Keep your voice down. Are you trying to look glamorous dressed as a forced lover?

A moment later, Ji Mingzheng came to his senses, looked up at Wen Sheng, and suddenly smiled, teasing her.

"Wen Sheng, you know His Highness quite well. Since you know that His Highness has this kind of personality, don't be foolish enough to refuse."

"Ji Mingzheng!" Wen Sheng said angrily, "Can't you be serious for once?"

Ji Mingzheng stopped laughing and closed his eyes briefly: "I told you I don't like it, why do you have to force me to admit it?"

"I'm not forcing you to admit it, but anyone who knows you well can see how much you care about her."

"Do you know that Her Highness sought us out because she needs us...?"

Wen Sheng briefly explained Li Qingyan's situation: "This matter is of great importance, and some things and some people, once missed, are truly missed. Ji Mingzheng, you really shouldn't have acted impulsively this time."

Ji Mingzheng was stunned for a moment, then realized that's how it is.

"I wasn't acting impulsively." After regaining his composure, Ji Mingzheng denied it again: "After hearing what you said, I feel even more that you and she are more suitable and compatible than me. At least it won't interfere with her important matters, and it will also prevent her from encountering danger."

"Wen Sheng, if you can help His Highness, don't act impulsively, and don't refuse His Highness because of me."

"I think you shouldn't refuse me!" Wen Sheng looked at Ji Mingzheng's unusual stubbornness, yet every word he said came from the bottom of his heart, and a thought suddenly surged into her mind.

Or perhaps Ji Mingzheng's feelings weren't just because he was a friend, but because he felt inferior and unworthy of His Highness, even fearing he might be a burden to His Highness.

No, no, that won't happen.

Wen Sheng subconsciously denied it. Although His Highness was indeed becoming more and more outstanding, Ji Mingzheng was not so inferior as to feel inferior.

Others might know how, but how could Ji Mingzheng possibly?

He was such a proud person.

His pride was ingrained in his bones, even with his disability. He never gave up on himself. Even if His Highness were more outstanding, or even become the Crown Princess or His Majesty, given his personality, he would never have such thoughts.

He was General Ji, whose disability hadn't defeated him; he remained proud and had never felt inferior because of it. How could he possibly refuse His Highness because of inferiority or because he felt he would be a burden?

He must be mistaken.

But apart from this reason, and apart from the fact that they were friends, he couldn't think of any other reason.

Wen Sheng was still in a daze when Ji Mingzheng spoke up: "Don't overthink it, Wen Sheng. You've been through so much, and it's not easy to find someone who isn't swayed by your brother and even believes in you. It's really rare. Don't do anything you'll regret."

"Don't listen to what others say. You're both rich and beautiful, the most suitable person to stand by her side."

"His Highness is now a perfect match for you."

Ji Mingzheng's consideration for Wen Sheng moved her deeply, and seeing the emotions in Ji Mingzheng's eyes, she was even more shaken.

He seemed to be right; Ji Mingzheng had indeed refused His Highness because of his disability.

But he was none other than Ji Mingzheng.

In an instant, Wen Sheng felt so heartbroken that she almost couldn't stand up, and her emotions nearly spiraled out of control.

Fearing that she might reveal her emotions, and that her eyes might show a look of pity that would hurt Ji Mingzheng, Wen Sheng hurriedly took her leave.

"Think it over yourself, and I'll consider it too."

He practically escaped from Changfeng Palace.

They even ignored the heavy rain that had started outside.

"It's still raining outside..."

Ji Mingzheng's worried voices were left far behind by him; he only said that everything was fine and that he had brought a tung umbrella.

But in fact, he came in a hurry and didn't bring anything with him.

Wen Sheng stepped into the rain and was instantly soaked; the night rain was bone-chillingly cold.

But this coolness is nothing compared to the chill in my heart.

Wen Sheng knew how proud Ji Mingzheng was. Even though he was disabled and could not live without a wheelchair for the rest of his life, he was not defeated. He remained firm, calm, confident, and proud.

He wasn't defeated by his disability, but he felt inferior because he liked His Highness.

The conclusion is absurd, yet it all seems to be true.

The better His Highness was, the more inferior Ji Mingzheng felt.

Even his words that His Highness needed them only made Ji Mingzheng worry that he would be a burden to His Highness.

Ji Mingzheng watched Wen Sheng leave, breathed a slight sigh of relief, and his tense back finally relaxed.

Wen Sheng probably didn't notice anything, right?

He didn't want Wen Sheng to know, nor could he let Wen Sheng see through his thoughts.

Love can breed possessiveness, jealousy, and even destructiveness. Just now, I heard that Li Qingyan also went to see Wen Sheng, and I couldn't control my jealousy, so I became wary of my friend.

Feelings are so irrational.

Even though he's disabled, he still dares to have a possessive nature.

Ji Mingzheng pounded his leg and gave a wry smile.

He now only hopes that while everything is still under control, Wen Sheng will disregard him and follow her own heart, agreeing to His Highness's request so that he can give up completely.

Since he's already in this state, it doesn't matter if he suffers a little more pain and embarrassment.

He can handle it all, as long as everything is within a controllable range.

He was even relieved that His Highness had spoken up early, so that everything could go back to the way it was before.

When Wen Sheng returned to Zhenxing Pavilion, she was soaked to the bone.

Yi Yan quickly helped him take a hot bath and prepared ginger soup, but Wen Sheng still fell ill.

Disturbed and agitated, he developed a high fever in the latter half of the night.

Li Qingyan received the news the next day. She hadn't slept well the night before and was wondering when Wen Sheng would give her an answer, but instead she received the news that he was sick.

"Did you get caught in the rain last night? Did you go to see Ji Mingzheng?"

She guessed what was going on, hurriedly dealt with her urgent business, and went to visit Wen Sheng before lunch.

Wen Sheng's high fever has subsided, but it hasn't completely gone down.

His face was flushed an unnatural red from the high fever, his dark hair was disheveled on the pillow, and he looked weak and fragile, which was heartbreaking.

Even in his sleep, his eyebrows were furrowed, indicating that he must be in great discomfort.

Li Qingyan saw the handkerchief Yi Yan had offered to replace on his forehead to cool him down: "Give it to me."

She took the handkerchief and personally changed Wen Sheng's clothes.

Just as she was about to hand the handkerchief she had taken off to Yiyan, she suddenly heard Wensheng muttering in his sleep.

"Your Highness, no, don't touch me."

Her voice was filled with panic and resistance.

Wen Sheng was dreaming.

He dreamt that he agreed to His Highness's request, after all, he was not the kind of person who would refuse.

And he didn't want to refuse.

As soon as he agreed, His Highness happily took his hand and even tried to kiss him.

But then he suddenly noticed that Ji Mingzheng was watching them from a short distance away.

He panicked instantly.

He knew perfectly well that Ji Mingzheng would be in great pain if he saw this.

He immediately shook off His Highness's hand, looked at His Highness's suddenly furrowed brows and hurt eyes, and then looked at Ji Mingzheng's hurried figure pushing the wheelchair away, and was caught in a dilemma.

He was so anxious that he suddenly opened his eyes and woke up from his dream.

Realizing he was just dreaming, he breathed a sigh of relief, but when he turned around, he suddenly saw Li Qingyan sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a handkerchief in her hand.

His Highness was actually taking care of him personally.

Perhaps it was because she was ill and her heart was more fragile, or perhaps everything in the dream was too difficult, Wen Sheng's eyes suddenly became a little hot.

His Highness treats him so well.

"Your Highness..." Her voice was hoarse from the fever.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Your Highness."

Wen Sheng's eyes were red, and she looked pitiful, but Li Qingyan's heart had lost the tenderness and heartache it had felt before, and instead felt extremely heavy.

"Did my suggestion cause you so much pain?"

She gently placed the handkerchief into the water, her voice tinged with self-mockery: "Even in my dreams, he's rejecting me?"