Chapter 105

Just then, there was a trio of knocks at the door. Startled, Xia You scrambled onto the bed, swiftly pulling the covers over the 'sleeping beauty.'

Uncle Zhou entered and, upon seeing Xia You awake, expressed concern. "You're finally awake. Do you feel unwell anywhere? Would you like something to eat?"

Kneeling at the bed's edge, Xia You stammered and shook her head.

Uncle Zhou set down the tray in his hands, handing Xia You a glass of lemon water. Noting the redness of her cheeks, a smirk touched his eyes, but he remained silent, merely checking Xia You's temperature.

"The fever's subsided," Uncle Zhou sighed in relief.

Xia You nodded repeatedly, not daring to meet Uncle Zhou's gaze. She hastily drank the lemon water, hoping to cool her burning cheeks.

Concerned about the 'sleeping beauty' beneath the covers, Xia You eagerly finished her drink to hand back the glass to Uncle Zhou.

Uncle Zhou, with twinkling eyes, suddenly inquired, "Xia You, don't you like the gentleman?"

"Pffft—Cough cough cough!"

Xia You nearly met her premature end by choking on a sip of lemon water.

"I, I..."

After regaining her composure, a still-shaken Xia You handed the glass back to Uncle Zhou, then knelt on the bed, her fingers anxiously twisting and untwisting together.

Meeting the elder's gentle and encouraging gaze, Xia You whispered, "...I do like him."

Even if the prince never spoke of wanting to be pursued, she still cherished him.

Adored him, most of all.

Only him.

Xia You understood that the prince might worry her affection stemmed solely from his kindness towards her. However, Xia You's hesitance was only due to her innate fear of confronting emotions, not a lack of understanding them.

After all... in her past life, she was teasingly referred to as a young master with love-struck brains for quite some time.

Xia You silently chided herself.

Though she had lived twice, she still hadn't truly grasped life, let alone love.

Uncle Zhou nodded with satisfaction, "I thought as much."

"Xia You, next time you desire something, just tell Uncle Zhou. I'll make sure to get it for you."

The old butler recalled how, during Xia You's fever, she seemed awake only subconsciously and gazed at him longingly, too shy to voice her needs. That image tugged at the seasoned man's heartstrings.

How could the elderly stand to see a young one in their care suffering?

A clueless Xia You: "...Huh?"

Uncle Zhou blinked, sharing a video from his light-computer with Xia You.

Xia You activated the screen and was confronted by a clip of her, in a daze, acting adorably towards Uncle Zhou. As the video continued, she cringed with embarrassment, watching in full detail how the 'sleeping beauty' was carried by Uncle Zhou, undressed, and then tucked under her blanket.

Sitting in stunned silence, Xia You's blue eyes began to glaze over, losing focus.

Perhaps it's best to let him go—away from Blue Star, away from this galaxy, and ideally, away from this era.

Uncle Zhou's tease was short-lived. Just as Xia You wished the ground would swallow her up, he transitioned with a smile, "Xia You, someone from the Imperial Star has expressed their wish to meet you."

"Who is it?" Xia You covered her face with her hand, peeking through her fingers at Uncle Zhou. "Is La Tiao (Spicy Stick) also there?"

"He is," Uncle Zhou replied with a smile, "just some unimportant folks."

Xia You: "Alright, I'll freshen up and come down."

It happened just before La Tiao left, giving the chubby little tiger one last mental guidance.

Having just woken up, Xia You felt a fullness in her spirit like never before. Even without a psychic level evaluation, she was confident of achieving at least an S-grade this time.

After Uncle Zhou left, Xia You sat on the bed and vigorously rubbed her cheeks, trying to rid herself of her embarrassment. Repeating in her mind, "It's legal, it's legal," she leaned over and unveiled the blanket covering Lu Yinghuai's head.

Perhaps the blanket had made it stuffy, for Lu Yinghuai's disheveled hair on his forehead revealed a hint of blush on his cheeks.

The little psychic tentacle that had previously run away from home was now comfortably nestled in the crook of Lu Yinghuai's neck, stretching itself leisurely.

Xia You glared at the tiny psychic tentacle, whispering, "You're back!"

Instantly, the little tentacle stretched itself long, wrapping around Lu Yinghuai's neck, signifying its determination never to part.

A psychic form always reveals the deepest, most concealed traits of its host.

Or perhaps its most hidden desires.

Xia You suddenly felt relieved that His Highness was asleep. Otherwise...

A thought struck her, and she bolted upright, her pupils constricting.

His Highness might awaken from his hibernation pod at any moment. If he were to see the little tentacle still clinging to him...

There was a difference between telling Lu Yinghuai that she left a little tentacle in the hibernation pod and getting caught red-handed with her tentacle taking advantage of him in his sleep—it was an entirely different matter!

"Come back," Xia You whispered to the tentacle, negotiating with an embarrassed grit, "I promise, I'll... cuddle every day."

The last two words were spoken so softly that even Xia You could barely hear herself.

The tentacle seemed persuaded, nodding its little tip in agreement.

Being her own psychic entity, Xia You could sense the skepticism emanating from the little tentacle.

Xia You closed her eyes momentarily, admitting dryly, "Yes, I promise."

Whether to cuddle or not, the primary goal was to deceive it back to her.

The little tentacle slowly loosened its grip around Lu Yinghuai's neck, returning to its short form.

It was evident that due to its prolonged separation from Xia You, the inherently psychic tentacle had become thin and tiny.

The tentacle affectionately nuzzled Lu Yinghuai's Adam's apple and cheek, then turned its pointed end to gaze at Xia You.

As Xia You questioned her own desires toward His Highness, she numbly assured, "Alright, all night it is."

Satisfied, the tentacle eagerly left its favored Lu Yinghuai, leaping onto Xia You's outstretched palm, slowly sinking in and vanishing from sight.

Retrieving the tentacle was a simple process, but it brought a flood of memories into Xia You's mind.

Despite the abundance of images, they were easy to process and didn't really affect Xia You.

Because all this tentacle did was observe, every memory was solely of Lu Yinghuai.

Over these long months, this little tentacle had meticulously examined the slumbering His Highness in the hibernation pod from head to toe.

Had it not been for the belt around His Highness's waist, perhaps...

Xia You buried her face in her hands once more, silently crumbling, even contemplating hiding somewhere.

After sitting on the bed for a while, Xia You finally composed herself and headed to the bathroom.

When she returned, Xia You held a wrung-out damp towel. She hesitated for a few seconds beside the bed, her ears flushing red, before lifting the blanket and wiping Lu Yinghuai's face, neck, and exposed hands.

Then, she silently buttoned up the disheveled shirt on the sleeping beauty, trying her best to smooth out the creases.

Well done!

No one would ever know what had transpired.

Xia You mentally cheered herself on.

After doing all this, while gazing at Lu Yinghuai, who was sound asleep on the bed, Xia You couldn't resist reaching out, lightly poking his cheek with her fingertip.

It wasn't a fuzzy sensation, nor the cold feel of a hibernation pod cover.

It was His Highness.

The corners of Xia You's eyes lifted, her eyes sparkling like stars.

She then took hold of Lu Yinghuai's hand, channeling her psychic energy into him.

Xia You had just advanced in her abilities and hadn't stabilized. She wouldn't dare venture into Lu Yinghuai's psychic ocean recklessly.

She merely used her psychic tentacles to caress every hidden injury inside Lu Yinghuai. The most enthusiastic tentacle was the one that used to be the laziest.

Xia You could distinctly feel that, compared to her past self in the forest reserve who would exhaust all her energy just healing His Highness's leg, she now had a substantial amount of energy left even after treating all the hidden injuries.

She let out a soft breath.

Only those who truly reach this level understand that the jump from A-grade to S-grade isn't just about energy accumulation; it's a qualitative transformation.

Xia You sensed subtle changes occurring within her.

For instance, she could now clearly hear a young tiger pacing back and forth outside her bedroom door, debating whether or not to knock.

*

As Xia You stepped out, Latiao, the one pacing outside, immediately approached her.

At first, Latiao tried to sneak a peek inside the room before the door fully closed. But after Xia You firmly pushed away its inquisitive head, the round eyes instantly filled with curiosity.

Finding it hard to withstand Latiao's intense gaze, Xia You bent down and vigorously rubbed its gossip-filled tiger face, reshaping its expressions.

"Rawr, rawr, rawr—"

Latiao grinned, pressing its large head into Xia You's embrace and nuzzling affectionately.

After playing with Latiao for a bit, Xia You, with a gentle smile, took the tiger's paw, gazing at Latiao, who had grown into a large tiger.

"Let me have a look, okay?"

Latiao, pressing its head against Xia You, walked over and sat down beside the sofa. For the first time, it jumped onto the couch in its uncle's room, resting its tiger head on Xia You's lap.

Uncle is asleep right now, and by the time he wakes up, any scent on the couch would have dissipated, and I'll already be on the Imperial Star. He won't keep a grudge, will he?

The orange-black tiger comfortably occupied the long sofa, its well-fed body appearing quite robust.

Xia You placed her hand on Latiao's forehead, closed her eyes, and quickly channeled her psychic tendrils into Latiao's brain.

……

By the time Xia You's psychic tendrils withdrew from Latiao, clusters of glowing psychic orbs filled its brain, radiating a warm light.

These orbs would allow Latiao to feel the soothing effects of healing psychic energy for a long time after returning to the Imperial Star.

Latiao looked at Xia You with a touch of surprise.

The treatment this time was painless, feeling as cozy as basking in the sun or soaking in a warm pool.

Xia You raised a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture: "This is a special treatment reserved for our family. Don't mention it to others, okay?"

Latiao's eyes brimmed with laughter. The tiger grinned, finding Xia You's preferential treatment delightfully indescribable.

Xia You stood up. "Come on, I'll see you off."

The guests from the Imperial Star must have been waiting downstairs for some time.

However, Latiao extended a claw to Xia You's knee, applying slight pressure.

[There's no need for Uncle to come down. Those below are just nobles, not important.]

Xia You gently stroked Latiao's head. "I know, but I want to."

"Let me escort you, alright?"

Having raised the prince from a scrawny little tiger cub to a majestic adult tiger, how could she let him leave home so quietly and alone?

Xia You knew.

Due to congenital deficiencies leading to a frail body and erratic psychic energy, Latiao, despite being the crown prince, had never made a public appearance before the empire's citizens.

In fact, after the emperor refused to remarry, every year, both the Senate and the military had many who suggested that the emperor should consider grooming another, healthier successor.

But to Xia You, Latiao is the most beautiful and adorable little tiger in the world, destined to be the finest heir to the empire.

Xia You crouched slightly, pinching Latiao's tiger ears and whispered, "Don't worry, we're always with you."

Behind Qin Anhong, there is Xia You, a healer, and Lu Yinghuai, the Imperial Marshal. Soon, there will also be his mother, Lu Jiuzhu, who has been absent for many years but deeply loves him.

Amber tiger eyes shimmered with moisture, Latiao lowered his head, rubbing his eyes, ears, and head with his paw, and let out a soft whimper.

……

Xia You woke up in the afternoon, and by the time he had finished his tasks and had some leisure, it was already evening.

Returning to his room, Xia You closed the door, leisurely freshened up, changed into pajamas, and then stood by the bed.

Perhaps due to the spiritual barrier around him, the bedroom was filled with Xia You's gentle spiritual energy. The healer's unique spiritual energy was especially soothing, making Xia You feel drowsy.

Xia You stood at the bedside for a few minutes, hands clasped behind him, fingers entwined.

After a moment, he tiptoed to Lu Yinghuai's bedside table and from his spatial ring, took out a carefully chosen rose, with thorns removed, and gently set it down.

The scent of the rose faintly lingered on Xia You's fingers, tracing along Lu Yinghuai's hair and caressing his cheek.

Having done this, Xia You crouched beside the bed, silently watching Lu Yinghuai for a while.

Heavy curtains shielded the moonlight outside, with only a few soft beams sneaking in from beneath.

Xia You moved to the other side of the bed, nudged his pillow closer to Lu Yinghuai, lifted the blanket, and snuggled in.

Lying next to Lu Yinghuai, Xia You slowly reached out, only grasping the hem of Lu Yinghuai's clothing.

"Your Highness, I've uploaded my spiritual power level for analysis. I wonder if you'll wake up before the results come out..."

"Latiao returned to the Imperial Capital this afternoon. I wonder if anyone will bully him there... And I haven’t even seen his true appearance yet..."

"Oh, I intended to check if I could extract the gray substance from Sister's body, but I couldn't find her anywhere in the house."

"But I did bump into Tanggao who had just returned. I healed him. He seemed quite distressed, saying his research was at a crucial stage. Hehe, I didn't tell him that I can now directly absorb those gray-black clusters."

"Also, when I was picking roses in the garden earlier, I saw a white butterfly. It was so beautiful..."

The young man's gentle murmurs softly echoed in the quiet bedroom.

The fingers Xia You had wrapped around Lu Yinghuai's hem tightened, then gradually relaxed.

In the next instant, he suddenly lunged forward, arms wide, clinging to Lu Yinghuai, tightly embracing him with his cheek resting perfectly on Lu Yinghuai's chest.

The steady and strong heartbeat echoed in his ears, causing Xia You's initially taut body to gradually relax.

Xia You had often pondered...

When his spiritual power level eventually reached the point where it could touch His Highness's core, what expression would adorn His Highness's face?

Would he smile, express surprise, or affectionately nuzzle his cheek in his leopard form?

But he never imagined it would be like this.

After staying close for a while, Xia You let go and propped himself up, gazing at Lu Yinghuai once more.

As he watched, Xia You swallowed.

After all, His Highness was asleep now...

Almost as if compelled, Xia You reached out to turn off all the lights in the bedroom, leaned down, and slowly drew closer.

Gently placing a kiss upon Lu Yinghuai's lips.

The night breeze rustled the heavy curtains, moonlight spread, illuminating the rose by the bed and the tender entanglement of golden and black hair.

"Goodnight, Your Highness."

……

In the dimly lit room, Xia You's breathing was steady and deep, soundly asleep, with his ethereal spiritual tendrils affectionately resting on Lu Yinghuai's neck.

Beneath the covers, a long finger twitched, followed by a wrist... after a while, eyelashes fluttered, slowly opening.

Clear, deep purple eyes gazed out, devoid of any trace of grogginess from a long slumber.