"Yes."
"I’ll sleep for a bit, you go and do your work," An Ning instructed.
Xie Ruotong straightened An Ning’s quilt and respectfully took her leave.
Inside the tent, aside from An Ning, there was only a Female Guard attending her.
Her body was utterly exhausted, yet it still couldn’t truly fall asleep, even though she knew full well that in her current state, she needed rest.
The mont she closed her eyes, all she could see in her mind was Xiao Jinxing’s face.
It was him who threw everything aside to block the Sword for her, who risked everything to save her.
Tears slid from the corners of her eyes.
The pillow grew damp.
Had Xiao Jinxing really disappeared just like that?!
Was he really... never coming back?
She clenched the quilt tightly, the pain in her chest so sharp she could hardly breathe.
Between her and Xiao Jinxing, they hadn’t even had a single word of farewell...
...
In the end, An Ning still fell asleep.
Her body’s collapse dragged her into a heavy slumber.
She slept.
It felt like she slept for a very, very long ti.
In her dreams, she saw Xiao Jinxing again.
She saw him standing alone in so dark place.
They looked at each other from afar, yet it was as if there were ten thousand miles between them; no matter how she called to him, he seed unable to hear, and no matter how she tried to get close, he always remained a thousand miles away.
"Xiao Jinxing!"
An Ning cried out loudly.
"Niangniang." Xie Ruotong called to her in alarm.
She had no idea what kind of dream it was that made her look so agonized, so tornted.
Her lips kept murmuring sothing, but Ruotong couldn’t make out what she was saying.
Xie Ruotong tried to wake her, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t rouse her, as if An Ning were trapped in that dream.
Until this mont.
An Ning shouted the Emperor’s na.
Her eyes flew open.
Her gaze, once opened, was filled with grief, filled with tears.
It was as if, in her dream, they had gone through a parting of life and death.
"Niangniang." Xie Ruotong called to her softly again.
She was afraid that if she raised her voice even a little, Niangniang might completely break down.
Yet even now that she’d woken, An Ning seed as though she still hadn’t returned to herself.
There was no focus in her eyes, only pain.
Xie Ruotong was truly frightened by the way An Ning looked.
Hadn’t the Emperor already gotten better?!
Why was Niangniang still so anxious, so ill at ease?
An Ning looked at Xie Ruotong, at the worry all over her face, and only then did she truly co back to herself.
She moved her eyes slightly.
Tears pooled and slipped down along her lashes.
"Niangniang, His Majesty is fine," Xie Ruotong hurried to comfort her. "Although he still can’t get out of bed yet, he can already sit up and take his als. The military doctor says the Emperor is robust, his recovery is very fast; in a few days he’ll be able to walk again. Niangniang doesn’t need to worry anymore."
An Ning wiped her tears away.
But in the end, there was not much emotional fluctuation.
Xie Ruotong truly couldn’t see through An Ning.
She didn’t understand why, when hearing about the Emperor’s condition, An Ning was so calm.
And yet, clearly, even in her dreams, it was all the Emperor.
"Niangniang has slept for two days," Xie Ruotong added.
An Ning lifted her eyes to Ruotong.
"The military doctor ca to see Niangniang; he said you only slept so long because your body is too weak. Niangniang should be hungry now, right? I’ll have soone send in so food. Once you’ve eaten, this servant will accompany you to visit His Majesty," Xie Ruotong suggested.
She was truly afraid that An Ning, having not eaten for several days, would faint after only a few steps.
An Ning nodded.
She agreed.
Xie Ruotong was sowhat surprised again.
She had already prepared herself for Niangniang to disregard her own body and insist on seeing the Emperor imdiately.
Xie Ruotong quickly ordered soone to bring in food.
An Ning was very weak.
Even lifting her hand was an effort.
Xie Ruotong fed her spoon by spoon.
An Ning finished a bowl of thick, nourishing porridge.
Her strength returned a little.
"Help wash up," An Ning instructed.
Xie Ruotong had been all ready to help An Ning go see the Emperor.
Xie Ruotong was truly puzzled.
She didn’t ask further and had hot water brought in.
Because she still had injuries on her body, it wasn’t suitable for her to bathe in a tub.
Xie Ruotong used a towel to carefully wipe her down bit by bit.
"Ruotong, has anything happened these past two days?" An Ning asked.
"The things you instructed this servant to handle have all been arranged. Du Jianghong of Cang Kingdom has replied that he will definitely give Niangniang and His Majesty an explanation. Also, the Crown Prince of Cang Kingdom and General Yuan have both stayed at the Daxuan Camp all this ti. Hearing that you two were seriously injured, they haven’t pressed for the peace negotiations between the two nations," Xie Ruotong reported.
"And on His Majesty’s side?" An Ning bit her lip.
"His Majesty has been focused on recuperating and hasn’t inquired about any matters concerning Cang Kingdom. He only frequently asks about Niangniang’s condition and is very worried about your health."
"Mm," An Ning responded.
Xie Ruotong helped An Ning clean her body, then changed her into a fresh set of clothes, took out a cloak and draped it over her shoulders, and supported her out of the tent.
They headed straight toward the Emperor’s tent.
When they reached the entrance to the tent—
The trusted aide standing guard saw An Ning and saluted. "Greetings, Niangniang."
An Ning gave a slight nod.
Yet in that mont she did not imdiately step inside.
Xie Ruotong frowned.
What was An Ning hesitating over?!
Was she still worried that His Majesty wasn’t truly out of danger yet, and thus didn’t dare face him?!
"Niangniang, don’t worry. His Majesty’s body really is much better now," Xie Ruotong said by her side.
An Ning took a quiet, deep breath and walked into the tent.
As soon as she entered, she saw him sitting on the bed.
His complexion was still a bit pale, but much better than when he was first injured.
He no longer needed to lie flat; he could lean against the headboard now. At the mont he wasn’t doing anything, as if simply resting.
And as if... waiting for her.
The instant he saw her, a soft warmth, impossible to conceal, clearly flashed in his eyes.
An Ning, however, seed unwilling to et his gaze.
She lowered her eyes, walked to his side, sat at the edge of the bed, and directly took his pulse.
Fu Xingyi’s gaze remained fixed on her, taking her in—she still looked the sa as before.
He had thought that what he would see should be another face.
Thinking about it, with An Ning’s stubbornness, she indeed would rather return to being herself.
He just kept looking at her.
On and on, he looked at her.
At last, they didn’t have to be separated anymore.
After finishing the pulse check, An Ning lifted his robe.
Fu Xingyi’s lips curved in a pleasant arc.
As if rembering that ti back in the apocalypse, when a lab exploded and he was blasted all over with injuries; An Ning had stayed by his side, biting back her tears as she treated his wounds.
It had been so very long ago, yet it felt like only yesterday.
An Ning carefully examined his condition. It was indeed just as Xie Ruotong had said—he had improved a great deal.
She changed his dicine and bandaged him anew, then put his clothes back in place.
When she lifted her head, her gaze collided with his gentle eyes.
An Ning’s eyes flickered slightly as she instructed, "Ruotong, you all may withdraw first. I have sothing to say to His Majesty in private."
"Yes," Xie Ruotong replied respectfully.
She also felt that, having gone through life and death together, the two of them naturally had many things they wished to say in private.
She hurriedly led everyone in the tent out.
Soon, only the two of them remained.
Before An Ning could speak, Fu Xingyi had already reached out and clasped her hand tightly in his palm.
As if terrified of losing her again.
The mont he’d returned from that mission and heard that she was gone, it had felt like the sky was collapsing—he could still rember it as if it were yesterday.
From now on—
No matter what happens, he will never leave her again!
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