AT THE SA TI
I SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:
The pestle slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the counter. I didn’t even flinch. My hands were trembling too badly, my heart pounding too loudly. I was losing him.
"Jade leaves, seven petals... honey water... steady... keep steady-" I whispered under my breath, but my voice cracked halfway through.
I could hear him, no, Lianwei his laboured breaths from the next room. Every single shallow inhale made my chest tighten, as if his lungs were tethered to my own. If he stopped...
"System prompt: Warning. Subject Lianwei’s vitals are critically unstable. Recomnd administering Jade leaf tonic within 12 minutes to avoid organ failure."System warned.
Twelve minutes. I forced my shaking fingers to grind the petals finer, pouring honey water that quivered in its cup like my resolve. But his na wouldn’t stop repeating in my head. Lianwei. Lianwei. Why didn’t he tell who he was? Why did he let hate him, let believe he’d moved on, when all along-
"System clarification: Subject Lianwei initiated four year search post separation. Resource expenditure: Extre. Physical and emotional degradation: Severe. Host identified as emotional person, loving more than he should."System explained.
I froze, breath caught in my throat.
"What...?"I asked.
Four years. He spent four years looking for . Even though in the novel, Emperor Lianwei never would have. He was cold, ruthless, moving forward without ever glancing back. But my Lianwei, he...
"Why?" I whispered hoarsely, though I didn’t know if I was asking him or the gods.
"System response: Emotional feelings classified as irreplaceable. Subject Lianwei’s deviation from the narrative is driven by an intense psychological need for the host. Prolonged absence resulted in critical ntal deterioration."System explained.
I pressed a hand over my mouth, a sob breaking free. My vision blurred.
"Oh, Lianwei..."I whispered.
"How poetic." Zeyrith whispered lazily in my head. "The mighty emperor undone by a single woman. He burned his empire from the inside looking for you, and you didn’t even know. Tell , i Shen, doesn’t that kind of devotion make you sick, or does it make you ache?"
"Shut up." I hissed. My hands moved faster now pouring, stirring, testing the warmth with the back of my hand. "I don’t have ti for your venom."
But the tears wouldn’t stop, dripping soundlessly onto the counter as I whispered his na over and over.
"Lianwei... Lianwei, don’t you dare leave now."I kept muttering while making the dicine.
The tonic was ready. I grabbed it and bolted to the bedroom. He laid there, face pale as parchnt, sweat soaking his hairline. His lips moved faintly, a whisper so soft I almost didn’t hear it.
"i... forgive ..."He muttered.
I dropped to my knees beside him, nearly spilling the cup.
"Lianwei, don’t talk like that. Save your strength."I whispered.
His hand twitched weakly toward .
"I... I looked... for you... every... day..."He muttered.
A broken sound escaped as I pressed the cup to his lips.
"I know." I whispered, voice shaking violently. "I know now. And I’m not going anywhere, so don’t you dare give up."
He coughed weakly, almost choking on the first sip. My fingers tightened around the cup as I tilted it more carefully, forcing my voice steady.
"Small sips, Lianwei. Just a little at a ti. Please.."I whispered gently.
"Administer tonic in slow incrents. Monitor gag reflex. High probability of convulsions during initial absorption."System explained.
His eyelids fluttered.
"Stay... with ..."He whispered between sips.
"I’m here. I’m not leaving." I brushed damp strands of hair from his forehead, my thumb lingering on the scar along his temple. "You carried that ring for four years, didn’t you? You stubborn, foolish man."
A faint, broken laugh escaped him before it dissolved into a rasping cough.
"I... love you... so much... even when I... shouldn’t..."He muttered.
I pressed my forehead to his, tears streaming freely now.
"You idiot." I whispered. "You’re not allowed to leave . You hear ? Not after all this."
"Monitor for vital stabilization. Administer secondary dose within four hours."System said.
His breaths grew steadier, though faint tremors still ran through his body. I clutched his hand tightly, feeling the calloused fingers that had once traced my cheek so tenderly.
"I’ll save you, Lianwei. I swear it. Even if I have to tear the heavens apart."I said.
"Oh, how dramatic." Zeyrith purred. "But tell , i Shen, will you still cling to him when the weight of his crown crashes back down?"
"I’ll cling harder." I spat under my breath, never taking my eyes off Lianwei’s pale, sweaty face.
I didn’t move from his side. Not when the candle burned low. Not when my limbs scread from exhaustion after hours of running and brewing and praying. I sat there clutching his hand like it was the only thing tethering to the earth.
"Lianwei..." I whispered again, the syllables soft and shaky. His na felt foreign and familiar all at once, like tasting sweetness after years of drought.
"Vitals stabilizing at normal levels. Heart rate irregular but improved. Host recomnded to rest for optimal caregiving capacity."System said.
I ignored it. Rest? How could I rest when he looked like this? His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. Every faint exhale was a silent battle won. I brushed damp hair from his forehead again, fingers tracing the hard lines of his face, the sa face that haunted for years. This man... he was supposed to be cold. Ruthless. The emperor who crushed rebellions without blinking. In the novel, he wouldn’t have searched for . Wouldn’t have cared. But he did. He carried my ring for four years. He crossed oceans and mountains. He let himself waste away trying to find .
"Why didn’t you tell ?" My voice cracked as I blinked back tears. "Why did you let believe you were fine without ? That you had moved on to another woman?"
Zeyrith’s voice slithered through the edges of my mind, smug and taunting.
"Because that’s the ga, isn’t it? He’s the emperor bound to a thousand secrets. And yet here you are, i Shen, cradling his hand like a lifeline. I wonder... when the crown weighs heavy again, will he still choose you?"He smirked.
"Shut up." I whispered, my jaw tight. "I don’t care about crowns. I care about him."
His fingers twitched faintly in my grasp. My breath caught.
"Lianwei?"I whispered.
But he didn’t wake up. Just a low, broken sound escaping his lips.
"I’m here. I’m not going anywhere." I promised. My thumb brushed over his scar gently, morizing the curve. "You found , didn’t you? You always do. So stay this ti. Stay and let fight for you too."
Huan had fallen asleep curled up against my side hours ago. His small hand rested lightly over Lianwei’s arm, as if anchoring him in place. My throat tightened. We looked like a family, sothing I had once dread of but never dared believe could exist. It was deep in the night when his hand jerked weakly, startling .
"i..." His voice rasped, barely audible.
I shot upright.
"Lianwei? I’m here."I whispered.
His stormy eyes cracked open, glassy with fever but sharp enough to find in the darkness. His fingers clutched weakly at my sleeve.
"Don’t... leave... please..." His voice broke on the last word, raw and desperate.
A sob lodged in my throat. I took his hand in both of mine, squeezing tightly.
"I’m not leaving. I promise. You’re safe now."I muttered.
But he shook his head faintly, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.
"They... took everything... last ti. I... I couldn’t protect you... I ssed up, I never needed other...woman than you i." He whispered.
"You don’t have to anymore. You’re not alone this ti." I whispered fiercely.
He choked out a broken laugh that dissolved into coughing. His grip on my sleeve tightened with surprising strength.
"I... dread of you... every night... of holding you... of begging you... to forgive ..."He whispered.
"Lianwei, you don’t have to beg." Tears stread down my face as I leaned closer. "I forgive you. I never stopped loving you, do you hear ?"
His eyes widened faintly, a single tear sliding down his temple.
"You... love ?"He asked.
"Yes." I brushed my lips against his knuckles. "I love you, Lianwei. Stay with . Stay with us."
A shaky breath escaped him, his body relaxing slightly. His hand slid weakly to my cheek, thumb brushing away a tear.
"I... carried it... four years... for you... wanted to... see it on your finger... again..."He muttered. "I ws wrong for stopping wedding before."
My tears fell freely as I pressed my forehead to his.
"You stubborn, foolish man. I’ll wear it when you’re strong enough to put it on yourself."I said.
A faint smile curved his lips before his eyes fluttered closed again.
"Don’t... go..."He muttered.
"I’m not going anywhere." I murmured, kissing his temple. "Sleep now. You’re safe."
His breathing evened out, and I sat there holding his hand, unwilling to let go even as my eyelids grew heavy as I fell asleep.
Reviews
All reviews (0)