With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

She didn't know what was wrong with her, she just felt a soreness in her nose.

"Are you stupid?" she said sullenly.

"You're using so much force, doesn't it hurt?"

Ah Chao looked at her bandaged hand without saying a word.

She kept her head down, her eyelashes casting a small shadow on her face, her lips pursed, and her brow furrowed.

I'm genuinely worried about him.

Looking into her red eyes, he said, almost as if possessed,

"I'm much better. You can go back now—"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Nannan suddenly stood on tiptoe and reached out to touch his forehead.

It's still hot.

The heat made her fingertips recoil, but instead of pulling back, she placed her hand on his forehead, where it felt cool and soft.

Ah Chao froze completely.

"Liar," she said, her voice muffled.

"It's still burning."

She stood there with her forehead pressed against his, her hand still there.

The moonlight fell on her face, making her eyelashes stand out clearly.

She was very close to him, close enough that he could see the thin layer of moisture in her eyes and smell her sweet fragrance.

He closed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm again—

A hand stopped him.

Shen Nannan grasped his fist, pried open his fingers one by one, and inserted her own hand into his, interlocking their fingers.

"Stop pinching me." She lowered her head, refusing to look at him.

"If I break it, who will be my bodyguard?"

Ah Chao looked down at the hand that was stuffed full.

Her hand was small and soft, nestled in his palm like a warm, hopping little bird.

He dared not hold on tight.

They were reluctant to let go.

"Ah Chao, does it hurt?"

That same phrase again.

No one ever asked him if he was in pain.

It doesn't actually hurt.

His mother's gold hairpin had pierced countless holes in his body.

The group of people punched and kicked him.

Later, he finally managed to escape. And it was all because of that face.

He had seen far too many disgusting things.

To survive, he endured countless hardships: his hands were broken and then healed, his feet were broken and then recovered.

But at that moment he felt a little pain.

It's about enduring the pain...

"Miss," he called to her, his voice hoarse.

"Um?"

"This servant... feels unwell."

Shen Nannan looked up at him.

Under the influence of the drugs, her face appeared even more alluring and seductive, her thin lips slightly pursed. Yet, her eyes clearly screamed two words—desire.

Installed.

He's pretending again.

Xiao Yunzhao, this isn't the first time I've met you.

Better than in her previous life, at least she knows how to play the victim now.

She should have been afraid of him...

But she still softened.

She took a step forward, leaned into his arms, and wrapped her arms around his slender waist.

Achao froze.

"Would this be any better?" she asked sullenly, burying her face in his chest.

He did not answer.

He just stood there, frozen in place, as if someone had acupunctured him, and dared not move.

She was in his arms, warm and soft, and his heartbeat, thump-thump-thump, came through the fabric, fast and erratic.

As fast as his.

He slowly raised his hand, hovering it over her back, and remained there for a long time.

It was only after a long time that Shen Nannan thought he would stop moving that his hand finally came down and gently placed it on her back.

I didn't use any force, I just left it there.

As if afraid of breaking something.

Shen Nannan buried her face in his chest again, smelling his cool scent mixed with a faint smell of blood and sweat.

It wasn't the ambergris that suffocated her in her past life.

He is clean, he is patient, he would rather hurt himself than touch her.

She closed her eyes and tightened her arms a little.

The two of them stood under the peach tree, neither of them saying a word.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the petals, falling on them like scattered gold.

Ah Chao rested his chin on the top of her head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Sweet.

The scent on her.

It was so sweet it made his heart ache.

He held her like that, greedily and carefully, like a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Nannan felt a hand tighten around her waist.

Before she could react, Ah Chao had already pulled her into his arms.

He held the back of her head with one hand and pressed her face into his chest.

"Miss."

He lowered his head, his lips pressed against the top of her head, his voice muffled.

"Don't move."

Shen Nannan was completely covered up by him, so she couldn't see or hear anything except her own heartbeat and his.

Knock knock knock, knock knock knock, I can't tell whose it is.

She struggled for a moment, then said in a muffled voice, "What are you doing?"

"I feel terrible."

His voice carried a hint of pitifulness, yet also a subtle, almost imperceptible, malice. "Miss, please allow me to hold you for a while."

Shen Nannan stopped moving.

She nestled in his arms, listening to his heartbeat and smelling his scent, and suddenly she was no longer afraid.

The person who used to pin her down on the bed and torment her to death in her past life is now holding her carefully, as if she were holding something fragile.

At this moment, A-Chao raised his eyes, and there was no trace of confusion or vulnerability in them, but coldness like a knife quenched with ice.

He stared at the shadowy figures in the darkness, a slight smile playing on his lips—a smile devoid of warmth, only filled with bloodthirsty intent.

Like a wolf whose meal has been disturbed.

He raised his hand and made a gesture.

From deep within the peach grove, several very faint muffled sounds soon came.

Then there was the sound of something being dragged away.

It was only a moment ago.

Ah Chao withdrew his gaze and looked down at the person in his arms. She was still nestled against his chest, obediently and motionless.

He slowly loosened his hand covering her ears a little, but he couldn't bear to let go completely.

"Miss, let me hold you a little longer..." The voice was low and hoarse, with a pitiful ending.

What was that sound just now?

"It's nothing," he said. "It's windy, and a branch broke."

Shen Nannan didn't believe him and tried to break free, but he held her even tighter.

She couldn't breathe from his suffocating warmth, let out a few muffled groans, and couldn't help but push against his chest.

"I'm so bored..."

He loosened his grip slightly and looked down at her.

She lifted her face from his embrace.

Her hair was a mess, her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily with her mouth slightly open.

He stared at that mouth for a long time, then looked away.

Slowly loosen your grip.

"What are you doing?" She glared at him, rubbing her ears which were burning from being covered. "Why are you covering my ears?"

Ah Chao leaned against the tree trunk, his eyes downcast, and that unnatural flush on his face reappeared.

He looked very weak.

"There are bugs." His voice was weak and feeble.

"insect?"

"Yes, I was afraid it would bite you, Miss. I've already killed it."

Shen Nannan looked at him suspiciously.

The moonlight fell on his face, illuminating his unfathomable eyes.

"Miss."

He spoke, his voice still hoarse, but there was a hint of danger hidden in that hoarseness.

"Just now,"

He said, word by word,

"Your servant gave you a chance to leave."