Chapter 42: How Dare You Deny It After Pulling Up Your Pants!

Chapter 42: How Can You Act Like You Don't Know Me Now That Your Pants Are Back On?

Ji Huaiyu squinted, probing casually, "I didn't see Pei Yuhuai today. He's probably off drowning himself in drinks. I'm probably gonna fail my mission."

"No worries, we've got Plan B. Totally not panicking."

"What about you? If the female lead and male lead don't end up together, and both end up with someone else, then what?"

"That won't happen. They're all set in their roles, just like computer chips in our modern world. Falling for each other is hardwired into them—it can't go wrong.

Even at the very worst, if they've gotten physical, their hearts are still completely pure. I can guarantee that much."

Really?

So Lan He's still into Princess Ruo Ning?

Pei Yuhuai probably doesn't have real feelings for Lan He either—just a fling born of loneliness.

Earlier, Pei Yuhuai had wanted to get him into bed but never managed to. Now, out of heartbreak and disappointment, he must have crossed the line with Lan He.

If he could just get Pei Yuhuai into bed once, maybe he'd come around.

Ji Huaiyu sank into thought.

The female lead wasn't his concern, so he didn't really care.

He didn't even bother to tip off Qu Ying that her mission had already gone sideways.

At that moment.

Ruo Ning, just like in the original storyline, knew the tea was spiked, yet her hands moved on their own, accepting it and drinking it down.

She even stumbled after Qu Ying in a daze.

Luckily, she'd been smart enough to leave a clue for her personal maid.

When she realized the princess was gone, the maid rushed off to find her, following that faint, barely-there scent, searching everywhere as she followed it.

In the room.

Ruo Ning lay on the bed, her whole body burning up, clinging to the blanket with both arms, biting down hard on one corner of it.

Fire scorched through her entire body, even worse than last time.

Why...

Why did she keep losing control of her body over and over? It felt like someone else was living inside her, pulling her strings.

It was the same with State Preceptor Lan He, and the same when Qu Ying set her up.

She knew something was off, yet she still walked right into the trap.

Why me?

The more Ruo Ning thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. She didn't know why any of this was happening, or why it had to be her, or what Qu Ying was so desperately scheming for.

The ache in her body grew more intense. Ruo Ning had bitten her lip raw, the taste of blood keeping her just barely lucid.

"Princess."

Mei Yue tracked down the small courtyard and could faintly hear muffled crying coming from inside, mixed with immense hurt and sorrow—it sounded a lot like the princess.

Obeying the princess's orders, Mei Yue didn't dare make a fuss, and was afraid she might be wrong. So she quietly snuck into the courtyard and crept up to the door.

The crying became more distinct, mixed with suspicious suppressed moans escaping through clenched teeth, carrying a seductive allure that sounded utterly agonizing.

"It's the princess's voice."

Mei Yue was about to push the door open but feared breaking propriety. She raised her hand and knocked softly, whispering, "Princess, Princess, it's me, Mei Yue. Princess—"

Hearing Mei Yue's voice, Ruo Ning clung to it like a lifeline, struggling to speak: "Mei Yue, mm, come in."

She forced the words out, and more fragmented, pained whimpers spilled from her lips.

Mei Yue's heart raced with fear as she hurried inside.

She saw the princess half-reclining on the bed, hair slightly disheveled, cheeks flushed, beads of sweat on her fair skin, breath scorching hot, and tears glistening in her eyes.

"P-Princess, what... what happened to you?"

Mei Yue stammered, seeing the princess like this, and thought she resembled the descriptions of women in the throes of passion from books.

Passion?

The princess had always been so proper—how could she...

Ruo Ning panted heavily, her unfocused eyes grabbing Mei Yue's hand: "Mei Yue, I... I've been set up."

"Princess!"

Mei Yue shot up, her face turning pale with fright: "Princess, I'll go fetch the imperial physician right away. Don't be scared."

"No..."

Ruo Ning pulled her back, her breath unsteady, now sobbing softly with a barely perceptible plea: "Stay here and guard the place. Don't let anyone near. I'm still okay."

The pain was bone-deep but still bearable.

If anyone saw her like this, it would cause trouble.

Mei Yue held her hand worriedly: "But this medicine..."

She instinctively assumed it was that kind of drug.

Books said that when women took such drugs, while it usually wasn't life-threatening, it was extremely agonizing and torturous, and might leave lasting damage.

The princess was delicate as gold and jade—how could she endure such torment?

Thinking this, Mei Yue's eyes reddened with grievance as she silently wiped her tears: "Yes, I'll guard this place well. If you can't bear it, Princess, you must call me. Don't tough it out alone."

"Mm... you, go out first."

"Alright, I'm going now."

Mei Yue hastily wiped her tears and hurried out, closing the room and courtyard doors, then crouched down with her back against the courtyard gate.

On the other side.

Lan He straightened his robes, and a sudden numbness spread through his chest—a strange, eerie pain coursing through his body, unsettling his mind.

Lan He almost involuntarily turned around, his eyes vacant, shuffling blankly in one direction.

Pei Yuhuai had just fastened his belt when he turned his head and saw Lan He already several meters away, so pissed he wanted to cuss.

How dare he just ditch me after getting his rocks off!

"Stop right there, you bastard, Lan He!"

Lan He showed no reaction at all, continuing to walk stiffly without looking back.

Pei Yuhuai's eyes widened, his face turning green with rage, grinding his teeth: "Fine, you damn monk, you eat and run, huh? Next time I recover, if I don't fuck you into next week, my name ain't Pei Yuhuai!"

Cussing him out was one thing.

But if the other party showed no response at all, it was like punching a pillow—totally pointless.

Pei Yuhuai stomped his foot, pissed, but still hustled after him: "Hey, you deaf or what?"

He grabbed Lan He's wrist and leaned in for a closer look, and that's when he realized something was off.

Lan He's eyes were totally lifeless, staring blankly ahead, moving like a robot, not even registering him, like...

Like a marionette in a puppet show.

This realization made Pei Yuhuai break out in a cold sweat, and he instinctively let go.

This was way too creepy.

Pei Yuhuai wanted to run, but whipped around too fast and slammed into Lan He, knocking both of them back a couple of steps.

After that bump, Pei Yuhuai didn't feel like running anymore.

He stared into Lan He's eyes, working up the nerve to call out to him: "Lan He, Lan He? Are you even a person? Can you see me or what?"

Lan He's eyes flickered, slowly coming back to life.

"Lan He, are you back?"

"I just..."

"You just scared the hell out of me, like a damn ghost. You sure you're not some kind of monster? Or did you catch some strange illness?"

Lan He looked at him, surprised, and seeing he wasn't lying, realized he'd blacked out again.

Every time these strange things happened, they were connected to Princess Ruoning and Princess Quying, but Princess Ruoning also had the same symptoms as him, and they would be forced to move toward each other.

So the person behind it all...

Lan He grabbed Pei Yuhuai's hand: "Come, follow me."