"Cough... cough-cough... *hack*!"
"I say, your timing for falling ill is quite something. Or perhaps it's the worst timing possible. Either way, isn't it a bit too suspicious?"
Chu Ruo lay in her bed with a damp cloth pressed to her forehead. She snapped back irritably, "Are you... *cough*... gloating? *Hack*!"
"Fine, fine, don't get worked up. Be careful not to cough up your heart, liver, and lungs while you're at it. I wonder if a cough like that is contagious..."
"Get out," Chu Ruo said, her words punctuated by another fit of coughing. "I want to sleep."
"The Young Palace Mistress ordered me to look after you," Xiao Guo’er said, sitting by the table and teasing the little hamster, Wotou. "I have to brew your medicine every two hours. I don't care if it's bitter; you’re drinking every drop once it cools, or the Young Palace Mistress will have my head. Say," she added with a mischievous grin, "you aren't sick from anger, are you? No, wait—it must be jealousy. With the martial arts trial happening today, you probably realized you wouldn't be happy no matter who won. The more you thought about it, the angrier you got, until the 'fire of frustration' made you sick?"
Chu Ruo swore that if she weren't currently burning up with a miserable fever, she would have gotten up to teach this girl a lesson. "You... you just can't help yourself, can you?"
Heaven knew how she had ended up with such a wretched cold. Perhaps it was the sudden rain and the drop in temperature last night; she had felt a chill right after her bath and spent the rest of the night shivering until the fever took hold. Of all days, it had to be the day of the duel between the "Great Roc" and Shen Eleven. If she weren't physically incapacitated, Chu Ruo would have been there no matter what. Now, she was stuck with a stuffed nose, a relentless cough, a pounding headache, and a stomach that wanted to turn itself inside out.
Still, considering the Palace Mistress had been pressured by the Alliance Leader and the God of Medicine’s families to settle her marriage, Nan Menghua would have likely dragged her out of bed if she weren't truly ill. In a way, it was a stroke of luck—a chance to slack off and avoid that old freak. Every time she saw Nan Menghua, the woman’s presence sent a bone-chilling shiver down her spine.
"Well, the timing is just too perfect," Xiao Guo’er continued. "Didn't you tell me once? 'When things are too strange, there must be a demon afoot.' Looking at you now, you're looking pretty 'demonic' yourself."
"...If you're so bored... *cough*... go see if they've finished the duel."
"Oh, stop worrying about that and worry about yourself. Besides, if the trial is over, people will be coming here soon. Aside from the Young Palace Mistress and the Protectors, that 'Enchantress' and the Alliance Leader’s daughter will definitely come to check on you. Just stay put."
*How did I end up with a 'treasure' like you?* Chu Ruo wanted to rest, but her nose was too blocked to breathe comfortably, her head spun when she sat up, and she couldn't fall back asleep. She resorted to making small talk with Xiao Guo’er, despite the coughing. "How has your... *cough*... martial arts practice been lately?"
"The same as usual. Ever since you fell off the cliff, the Young Palace Mistress has given me pointers occasionally. I'm certainly stronger than I used to be."
"With her guidance, you're more than just 'stronger.' Your level is probably on par with the senior disciples now. You're a senior disciple in your own right. Didn't you always want to use their private training grounds? I saw a bunch of disciples surrounding you the other day, calling you 'Sister Guo’er.' Must feel pretty good, eh?"
Xiao Guo’er shook her head. "I can tell whether they're being sincere or not."
"Everyone knows who you are now, and they're respectful. Why overthink it? Do you think those disciples are truly loyal to me? In this Hundred Flowers Palace... well, you've been here longer than I have. You should be more cynical about these things."
The girl walked over to the bed and patted Chu Ruo’s hand. "I owe my current position to you."
"That has nothing to do with me. You saved many disciples from the branch sects back at Cloud Mist Mountain. It’s only right that Shifu promoted you."
"No. Actually, it’s because I’m close to you. It had nothing to do with saving people; in the Hundred Flowers Palace, that’s just considered 'doing one's duty.'"
"Wait, we risked our lives to save them, and that's just 'doing our duty'? That should be a major merit!"
"Don't interrupt. Truly, in the Hundred Flowers Palace, those are things you're simply expected to do. If you go on a mission and fail to save people but come back alive yourself, you're punished," Xiao Guo’er said with a faint smile. "It really is because of you that the Young Palace Mistress favors me. Some disciples scramble to flatter me because of it. On the surface, I was promoted for my merits, but I know what they say behind my back—that I only served you for a short time before becoming a senior disciple. The Young Palace Mistress is just 'loving the house and its crow' by extension. After your accident, I was the person she spoke to the most. Surprising, isn't it? Even then, she didn't say much. She only asked me about everything related to you. I would speak, and she would listen. The only times I saw her smile during those days were in those moments."
Chu Ruo’s eyes grew moist. Whenever she thought about the time she was gone and how her "Little Scorpion" had endured day after day, she felt a mixture of profound moving and heartache. "She..."
"So," Xiao Guo’er said, her own voice thick with emotion as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "you must never let the Young Palace Mistress down. I’m watching you. If you ever mistreat her, I’ll be the first one to come after you."
*Creak—*
"Who are you going after?" Nan Muxue entered the room, a faint, soft smile on her face. "What are you two gossiping about?"
"Young Palace Mistress!" Xiao Guo’er scrambled to her feet, performed a quick salute, and bolted out of the room clutching Wotou. "This disciple shall take her leave!"
After closing the door, Nan Muxue walked over and sat by the bed. She pinched Chu Ruo’s cheek lightly. "Were you two speaking ill of your master? Why did that girl run off the moment I arrived?"
It was a joke, but Chu Ruo pushed herself up and pulled the woman into a tight embrace. "Xue’er..."
"What is it?" Nan Muxue asked with concern. "With that look on your face... did those disciples bully you again?"
"No, no. Xue’er, I’m never leaving you again. Not for a day, not for an hour, not even for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn."
"Very well," Nan Muxue drawled, not pressing for the reason behind this sudden burst of sentimentality. She pressed her cool lips against Chu Ruo’s ear. "We won't be apart again."
After a long moment, Chu Ruo finally asked, "Is the trial over?"
"Mhm."
"And the result? Was it like you guessed? Did Shen Ruoxuan lose?"
Another "Mhm." "Let’s not talk about that. Did you take your medicine?"
"I... I just took it."
Nan Muxue gave her an exasperated look. "Getting you to take medicine is like asking for your life."
"I'd rather give you my life than drink that stuff..."
"Hmm?"
"Anyway, did your mother say anything? About the next trial or the timing?"
Nan Muxue shook her head. "She said she would notify them when the time comes."
"Then how do you have time to be here?"
Nan Muxue narrowed her eyes. "Why? Do you think your master shouldn't be here? Or were you hoping for someone else?"
*I’m not falling for that trap.* "I meant, how did your mother let you go? What about the others? Don't you need to be there?"
"Of course, you'd prefer your master to be with the others. That way, you could spend time with your precious Zhi’er..."
"There you go again. Believe it or not, I really will go find Zhi—" She felt a sharp poke to her back and immediately changed her tune. "I was just worried others would come and disturb our private time!"
Nan Muxue huffed. She withdrew her hand and felt Chu Ruo’s forehead. "You usually don't show such concern for others. You're burning up like this, yet you're still thinking about her."
"The only one I think about is you," Chu Ruo said, her voice heavy with nasal congestion and raspy from coughing. "*Cough, cough*... You..."
"Enough. You're in such a state; speak less." Nan Muxue pulled Chu Ruo into her arms, letting her lean against her. She picked up the bowl of medicine from the table and pursed her lips. "Drink."
To her surprise, though Chu Ruo made a face, she obediently took the bowl and gulped it down. "Okay." *Ancient medicine is truly too bitter, and why is the bowl so huge? It’s practically a death sentence.*
Nan Muxue was taken aback. "So obedient today?"
"What?" Chu Ruo asked, confused.
"You took your medicine without a fuss." Usually, this girl required three rounds of coaxing and six pleas, eventually needing to be fed "that way" before she’d comply. Today, aside from a frown, she hadn't protested at all. It was rare.
"I..." Chu Ruo suddenly realized what she meant and gave her a suggestive smile. "Oh~ did you want to feed me?"
Nan Muxue’s smile turned dangerously "tender." "If you don't mind me adding a bit of arsenic to the bowl..."
"*Cough, cough, cough*! You're poisonous!" Chu Ruo sputtered. "You're not cute at all. I was just thinking that since I'm so sick, I didn't want to pass it to you. Think about it—how many days has it been since you let me kiss you? *Sigh*..."
"Don't even think about kissing me in the future, either."
"You!"
"Got a problem with that?"
"Xue’er," Chu Ruo switched tactics, playing the victim. "Just let it go. I really don't know what I did wrong. For the sake of a poor sick person, won't you forgive me?"
Nan Muxue suddenly sat closer. She reached out and traced Chu Ruo’s lips with her fingers. It was incredibly itchy, yet it sent a spark of excitement through her. The woman by the bed leaned in closer and closer until, in the next second, Nan Muxue tilted her head and kissed her.
"Mmph—" It was wonderful, but Chu Ruo tried to pull away. "Don't... I'm really sick today..."
Nan Muxue ignored her, deepening the kiss. Chu Ruo, possessing very little willpower where she was concerned, surrendered instantly. She quickly shifted from defense to offense, the kiss wandering from her lips to other places. As Nan Muxue began to go soft in her arms, Chu Ruo took the opportunity to kiss her way down. Having been deprived of intimacy for days, she was desperate. When she reached that jade-like neck, she began to nibble and suckle without restraint. However...
They say Chu Ruo’s brain sometimes suffered from short circuits. Just as Nan Muxue was about to lose herself completely, Chu Ruo suddenly blurted out, "If we do this, aren't you afraid your mother will suddenly walk in?"
If she could go back in time, Chu Ruo would have beaten herself to death before asking that. Sure enough, Nan Muxue laughed. Her nearly vanished rationality snapped back into place as she pressed a hand against Chu Ruo’s mouth to stop her from leaning in again. "Mother went to rest after the trial. To be precise, she went to heal her injuries."
"Heal... *cough*... her?"
"Didn't I tell you? Her last closed-door cultivation session failed. The closer one is to the final stage when they fail, the more severe the internal energy backlash. The timing of the flare-ups isn't something she can control. She likely didn't expect it to happen at such an inconvenient time today. The others didn't notice; she hides it well, her expression never wavering. If I didn't know she had failed the *Love Flower Intoxication*, even I wouldn't have been able to tell."
"So that means we have the whole day... *cough*... to ourselves?" Chu Ruo was overjoyed. "That’s great! Ever since your mother came out of seclusion, I’ve felt so oppressed. I was always afraid she’d pop out of nowhere and scare the life out of me. This is wonderful."
"Not afraid of my mother hearing us now?"
Chu Ruo squeezed her hand. "Mhm. You said it yourself—she’s busy with her cultivation. She doesn't have time for us."
Nan Muxue pulled her hand away. "Your master doesn't have time either."
"Xue’er~"
"Sleep now that you've taken your medicine. Get your fever down."
"You're leaving again?"
"There are still things to handle in the Palace. Mother won't manage the daily affairs herself; she only asks questions after I’ve dealt with them. There’s a pile of letters from the branch sects waiting for me. Go to sleep. I’ll have Xiao Guo’er watch over you. No one will disturb you."
"You're not coming back?"
Nan Muxue flicked the bridge of Chu Ruo’s nose. "If I come back, wouldn't I be interrupting the 'elegant mood' between you and your Lady Zhi’er?"
"How about I go with you? I’ll just sit by your side and watch you."
"If you're unwell, stay in bed. Cherish today. If you weren't currently the 'favored one' of those two women, do you think you could use illness as an excuse to slack off?"
Chu Ruo pouted. "I’m not making it up. I’m really sick. By the way, if your mother is busy, what about the others? Are they off doing their own thing?"
"Circling back to your concern for Bai Zhi’er again, I see," Nan Muxue said playfully. "She doesn't have time for you. She went down the mountain."
"What for?"
"Ask her yourself."
"...I was just... that is..."
"An explanation is just a cover-up. Weren't those your own words?"
"I didn't..."
"Regardless, it’s useless to pine for her. Is a person belonging to Nan Muxue someone others can see just because they want to?"
*Classic Little Scorpion. Willful, black-bellied, and as prideful as ever.* Chu Ruo hooked an arm around her shoulder. "If Shifu says I can't see her, then this disciple wouldn't dare. But... are you coming back tonight or not?"
"Would you be willing even if I made you sleep on the floor?"
Chu Ruo nodded like a chicken pecking grain. "Willing, willing! A hundred times willing!"
Nan Muxue laughed. "Fine."
And so, when night fell, Chu Ruo really did end up sleeping on the floor again.
"*Cough, cough, cough*... *hack*... *cough*~" *Cruel Little Scorpion. Please, pity me. Let me sleep in the bed! Wuwu, how can you be so heartless? You really sent me to the floor and ignored me.*
"Stop faking it. You're doing a terrible job."
"I'm not faking! I really am uncomfortable!"
The person on the bed finally rolled over to look at her with interest. "Want to come up?"
*Is that even a question?* Chu Ruo nodded frantically. "Mhm, mhm! The floor is cold. My dear Xue’er, won't you let me sleep up there?"
Nan Muxue looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Mhm. It is true that your master shouldn't have taken your bed, leaving a sick person with nowhere to sleep. Fine, your master shall return to her own—"
"Wait! I... uh... I’ll just sleep on the floor. You stay. Stay."
"Look at you, pouting like a coward." Nan Muxue laughed and turned her back to her again. "Come up."
*Haha!* Chu Ruo didn't hesitate. She leaped onto the bed with lightning speed. But before she could even get settled, the command came: "Don't touch me."
*No fun. You're no fun at all. Blehh...*
"If you dare make any more of those strange faces behind my back, be careful I don't gouge your eyes out."
Chu Ruo instantly wilted. However, she stubbornly reached out from behind and wrapped her arms around Nan Muxue’s waist. "Then... sleep? Goodnight."
*Whoosh—*
Chu Ruo was already congested, but she had barely fallen asleep when someone pinched her nose shut, waking her up. "Mmph... what is it?"
"You sleep like the dead. You're lazier than that hamster of yours. And you're noisy."
"Was my snoring bothering you because of my nose? I’ll go back to the floor..."
Nan Muxue pulled her back. "It’s too cold down there. You really are a fool sometimes. If I tell you to sleep on the floor, you actually do it."
Chu Ruo grinned. "But I’m back in the bed now, aren't I? That means you still care about me. You couldn't bear to let me sleep on the icy floor."
"Too many words."
"Turn the other way then, so I don't give my cold to you."
Nan Muxue simply stared at her and said, "It’s fine. Sleep."
"But..."
"I had A-Yue brew a dose of medicine for me. I won't catch it."
*Hey, you should have said so earlier! I was being so careful for nothing.* Since it was fine, then she wouldn't hold back. Chu Ruo wiggled her fingers excitedly under the covers and put her plan into motion.
A moment later: "Xue’er."
Nan Muxue had closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. "Mhm?"
"Can I... can I give you a kiss?"
"Mhm... *Mmm*~" The first "mhm" was a questioning hum. The second... well, that spoke for itself.
Nan Muxue never expected Chu Ruo’s "one kiss" to be so fervent. Truthfully, neither of them had been this close for days, and both were sensitive. After a bit of teasing, Nan Muxue began to cooperate in earnest. They melted into each other in that heated kiss, their bodies honestly betraying their owners and expressing their deep longing.
By the time Nan Muxue realized she had been tricked, the other woman had completely entangled her. Her lips, her everything—she was sinking into the depths of Chu Ruo’s embrace. She struggled for breath, cupping the head that was currently setting fires all over her body. "Didn't you say... only... only one kiss?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Chu Ruo was currently lingering over her skin, reluctant to leave. Hearing this, she slyly brought her lips back up to Nan Muxue’s and kissed her deeply. "I did. But I never said how long that one kiss would last."
"You..." Nan Muxue breathed out a soft, indignant cry.
Her earlobe was already being bitten and sucked, accompanied by an ambiguous, seductive whisper: "My lips haven't left your body once. So, technically, it’s still the same kiss."
*Ah~*
Soft sounds of pleasure escaped into the night, heard only by the two people sharing the bed.
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 92 | A Blessing in Sickness | Novela.app | Novela.app
