Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 117: Can Love Ease Pain?

　　“You saw Wen Yueling today?”

　　An Jiu had just unexpectedly run into Wen Yueling that morning, and by lunchtime, when Pei Ji returned to have a meal with her, he casually brought it up.

　　Seeing how calm he looked, his tone completely indifferent when mentioning Wen Yueling, like she was just some stranger, An Jiu couldn't help but admire his acting skills. He really was good at it.

　　But she wasn’t any worse.

　　“Yeah, we bumped into each other and exchanged a few words,” she replied casually, sounding like it was nothing. Then, without warning, her gaze shifted to the man in white sitting across from her.

　　He was picking out the tiny bones from the fish for her, his slender, fair fingers moving slowly and gracefully before her eyes. Everything about him was elegant and unhurried, pleasing to look at.

　　Like a proper young master raised in an aristocratic family.

　　An Jiu admired him for a moment, then noticed Pei Ji glance up, as if sensing her stare. His dark lashes fluttered as their eyes met, and there was a flicker of unease in his gaze.

　　She’d looked at him too long, until he started to suspect she might’ve figured something out.

　　All the intel pointed to her being completely unaware. Just like she said, she really had only exchanged a few words with Wen Yueling. Still, he was already so on edge he nearly gave himself away.　　

　　“Why are you looking at me like that?”

　　“I did notice something today, though,” An Jiu smiled lightly, lips curved as she spoke.

　　Pei Ji's faint smile stiffened. Afraid she'd caught on, he lowered his head and gently placed the deboned fish into her bowl. His voice, smooth and mild, came quietly: “What did you notice?”

　　An Jiu picked up a piece of fish and popped it into her mouth. The fresh, sweet flavor spread across her tongue as she spoke with a casual, careless tone, “I noticed that Wen Yueling seems to like you a little.”

　　Before Pei Ji could respond, she continued, as if speaking to no one in particular, “But it’s fine. I already took care of her.”

　　Pei Ji’s throat went dry. He parted his lips, asking a question he already knew the answer to: “How did you take care of her?”

　　The girl shot him a glance and replied offhandedly, “I told her you’re a short-lived guy. Who knows how many months you have left?”

　　Her tone and expression were just like back then, when she used to call him a cripple.

　　But this time, it wasn’t with bitterness or self-mockery.　　

　　Pei Ji felt a warm rush in his chest. He no longer got upset or irritated when An Jiu said harsh things. After all, that was just how she was. Her words might sound mean, but there was always a different meaning behind them.

　　Sure enough, the next second, the girl tilted her little chin up proudly and said, “The moment I told her you wouldn’t live past twenty, she ran off right away. Hmph, who in their right mind would stay with someone destined to die young?”

　　Pei Ji silently replied in his heart.

　　Isn’t there still one fool who did?

　　His chest ached a little. Yeah… who else but her would still love him like this?

　　As soon as he heard An Jiu had run into Wen Yueling, his heart tightened.

　　He was afraid she might find out something, or that Wen Yueling would say or do something to upset her.

　　The Medicine King Valley wasn’t that big, and Pei Ji couldn’t bring himself to restrict An Jiu. He let her wander around freely every day. Even though he’d placed Wen Yueling in a very secluded corner of the valley, it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths.

　　Wen Yueling was definitely not a delicate, gentle woman. Years of chronic illness had made her stubborn, almost obsessive. If she ever came face to face with An Jiu, with both of their personalities, it was bound to end in a clash.

　　What he hadn’t expected was that just one sentence from An Jiu would be enough to send Wen Yueling packing.

　　Sure, it messed up his detox plan a little… but Pei Ji didn’t feel the least bit annoyed.

　　Wen Yueling liked him, but that was all there was to it. Her feelings were shallow and would probably fade just as fast. But with a bit of coaxing, they could just as easily come back.

　　Only An Jiu had loved him all along, never wavering. Even knowing he was poisoned and wouldn’t live long, she still didn’t care.

　　“I can’t control who likes you, so I’ll let today slide. But Pei Ji, I have to tell you, I can’t accept betrayal. If I ever find out you’ve betrayed me or touched another woman, I’ll leave and never come back.”

　　The clear sound of her voice rang in his ears, and Pei Ji snapped back to reality, meeting her unusually serious gaze.

　　Her eyes were locked on him, no teasing, no pride, just clear and direct. Dark and bright like little mirrors, they reflected his image perfectly.

　　It felt like a huge stone had lodged in his chest, heavy and sinking fast.

　　His throat was dry. Pei Ji gave a low cough before finally finding his voice. “Alright… I promise. I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”

　　In that moment, a memory flashed through his mind, back to that night in Jinshe Town when they talked by the river. She had looked just as serious then, saying she would never forgive betrayal. And sure enough, she never forgave Fei Yi.

　　That same fear crept over him now, spreading through his body, making it impossible to sit still. He couldn’t even force his usual smile.

　　He rushed through his meal, then left in a hurry. He wasn’t like his usual self, always wanting to stay with her a little longer each time he came back. Even if he just sat there quietly watching her, he was content. Most days, it was An Jiu who had to push him to go treat his patients.

　　Pei Ji’s strange behavior didn’t escape An Jiu’s notice, but she pretended not to see it.

　　After all, this was the result she had orchestrated.

　　Over the next few days, An Jiu returned to the peach grove a few times to pick peaches, but she never saw Wen Yueling again.

　　Still, even though they didn’t meet, she did catch sight of Wen Yueling through the System's surveillance feed on Pei Ji.

　　After running into An Jiu that day, Wen Yueling became overly emotional and ended up falling sick again.

　　Pei Ji had to spend even more time treating her.

　　Although he never gave Wen Yueling a clear response, the gentle voice and soft concern he showed while treating her only made the inexperienced girl fall deeper.

　　An Jiu’s words that day had some effect, but not much.

　　One time, after a subtle probe from Wen Yueling, the man in white only had to give a helpless smile and say a few vague words to win her sympathy and soften her heart.

　　The ‘tragic yet beautiful and powerful’ type always attracts people, even in ancient times.

　　An Jiu simply watched it all unfold with cold eyes, acting as if she didn’t notice anything at all.

　　Not long after she last saw Wen Yueling, one night someone suddenly knocked on An Jiu’s door.

　　When she opened it, she saw a man soaked in sweat, his face pale as a sheet.

　　She instantly knew—Pei Ji’s poison had flared up again.

　　As soon as the door opened, he stumbled inside, wrapped his arms around her slim waist, rested his chin in the crook of her shoulder, and murmured her name in a trembling voice, “Jiu’er...”

　　An Jiu reached up and touched his face, asking calmly, “The poison’s acting up again?”

　　She had seen this before at Wuyin Temple, so she wasn’t surprised.

　　Pei Ji didn’t dwell on that. He had dragged himself there in the middle of the night with nothing but sheer willpower, standing in front of her door wondering if she’d even open it for him.

　　But he had only knocked once—and she opened it.

　　She didn’t guard herself against him at all. That realization made what little reason he had left completely collapse. Even the pain in his body felt lighter, as if eased by the rush of warmth swelling in his chest.

　　It wasn’t just in his head. Every time the poison acted up, being with her somehow made him feel better.

　　Can love ease pain? He wondered in a daze.　　

　　An Jiu didn’t even get the chance to say much before the man pressed against her lifted his head. His hot breath spilled over her skin, and his warm lips landed messily on her cheek, the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth, and her ear.

　　His breathing was rough and uneven, and every exhale carried the bitter herbal scent unique to his body.

　　It was a hot, stifling summer night. After a moment of surprise, the girl gently wrapped her arms around his neck. As his movements grew more frantic and clumsy, she leaned in and met his lips. The moment she did, the man who had been acting like an impatient big dog suddenly calmed down.

　　He captured her soft lips and kissed her deeply, quickly slipping his tongue past her teeth to chase hers, tangling with it over and over.

　　An Jiu was left breathless from his intensity, her lips numb. Unfortunately, in his current state, there was no reasoning with him. When she tried to push him away, he only kissed her harder, holding her even tighter, as if angry at her resistance. It felt like he wanted to crush her, to absorb her into his very bones.

　　She lowered her gaze to look at him. His long lashes trembled, his brows furrowed, and cold sweat beaded across his forehead. He looked a complete mess.

　　There was visible pain etched into every inch of his expression, as if she were the only medicine that could ease it.

　　In the end, An Jiu silently let her hands drop, no longer pushing him away.

　　The next morning, Pei Ji woke to the sound of birds chirping.

　　Medicine King Valley was always filled with birdsong and blooming flowers. Even before dawn, birds would be singing on the branches, gently waking up the people below.

　　He opened his eyes, but the first thing he noticed was the warm softness in his arms.

　　Dazed, he looked down and saw the girl's flushed cheeks, the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose still red. Her lips were swollen and bright with color, looking soft and tender.

　　There were traces of tears still shimmering in her eyes, and a few strands of black hair, damp with sweat, clung to her cheek and trailed down to the edge of her rosy lips.

　　His memories of the chaotic night slowly began to come back.

　　Looking further down, she was curled up beneath his large sleeves. As he gently pulled the fabric aside, what came into view was like red plum blossoms blooming across snow.

　　Her once-fair, delicate skin was now covered in faint bruises and marks. The red and purple traces stretched from her ears down to her ankles, blooming like flowers all over her body. Her thin inner garments clung to her skin, wrinkled and disheveled.

　　He wasn’t much better. His robe was half open, revealing part of his well-toned, pale chest. The girl had been resting her head right there as she slept, her soft breathing brushing across his skin like a feather, sending a deep and lingering itch straight into his bones.　　

　　In the sweltering summer heat, she lay sound asleep in his arms, wrapped under the edge of his sleeve.

　　Pei Ji silently gazed at her for a long time, careful not to wake her.

　　He couldn't help it—his fingers gently brushed over the bite mark on her shoulder. It was quite deep, probably because he hadn’t controlled his strength. The mark still hadn’t faded, surrounded by a faint red swelling.

　　As if sensing his touch, the girl furrowed her delicate brows slightly. Her long lashes fluttered, but she didn’t open her eyes. Instead, she turned and buried her little face deeper into his chest, mumbling vaguely, “Be more... gentle…”

　　Even though he was the culprit who brought her to this point, he still remembered how helplessly she struggled under his palm last night—her flushed cheeks, and the tears falling like rain. And yet, even in her sleep, she instinctively sought the safety of his embrace.

　　Birdsong flitted through the air outside the window; inside, everything was quiet and still.

　　Pei Ji couldn’t quite describe what he was feeling in this moment. But if happiness existed in this world, it had to be this.

　　To protect this happiness, he would use any means necessary.

　　No matter the cost.

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