After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Indulging Her in Sickness

The cedar pheromones and magnolia fragrance erupted together. Canine teeth pierced deep; as they pulled away, beads of blood welled up from the back of the neck.

Yan Yunti sipped away each bead of blood. The beauty in her arms trembled incessantly. She fumbled to kiss Yuan Jingxue’s neck and shoulder, moving up along the side of her ear until she touched her cheek. Her lips caught the salty dampness of tears. Cupping Yuan Jingxue’s face with one hand, she kissed her lips.

Rational thought was trapped by the high fever in her body. The skin touched beneath her palms and the sounds heard by her ears pulled her back to reality—back into a reality that felt like a dream.

Yan Yunti only wanted to follow her instincts and do what she desired, even if she could see nothing before her eyes.

The beauty’s low, soft voice called out “A-Yun” again and again, holding her, fingertips digging into her skin.

Yan Yunti did not fear the pain. Embracing the beauty’s waist, she pecked and kissed her ear repeatedly. Her nose was filled with the rich floral fragrance, making her canines itch. Rubbing against the beauty’s cheek, she murmured in a low voice: “Fragrant… bite…”

Yuan Jingxue understood her intent and tried to stop her. “No.” The hands wrapped around Yan Yunti’s neck touched the burning gland. Though it was still hot, the temperature was lower than before; it seemed the marking was working.

The person in sickness was even less likely to listen to her advice. Her lips moved to the back of the neck, taking in the beads of blood.

Yuan Jingxue tilted her neck, indulging the Qianyuan as those sharp teeth pressed against her. She grasped the hand pressed against her front, trying to remind her: “Bite gently.”

Yan Yunti’s fingers closed and opened again, turning to grasp Yuan Jingxue’s hand instead, interlacing their fingers and pressing them into the bedding as her fangs pierced in once more.

Yuan Jingxue thought she hadn’t heard, her shoulders trembling, but she felt Yan Yunti’s bite grow slightly lighter.

The sweet scent created by the fusion of the Qianyuan and Kunze pheromones filled the bed curtains, the fragrance growing more intense until the horizon grew pale and it finally began to fade.

Yan Yunti was woken by a headache. The stinging sunlight shot through the bed curtains, piercing her eyes for a long while before she tried to open them.

Her eyes were agonizingly dry, and her throat was parched. Her lips moved slightly, touching something soft. She retreated a little, and upon opening her eyes, saw the back of the Kunze’s neck covered in teeth marks. Memories that she had thought were dreams came rushing back.

Yan Yunti remembered the absurd things she had done last night. She had marked her four times in total; as dawn broke, she had tossed and turned the woman until she collapsed into sleep, and then she had fallen asleep herself without cleaning anything up.

Her head truly ached. Yan Yunti tried to get up but lay back down in pain. The sudden movement woke the person in her arms, who frowned and turned to look at her.

Yan Yunti forced a smile. “Your Highness, last night I…”

Yuan Jingxue was exhausted. Looking at the light, she knew it was late. Seeing Yan Yunti awake, she touched her forehead and then her gland. Confirming the temperature had dropped, she let out a sigh of relief and asked softly: “The fever is gone. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere else?”

Seeing that she wasn’t angry at all, Yan Yunti pressed her forehead, her expression turning painful: “My head hurts so much, like it’s tearing apart. Your Highness, I’m not going to die, am I?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Yuan Jingxue frowned. She disliked the word “die.” Her two fingers gently pressed against Yan Yunti’s temples. “Does this make it better?”

Yan Yunti looked at the soft white swaying before her and shook her head. “It still hurts. And my throat is thirsty…”

Yuan Jingxue noticed the direction of her gaze and realized. She let go, reached out to take the chemise and inner robes draped over the bedside cabinet, and put them on. As she dressed, she instructed: “Lie down first. The silver hairpin Yuan Qi used to wound you yesterday might have been poisoned. I’ll have Xu Yuqing come look in a moment.”

“Oh.” Yan Yunti’s head hurt too much to say much. She just stared at Yuan Jingxue, seeing the “red plum” marks on her body. Clearly, being blind with fever hadn’t stopped her from kissing everywhere. The Eldest Princess had indulged her so much last night, yet she hadn’t even been conscious—Yan Yunti felt it was a great pity.

“Drink some water first. Can you sit up?” Having dressed, Yuan Jingxue went to pour a cup of tea, brought it back, and supported Yan Yunti as she leaned against the headboard, feeding her the cup of cool tea.

“Thirsty,” Yan Yunti said after drinking.

Yuan Jingxue fed her three cups of water in succession. Seeing her lips grow moist, she set the cup down and tried to help her up. “Put on your clothes first and go lie on the couch. This bed needs to be tidied.”

Yan Yunti’s throat felt better, so she managed more words: “Head hurts.”

Yuan Jingxue understood. She picked up the inner robes to help her dress and assisted her onto the soft couch. “Is there anything you want to eat?”

Yan Yunti raised her head to let Yuan Jingxue tuck a soft pillow behind her neck and shook her head. “I don’t want anything.”

“Then rest for now.” Yuan Jingxue rose.

Yan Yunti reached out to grab her sleeve, looking at her expectantly. “Will Your Highness come back?”

At this moment, the Qianyuan was like a clingy puppy, unable to bear its master leaving for a single moment—not to mention she had fallen ill like this because of her.

Yuan Jingxue sat back down, grasped her hand, and tucked it back under the quilt. “I’m going out to tell them to come clean up. Don’t overthink. Rest well.”

“Okay,” Yan Yunti responded obediently. “I’ll wait for Your Highness to return.”

Not long after Yuan Jingxue left, several maids entered to change the bedding. Soon, Xu Yuqing was also called to examine Yan Yunti. Her expression relaxed considerably: “The pulse shows no major issues now. The headache should be a lingering effect of the high fever. I will try acupuncture to see if it makes Miss Yan feel better.”

Because they weren’t sure if it was poisoning, Xu Yuqing thought it best not to use too much medicine; if acupuncture could provide relief, that was best.

As the slender needles approached, Yan Yunti’s hand emerged from under the quilt, hooking onto Yuan Jingxue’s fingertips. Her voice sounded pitiful: “Your Highness.”

She said nothing clearly, yet Yuan Jingxue understood her meaning. She reached out to cover her eyes. “Don’t look. Just hold onto me.”

Xu Yuqing sat to the side with the needles, eyes not wandering and ears not listening, performing her duty with full focus. Half an hour later, Yan Yunti felt the headache subside.

Xu Yuqing removed the needles one by one and whispered: “Though Miss Yan has a good constitution, she endured such a severe fever last night. For the next few days, she should focus on resting. I will come daily for half an hour of acupuncture; she should be recovered within five days.”

The “rest” Xu Yuqing spoke of carried no other meaning.

However, the listener had other intentions. Yan Yunti thought of the teeth marks on Yuan Jingxue’s neck. She leaned her forehead against Yuan Jingxue’s shoulder, and once Xu Yuqing had left, she whispered into the Princess’s ear: “Your Highness, let me apply medicine for you.”

“Your head doesn’t hurt anymore?” Yuan Jingxue asked back.

“It hurts,” Yan Yunti rubbed her forehead. “It’s much better after Physician Xu’s needles, but it still hurts.” She “forced” herself to sit up and looked at Yuan Jingxue. “But Your Highness’s gland cannot go without medicine. Let me help you.”

Yuan Jingxue did indeed feel uncomfortable and no longer refused.

She took out the medicine bottle and handed it to Yan Yunti, then sat with her back to her. She felt the Qianyuan’s warm fingertips melt the cool ointment as it was applied to the gland, and she pursed her lips to endure it. Too much pheromone had been injected into the gland last night—so much that even now, being touched by Yan Yunti caused her body to have a reaction.

Yan Yunti felt the slight tremor in her neck and shoulders. She slowly and meticulously spread the ointment evenly, whispering: “Your Highness shouldn’t have indulged me so much last night. If there is a next time, Your Highness can just knock me out.”

Yuan Jingxue’s lips loosened slightly, her voice low: “There won’t be a next time.”

Yan Yunti finished applying the medicine, capped the bottle, and hugged Yuan Jingxue from behind, resting her head on her shoulder in a lazy manner. “I don’t understand. Does Your Highness mean you won’t indulge me like that again, or that you won’t let me get hurt again?”

Yuan Jingxue didn’t answer. She took the bottle and turned her head to look at her: “Is there anything you want to eat? Eat first, then go bathe.”

Neither of them had bathed or eaten since last night.

Asked this, Yan Yunti realized her stomach was empty. She wanted something spicy, but Xu Yuqing had ordered a light diet for now. Finally, she said: “Then I’ll have a bowl of meat porridge and a basket of crystal soup dumplings.”

This time, Yuan Jingxue didn’t need to go out to give orders. A secret guard disguised as a maid was waiting outside the partition and went to convey the request. Soon, the kitchen sent over steaming meat porridge and soup dumplings, all made with light flavors.

Yan Yunti was starving. She had intended to pick up the chopsticks and eat, but then she remembered her “weak” persona. Leaning against Yuan Jingxue, she blinked her eyes at her: “Your Highness, my head hurts, and my hands have no strength.”

Yuan Jingxue could believe many things, but she couldn’t believe “no strength in my hands.”

When she didn’t believe her, Yan Yunti performed for her. She picked up the chopsticks and tremblingly tried to grab a crystal soup dumpling. She had just caught it, but before she could lift it, her hand shook and the dumpling plopped back down.

She set the chopsticks down, turned to look at Yuan Jingxue aggrievedly, and covered her stomach with her hand. “Your Highness, I’m hungry.” She might as well have written “feed me” on her face.

How could Yuan Jingxue not see through her? She wanted to scold her for acting up, but looking at Yan Yunti’s slightly pale face, she couldn’t say it—not to mention those pitiful peach-blossom eyes watching her, fearing she wouldn’t soften her heart.

Fine, she is sick.

Yuan Jingxue picked up the chopsticks, lifted a dumpling into a small saucer, blew on it, and then held it to Yan Yunti’s mouth. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Yan Yunti’s eyes lit up. She took a small bite of the dumpling; it was still a bit hot inside. She ate slowly while looking at Yuan Jingxue with a squinty smile. After finishing, she said: “Delicious. I want more.”

Yuan Jingxue didn’t meet her gaze, feeding her dumplings and porridge in succession. Only when the girl’s portion was finished did she prepare to eat her own.

Yan Yunti immediately took the spoon from her hand, her excuse already prepared: “I have some strength now that I’ve eaten. I’ll feed Your Highness.”

It wasn’t the first time being fed by the Qianyuan. Yuan Jingxue couldn’t be bothered to refuse; she was also a bit weak today, sitting here only by forcing herself to maintain her composure.

By the time they bathed, the rising steam made her feel drowsy.

She heard a splash by her ear. Just as she opened her eyes, she saw Yan Yunti stepping into her bathtub, using a cloth to wipe her body. “Your Highness took care of me for so long today; now it’s my turn to serve you a little.”

Looking so full of life, where was the trace of the weakness she’d shown upon waking?

Seeing her like this, Yuan Jingxue’s heart felt lighter instead. She didn’t push Yan Yunti away, allowing the girl to embrace her. Resting her head on Yan Yunti’s shoulder, she gave a reminder: “Do you remember what Physician Xu said?”

Yan Yunti looked at the marks all over her body, the pressure of the cloth very light. “I remember. Don’t worry, Your Highness. I am not that sort of ‘urgent’ person.”

Hearing that last sentence, Yuan Jingxue gave a light snort. Finding a bit of amusement, she raised her hand to lightly hook her finger under Yan Yunti’s chin. Watching the movement of her throat, she asked with a light laugh: “Yan Yunti, are you sure?”

Yan Yunti called out helplessly: “Your Highness.”

Yuan Jingxue’s finger slid down from her throat, tracing across her chest. “Weren’t you ‘not urgent’? Why the rush?”