Mu Yunhe didn't know if he was still running a fever or what, but he suddenly felt his face heat up. He felt that the light in her eyes was brighter than starlight and more dazzling than the sun and moon, so much so that he dared not look directly at her, yet his heart was filled with tenderness. He awkwardly sneered, "Can you stop being so presumptuous? Who cares about you? I'm just worried that you, this menace, are making my illness worse by my side!"
Luo Zhiheng pouted coquettishly, twisting her little body, looking defiant. The golden mask seemed to become more agile as she poked at his chest with her delicate fingers: "That's not how it is! I know you're the most hypocritical. If you say you don't like me, then you do. If you say I'm a menace, then you must really like me, right?"
Her spoiled little girl demeanor was narcissistic and somewhat arrogant. She had too high a standard and thought too highly of herself, as if everything she said was right. Her self-righteous attitude made Mu Yunhe feel annoyed, but strangely, the corners of her mouth were turning up.
"Get away from me!" The weak man was deeply hurt, unable to push her away. She was so soft, it was almost irresistible to push her. He was also afraid she might catch something. Although he wasn't angry or resentful about getting infected himself, Mu Yunhe didn't want Luo Zhiheng to suffer the same fate. She was so delicate and petite; what if she got infected?
Luo Zhiheng rubbed against him and laughed, "Don't be afraid, I'll stay with you. Don't be scared. Huo Yun said your illness isn't contagious, hehe, look how well I've taken care of you for so many days."
Mu Yunhe bared his teeth, wanting to bite someone. How could there be such a fearless and clingy woman? Was she too in love with him, or was she out of her mind? She cursed him in a sarcastic tone, but her heart was incredibly soft.
It was strange how he had become so close to Luo Zhiheng without any reason after waking up. Yet, he felt it was wonderful. Although he still couldn't recall the past, he had memorized those scenes, as if he had lingered over half of Luo Zhiheng's and his past self's lives. Although fragmented, they were enough for him to savor and cherish.
Luo Zhiheng thought that since she had accompanied Mu Yunhe through such a desperate journey to death, she could accompany him through this path of the virus now. Facing setbacks with a joyful and lighthearted attitude always makes things easier.
Second update is here. An extra chapter will probably be updated around 1:10 PM. Keep up the good work! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Group chat, muah!
579 Naked by a shrew! (Excerpt from the synopsis) Bonus chapter for 89,000 recommended votes
Updated: 2014-01-26 13:27:37 Word Count: 3499
"What were you doing just now? You weren't still fighting with other women over me when I was facing a life-or-death situation, were you? I don't want a jealous woman as my wife." Mu Yunhe pointed at the group of women who looked at him as if they were seeing a ghost and said sarcastically.
She drew out the last syllable of her voice, and said in a soft, delicate tone, "I'm just showing my grandmotherly authority and disciplining your unfaithful concubines. What, are you unhappy?"
Mu Yunhe raised an eyebrow, his face rotting and horrifying, his expression turning ferocious. He slowly said, "Happy? How could I not be happy? Then I'll trouble you, Madam, to teach those unchaste women a good lesson! I'll sit here and watch."
Although he had brought the poisoning upon himself, Mu Yunhe had no regrets. He had deeply felt Luo Zhiheng's care, companionship, tenderness, and love over the past few days. Although he had been in a daze, he was aware of everything. None of the other women even glanced at him; they all avoided him like the plague. Only Luo Zhiheng persisted in staying by his side.
He initially thought women were merely a diversion, something to add to one's happiness, but he didn't realize that women could also be beautiful but venomous snakes—deadly poisons. A woman can only share in a man's glory, not in his hardships. Mu Yunhe had seen this clearly in the past half-month, and could only conclude that while women are indispensable to men, it's better to have none than to have the wrong one! Having many women doesn't necessarily signify power and status; true happiness comes from having one woman who is completely devoted and shares your heart.
He couldn't help but feel a little smug, as if he had just met a woman like that. He glanced at Luo Zhiheng and found that she was also looking at him. Her smile, beautiful and stunning behind the golden mask, made his heart skip a beat. He quickly looked away.
Mu Yunhe was weak and still suffering from the poison; standing for even a short while was his limit. However, not wanting Luo Zhiheng to look down on him, he had a chair brought over and sat down boldly. The sunlight streamed in, making his face appear hazy and obscuring the ugly sores on his face; under the light, he seemed like a god, sacred and majestic.
Such a Mu Yunhe would be absolutely attractive to women.
Furthermore, after hearing Luo Zhiheng's words that Mu Yunhe's illness wasn't contagious, and seeing that Luo Zhiheng was indeed lively and energetic, the women began to waver. What if Mu Yunhe recovered after they left? Wouldn't they have wasted their time? But some women had been infected by Mu Yunhe before.
"Even though you're almost recovered, don't go out and leave yourself out in the cold." How could Luo Zhiheng not see the hesitation and wavering of those women? She casually gave them a reason to strive harder.
Almost done!
The group of women's eyes lit up. As long as Mu Yunhe lived, they would still have wealth and glory. For a moment, the way the women looked at Mu Yunhe changed.
A shadow crossed Mu Yunhe's eyes as he glared at Luo Zhiheng with displeasure. The implication was clear: why were you lying? The way those women looked at the fat was disgusting!
Luo Zhiheng laughed freely, wanting to instill fighting spirit in these women so that they would do anything to regain your favor in the future, and that's how they would fight against me! And since you've already seen through their true nature, you naturally won't care about them anymore. She just wanted to experience what it felt like to torment these ungrateful women from an absolute position.
To put it bluntly, Luo Zhiheng just wanted to experience again the kind of unrestrained and unique pampering that Mu Yunhe gave her.
Luo Zhiheng naturally accused these women of being unfaithful and constantly trying to climb over walls. Then she had Qi Wan and Luo Erduo give the women a good beating, specifically to slap them in the face! Afterwards, amidst a series of shrill screams, she mercifully let the bunch of pig heads leave.
After that day, things became very complicated between Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiheng, at least that's how Mu Yunhe felt. The nude photo was right next to him, and he felt very close to her. Although they weren't on the same bed, his room was filled with a woman's fragrance, and Luo Zhiheng's soft breathing while she slept would give Mu Yunhe an indescribable feeling of restlessness.
Falling in love with someone has no reason, nor does it take time or place. An unknown seed sprouted in Mu Yunhe's heart, brewing, growing, and flourishing in Luo Zhiheng's every smile, every snore, and every word, unknowingly blossoming in his newborn life.
But Mu Yunhe couldn't stand Luo Zhiheng's self-righteous attitude of interfering in her affairs. How could she take off his clothes? How dare she pull down his underpants?! This woman, how dare she!!
What's most infuriating is that she actually pulled off his underwear!!
He, a grown man, was actually weaker than such a petite and delicate woman. What a disgrace! The most humiliating thing was that he was secretly watching Luo Zhiheng when she discovered him. She even dared to come over and flirt with him with a smile. As she got closer, her fragrance became stronger, and Mu Yunhe felt flustered and short of breath. He was already feeling unwell, and her provocation made him feel even worse.
They didn't know how they ended up kissing. Mu Yunhe swore that although he had been surrounded by countless women, not a single petal had touched him! None of them had even held his hand, let alone kissed him.
Luo Zhiheng nestled into his arms today, pouting her bright red lips and kissing him. For a moment, he forgot to resist or react, but when he did, he grabbed the back of her head and began to entwine his lips with hers. It was a passionate kiss, driven by his restless heart, completely out of control. Mu Yunhe was drawn by that unfamiliar feeling, recklessly exploring her lips, sucking and chasing after them, hoping that she would stay there, letting him kiss and caress her as he pleased.
Laughter broke through the rapid breathing, abruptly and maliciously shattering the ambiguous atmosphere in the room.
Mu Yunhe stared blankly at the silver thread on their parted lips, his face flushed, and he nervously didn't know where to put his hands and feet.
Luo Zhiheng smiled brightly and playfully pecked his lips, saying softly, "I like it so much, Yunhe, you have to kiss me more often in the future. I love it when you treat me like this."
Mu Yunhe's eyes stung. He didn't know why he had become so bewitched and kissed her. He felt both suffocated and uneasy listening to her speak. He didn't know what he was feeling, but he blurted out, "Get away! Who wants to kiss you any more! Shameless!"
Luo Zhiheng pouted, poked his chest, and grumbled, "You're just going to deny it after you've eaten it, Mu Yunhe. That's really not fair of you."
"You seduced me first!" Mu Yunhe glared, displaying a surprising mix of shyness and panic among the pale-faced scholar who had been teased, a facade of strength masking inner turmoil.
Luo Zhiheng laughed uncontrollably, pounding the bed with glee.
So alike! He looks exactly like Mu Yunhe when we first met! Innocent yet awkward and sharp-tongued!
Luo Zhiheng was in high spirits, but Mu Yunhe was incredibly frustrated. He was sweating profusely from all the torment, the hot and cold air mixing together, making him feel sticky and uncomfortable. The woman's arrogant laughter only fueled his rage. He gritted his teeth and sneered, "Laugh yourself to death!"
"Oh, are you angry? Don't be angry, don't be angry. You're a grown man, don't be so petty. It's just a kiss. We've done much more intimate things before. Hmm, why are you sweating so much? Oh dear, you're all wet. You should change your clothes quickly, or you might get an infection." She spoke very seriously and righteously, but her charming eyes kept sneaking glances at Mu Yunhe's crotch.
Hmm, has she already stood up? I think I bumped into her just now.
Mu Yunhe got goosebumps from her wolf-like gaze and said angrily and warily, "Get out, I'll change my clothes myself."
"No way, I'll do it!" Luo Zhiheng certainly wouldn't let go of this opportunity to get close and take advantage of him. No one knew better than her how beautiful and perfect Mu Yunhe's body was; even Mu Yunhe's father and mother couldn't compare to her!
Mu Yunhe's face flushed red as he struggled desperately, but the slurring sounds still rang out in shameful disarray. With an angry roar, Luo Zhiheng forcefully pulled Mu Yunhe down to only his underpants. And in the blink of an eye, even those underpants were no longer acceptable!
"Shrew! What a shrew!" Mu Yunhe's face turned pale. He covered his private parts with his hands, his chest heaving with anger, and roared with fury in his eyes, "Close your eyes and get out!"
"Just take a look, don't be so stingy." Luo Zhiheng stared longingly, deliberately making a lecherous face. Oh, it's really hard there.
Mu Yunhe angrily smashed a nearby cup in an attempt to intimidate her, but to no avail. He then threw a pillow, but missed the nimble woman. He roared, trembling with rage, "Get out of here with your hypocrisy!"
The word "hypocritical" was a bit provocative; she genuinely enjoyed watching him. Seeing that he was truly ashamed and furious, and unwilling to provoke him further, Luo Zhiheng laughed carefree: "Get lost."
She really did leave, and there was a group of women outside who had recovered their fighting strength and were waiting for her to deal with them.
In the room, after only half an hour without seeing her, Mu Yunhe became a little uneasy and impatiently shouted, "Luo Zhiheng, get back here right now!"
After a long silence, Mu Yunhe roared, his face ashen, "Where have you been causing trouble again? You shrew, are you going to turn the palace upside down before you stop? You shrew, I'm hungry!"
Luo Zhiheng was sharpening her knife in the courtyard, ready to fight the women's army that the council had stormed in. She sneered at Mu Yunhe's angry roar: "Dare to call me a shrew? Do you really think you're the boss? I'm a good bandit with backbone and principles. I'll show you my bottom line every day. Watch out, I might chop off your third leg one day!"
It's so hard, um, it's a real shame to chop it off.
Extra chapter added! Hooray! That's all for today's update. I'll keep working hard tomorrow. Hua Sha is going out now, pats to the back, my darlings! Please vote, leave comments, and give me monthly tickets! Love you all!
580 What If Fate!
Updated: 2014-01-27 22:23:15 Word Count: 4571
Amidst their playful bickering, Mu Yunhe's illness worsened for the first time half a month later.
This time, the illness came on suddenly and violently, unlike the previous minor fevers and ulcers; it was a severe, agonizing pain. The pain was unbearable for most people, and Mu Yunhe was no exception. His first attack occurred when he and Luo Zhiheng were arguing about Mu Yunhe's favorite color.
According to Mu Yunhe's self-analysis, his favorite color is red—a deep, vibrant red, the red of the rising and setting sun. However, Luo Zhiheng says that Mu Yunhe's favorite color is white. The two of them can now argue over the smallest things, neither willing to give in.
Mu Yunhe said, feeling wronged and angry, "I'm a patient now! Do you understand what a patient is? You don't even know how to be considerate of me!"
Luo Zhiheng wouldn't yield to Mu Yunhe. She wouldn't let Mu Yunhe feel that she was accommodating or pitying him; that would only make him lose confidence in his condition and give him negative thoughts. This playful bickering made their days fulfilling, and it even brought back memories of their past interactions.
"You'll get better eventually, won't you? Why should I be considerate of you? It's just a minor illness. How can you, a grown man, have the nerve to complain and expect people to give in to you? How shameless of you!" Luo Zhiheng said sarcastically.
Mu Yunhe once again felt the urge to pick up a pillow and smash it hard against Luo Zhiheng, but when he thought of how Luo Zhiheng had been chased away by him a few days ago and hadn't returned for half a day, he could only suppress his temper. He was about to speak with a cold smile when he suddenly felt a sharp pain, like an electric current, running through his arm.
Mu Yunhe was taken aback. The pain was not obvious, but it was sudden and sharp. Although it only lasted for a moment, it was enough to make Mu Yunhe wary.
Seeing him staring blankly at his arm, his face somewhat pale, Luo Zhiheng snorted, "What are you doing? Trying to play the victim and gain sympathy?"
Mu Yunhe instinctively wanted to retort, but suddenly found himself unable to speak—or rather, unable to utter a sound! Shocked, Mu Yunhe opened his mouth wide, trying desperately to make a sound, but after several attempts, it was to no avail. His face gradually paled, and he stared at Luo Zhiheng with utter horror.
Luo Zhiheng finally realized something was wrong and rushed to him. Before she could even speak, she saw Mu Yunhe's face contort in pain, and he collapsed as if in a convulsion. Luo Zhiheng was horrified: "Yunhe, what's wrong with you?!"
She hastily reached out to embrace him, but because it was so sudden, she fell down with him. Mu Yunhe lay on the ground, his face pale with pain, drenched in sweat, his festering hands convulsing, his whole body twitching uncontrollably.
"Someone, quickly bring Lady Huoyun over here!" Luo Zhiheng roared, her voice hysterical.
After examining the patient, Lady Huoyun quickly prescribed medicine. After a flurry of activity, she finally had time to speak: "The situation is very bad. The poison has spread. I have been trying my best to suppress it, but I didn't expect it to have such a strong backlash. The pills left by the Poison Saint are no longer effective. Your condition has deteriorated. The only way to control this deterioration is to find an antidote."
"Antidote? Where are we supposed to find an antidote! The person behind this hasn't shown up yet." Luo Zhiheng roared in exasperation, her whole body trembling.
"We already know the whole story. This time, Yunhe brought trouble upon himself. Can he just use any medicine given to him like that?!" Mu Yunjin said angrily, equally exasperated.
They've already traced the source of the drug to Sun Yunyun. This woman is utterly unexpected, because there's no conflict of interest between Sun Yunyun and Mu Yunhe, is there? Besides, why would a woman like Sun Yunyun harm Mu Yunhe? The shrewd and calculating Prince Mu senses something more amiss and doesn't dare draw conclusions easily, fearing there might be a conspiracy or mastermind behind it all. Their temporary action against Sun Yunyun is simply to avoid alerting her.
In truth, they didn't believe Sun Yunyun would harm anyone; they felt someone was using her to secretly harm Mu Yunhe. After all, Xiao Xizi had also applied the medicine and recovered completely in just a few days, so why was Mu Yunhe's condition worsening instead of improving?
“If all else fails, we’ll go find Sun Yunyun. I’ll talk to her and ask her if she knows anything about the medicine, and why she gave it to Mu Yunhe!” Luo Zhiheng said to Prince Mu.
She wouldn't wait any longer if Prince Mu allowed it. However, Prince Mu frowned and said, "I still don't think it's Sun Yunyun. She has no motive to harm Yunhe. If we act rashly now, capturing Sun Yunyun is no problem, but what if we alert the person behind it all? Such people hide in the shadows, making them the most difficult to deal with and impossible to guard against. If they don't appear and we can't find the antidote, what will happen to Yunhe?"
"So we're just going to sit here and wait to die? Watch Yunhe suffer? Father, we can't wait any longer. Can you bear to watch Yunhe suffer? Look at Yunhe just now. His whole body was convulsing, and he looked extremely painful. Moreover, Yunhe couldn't speak anymore. We can wait, but can Yunhe wait too?" Mu Yunjin said with a distorted expression.
The room fell silent instantly, everyone speechless at the facts Mu Yunjin had presented.
"If Mu Yunhe's illness worsens, how long can he hold on? What would be the worst-case scenario?" Luo Zhiheng asked from silence, her demeanor now calm.
Lady Huoyun was also distressed and sighed, "At most, it won't last more than a month before his entire body completely rots away, even his bones will be corroded. If we can't find an antidote within a month, then there will truly be no hope. The best I can do is help Mu Yunhe maintain his life for another month. But during this month, Mu Yunhe will endure unimaginable pain and torment. If he can't hold on, then every day of this month could be Mu Yunhe's last day."
If it were the old Mu Yunhe, he would definitely have been able to persevere, but no one has the confidence that the current Mu Yunhe can persevere.
Luo Zhiheng's heart trembled slightly, and she looked down at Mu Yunhe's master, who had been silent for a long time. The old man looked like he was about to fall asleep. Luo Zhiheng was furious and said coldly, "Old man, you eat well and sleep soundly! Mu Yunhe's life is in danger, and you still have the mind to sleep?"
The old man was 'awakened' by Luo Zhiheng's murderous aura. He wiped away non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth and said lazily, "Don't be nervous. Everyone has their own fate. You can't force it. Just let nature take its course."
"So you just left things to fate because you had no other choice? Aren't you from the Heavenly Palace of Divination? Aren't you Mu Yunhe's master? Is this how you treat Mu Yunhe? Since his life and death are none of your business, why did you take Mu Yunhe as your disciple in the first place!" Luo Zhiheng was truly furious at the old man's indifference towards Mu Yunhe.