Chapter 69: You Feel Sorry for Him?

Chapter 69: Do You Care About Him?

Xiao Yan walked straight inside without looking back, heading to find Liu Qingci's room.

Little K thought excitedly, "Host, you're amazing! I didn't know you were a martial artist!"

With one punch, you knocked Xiao Jing into the lake!

"Is now really the time to be happy?" Xiao Yan reminded it. "Why don't you tell me what exactly the compulsory correction protocol is all about?"

Little K's expression soured. "I only just found out myself. Because of the plot deviation, the relationship between the lead couple has been seriously thrown off track, so this agreement was activated to help advance their relationship at the right time."

Xiao Yan: "So?"

Little K: "So when Xiao Jing attacked you, to temporarily remove you as an obstacle, they pushed you into the lake..."

Xiao Yan repeated, "I... as an obstacle..."

"Exactly," Little K explained. "The original plot went like this: Xiao Jing pushed you into the lake, thinking you were as good as dead. He took the chance to take Liu Qingci away. Afterward, you flew into a rage and wanted to settle the score with Xiao Jing and Liu Qingci, but by then Liu Qingci had no choice but to turn to Xiao Jing. And with that back and forth, the two leads would end up involved, right?"

Xiao Yan: "..."

He stopped in his tracks, stroked his chin, and became lost in thought.

"But unexpectedly, Liu Qingci didn't want to go with Xiao Jing; instead, he chose to save me?"

Little K drooped: "Yes..."

"..."

"Host, I know you're smug, but could you not laugh so smugly? You look really dumb ( -_-)"

"Ahem..."

Xiao Yan struggled to wipe the smile off his face, barely pulling off a serious look.

As he walked up the inn stairs, he ran into Fu'an coming his way.

Fu'an, upon seeing him, hurried forward to bow, then followed Xiao Yan with a stoop, speaking as they walked.

"Your Highness, hot water and clean clothes have been prepared in your room. As for Young Master Liu, the medicine is being boiled. I have had attendants look after him carefully. He just drank some hot ginger soup to chase off the cold, but he still seems rattled and has a bad cough."

Xiao Yan didn't stop walking, only nodded slightly. "Understood. Send the medicine here directly when it's ready."

He returned to his own room, took a quick hot shower, changed into clean clothes, and then went straight to Liu Qingci's room next door.

He paused briefly at the door, raised his hand to knock twice, then pushed the door open.

The charcoal fire inside was burning brightly, and a wave of warmth hit him.

Liu Qingci had changed into clean plain white underclothes, loosely draped in a thick cotton robe outside, only his head exposed, sitting propped on a soft couch by the window.

His face was still pale and translucent, with no color on his lips, like a fragile piece of thin jade porcelain just lifted from icy water.

Seeing Xiao Yan enter, he only moved his eyes to look towards the door.

Xiao Yan, stared at by his clear gaze, felt his breath catch for a moment.

"I heard you've been coughing badly?" he asked, his eyes shifting.

"It's nothing, I'm much better now."

Xiao Yan asked again, "Why are you sitting by the window?"

Liu Qingci blinked his eyes, not answering his question. In a soft voice, he asked instead, "Your Highness stayed behind just now. What did you do?"

Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and replied, "I had a few words with my dear imperial brother."

"Just talking?" Liu Qingci opened his bright eyes, looking very innocent.

That hit Xiao Yan wrong.

"Are you scared I'd beat him up?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingci actually nodded seriously and said, "Yes, I'm afraid you might beat him into the lake."

Xiao Yan's expression froze.

How did he know?

No...

"Heh, do you care about him?"

He snorted, moved closer, deliberately drawing out his words, laced with a hint of jealousy.

Liu Qingci was slightly startled at this.

Before he could organize his words to respond, Xiao Yan continued on his own, his words coming out faster and faster.

"Yes, I threw him into the lake, let him soak in cold water to sober up. No matter how much you care about him, I won't let you run out to save him!"

Liu Qingci was a bit dazed by this rapid-fire speech.

He looked at the tall man standing before him, who clearly looked fierce and spoke harshly.

If the servants of the Prince Yu's mansion saw him like this, they would surely be so scared they'd kneel and beg for mercy.

But Liu Qingci could see at a glance that he was just putting on a tough act.

Even his bluster, instead of being scary, had a strange liveliness to it.

A trace of softness uncontrollably sprouted from a corner of his heart, like spring vines creeping up without a sound.

Liu Qingci quickly lowered his eyelids, his thick long lashes like two small fans, hiding the strange feeling threatening to spill out of his eyes.

The corners of his pressed lips twitched slightly, as if wanting to curl up, but he forced it down and said seriously,

"Xiao Jing is a good swimmer; he'll swim up on his own."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan stared at Liu Qingci's face for a while, as if checking for any trace of worry.

Having confirmed there was none, Xiao Yan's expression eased slightly.

Liu Qingci thought he had managed to soothe Xiao Yan.

But unexpectedly, his expression changed again, and his tone turned mocking: "You even know he's a good swimmer. You sure know him well."

"..."

"There's no end to this, is there?"

"Ever since Liu Qingci fished Xiao Yan out of the lake, Xiao Yan had been even more brazen, making zero effort to hide his feelings."

"\"I don't want to save him. No matter how well he can swim, I'm not going.\""

"Liu Qingci's glassy eyes went wide, making him look even more innocent. He looked at Xiao Yan and deliberately coughed into his hand a couple of times, putting on a pitiful act,"

"\"Cough, cough... Your Highness, you're not still mad, are you?\""

"Xiao Yan's temper vanished instantly, like a popped balloon deflating."

"He spun around, fumbled as he poured a cup of hot tea, and shoved it into Liu Qingci's hands."

"\"Here, drink this to warm up.\" His voice was soft, coaxing."

"The fake fierce expression from earlier was completely gone."

"Liu Qingci held the cup, taking small sips of the hot tea."

"The cup held to his lips, hiding the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth that he couldn't hold back."

"Seeing that Liu Qingci's color had improved a bit, Xiao Yan let out a deep breath."

"The room fell silent again."

"Xiao Yan asked, as an afterthought, \"But... how did you know that I threw Xiao Jing into the lake?\""

"This time his tone was careful, like he was afraid of upsetting the other person again."

"But he was genuinely curious, so he asked."

"Was Liu Qingci already this tuned in to him now?"

"Just as Xiao Yan was wondering, he saw Liu Qingci wave him over."

"The two of them were standing face to face, already very close."

"When Liu Qingci waved like that, Xiao Yan could only walk over to him."

"\"What's wrong?\" he asked."

"Liu Qingci raised his hand and pointed out the window."

"Xiao Yan looked where he was pointing."

"From this angle, the open space by the lake was in full view."

"In other words..."

"A loud buzz went off in Xiao Yan's head, like something had exploded."

"In other words, Liu Qingci had seen the whole thing—him punching Xiao Jing into the lake just now?!"

"His heart skipped a beat."

"\"Oh no.\""

"The original body's reputation was already terrible. Now, in Liu Qingci's eyes, wouldn't he just look like an even bigger violent maniac?!"

"Xiao Yan's heart dropped. He slowly turned his head, movements stiff, and looked at Liu Qingci."

"But instead, he met a pair of eyes that held a faint smile."