Chapter 141 Pitch Black

Chapter 141: Pitch Black

Yun Xunyu's hand paused slightly. Star Frost raised its head to glance at him, tilting its head sideways.

Seeing that Yun Xunyu was fine, it turned back, its forked tongue lightly trembling over Cheng Ge's wound.

The night was thick and heavy. A blood-tinged wind blew toward the pavilion, and crows perched on the eaves.

Cheng Ge's injury this time was exceptionally dire.

The poison from the blade combined with the toxins already in his body—a formidable alliance that didn't treat Cheng Ge as human, nearly sending him straight to the afterlife on the spot.

He spat out mouthful after mouthful of black blood, completely unconscious, burning with fever, oblivious to the world around him.

Zhou Mingqi rounded up every doctor from the Imperial Medical Academy, trying every remedy they could think of.

Meanwhile, Cheng Ge seemed to be taking a joyride in a tiny sports car, alternating between flooring it and braking as he cruised toward the gates of the underworld.

Those by his bedside kept watch night after night, terrified that at any moment he might stop breathing.

It wasn't until the fifth day that Cheng Ge barely managed to cling to life.

...

Cheng Ge was choked awake by the pungent smell of medicine.

He slowly opened his eyes, his vision as blurry as if looking through cotton candy.

A scorching pain burned in his throat. He tried to move his fingers, only to be met with a sharp, piercing ache.

"Water..." His voice was hoarse, as if he'd smoked ten packs of Chinese cigarettes.

Cheng Ge moved his eyes, thinking that if he were to sing "Anhe Bridge" right now, even Dahuang would probably shed a tear.

"Awake?" A handsome face suddenly loomed into view.

Yun Xunyu had dark circles under his eyes, and his robe was wrinkled like pickled vegetables.

Star Frost was coiled on his shoulder, its tongue flicking and hissing softly.

Cheng Ge tried to speak but coughed up a mouthful of black blood that tasted of medicine.

Yun Xunyu swiftly caught it with a cloth, his movements were so practiced they were almost frightening.

Cheng Ge thought he must be deeply poisoned—he was seeing that weirdo Yun Xunyu again.

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to wake from this nightmare.

"Dear, are you hungry?" Yun Xunyu's voice sounded beside him.

Hearing this, Cheng Ge immediately opened his eyes, his vision clearing slightly.

"Hungry—"

Yun Xunyu helped him sit up, placing two soft pillows behind his back.

Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows across the bed.

Only then did Cheng Ge realize he was as limp as a noodle. His left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and seven mugwort plasters were stuck to his chest.

A medicine pot bubbled in the corner, filling the room with a bitterness that made one's tongue go numb.

Yun Xunyu brought over a bowl of soft, well-cooked yam porridge. He stirred the porridge with a spoon, blew on it gently, and brought it to Cheng Ge's lips.

Cheng Ge looked at the porridge, swallowed, and meekly opened his mouth.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Star Frost slithered down from Yun Xunyu's shoulder.

It slowly crawled onto Cheng Ge's lap, flicking its tongue and rubbing against his hand.

Cheng Ge swallowed the porridge, glanced down at the snake—not that he wasn't afraid anymore, but he simply had no strength to move.

Cheng Ge thought: *Whatever. This thing doesn't seem to bite.*

As if sensing his mood, Star Frost grew bolder, slithering higher and coiling around Cheng Ge's arm.

"Why did its head turn black?" Cheng Ge's voice was a bit slurred as he stared at Star Frost's slightly darkened head.

He remembered this snake being pure white just a few days ago—how had it suddenly turned black?

Bewildered, he looked up at Yun Xunyu and couldn't help asking, "Didn't you give it a bath?"

Yun Xunyu: "..."

Star Frost lifted its head, looked at Cheng Ge, then drooped back down dejectedly at his words.

"It accidentally got poisoned," Yun Xunyu said calmly.

"Poisoned?" Cheng Ge found it hard to believe. In his mind, this thing was more likely to poison others than get poisoned itself.

Yun Xunyu glanced at Star Frost and chuckled lightly. "Probably sneakily ate some wild fruit."

Cheng Ge: "???" That sounded oddly suspicious.

Hearing this, Star Frost immediately raised its head and hissed at Yun Xunyu, as if wronged by the accusation.

"R-really?" Cheng Ge eyed the little snake's pitch-black head suspiciously. "Eating wild fruit and getting a dark forehead? That's pretty lame."

Star Frost: "..."

Yun Xunyu suddenly laughed out loud. "Just kidding. It sneakily licked the poisoned blood from your wound."

Cheng Ge's mouth twitched involuntarily. He stared at Star Frost for a few seconds.

"You... really aren't choosy. You'll eat anything."

The door suddenly opened, and Zhou Mingqi strode in, the hem of his dragon robe still wet with dew.

The emperor also had dark circles under his eyes, but when he saw Cheng Ge awake, his tense expression finally relaxed.

Zhou Mingqi walked quickly to the bedside, his robe stirring a faint, cool breeze.

He reached out and touched Cheng Ge's forehead, his fingertips trembling almost unnoticeably as they touched.

"The fever's broken." The emperor's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper from being up all night.

Cheng Ge had never seen Zhou Mingqi in this state. Instinctively, he pulled back.

"Hiss—" The movement pulled at his wound, making him wince and bare his teeth.

Yun Xunyu immediately set the bowl aside, stood up, and subtly moved to stand between Zhou Mingqi and the others.

Yun Xunyu reached out to lower the pillow behind Cheng Ge, carefully helping him lie down.

Xing Shuang took the opportunity to slide from his arm onto the bedding, coiling into the shape of a white jade bracelet.

Zhou Mingqi's eyes were full of worry, and he was about to say something more.

At that moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"Muyu!" Zhou Zhan almost burst in, his crown askew, the jade pendant at his waist clattering noisily.

In his hand was still half a piece of uneaten osmanthus cake; when he saw Cheng Ge awake, his eyes instantly reddened.

Zhou Yinyun followed, and upon seeing Cheng Ge awake, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he was fine—otherwise, if Caicai found out he hadn't protected her brother, she'd be furious.

He placed the sword he was holding on the table and stepped over to the couch.

Zhou Mingqi quickly summoned the imperial physician.

Cheng Ge looked up and saw that they were all old acquaintances; he lay down resignedly.

Sigh... his battered body—when would this ever end...

Damn it, that blasted Zhou Ming!

Wu Cangji was helped to the bedside, and he placed his fingertips on Cheng Ge's wrist to take his pulse.

He focused on the diagnosis for a moment; his brow relaxed slightly but quickly furrowed, and then he let out a heavy sigh.

Cheng Ge watched his vivid facial expressions, his heart skipping a beat—they say you don't fear a doctor's smile, but you dread his downcast eyes.

Judging by Wu Cangji's demeanor, Cheng Ge might not survive!