Well, He Took It Seriously!

She swiftly drove it toward Shen Qing's wrist...

A moment later, Shen Qing stopped responding.

"Finally, some peace and quiet." Bai Mo breathed a deep sigh of relief.

She hadn't dared use too large a dose of anesthetic, so he would probably wake up in about two hours. She hadn't wanted to use it at all, but the poison had flared up too severely. Rather than let him keep hurting himself, she could only choose the lesser of two evils.

Shen Qing was still curled up, the loose strands of hair on his forehead plastered to his cheeks with sweat. His face was deathly pale, and the tear tracks at the corners of his eyes had yet to dry. He looked like a rag doll, a pitiful sight indeed.

"Sigh~"

Bai Mo gently removed the cloth from his mouth, then took a clean towel from her space and wiped his face and hands. She discovered bloody marks all over his palms where he had dug into them himself.

She could only take out some alcohol and carefully disinfect his palms before cautiously healing them with her wood-element ability.

Shen Qing was soaked through, water practically dripping from him, but should she change his clothes or not? Bai Mo was torn. She couldn't shake the feeling that changing them would be taking advantage of him while he was vulnerable...

For now, she could only wrap him in the quilt from the bed.

Having settled Shen Qing for the time being, Bai Mo felt thoroughly worn out. She needed to conserve her strength, since she still had to detoxify him later, so she sat cross-legged and regulated her breathing.

Summer nights in the Capital were not at all stuffy or hot, but rather a little cool. A gentle breeze drifted in through the window, accompanied by the faint chirping of cicadas, and Bai Mo's whole body relaxed.

It was around eleven at night. After detoxifying Shen Qing, she still had to go home, and it would probably be the middle of the night again by the time she got there.

*

"No... Father, Qing'er will be good from now on. Qing'er doesn't want to drink the medicine. Please, don't..."

"No, I really don't want to drink it anymore. It hurts so, so much when the poison flares up. Please, don't."

Bai Mo heard Shen Qing murmuring on and on. Seeing that it was about time and he should be waking up soon, she hurriedly reached out to pat him.

"Shen Qing, wake up. Shen Qing."

Bai Mo patted him gently. She had to wake him quickly and see how he was doing!

Shen Qing couldn't wake from his nightmare, no matter how he tried. The same pain struck him again and again, until he suddenly heard a woman's voice calling to him over and over.

Once...

Twice...

It was her. It was Bai Mo. Bai Mo was calling him.

"Bai Mo."

Shen Qing struggled to open his eyes, and sure enough, Bai Mo was the first thing he saw, the woman's lovely face close at hand.

Shen Qing reached out and pulled Bai Mo into his arms, holding her tightly without a word.

Caught in his sudden embrace, Bai Mo stiffened slightly.

Seeing him like this, she could only comfort him first and check on him once his emotions had settled.

"It's all right. I'm here."

"Don't be afraid. It's all over."

Bai Mo patted him gently, comforting him in a soft voice.

"Will you always be here?"

Shen Qing suddenly released Bai Mo and cupped her face, making her look at him. His eyes were full of pleading as he asked.

Bai Mo didn't know how to answer and hesitated for a moment.

"Didn't you want to ask for my hand? I'm willing to marry you. If I do, will you always be here?" Shen Qing's eyes began to flicker as he asked uncertainly, as though questioning Bai Mo and trying to convince himself at the same time.

"You're still not clearheaded. We'll talk about this when you are."

"Heh."

Shen Qing let go and lowered his eyes, gradually hiding all his emotions.

Bai Mo suddenly felt a pang in her heart. She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

It was as if he had shut himself away again, becoming once more that unattainable flower on a lofty peak, an elegant, refined young master, rather than the real Shen Qing.

"This object that gives off a faint glow is quite novel. I'll go change first. Being damp all over is truly uncomfortable."

Shen Qing rose unhurriedly, lifted the gauze curtain, lit a lamp, and went into the compartment behind the screen.

A short while later, Shen Qing had changed. His white robes made him look even colder and more aloof.

"You've had to witness my embarrassing display today, eldest Miss Bai. I hope you'll forget it once you leave this room."

Bai Mo nodded and asked, looking a little worried, "You were fine yesterday, and I'd just finished treating you. By rights, the poison shouldn't have flared up. Why was it so severe?"

"I ate it by mistake, that's all. It's nothing serious. Will it affect the detoxification?"

Bai Mo shook her head. "I don't know. Let me see your hand."

Shen Qing held out his wrist to Bai Mo.

His skin was icy to the touch. In just a few days, his body had suffered all manner of damage. After the poison was removed, he would need a long period of recuperation, or it would seriously shorten his lifespan.

On top of that, the aphrodisiac from that day had also been extremely potent. The two poisons had clashed, damaging his foundation. She feared he would never have children...

Bai Mo looked at Shen Qing, unsure how to broach the subject. While she was still searching for the right words, Shen Qing spoke first.

"I hope everything you tell me will be the truth."

"Mm."

Bai Mo was not a heartless person. She had lived nearly thirty years in her previous life without ever becoming involved with a man, and Shen Qing was the first man she had been with in either lifetime. Without realizing it, she had come to care for him a little. Recalling the helpless look in his eyes just now, she felt her heart soften considerably.

She gathered her thoughts and said gently, "Put out the lamp and get into bed. I'll detoxify you. Once the poison is completely gone, I'll give you a way to nurse your body back to health. You'll get better."

Shen Qing nodded, but his face remained cold and lifeless, stirring pity in her.

"In a month, your poison will be gone."

"Look how pitiful you are. Why don't you just marry me? I'll personally nurse you back to health and make sure you're well taken care of."

Shen Qing paused in the act of putting out the lamp and turned to look at Bai Mo.

Shen Qing felt something spreading through his blood and gathering at the tip of his heart. His chest began to warm again, little by little. He hardly dared breathe, and could only struggle desperately, helplessly, and in vain to suppress it!

"Why are you looking at me? You're the one who said you wanted to marry me. Don't tell me your words don't count anymore?"

Shen Qing lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. He felt there was no harm in keeping this as a way out. "They count. But if you want to marry me, I hope the inner household can be peaceful. If you indulge your desires without restraint and remain as you are now, naturally I wouldn't be willing."

Was Shen Qing saying he didn't want her taking more people into her bed?

Bai Mo had come from a monogamous world, so of course she didn't find his request strange.

What she said, however, was different. "There are countless handsome men in this world. Are you asking me to give up the whole forest for you?"

Shen Qing smiled, paying her teasing little mind.

He walked straight over to Bai Mo and reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertips brushed her cheek, cool as the faintest touch, making Bai Mo's face grow warm.

"I am drawn to your bearing, and you delight in my looks. Very good."

Shen Qing felt like laughing a little himself. To think that he, Shen Qing, would have to serve someone with his looks?

*

"Stop staring. Detoxify me."

"All right." Bai Mo smiled, her eyes curving, and led him to the bed.

Bai Mo looked calm on the surface, but inside she felt as though she was about to get a nosebleed. Beauty led people astray, beauty truly led people astray! One smile from Shen Qing and she agreed to whatever he said; he had smiled all that miserable sadness away...

Shen Qing didn't put out the lamp after all. He simply sat there with his robes half open and his long hair half concealing him, tempting Bai Mo until she wanted to cry but had no tears. She hurriedly steadied her mind and began circulating her ability!!

Half a shichen later.

Bai Mo opened her eyes, her body and mind once again filled with the exhaustion of being pushed beyond their limits.

"All right, I'll come again tomorrow."

"You'd better soak in a hot bath before going to sleep. The poison flaring up today did a great deal of damage to begin with, so you need plenty of rest."

"I understand."

Shen Qing's lips curved in a smile, and his gaze never left Bai Mo, until she felt a little embarrassed under his stare.

She had only wanted to tease him a little...

Well, he'd taken it seriously!!!