The Cannon Fodder Was Pampered By The Tyrant - Chapter 21

“You look beautiful wearing it, Ayu.”

“I have been yours since I was eighteen, Sister.”

It was a line meant to sound obedient, but coming from Si Yan’s mouth, the flavor shifted into something else entirely.

Lin Yutian bit her lip and rolled herself into a ball under the bedsheets. How could Si Yan say such things? She buried her face in the quilt, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm her heart, but she couldn’t erase that scene from her mind.

Ever since that day, Si Yan seemed to have found a hidden switch; she would frequently drop these suggestive lines, and unfortunately for Lin Yutian, she was completely defenseless against them. Who could resist smiling when a cold-blooded, ruthless tyrant curled up in your arms and called you “Sister”?

This cannot go on, Lin Yutian thought solemnly. If this continues, I’m really going to turn gay. She had to find a way out.

“The young lady is ill,” the imperial physician said respectfully to Si Yan.

Si Yan had rushed over the moment she heard the news. Lately, Lin Yutian wouldn’t let her touch her, they had to eat at separate tables, and at night, Lin Yutian would shrink into the furthest corner of the bed, as if desperate to put as much distance between them as possible.

Si Yan glanced at the small figure curled up on the bed, her brow darkening. “Why?”

The physician felt the bitterness in his mouth. “Forgive this official’s lack of skill, but I cannot find a physical cause. Perhaps… it is a sickness of the heart.”

Lin Yutian timely let out a few weak, fragile coughs.

Si Yan shot her a look and told the physician, “I understand. You may go.”

Once the physician had left, Si Yan walked slowly to the bedside and sat down. “Tell me, where exactly does it hurt?”

Lin Yutian’s face was pale, her voice faint. “I just… I feel unwell.”

Si Yan leaned closer, intending to lower her voice and ask for details, only to notice traces of white cosmetic powder, poorly wiped away clinging to Lin Yutian’s lips.

“…”

Si Yan’s icy expression relaxed significantly. She thought for a moment and sighed. “Then rest well. I had originally intended to take you out of the palace tomorrow, but given your condition…”

“Wait!”

Lin Yutian’s hand shot out and grabbed Si Yan’s wrist, her movements far too swift for someone “bedridden.” Realizing she had exposed herself, she immediately resumed her sickly expression and said softly, “I think… I might just be unwell because I’ve been in the palace too long.”

“Si Yan,” she whispered, her fingers lightly hooking onto Si Yan’s sleeve as she looked up. “I might feel better if I go out for a walk.”

Si Yan stared at her for a few seconds, her tone incredibly gentle. “Fine.” Her finger lightly rubbed the corner of Lin Yutian’s lip. “But you must be well-behaved, do you understand?”

A medical miracle occurred.

The woman who was supposedly too ill to rise yesterday was awake before dawn today. Still committed to her “persona,” Lin Yutian wore a veil and occasionally let out a performative cough.

Before the carriage, she maintained the image of a fragile beauty, but her eyes couldn’t hide her curiosity. The moment she tried to lift the window curtain, a hand as white as jade pressed it back down.

“If you’re unwell, you shouldn’t be exposed to the wind,” Si Yan said with deep concern.

Lin Yutian had shot herself in the foot. She could only sullenly let go of the curtain. She realized then that the distance between her and Si Yan was too small in the past, this proximity would have made her uncomfortable, but at some point, she had grown accustomed to it.

Trying to regain control, she moved away. “Your Majesty should stay further away. What if I’m contagious?”

Si Yan arched an eyebrow and leaned in, trapping Lin Yutian against the carriage wall. “Is a ‘sickness of the heart’ contagious too?”

The distance that used to cause physical discomfort now only brought panic and an inability to meet Si Yan’s gaze. Lin Yutian turned her head away, her voice trembling. “What if it is?”

She knew she couldn’t have any contact with Si Yan now.

Si Yan looked down at her, used one hand to lift Lin Yutian’s veil, and leaned in for a kiss. “Then I am willing to share the burden for you.”

Lin Yutian clenched her teeth, refusing to give Si Yan an opening. Si Yan simply pressed a few soft kisses against her lips before asking, “Do you feel better now?”

Caught off guard, Lin Yutian blurted out, “Not at all”

Before she could finish, Si Yan pinched her chin and took the opportunity to sweep inside. Lin Yutian began to thrash like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She couldn’t keep doing this. If they kept kissing, she really would lose herself.

“Move any more, and the people outside will know exactly what we’re doing in here.”

Lin Yutian finally went still.

By the time the kiss ended, she slumped against the seat, her lips swollen and her eyes dazed, the picture of someone who had been thoroughly bullied.

“Villain,” Lin Yutian accused, her eyes glaring at Si Yan. “This is coercion.”

“Everyone knows you are mine now. How is this coercion?”

“But I never agreed to it!”

“Then who was the one calling herself ‘this servant-wife’ the other day?”

“…”

Lin Yutian was speechless.

“Deliberately seducing me… Ayu, you have quite the tactics.”

Lin Yutian was powerless to refute. “I really didn’t…” Clearly, Si Yan was the one forcing the kiss, so why was it her fault in the end?

When the carriage stopped, Lin Yutian dropped the act, hiked up her skirts, and hopped out. Si Yan followed slowly behind her, teasing, “A stroll outside really does work wonders.”

Lin Yutian refused to answer behind her veil. Now that she was out, she was done pretending. She didn’t believe Si Yan would dare kidnap her in broad daylight. Meanwhile, her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for an escape route. She decided she would get away from Si Yan first and figure out the rest later.

She had imagined that under a tyrant’s rule, the capital would be a bleak, lifeless place. Instead, she was stunned by the magnificent ancient architecture, far more grand than anything on TV and the sheer vibrancy of the crowds.

Street vendors hawked their wares, acrobats performed in open squares, and tea houses were packed with people. Young girls with flowers in their hair strolled with friends, and children ran with windwheels. The phrase that came to her mind was: A peaceful and prosperous country.

She snapped out of her trance and looked at Si Yan. She saw Si Yan’s dark eyes scanning the street, though her face remained expressionless, Lin Yutian could feel her quiet joy. No one is ever dissatisfied with the fruits of their own labor.

Lin Yutian thought of what Tutor Xu had told her about Si Yan. This person didn’t seem close to anyone, had anyone ever praised her?

“Si Yan,” Lin Yutian tugged at her sleeve. “It’s so prosperous here.”

Si Yan hummed softly. Thinking Lin Yutian wanted to shop, she asked, “Where do you want to go first?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Lin Yutian said.

Si Yan looked at her, confused. Lin Yutian stood on her tiptoes to whisper close to her ear: “I mean… you are amazing, Si Yan.”

The girl was dressed beautifully today in a pink-and-white dress, her dark hair pinned with a peach-blossom hairpin, her eyes full of smiles.

Si Yan froze for a moment. Then, her ears turning red, she looked away. “It’s… alright.”

Lin Yutian’s eyes curved. “It’s not just ‘alright.’ It’s incredibly amazing.”

Si Yan focused on the surroundings. She wasn’t used to being praised, so she cleared her throat. “Let’s not talk about that for now.”

This time, Lin Yutian saw through her. The little Emperor had truly never been praised like this before. That’s why she was so uncomfortable. I should praise her more in the future.

Lin Yutian cut the thought short. There was no “future” for her and Si Yan. She had to find a chance to run today. This might be the last time they spent together. Her gaze fell on Si Yan’s face, and she felt a pang of regret.

For a moment, she wished she had never provoked Si Yan. She would have preferred a death sentence over developing… this with her.

Si Yan led her to a stall where a particular hairpin caught her eye. She picked it up and asked, “Ayu, want to try this?”

Lin Yutian snapped back to reality. Under the sunlight, Si Yan was looking at her intently, holding the shimmering pin. She felt even more conflicted. “Maybe not.”

“Try it on, young lady!” the stall owner shouted. “The one your lover picked is the prettiest one I have.”

At those words, both of them reacted, one turned red, while the other looked away with a rising smile.

Lin Yutian said shyly, “Ma’am, she isn’t my lover.”

The owner paused, looked between them for a moment, and said with mock apology, “My mistake, dear. I saw the way you two were standing and just assumed.”

Lin Yutian blushed, offering a final bit of resistance: “We are both women.”

“So what?” The owner’s tone was matter of fact, seemingly more progressive than a modern person. “As long as you like each other, that’s all that matters.”

Lin Yutian was rendered speechless. Truly, a ruler’s people take after the ruler.

Si Yan was in a great mood. “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll take it.”

Lin Yutian made a last psychological struggle, pressing down on Si Yan’s hand. “I don’t want it.”

“Just take it,” Si Yan whispered into her ear. “You look beautiful wearing it, Ayu.”

“…”

In the end, Lin Yutian walked down the street holding Si Yan’s hand, her face flushed and the new hairpin in her hair. She told herself: It’s just a cheap pin. It’s not a “luxury item,” so it’s okay to accept it, right?

She wasn’t after Si Yan’s gold or jewels. All she wanted was this tiny, simple hairpin.