Chapter 130
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Faced with the anger of the male lead, Lin Qingyang quickly gave in and hurriedly took off his inner clothes, leaving only his underwear. As far as the eye could see, there were numerous frostbite marks of varying shades, some slightly swollen. In comparison to real frostbite, it wasn’t severe, but it looked exaggerated, with red marks standing out on the white skin, creating a patchwork effect.
Lin Qingyang lay on the bed like a fish placed on a cutting board, with a big cat squatting beside him. Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.
Lin Qingyang thought the interrogation was about to begin and was prepared to adapt on the fly. However, Chu Lishu remained silent and applied ointment to his frostbite marks with a small wooden spoon.
Well, although not being interrogated is good, remaining silent is also exhausting. Lin Qingyang could clearly feel the male lead suppressing his anger. It was like waiting for the countdown to the eruption of a volcano.
Lin Qingyang felt overwhelmed.
While lost in these thoughts, suddenly the waistband of his underwear was pulled, and Lin Qingyang instinctively reached to cover it, staring at Chu Lishu with widened eyes. “No, no, this is definitely not allowed!”
Chu Lishu frowned.
Lin Qingyang quickly said, “I can’t feel any frostbite there; it’s definitely fine.”
Chu Lishu’s eyes flashed briefly, but eventually, he let go and said, “Turn over.”
Lin Qingyang hurriedly pulled up his underwear and obediently turned over, allowing Chu Lishu to continue treating the frostbite on his back.
Whether it was the influence of pulling up the pants just now or not, Lin Qingyang felt something quite subtle when Chu Lishu used the wooden spoon to apply ointment to the inside of his thighs.
Soon, the arduous ointment application session came to an end.
Lin Qingyang quickly wore his clothes and sat on the bed, waiting for the interrogation with a serious expression. Chu Lishu also sat down, ready to face the challenge.
“Besides the water dungeon, did he do anything else to you?”
This question seemed a bit different from what Lin Qingyang had initially expected, but he was prepared to answer.
“No, it’s like this…” Lin Qingyang recounted the events from when he was knocked out by the eunuch, making sure not to mention his acquaintance with Chang Jun. Instead, he improvised, stating that he had seen a drawing outside that resembled the one from the past, possibly created by a childhood friend of the former Crown Prince.
Besides that, Lin Qingyang confessed everything honestly. Taking the opportunity, he intentionally mentioned, “By the way, how come the improvement method you suggested is the same as the former Crown Prince’s?”
Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang, his gaze gradually deepening, and slowly said, “You don’t know?”
As soon as these words were spoken, Lin Qingyang was instantly frightened, holding his breath. How should he respond – admit that he knew or feign ignorance?
“What?” Lin Qingyang chose a middle ground in his response.
“You know that the waterwheel matter is related to the former Crown Prince, and you were aware that we would definitely be targeted by Chief Steward Ning. That’s why you took the initiative to claim all the credit, substituting for me to be captured. Because you knew there might be some severe interrogation methods, you even inquired about the existence of a water dungeon, made preparations in advance, and started consuming hot-natured things.” Chu Lishu suddenly reached out, grabbing Lin Qingyang’s chin, fixing his head. “Tell me why you know so much. Do you also know something else?”
Lin Qingyang: …Oh God, deceiving the male lead is indeed risky. If he doesn’t think of a way to bluff through, he’ll be exposed. Stay calm, think carefully about how to respond.
Seeing Lin Qingyang’s eyes rolling, Chu Lishu suddenly spoke sternly, “No lying to me.”
Lin Qingyang was taken aback, and opened his mouth. Has their trust reached that level now? Can he admit that he knows Chu Lishu is Yuan Ran? But he hasn’t even confirmed it directly with Yue Chen and Huo Luo. Can he say it himself?
Suddenly, Chu Lishu approached, staring directly into his eyes. “I know you did all this on purpose. Tell me the truth.”
Lin Qingyang seemed to be captivated by those dark eyes, his heartbeat almost stopping. Suddenly, an impulse surged, prompting Lin Qingyang to prepare to speak.
I know who you are, Yuan Ran.
I believe you’ve changed. You won’t hurt me.
I can devote myself to you, be a hundred percent loyal to you, and assist you.
But when Lin Qingyang opened his mouth, he hesitated internally. If he spoke, how would he explain how he knew? After all, unless he revealed it himself or someone as astute as Yue Chen speculated like that, someone who had no knowledge of Yuan Ran like him couldn’t possibly know. He couldn’t explain the existence of the system and the concept of transmigration, as these were things the system deemed strictly confidential.
Doing so would undoubtedly trigger more suspicions from the male lead. He was inherently suspicious and cautious; just because their relationship was currently good didn’t mean his natural tendencies to be wary and doubtful could be ignored. Moreover, once revealed, his unrequited love character setting might crumble, and how could he make the male lead continue to trust him, keeping him around to fulfill the missions, with a complete deception from start to finish?
Although Lin Qingyang truly wanted to believe that the bond between them had reached a level of openness, the memory of Chu Lishu from the original plot made him hesitant to take the risk. After all, he couldn’t be sure how much the current Chu Lishu resembled the original character. What if this deception triggered a reaction similar to what happened to Yuan Ran? Yuan Ran’s tragedy began with deceit.
It’s better not to take the risk. Following the original plan would be the safest route.
Lin Qingyang’s expression darkened at the thought of missed honesty. “Cousin, you scared me. What are you talking about?”
Chu Lishu blinked in mild confusion.
Under the pressure, with an unusually clear mind, Lin Qingyang spoke up, “Actually, if it weren’t for Chief Steward Ning mentioning it, I wouldn’t have known that the improved method originated from the former Crown Prince. When I said that, it was just a random response. The reason I became cautious was because of the eunuch who came to pick us up that day. When he asked questions, I felt something was off, especially when it was a eunuch from Concubine Mei who came to pick us up.”
“When we first entered the palace, I asked you if the eunuchs in the Chui Xue Palace could be controlled by Chief Steward Hai. You told me that most of the eunuchs in the palace were trained by Chief Steward Ning, so they were mostly his eyes and ears, which is why his influence is so significant.”
“As soon as I thought about this, I felt uneasy. They specifically asked us who came up with the improvement for the waterwheel and why. Could it be that Chief Steward Ning is also interested in this matter? After all, I was almost on Chief Steward Ning’s blacklist, and I still feel a bit wary of him. Just to be safe, we should keep one person back. In case it’s me who stays, I’m not sure I have your abilities to rescue someone. So, it’s better for you to stay and take credit. I also heard that Chief Steward Ning likes to torture people in the water dungeon, and I was just being overly cautious, thinking if we prepared for a few days and nothing happened, then I must have been overthinking. But unexpectedly, it turned out my worries were justified.”
“Why didn’t you inform me of your concerns in advance? Since you already suspected that eunuch, why didn’t you say anything?” Chu Lishu asked incredulously.
“Because you were dealing with something major at that time, and I didn’t want to disturb you with something so elusive. Who could have thought that your draft would be related to the former Crown Prince and that Chief Steward Ning would somehow find out? It’s just unbelievable when you think about it.”
Chu Lishu was stunned, staring at Lin Qingyang. Although he always felt that Lin Qingyang wasn’t telling the whole truth, he had to admit that Lin Qingyang’s explanation made perfect sense. Even if his actions seemed a bit impulsive, there was no flaw in the cause and effect. Even when he wanted to use the waterwheel draft, who would have expected that Qi Ci, back then, would be amusingly watching their discussion and casually mentioning it in the secret letter to his foster father?
If he had been alone, he would have been the one taken away today.
Lin Qingyang’s concerns and precautions against Chief Steward Ning were reasonable.
However, even with that, he felt that this torture should have been borne by him, not Lin Qingyang.
“That’s not a reason! In fact, by doing this, you put yourself in more danger. Haven’t you considered that, what if…”
“Then let me ask you.” Lin Qingyang reached out, grabbing Chu Lishu’s hand and moving it aside to make it easier for him to speak. “If I had told you in advance, what would you have done?”
Chu Lishu was taken aback.
“It’s impossible to be fully prepared because we don’t know if he’ll make a move and when,” Lin Qingyang sighed. “I understand you to some extent. Would you risk yourself to trap Chief Steward Ning?”
Chu Lishu’s expression changed. He had already considered the consequences of tonight’s events. The only harm in the midst of numerous benefits was that he might attract the attention of Ning Ziheng. But compared to the advantages, it was inconsequential. Indeed, he would risk himself as Lin Qingyang suggested, and not only that. For example, there was no need to prepare the act of playing the injured lamb tonight. They could use it on Ning Ziheng instead. He was caught and harmed because he had no powerful background. He didn’t want to fight, but he had already been dragged into the arena. This was the best form of playing the wounded.
So when he learned from Chief Steward Hai that Ning Ziheng was the one who kidnapped Lin Qingyang and knew the location, he sought Concubine Mei’s help to rescue him. At that moment, Concubine Mei was trying to persuade him to join, and only then did he realize that the originally planned act of playing the wounded had unexpectedly come to fruition through Lin Qingyang.
Chu Lishu’s brows furrowed, and his eyes lowered. Lin Qingyang couldn’t see his emotions clearly, but he held onto Chu Lishu’s hand and said earnestly, “We share hardships together. I made the best choice to bear some of it for you. What’s wrong with that?”
But he didn’t want that. Chu Lishu stared at Lin Qingyang in bewilderment.
He could do this, and sacrifice himself, but he didn’t want Lin Qingyang to go through all of this. Lin Qingyang had no idea what he was doing.
If it meant making Lin Qingyang go through all this, he would rather not plan any of it. He would prefer a better, safer approach.
But Lin Qingyang, behind his back, made a decision for him. Chu Lishu didn’t know whether to be angry or touched; he just felt that he wasn’t worth everything Lin Qingyang was doing for him.
Suddenly, Chu Lishu reached back and pulled Lin Qingyang into his arms, holding him tightly. “You really are an idiot!”
Lin Qingyang smelled of medicine, but it made Chu Lishu feel incredibly at ease.
It would be nice if he could just stay obediently in his arms like this.
Lin Qingyang was momentarily dumbfounded, but he quickly caught on and relaxed. He gently patted Chu Lishu’s back, comforting each other. “How can you call your cousin an idiot? After all, I’m a man, and I’m older than you. It’s only natural for me to endure a bit more hardship. I can’t let you, with your delicate body, suffer, right? Luckily, it was me this time. If it were you, you might not have been able to endure it!”
The male lead believed his words and stopped doubting. Fortunately, the male lead was indeed very clever; otherwise, it would have been easy to get caught in such dangerous situations.
After hugging for a while, Chu Lishu let go of Lin Qingyang and said seriously, “In the future, if something like this happens again, you must tell me first. I will figure out another way.”
“If that’s the case, the best solution is for both of us not to take risks. Otherwise, as brothers in this united front, I have no reason to enjoy your protection without participating in the risks. Don’t think you’re so smart; I’m still your cousin,” Lin Qingyang said with a smile.
Chu Lishu’s gaze flickered for a moment. He had always thought that not trying and not giving Lin Qingyang hope was a form of protection for him. However, now it seemed that he might need to consider a different approach.
Afterward, Lin Qingyang went on to refine the issue, questioning why the blueprints were the same. Chu Lishu naturally came up with a reasonable excuse, and Lin Qingyang pretended to be deceived.
That night, Chu Lishu took care of Lin Qingyang, who had a low fever, stayed up all night. The next day, someone from Concubine Mei’s side invited them over.
Chu Lishu asked Lin Qingyang to continue resting while he went alone.
As expected, Prime Minister Li was waiting there.
They both assumed that Lin Qingyang was associated with Chu Lishu, so as long as Chu Lishu arrived, certain matters could be discussed.
【Main Mission 2, Mission 1: Help the male lead join the party of the Fourth Prince. Completed. Reward: 100 points. Total points: 181. Plot progress: 40%.】
Waking up from his sleep, Lin Qingyang heard this excellent news. After entering the main mission 2, the difficulty did increase, but so did the rewards. Not bad.
When Xu Wenze came to visit him, he noticed Lin Qingyang’s rosy complexion, looking healthy. Curious, he asked, “Are you feeling better?”
“I still have a bit of a fever. The imperial physician said it’s a chronic condition, but it’s not a big deal.”
“Seeing you so energetic, I feel relieved. Let me tell you some good news.” Xu Wenze smiled and said, “Today, there are rumors that the Emperor severely punished Chief Steward Ning. He transferred some of his power to two other Chief Stewards and sentenced him to ten days of self-reflection. The Emperor also seems to suspect his connection with the Third Prince and others, thinking it’s a deliberate retaliation. So, even the Third Prince and Concubine Pei were penalized. Your reputation has really soared now.”
Lin Qingyang smiled, “Then this illness of mine is considered worthwhile.”
“With the exposure during this incident, the Fourth Prince’s faction will definitely trust you and Lishu. That’s a good thing, but you still need to be careful. It’s better to keep a low profile in the future.” After saying this, Xu Wenze paused for a moment and quickly added, “I don’t mean to compete with you. I’m just worried that other forces might target you.”
Lin Qingyang laughed, “Do you think I don’t know you? I know you’re looking out for me.”
Xu Wenze hesitated for a moment and awkwardly said, “Well, as long as you understand.”
The two of them continued to chat for a while, and soon Chu Lishu returned.
However, when Chu Lishu came back, his expression didn’t look good. Lin Qingyang thought something had happened, but seeing that Chu Lishu seemed hesitant to speak, Xu Wenze tactfully left.
“What’s wrong?” Lin Qingyang was about to get out of bed when Chu Lishu stopped him.
“Don’t move. I’m fine. I just feel a bit unwell,” Chu Lishu said.
Lin Qingyang’s expression immediately changed. “Is it the old ailment you mentioned?”
Chu Lishu nodded.
It seemed that it was about the time. “Then you…”
“I won’t come tonight. Don’t come looking for me, okay?”
“Well… I can take care of you, actually.” Lin Qingyang recalled the previous experience, and it seemed like the male lead wouldn’t harm him.
“No need. It’ll pass if I endure it for a bit. I just came to tell you, don’t rashly come over during that time,” Chu Lishu said directly. He couldn’t be sure that the last time Lin Qingyang wasn’t harmed was just good luck, and he preferred to avoid taking such risks.
Lin Qingyang looked worriedly at Chu Lishu but didn’t dare to put his own life at risk. “How about this, I remember you’re more comfortable in a warm environment. My room has these things, making it more suitable for you. Let’s switch rooms for tonight. Even if there are special circumstances, no one will come to disturb us since they know I’m sick.”
Due to his fever from the cold, the palace halls that rarely used the heating furnace were now quite cold. Only Lin Qingyang’s room was equipped with a furnace, making the temperature inside quite high. There was also a hot water bottle on the bed, making it suitable for helping Chu Lishu through a difficult night.
The more Lin Qingyang thought about it, the more he believed it was the case. He quickly said, “That’s settled, let’s switch rooms.” After saying that, Lin Qingyang promptly got up to pack.
Seeing him like this, Chu Lishu didn’t voice any objections. Later, he was coerced into drinking hot soup together and having a late-night snack. Everything was similar to that one night, except that when Chu Lishu lay on the bed, allowing consciousness to fade away, he realized something was missing.
There was no warm embrace, and there was no one helping to massage his stomach.
However… Chu Lishu took a deep breath. The room was filled with Lin Qingyang’s scent, soothing his restless emotions and helping him get through the most painful moments.
Although Lin Qingyang hadn’t completely recovered from the fever, his body had mostly recovered. He slept a lot during the day, and at night, he stayed up worrying about Chu Lishu next door. This damned side effect, when would it finally end? Going through this every month was too tormenting.
Suddenly, Lin Qingyang paused. Although he didn’t want to think in a weird direction, he couldn’t help but feel that whenever Chu Lishu went through this, it seemed similar to Pei Jin’s special period. Both experienced excruciating pain, couldn’t move due to cramps, and their temperaments would suddenly become irritable. However, the male lead’s irritability extended to the point of killing.
Lin Qingyang chuckled to himself, finding amusement in the thought, but then he felt it wasn’t right and quickly suppressed his laughter.
While lying on the bed lost in various thoughts, suddenly an alarm sounded in Lin Qingyang’s mind. 【Host, please be aware, the male lead’s life is in danger! Take action immediately.】
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