the Khan chosen by Shen Yanci to take power was no benevolent person either.
This person took advantage of the absence of the Mongolian Crown Prince Altan to steal his home base. The current Mongolian Khan was killed by him. Presumably, the news of the Mongolian Khan's death would spread over soon.
This person was also extremely belligerent and paranoid, completely disregarding human life. Once victorious, he would order his soldiers to slaughter villages. Upholding the principle that those who are not of our kin must have different hearts, this Khan plunged the Great Zhou into chaos, causing years of unrest at the borders. It wasn't until Shen Yanci ascended the throne that, to demonstrate his capability, he quickly cut off contact with this Khan, dispatched troops to encircle and suppress him, and then spent several more years reaching a peace agreement with him.
The common people were nothing but sacrifices for political power and interests.
Just like her, an NPC in this imperial palace.
Su Zhenzhen could not help but sigh, and then continued digging for herbs.
It was the season when herbs grew wildly. If she didn't dig more now, she would miss the opportunity once the season passed.
The position of Chief Grand Secretary of the Cabinet could not be left vacant for too long. The imperial edict came down quickly, and Shen Yanci was promoted directly from a second-rank official to the first-rank Chief Grand Secretary.
Shen Yanci's moral character and talent were known to everyone in the imperial court.
Although he was formerly Sun Zhaohua's student, he had always been amiable to those marginalized officials from humble backgrounds in the court, helping them whenever he could.
Furthermore, he frequently used his personal wealth to relieve the common people, so his reputation among the public was excellent. Of course, this was also related to his own active self-promotion.
Regarding his appointment as Chief Grand Secretary this time, both the court and the common people highly approved.
Shen Yanci stood in the room, looking at the scarlet official uniform of the Chief Grand Secretary hanging on the clothes rack.
The expression on his face did not change. After all, he was a former crown prince. How could someone who had been a crown prince be moved by a mere official uniform of a Chief Grand Secretary.
The only thing that could move him was that throne.
From the moment he was born, he was endowed with this mission. Even though the State of Yan had perished twenty years ago, he still lived in the shadows bearing the identity of the Crown Prince of Yan.
If he wanted to live in the sunlight, he had to sit in that position.
Someone knocked on the door. Shen Yanci subconsciously rested a hand on his waist and turned his head. "Come in."
Liu Jingxing pushed the door open and entered. Seeing his strategist, Shen Yanci relaxed a little, and the hand on his waist dropped.
Liu Jingxing closed the door. He walked up to Shen Yanci, looking at the first-rank scarlet official robe hanging on the wooden rack, unable to hide the joy on his face. "Although we didn't intervene much in Sun Zhaohua's treason case, the outcome is good. The position of Chief Grand Secretary has ultimately fallen into our hands. Our years of planning have not been in vain."
Shen Yanci's gaze did not leave the scarlet official robe. He only gave a faint reply, "Mm."
"We can no longer count on Zhou Changfeng. I have sought out Marquis Ningyuan, Zhao Lingyun. If it truly comes to that, the patrol camp in his hands can completely surround Jinling City without leaking a single word." Liu Jingxing lowered his voice, revealing his recent maneuvers.
For Shen Yanci to reach this point today, Liu Jingxing's scheming was indeed indispensable.
This strategist, whose intelligence bordered on the supernatural, was determined to prove his brilliance. He wanted to push Shen Yanci to that position, and then let the whole world know that the throne Shen Yanci sat on was won with the help of him, Liu Jingxing.
"It's just that Zhao Lingyun is notoriously gluttonous, and it will take a lot of money to satisfy his appetite."
This meant that if they wanted Zhao Lingyun to work for them, the benefits could not be meager.
Therefore, how to raise money had now become a pressing matter.
"Heaven is helping us. The hidden spies we arranged in Xuanfu sent news that the Mongol Khan has passed away, and Mongolia is currently in utter chaos."
Where there is conflict, there is profit. Liu Jingxing's idea was for Shen Yanci to choose a member of the Mongol royal family to support for the position of Khan, maintain a cooperative relationship with both sides, and profit from it. The method of operation was no different from Sun Zhaohua's previous dealings with the Mongol Crown Prince.
"The news of the Mongol Khan's death will soon reach Jinling. If we place our bets then, it will be too late."
"Who did you choose?" Shen Yanci turned around, sat back at the tea table, and took a sip of the hot tea in front of him.
"Dayan, the royal uncle of the Mongol Crown Prince."
"Alright, we will do as you say."
After Liu Jingxing left, the weather was too hot for Shen Yanci to stay indoors, so he got up and went outside.
The sunlight was blinding, and Shen Yanci felt dizzy for a moment.
Plagued by nightmares for days, his complexion was poor, and his mind was on the verge of collapse.
He did not know how long he would have to live like this.
Fear had accompanied him from the very beginning.
But he had to be indestructible.
Before the age of five, he was just a child who liked to hide behind his mother. After the age of five, he became a master who had to stand on his own.
No one cared about what a five-year-old child needed; they only cared about what a former crown prince who needed to restore his country needed.
He had not yet awakened from the palace massacre when he was five, before being dragged onto an endless path with no destination and slim hopes.
By any means necessary, obliterating his humanity, he had to succeed.
This was the meaning of his existence.
In his eyes, anyone became a pawn.
Even he himself became a pawn that could be used at any time.
A banquet was being held in the garden. Shen Yanci did not approach the crowd, but simply took a pot of Zhuyeqing liquor and headed down a small path.
Qingliang Palace was large, and many areas had not yet been repaired, appearing dilapidated and remote.
Shen Yanci found a deserted spot, raised his hand, and poured the Zhuyeqing onto the ground.
This was Sun Zhaohua's favorite liquor.
When Shen Yanci met Sun Zhaohua, Sun Zhaohua had not yet entered the Grand Secretariat.
Although Sun Zhaohua was inherently corrupt, he was a man of genuine talent and learning, it was just that he did not use it on the righteous path.
He valued Shen Yanci's comprehension and talent, personally teaching him the ways of officialdom. Although there was exploitation, it inevitably mixed with some teacher-student affection.
"In your next life, don't run into me again, Teacher."
After offering the wine, Shen Yanci walked along the path and saw a temple.
The Temple of the Medicine King.
From the outside, the temple looked particularly deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.
Shen Yanci did not want to stay long. Just as he turned to leave, he suddenly heard a clap of thunder.
Summer weather changed in an instant; one moment the sun was shining brightly, and the next, bean-sized raindrops were falling.
Shen Yanci went up and knocked on the door. A young monk came to answer, and seeing Shen Yanci's elegant attire, knew he was a nobleman.
"Apologies for the intrusion, young master. May I borrow your precious ground to take shelter from the rain?" In front of outsiders, Shen Yanci always wore a gentle facade.
The young monk naturally agreed.
Shen Yanci entered the Temple of the Medicine King.
The corridor from the main gate connected to the main hall. Amidst the summer rain, Shen Yanci walked along the corridor into the main hall of the temple. When he looked up, he saw a giant bronze statue.
He had heard that Zhou Mo's ledger of names was hidden behind this bronze statue and had been searched out by Wei Heng's people.
Truly foolish.
Shen Yanci looked down at the three thin incense sticks burning in the censer, raised his hand, and directly snapped them off.
The sound of rain outside the hall did not cease. Shen Yanci walked around inside and saw a side hall next to the main hall.
The space was not large. Because it was on the shaded side, a natural breeze flowed in after opening the window, making it feel much cooler in the summer.
Inside were some simple tables and chairs. He saw a long table in the corner with a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone placed on it. Beside it hung a wooden sign with the words Platform of Answers written on it.
The young monk came over holding an umbrella. Seeing Shen Yanci standing in front of the Platform of Answers, he stepped forward and explained, "If the benefactor has any doubts, you can write them on a slip of paper and place it here. When the abbot sees it, he will provide answers for you."
Answers?
His doubts could be answered by no one.
What he wanted was this world.
Shen Yanci stared at the Platform of Answers, remained silent for a long while, then picked up the brush and wrote.
It rained today, and the temperature barely dropped a little. Su Zhenzhen remembered her proper business.
She had not yet finished copying the stone tablets in the Temple of the Medicine King, and who knew when she would come again next time.
Carrying the waist token that Mu Dan had given her last time, Su Zhenzhen easily entered the Temple of the Medicine King. The young monk who often guarded the gate also recognized her.
The temple was quiet and cold. It was rare for outsiders to visit, so the young monk brought her some sour plum soup to quench her thirst in the summer heat.
"Thank you, young master."
The young monk had delicate features. He raised his hand and pointed to the main hall, saying, "Ice blocks have been placed in the side hall. If the benefactor feels the weather is hot, you can go there to rest for a while and cool down."
Su Zhenzhen nodded in agreement. Her gaze swept past the young monk's face and saw a patch of red, swollen skin from mosquito bites, so she took out the mosquito-repellent sachet she carried with her and gave it to him.
"Thank you, benefactor."
This young monk was young, and his joy was written all over his face. After taking Su Zhenzhen's sachet, he brought her a plate of sliced watermelon.
Su Zhenzhen happened to be tired from copying, so she went to the room on the side of the main hall to rest.
The place was not large. Su Zhenzhen sat on a chair eating watermelon. Her gaze wandered and finally landed on a long table.
The Platform of Answers.
She saw that someone had written a note on it.
Looking at the handwriting, the ink was very fresh; it must have been written not long ago.
"Friendless."
No friends?
Su Zhenzhen thought of how miserable and alone she had been in the desolate palace before meeting Mu Dan, and suddenly she felt a deep sense of empathy.
She casually pulled out a piece of paper and wrote two words: Make friends.
-
Shen Yanci didn't know why he had returned to this Temple of the Medicine King.
Was he expecting something?
Impossible.
Shen Yanci denied it in his heart, but his legs involuntarily walked into the temple.
The temple remained deserted. Shen Yanci took a stroll around the corridor, then around the main hall. He glanced toward the side hall a few times but didn't move his steps that way. It wasn't until the three incense sticks in front of the bronze statue had burned halfway that he finally turned and entered the side hall.
Shen Yanci walked to the long table and saw that another note had appeared next to his own.
The handwriting wasn't particularly beautiful; it was rather delicate but slightly scribbled.
The person had left two words: Make friends.
Make friends.
Shen Yanci stared at these two words in a daze for a while. Then he reached out, crumpled both notes, lit them with the incense outside, and tossed them into the incense burner.
With one hand behind his back, Shen Yanci raised his eyes and looked straight at the bronze statue in front of him.
As the lighting shifted, Shen Yanci's feet remained rooted to the spot for a long time.
After a long while, he returned to the side hall and wrote down another note.
When Shen Yanci returned to the courtyard, Liu Jingxing was already waiting for him.
Master, where did you go?
I didn't sleep well last night and felt a bit unwell today, so I just went for a casual walk.
Master, you must take care of your health. Our great cause is not yet achieved...
I know, Shen Yanci interrupted Liu Jingxing.
Great cause, great cause, always the great cause.
Master, a letter has come from Dayan expressing their willingness to cooperate with us.
Shen Yanci replied absently, Hmm.
-
The next day, when Su Zhenzhen went to the Temple of the Medicine King again, she saw that her friend request had been accepted.
She inexplicably gained a pen pal.
This pen pal seemed to have a withdrawn and silent personality, speaking very little. This time, they only left her a few words: Cannot sleep at night.
Can't sleep?
A common ailment of modern people.
It turns out there were plenty of insomniacs in ancient times too.
Su Zhenzhen thought for a moment, picked up a brush, and wrote down a medical prescription for this friend. Then, she left behind her newly upgraded, research-developed soothing sachet.
Because Su Zhenzhen's mosquito-repelling and soothing sachets were very effective, many young eunuchs and maids who heard about it came to ask for one.
Su Zhenzhen was naturally happy to share.
After tidying up, her home was much cleaner.
Some young eunuchs would bring fresh fruits and vegetables in exchange, while the maids were more delicate, gifting her things like purses and embroidered sachets.
Su Zhenzhen's own craftsmanship was terrible, so the sachets she used recently were all given to her by the maids.
Leaving the sachet there, Su Zhenzhen glanced at the sky. It was about time to head back.
-
Because she had been too focused on copying the stone tablet during the day, it was already quite late by the time Su Zhenzhen headed back.
She carried the lantern given to her by a young monk. The gauze lantern had Buddhist scriptures written on it, and when the light shone on the ground, the shadows of the characters could be seen, giving it a deeply Zen feeling.
Su Zhenzhen heard a loud clap of thunder from the horizon.
Is it going to rain? She didn't bring an umbrella.
The weather was just so inconvenient in ancient times. If this were the modern era, she could just check her phone. Even though it was often inaccurate, at least she would be mentally prepared.
Su Zhenzhen thought about it and decided to take a shortcut.
This was a small path she had discovered herself while digging for herbs. Although it was desolate and overgrown with weeds, it could save her half the time.
She remembered there was an abandoned well on this path. Su Zhenzhen raised her lantern to illuminate the surroundings, wanting to avoid it so she wouldn't accidentally bump into the well in the pitch dark.
The well was very low. If someone accidentally missed a step, they would fall in. This place was so remote that no one passed by for weeks. If she fell in, she might already be a mummy by the time someone found her.
After raising the lantern, her field of vision expanded.
Su Zhenzhen looked ahead and suddenly saw a familiar figure.
The young man was wearing that washed-out eunuch uniform. Just like when they first met, he had his head tilted, staring into the well.
For some reason, Su Zhenzhen's heart instinctively tightened.
She hurried forward. Mu Dan.
The boy ignored her.
His beautiful, pale fingers rested on the edge of the well, which was covered in moss. The edge of the well was low; one moment of inattention and a person could slip right in.
The boy slowly leaned forward, as if looking at something.
Su Zhenzhen called out again, but the boy still had no reaction.
Half of his head was already over the well's edge. Anxious, Su Zhenzhen directly threw away her lantern, rushed over, grabbed him by the waist, and pulled him back with all her might.
If it were an ordinary person standing there looking into the well, Su Zhenzhen might have been in the mood to gossip, asking what they were looking at and asking for a look herself.
But Mu Dan was different.
When she first met him, he liked to stare into the well.
The well was dark and deep. If one looked at it too long, they would always feel a strange attraction, a dark magic like Satan luring you down.
Su Zhenzhen still remembered what she had said to Mu Dan back then.
She had said, The well is too cold. Wait until the weather is warmer before you jump.
Su Zhenzhen fell heavily to the ground.
Compared to the last time she bumped into the door, this time she clearly felt her bones rattle.
The boy looked thin, but he wasn't light.
He pressed heavily upon her, traces of moss still lingering on his fingertips.
The lantern inscribed with Buddhist scriptures lay toppled by the well. Su Zhenzhen saw clear scratch marks from the boy on the moss at the edge of the well. It was probably because he tried desperately to grab the edge of the well when she grabbed him, but didn't expect the moss to be so slippery and missed.
Su Zhenzhen lay on the ground, holding the boy tightly.
She didn't speak, just gripping so hard that her knuckles turned white.
Su Zhenzhen knew that the boy was very strong. If he wanted to break free, she wouldn't be able to stop him.
Just as she thought this, Su Zhenzhen felt the boy pry her arms apart.
It hurt.
The boy's hands were like iron pincers. Even though Su Zhenzhen used all her strength, her arms were pushed aside as if they were made of cotton.
Sushan dessert, do you want to eat Sushan dessert? I'll go back and make it for you.
Lu Hexu's figure paused.
He stood there with his back to Su Zhenzhen, as if thinking.
Another loud clap of thunder echoed from the horizon. The boy turned around, bent down, and leaned in close to her face.
Her face was reflected in the boy's pitch-black pupils, as if he were trying to identify something.
Su Zhenzhen didn't move. Her intuition as a healer made her realize that something was wrong with the current Mu Dan.
Such cold pupils.
It reminded her of the icy eyes of a cat.
The boy's dark, ruthless gaze fell upon her face. She had never seen this kind of look before, and Su Zhenzhen felt her heart involuntarily skip a beat.
Lu Hexu raised his hand, his fingertips touching the woman's slender and soft neck.
Her neck was narrow and smooth, and the boy's five fingers slowly wrapped around it.
The moonlight fell on Lu Hexu's face; the boy's expression was utterly innocent.
What beautiful manga-like hands.
Su Zhenzhen blinked blankly, then tilted her head and rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand, trailing down to his wrist and forearm.
The woman's soft hair brushed against his skin, eliciting a strange shiver.
The murderous intent in Lu Hexu's heart paused.
Mu Dan?
Su Zhenzhen called him softly, then took the opportunity to rub against him again.
The young man tilted his head, leaned in, and pressed his face against her neck, sniffing her scent like a kitten.
"Mu Dan, I am Su Zhenzhen. Do you... still recognize me?"
The young man did not speak. His handsome brows furrowed, and a look of innocent confusion appeared on his face.
Could it be... dissociative fugue?
In ancient terms, it would probably be called wandering soul syndrome?
When a dissociative fugue episode occurs, the patient typically leaves their familiar surroundings unconsciously. Their scope of consciousness narrows, their perception of their surroundings becomes blurred, and upon waking, they cannot recall their actions during the episode.
Judging by Mu Dan's current behavior, he fit the symptoms almost perfectly.
Su Zhenzhen had always suspected that Mu Dan had been mistreated in the past, but she never imagined it was severe enough to cause dissociative fugue.
Dissociative fugue is generally associated with major stressful events and psychological trauma.
This must be a relapse. What kind of stimulus triggered him?
Mu Dan was responding to her calls, so Su Zhenzhen decided to try using the sensory grounding technique.
First, touch.
The hand she used to grip the young man's wrist slid down. She gently moved his hand away from her neck, and then slowly, tentatively, intertwined her fingers with his.
"Mu Dan?"
[It is me.]
Me?
The young man opened his eyes, the darkness in his gaze fading to reveal innocence.
[Su Zhenzhen, you are doing very well.]
Su Zhenzhen... who is that?
Is it me?
Lu Hexu tilted his head in thought.
Su Zhenzhen gave herself a reassuring thought and continued.
Next was hearing.
"Mu Dan, you are very safe right now. Don't be afraid," she murmured, turning her head slightly to speak into the young man's ear.
Lu Hexu blinked.
Finally, smell and taste.
Since Mu Dan's sense of taste was quite dull, Su Zhenzhen chose smell.
She untied the freshly changed scent sachet from her waist and held it beneath his nose.
The bitter, herbal fragrance gave off a calming scent.
"Come, let's go home."
Su Zhenzhen held the young eunuch's hand, guiding him with the sachet as she led him toward the small courtyard.
Shadow One hid in the dark. If this woman hadn't suddenly appeared, he would have already knocked his master unconscious and taken him away from this place.
When his master had an episode, he would lose his reason. Even Shadow One did not dare approach him easily unless absolutely necessary.
In a situation like just now, to ensure his master's safety, Shadow One would generally mentally prepare himself fully before stepping in to subdue him with force. Sometimes, even that wasn't enough, because His Majesty possessed immense strength, a strength far beyond that of an ordinary person.
He had heard tales from ancient times of extraordinary men who could lift massive bronze cauldrons; his own Emperor was likely just such a person.
Watching his master obediently follow behind this woman, walking away slowly, Shadow One suppressed his inner shock and quickly followed.
-
Su Zhenzhen noticed that Mu Dan currently lacked any independent consciousness, acting as innocent and ignorant as a child.
Some people would exhibit aggressive behavior during an episode, but the young man before her was only single-mindedly looking for a well.
Su Zhenzhen conveniently covered the water vat in the courtyard, then led him into the room and lit a gauze lantern.
It was the gauze lantern painted with two little dogs and two ink blots. Su Zhenzhen had taken it down and placed it in the room, afraid that the wind and sun outside would ruin it. If it rained, the ink on it would also quickly melt away.
The dim room brightened up. Su Zhenzhen held Mu Dan's hand as they sat down together.
"Do you want some water?"
The young man frowned and reached up to press his forehead.
"Does your head hurt?" Su Zhenzhen quickly stood up. "Don't worry, I'll get you a moxa stick."
Su Zhenzhen wasn't sure if the current Mu Dan could understand her. She hurriedly took out a moxa stick, lit it, and upon turning around, almost bumped into the young man standing right behind her.
Why was he following her?
Su Zhenzhen stood in front of the medicine cabinet, tilting her head up slightly to look at him.
The young man's gaze shifted downward, landing on her moist lips.
Although his memory was blurry, Lu Hexu remembered that there was one very comfortable thing to do.
The shadows of the two little dogs from the gauze lantern were cast on the ground, along with the two strange ink blots.
Su Zhenzhen's back pressed against the medicine cabinet behind her as the young man leaned in against her.
"Wait a moment..."
She still needed to treat his illness.
The young man's lips brushed past her cheek, not quite landing a kiss.
Seemingly very dissatisfied with the woman's refusal, he gripped her jaw with one hand and imprisoned her wrists with the other.
His strength was so great that there was absolutely no way to break free.
What was he trying to do?
Su Zhenzhen furrowed her brows, yet she couldn't help but steal glances at him.
[His face is truly beautiful.]
Zhenzhen: A woman only has the strength to make a living when she can look at beautiful young men.
