The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu glanced at Shang Junlin and saw that he didn't seem to think much about it, so he knew that Shang Junlin hadn't thought deeply about the matter. Slowly retracting his gaze, Shen Yu thought to himself: maybe he was overthinking it. It's just a plant, how could it be related to this kind of thing? Maybe the flower would have bloomed that night even if he and Shang Junlin didn't do anything.

When Mu Xi didn't have any other instructions for the two masters, she withdrew. When Shen Yu and Shang Junlin were alone, they didn't like the palace attendants to be close to them. The people who served in the Yu Zhang Palace also knew this, and they wouldn't approach them easily unless they were summoned by the masters.

Shang Junlin stirred the medicine in the bowl and scooped up a spoonful, intending to feed it to Shen Yu, but his hand was held back by Shen Yu.

"I'll do it myself," Shen Yu sat up with his body half supported.

No matter how much the taste of the medicine improved, Shen Yu didn't want to drink it spoon by spoon.

"Don't want me to feed you?"

"The taste of the medicine is indescribable. I want to drink it directly."

Looking at the hand Shen Yu stretched out, Shang Junlin put down the spoon and handed the bowl to him as he wished.

Shen Yu finished the medicine in one breath. Shang Junlin brought over a handkerchief and some candied fruit.

Shen Yu leaned over and took a piece of candied fruit from Shang Junlin's hand, his soft lips touching his skin.

Like a precious cat.

Shang Junlin's eyes darkened, he held Shen Yu's waist with one hand and hugged him directly into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed him. "Let me taste it."

"Is it bitter?" After the kiss ended, Shen Yu's forehead touched Shang Junlin's, and he asked.

"It's sweet."

Shang Junlin rubbed against Shen Yu like a big dog and said, "Ah Yu, everything about you is sweet."

After taking the medicine, Shen Yu felt a bit drowsy. That night, Shang Junlin was very careful with him. Although he didn't suffer any serious injuries, he was tossed around all night, and his vitality wasn't so easy to recover. Otherwise, Physician Gu wouldn't have given him a new prescription and subtly reminded His Majesty to be moderate.

"If you're tired, take a nap. Do you want to go to bed?" Shang Junlin touched his face.

Shen Yu shook his head. He didn't want to lie in bed all day long, which would remind him of some unpleasant things from his past life.

Shang Junlin didn't force him. In his heart, he actually didn't want Shen Yu to rest in bed. Compared to other places, he wanted Shen Yu to lie within his reach.

Shen Yu snuggled in the man's arms, found a comfortable position, and slowly closed his eyes.

He dreamt again.

In his dream, it was a rainy day. He was lying in bed, feeling heavy and as if something was weighing him down. He couldn't even lift a hand.

Someone was walking back and forth outside the screen, and their muffled conversation could be heard. Shen Yu wanted to hear what they were saying, but he couldn't make it out.

It was as if something was separating him from this world. He couldn't see the surrounding scenery clearly, nor could he hear the sound coming from afar. He was in the middle of it all, yet detached.

When he woke up, it was already dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, and he suddenly felt like it overlapped with his dream.

A pair of warm hands touched his forehead. "Are you feeling unwell, Ah Yu? You've sweated a lot."

The man's low voice broke through Shen Yu's realization, and his wandering thoughts were pulled back to reality. He felt the heat emanating from the man and the stickiness on his body.

Shen Yu instinctively rubbed against the man's hand. "My clothes are wet with sweat."

"I'll carry you to take a bath."

After washing and changing into clean clothes, Shen Yu finally felt better. He hadn't dreamt of his past life in a long time, so he didn't know why he had suddenly dreamt of it that day.

"Your Majesty, did it rain just now?"

"No, when I held you just now, you kept sleeping restlessly and sweating a lot. Did you have a nightmare?" Shang Junlin took a dry towel to wipe Shen Yu's hair.

Shen Yu nodded. "It seems so, but I can't remember the details."

When he woke up, everything from the dream receded like the tide, and Shen Yu only remembered the urgency he felt in the dream, and nothing else.

"I'll have Physician Gu come and take a look."

Late at night, Physician Gu was once again summoned to the Jade Palace.

"Thank you for coming, Physician Gu." Shen Yu extended his hand.

For comfort, Shen Yu was dressed quite casually, and his black hair was simply draped behind him, making him look lazy but captivating.

Physician Gu focused on taking Shen Yu's pulse, thinking that the emperor had summoned him because Shen Yu had been injured in some way. After checking, Physician Gu realized he had overthought.

"Your Highness is fine."

After Physician Gu left, Shang Junlin hugged Shen Yu, burying his face in his neck. "Ah Yu, don't leave me."

"I won't leave," Shen Yu reassured the suddenly uneasy big dog.

Shang Junlin hugged the person in his arms tightly.

Afterward, Shang Junlin met with Physician Gu alone to inquire about Shen Yu's health. Until Shen Yu fully recovered, Shang Junlin couldn't put his heart at ease.

"Is Ah Yu really okay?" Shang Junlin's aura condensed around him, and his dark eyes stared at Physician Gu.

"Your Majesty, everything I've said is true, and I wouldn't dare to hide anything."

"Physician Gu, don't let me down."

"His Highness saved my life, so I will do everything in my power to treat him. Please rest assured."

Shang Junlin tapped the armrest of the chair. "So, can you tell me what's going on with Ah Yu today?"

"From his pulse, it seems that he's fine. Nightmares are something that everyone experiences and aren't a big deal. Your Majesty need not worry too much."

Physician Gu's words were true. Everyone has nightmares, so Shang Junlin naturally knew this, but because it concerned Shen Yu, he had to pay attention.

"You may leave now."

Physician Gu stood up and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your Majesty, His Highness' body is relatively weak. Please exercise restraint in your actions..."

Physician Gu remembered the first time he came to see Shen Yu. Only one arm was stretched out from behind the curtain, and that arm was covered in red marks, even between the fingers. One can only imagine how severe the rest of his body was.

"I know I shouldn't have interfered, but His Highness..." can't withstand your rough handling.

Feeling the increasingly low pressure around him, Physician Gu silently swallowed the rest of his words.

"I understand," Shang Junlin's face darkened. "Write up a list of things to be mindful of for me."

"Your Majesty, I will comply."

Shen Yu slept comfortably for a while and felt much better the next day, but still had some difficulty walking.

Shen Yu didn't want anyone to see him in a vulnerable state, so he spent most of his time lying on the soft couch. Fortunately, Shang Junlin knew he was in the wrong and would massage the sore spots for him.

The disaster in Subei was alleviated, and those who spread rumors in various places were arrested. However, the mastermind remained calm and did not reveal any clues, even though several strongholds were destroyed.

Shen Yu lay on Shang Junlin's leg, playing with the man's long hair that fell down: "Did His Majesty tell the King of Yue about the situation in the fiefdom? Does he know now?"

"I let the jailer 'accidentally' leak it in front of him. That night, the King of Yue caused a commotion in the dark dungeon. The caretaker was so angry that he 'kindly' told the King of Yue everything about his fiefdom, the capital, and everything related to the King of Yue, without leaving out any details."

In fact, if the King of Yue thought about it carefully, he would realize that there were many suspicious points in this matter. For example, why would a jailer tell him these things, and why would a jailer know them so well? There were doubts everywhere, but unfortunately, the King of Yue was so angry when he heard the news that he couldn't think straight.

In this life, the King of Yue no longer had a chance to ascend the throne. Neither Shen Yu nor Shang Junlin would allow him to take that position.

Shen Qingran was also trapped in the Marquis's mansion. Because of Shen Yu's interference, the two had very few interactions in this life, let alone developing the same kind of feelings as they did in the previous life.

Thinking of Shen Qingran, Shen Yu found it interesting. In the same period of time, Shen Qingran was trapped in the imperial palace in his previous life and could not come and go freely. In this life, he did not enter the palace, but he was still trapped, only the location changed from the imperial palace to the Marquis's mansion.

Shen Qingran was naturally unwilling. The better Shen Yu lived, the more unwilling he felt. However, the servants in the mansion seemed to have received someone's orders and would often say how favored Shen Guijun was outside his courtyard.

It was the same today.

Shen Qingran tossed and turned on his bed and suddenly heard the sound of people talking outside the window. The voice was not loud, but he could hear it clearly as if they were deliberately speaking to him.

"Did you see it today? His Majesty has rewarded us with so many things again, and the Marquis was so happy today that he gave us a lot of extra money."

"Is it also because of Shen Guijun1?"

"Of course, Shen Guijun is the Marquis's eldest son. He's not someone just anyone can compare to. Some people rely on the Marquis's favor and are more arrogant than anyone else, but look at them now, they've been put back in their place."

"A bastard is still a bastard. He has such a narrow-minded view. Look at Shen Guijun, he's the true demeanor of a legitimate son."

"Shen Guijun has finally gained His Majesty's favor. Things have finally turned around for him."

"His Majesty really favors our Eldest Master. I heard that the Yu Zhang Palace receives rewards every three to five days, all of which are precious treasures. What His Majesty rewards to the Marquis' Mansion are nothing compared to those, just a drizzle."

"..."

Shen Qingran couldn't hear the rest of the words. Envy was gnawing at his heart like a venomous snake, and the words of the servants were like needles stabbing at him. Those words lingered in his mind, reminding him constantly of how glorious Shen Yu's life was and how much of a failure he himself was.

He thought he could always suppress Shen Yu, but he didn't know when their positions had completely switched, and Shen Yu had already stood at a height he could only look up to.

He received the Emperor's only favor, with countless honors and favors bestowed upon him. Everyone had to bow their heads before him, but what about him? Was he destined to live the rest of his life in this small courtyard?

The light in Shen Qingran's eyes flickered. No, he would not allow himself to end up like this!

Meanwhile, Shen Yu, who was on Shen Qingran's mind, was locked in a struggle with Shang Junlin.

"Your Majesty," Shen Yu held his blanket warily and watched Shang Junlin. "I really can't do it."

"Why doesn't Ah Yu agree? Is it because he doesn't like me?"

For some reason, Shen Yu felt a hint of grievance in Shang Junlin's tone. Before he could say anything, he saw Shang Junlin lean over and envelop him and the blanket in his arms.

"Ah Yu clearly liked it the other day..."

Shen Yu raised his hand to cover Shang Junlin's mouth and then felt something soft brush against his palm.

He quickly withdrew his hand.