Chapter Thirty-Seven: Shimmering Water

"Young Master Chi, let Miss Wu go first. Whatever the matter is, it can wait." Zhao Mengge, who was usually calm and silent, strode over and intervened. Seeing that Si Yan still refused to release her, he reached out, attempting to help Ye Qianling break free from Si Yan's grip. In an instant, the atmosphere grew tense, as if a storm raged between the two of them, threatening to shatter the original peace.

At that moment, Chu Zimu hurriedly stepped forward, forcing a smile as he addressed the group. "What’s going on? Just a moment ago, everything was fine, wasn’t it?" He then turned to Si Yan with a more serious expression. "Brother Chi, what are you doing? Miss Wu is not feeling well. Let go of her hand for now."

The others in their group gathered around as well. Nearby, a crowd of girls who had been admiring the young men stopped in their tracks, curiosity piqued.

Si Yan glanced once more at the medicine bottle in Ye Qianling’s hand, making up his mind in an instant. He snatched the bottle away, opened it, and pressed a pill into Ye Qianling’s mouth.

Ye Qianling had intended to be stubborn with Si Yan and deliberately refused to swallow the painkiller, but her body was simply unable to bear it. She barely hesitated; as soon as the pill touched her lips, she swallowed it.

No sooner had she done so than she felt Si Yan’s grip on her arm tighten. He spoke with an unyielding tone, "We’re going to the pharmacy to treat your wound." Without giving her a chance to react, he pulled her along forcefully toward the pharmacy he’d noticed earlier.

In her current state, a single painkiller was far from enough to solve Ye Qianling’s problem. The pain in her chest felt as if someone were carving into her with a knife. Even at her best, she’d have trouble breaking free from Si Yan’s grip—let alone now, with her injuries.

No matter how much Ye Qianling struggled, his hand held her fast. At last, pain brought a tremor to her voice, almost on the verge of tears. “Let go of me! Let me go, Chi Yan! Are you insane? What right do you have to meddle? I told you, I’m not going!”

The moment Ye Qianling produced the bottle, Si Yan had already recognized it as painkillers. After all, as a prince of the realm, he had seen much. Judging by the state she was in, if she kept relying on such medicine, her already battered body would soon collapse completely. After all, the Western Suburb and Southern Garden had no time to concern themselves with whether a candidate was injured.

“I have no right to control you,” Si Yan’s voice turned cold, his gaze sending a chill down Ye Qianling’s spine, “but as someone who may well be your comrade for the next two years, don’t you think I’m justified in doing this?”

Ye Qianling was momentarily at a loss for words. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Seeing that she’d been convinced, Si Yan ignored her and looked to Chu Zimu. “You all go ahead to the shop Miss Wu mentioned. We’ll join you after we’ve sorted this out.”

This masterful maneuver seemed to make the very air freeze for a second. Even Chu Zimu was bewildered by Si Yan’s actions. His penchant for meddling had reached new heights, yet thinking carefully, Si Yan likely wouldn’t have done this for anyone else. It must be because of Ye Qianling—because she was the Fifth Princess of the Night Kingdom.

Ye Qianling still hadn’t figured out how things had escalated to this point. Dragged along by Si Yan, she followed behind him in silence, cheeks growing redder as they passed the crowd, their whispers swirling around them. As the number of onlookers dwindled, she parted her fingers, peeking through at Si Yan ahead—already half a head taller than her despite his youth—and her heart gave a sudden, inexplicable flutter.

Si Yan seemed lost in thought, saying nothing until they reached the entrance of a pharmacy. After examining its modest exterior, he led Ye Qianling inside.

“Wait a moment,” Ye Qianling protested, not even sure where they’d ended up. The journey had been so fraught with pulling and tugging, she had unwittingly become the center of attention. Embarrassed, she dared not lift her head, so she simply let Si Yan lead her. But when he stopped, she knew they must have arrived at the pharmacy. She pressed down on Si Yan’s arm with her free hand, then, peeking through her fingers, saw his face—still utterly impassive. Taking a deep breath, she summoned her courage and tried to negotiate, “Young Master Chi, I’m really fine. We’ve only known each other a few days; your concern is more than I deserve.”

A fleeting shadow crossed Si Yan’s eyes, but before Ye Qianling could be certain, it vanished. The speed of the change made her doubt her own eyes. She rubbed them, then decided she must have imagined it.

There was none of the concern she expected in his expression. A woman’s intuition told Ye Qianling that his actions and demeanor didn’t match. Forcing herself to remain calm, she stifled any further protest, murmured a soft thank you, and all but fled into the pharmacy.

Caught off guard, Si Yan unconsciously tightened his grip. Only when he saw Ye Qianling head inside did he finally let go and follow her into the shop.

Once inside, Si Yan said nothing, standing off to the side with a cold indifference, as if emotions were foreign to him. Ye Qianling’s first thought was relief—he’d finally released her arm. Yet deep down, she felt an inexplicable pang of disappointment. Lowering her hand, her hair fell to hide her expression. It took several seconds to regain her composure, at which point she noticed someone watching her. Forcing herself to remain calm, she looked up and saw the shop assistant from the pharmacy they’d visited previously—the one she still owed money.

Only then did Ye Qianling realize she’d inadvertently returned to the same place. Well, at least she wouldn’t have to make a special trip later. She’d been planning to come after lunch to settle her debt. Remembering she still hadn’t paid, Ye Qianling silently thanked this ‘Young Master Chi’ for a second, then fished some silver from her pocket and handed it to the assistant. “Brother, I’m here to pay what I owe. Sorry for the delay.”

The assistant was surprised. He’d assumed she was another dodger, yet here she was, honest and true. Everyone has their own way of dealing with people, but no one likes dealing with scoundrels and cheats. The assistant’s grin was broad and genuine, his hospitality even warmer than before.

“No problem at all! Honestly, I never thought you’d come back. A lot of people say they’ll return with the money but never do. You’re the first in my three months here to actually come back and settle your bill,” he said, beaming.

“It’s only right,” Ye Qianling replied. “No reason to expect the doctor to work for free. I meant to come by after lunch, but since we ended up here, I thought I’d settle it now.” She glanced around, not seeing the person she sought. “Brother, has the old gentleman gone home?”

Following her gaze, the assistant replied with a smile, “The old doctor is upstairs in the consulting room, just packing up. He’ll be leaving soon.” He pointed upstairs.

Ye Qianling glanced at Si Yan, who was leaning silently against the wall. Knowing she couldn’t escape, she shook her head gently. “Brother, if the old doctor isn’t busy, could I trouble him to look at my injuries?”

“Miss, where are you hurt? You don’t look injured,” the assistant said, either too excited to notice her pale face or simply oblivious. “I’ll go ask him and see if he has time.”

“Thank you, brother.” Ye Qianling nodded politely, watching the assistant head upstairs, then turned to Si Yan. Deliberately avoiding his gaze, she forced a smile. “Young Master Chi, thank you for bringing me here. I know I can be blunt sometimes. Please don’t take it personally.” Seeing that Si Yan didn’t even blink at her words, her smile faltered, but she bit her lip and pressed on. “We’ve only just met and you probably don’t realize—I really don’t like seeing doctors. They always prescribe the most bitter medicine, and I can’t even have sweets to take the edge off. When they disinfect wounds, it feels like every pore is being scalded. So unless I have no choice, I avoid doctors. Still, I’m grateful for your concern.”

Si Yan met Ye Qianling’s luminous, clear eyes—so pure, so untainted—that for a moment, something unfamiliar and strangely warm stirred in his usually calculating, cold heart.

After a long pause, he finally looked away. His face remained unreadable, but the coldness had faded a little. “It’s nothing. I’m not used to dealing with girls and tend to be direct. If I overstepped, I hope you won’t mind.”

“Not at all, not at all!” Ye Qianling waved her hands hastily. “Don’t get the wrong idea. Like you said, we might spend the next two years studying and living together. Looking out for each other is only natural.”

Though Ye Qianling struggled to maintain a cheerful facade, her breathing grew labored. After touching her chest in confusion, she dropped her gaze for a moment, but soon managed a smile at Si Yan. “Let’s sit down for a while. The assistant hasn’t come back yet.”

Si Yan saw how much pain she was in and didn’t object. The two of them sat in the waiting area without speaking.

After a while, with the assistant still not back, Ye Qianling couldn’t endure any longer. She reached into her pocket for another painkiller, but Si Yan immediately moved to stop her. “Hold on a bit longer. The assistant will be back soon. Have you been taking these regularly? They only mask the pain—they won’t help you heal. Besides, they’re addictive and harmful if overused.”

Ye Qianling’s face was flushed; her eyes glistened as if tears swam there. Whether she heard Si Yan’s words was unclear—she only gave him a faint smile before, in the very next moment, collapsing to the floor.