C6 You Are Poisoned!

"Miss!" Limo finally pushed through the crowd to reach Lo Qiuli, grabbing her hand and feeling the coldness of her fingers. She was at a loss for what to do, only able to call out to Lo Qiuli in confusion.

Xiao Yuhan, with a stern expression, waved his hand to send people to track down the assassin. He crouched down to check Lo Qiuli's injuries himself. Fortunately, the arrow in her back hadn't hit any vital areas. It just needed to be bandaged to stop the bleeding.

"Wuhen, take her back and ensure she gets proper treatment. If anything happens, I'll hold you accountable!" After confirming there was no threat to her life, Xiao Yuhan stood and called for his guard to take Lo Qiuli back to the Nine Prince's Mansion.

Wuhen nodded and quickly took Lo Qiuli away. Limo, wiping her tears, followed closely behind. They soon disappeared into the darkness.

At the Nine Prince's Mansion, Lo Qiuli lay on the bed, her eyes closed and face pale, evoking sympathy from anyone who saw her. Limo, with red, swollen eyes, tried several times to enter the room but was stopped by Wuhen. No one was allowed near while Divine Doctor Xue was examining her.

"How is she?" Xiao Yuhan had changed out of his military uniform, his dark robe flowing gracefully in the night breeze. His thick-soled boots made no sound as he entered the room, but his steady voice broke the silence. He approached the bed, looking at Divine Doctor Xue, who wore a serious expression.

"The wound isn't too serious; she just needs to rest. But her pulse is quite strange," Divine Doctor Xue said, frowning as if faced with a perplexing case. He withdrew his hand, stroked his graying beard, and surprisingly let out a laugh. "How peculiar! A rare poison thought to have vanished for years has appeared in this unassuming young woman."

"Why do you say that?" Although Xiao Yuhan didn't fully grasp the meaning behind Divine Doctor Xue's words, he understood that anything intriguing enough to catch the doctor's curiosity was certainly not ordinary. When he first saw the dark mark on Lo Qiuli's face, he had his doubts. It seemed Divine Doctor Xue could provide some answers.

"The dark mark on her face is due to toxin accumulation. It likely happened while she was in the womb, absorbing toxins from her mother. Normally, this would have resulted in both mother and child perishing, but for some reason, she survived, albeit with her appearance marred." Divine Doctor Xue stood up. Though he didn't specify the toxin, he had addressed Xiao Yuhan's confusion.

"Thank you, Divine Doctor Xue!" Xiao Yuhan didn't press further. He expressed his gratitude and instructed Wuhen to escort the doctor back to his quarters. Whether or not the young woman's appearance was affected was none of his concern. She had saved his life, and now he had returned the favor. They owed each other nothing.

"Miss!" Limo was finally allowed into the room. Seeing her mistress pale and drenched in cold sweat, tears welled up in her eyes once more. She was still in a daze over how things had unfolded. Just moments ago, her lively mistress now lay there as if lifeless, breaking Limo's heart.

In her deep sleep, Lo Qiuli dreamed a long dream. The overbearing image of Lo Qiushui lingered, and Xiao Hongfei's aloof and distant face remained vivid. The words he spoke when granting the white silk echoed clearly in her ears.

She should have known better. She should have been aware of Xiao Hongfei's true nature. Why did she end up in such a miserable state?

Lo Qiuli's eyes suddenly snapped open, her gaze icy enough to freeze the autumn breeze in the room. It took a while for her to calm down. As she tried to move, she inadvertently pulled at her wound, the sharp pain causing her to gasp.

Xiao Yuhan sat at his desk, casually flipping through a book. The autumn breeze rustled the pages, and a subtle fragrance filled the room. Sensing movement from the bed, he put down the book and walked over to sit beside it. "You're awake?"

"Was it you who saved me?" Lo Qiuli asked, suppressing the pain in her back as she sat up. Her gaze on Xiao Yuhan was neither eager nor admiring, just cool and indifferent.

Xiao Yuhan paused, finding Lo Qiuli increasingly intriguing. Most people couldn't help but fixate on him, yet she never once looked at him that way.

There were usually two possibilities in such situations: either she was hiding her feelings well, or she genuinely wasn't interested. For some reason, Xiao Yuhan believed the latter, which he found quite amusing.

"Well, yes and no. You got hurt because of me, so it was only right that I helped you. We're even now." He poured her a glass of water, speaking with a casual air. Xiao Yuhan disliked owing anyone, especially women. After tonight, he hoped they'd part ways for good.

What Xiao Yuhan didn't realize was that from the moment they met, their fates were intertwined, and there was no turning back. Lo Qiuli had guessed the beginning but not the end. She thought it was just mutual use, each taking what they needed, but in the end, she fell deeply in love with the man she thought she could merely use.

"It sounds like I'm getting the short end of the stick here. As you said, I got hurt because of you, so saving me was your duty. How is that even? Ninth Prince, you owe me a favor!" Lo Qiuli disagreed with Xiao Yuhan's reasoning. She chuckled softly and leaned back, trying to find a comfortable position that wouldn't aggravate her wound.

"That's a fair point. If you have any requests, just let me know. As long as I can fulfill them, I won't refuse." Xiao Yuhan hadn't expected this seemingly unremarkable woman to be so sharp-tongued.

He lifted his head, his gaze meeting Lo Qiuli's eyes. The cool, distant light in her eyes made him feel as if his breath had caught for a moment.

"I don't really have any demands, but there's something I'm not sure if I should say," Lo Qiuli remarked, her expression still calm. Today's events had taken her by surprise.

She had only intended to save Xiao Yuhan's life, not expecting to get herself involved as well. After spending years in isolation, the martial arts she had learned to protect Xiao Hongfei had grown rusty from lack of practice. Realizing this left Lo Qiuli a bit frustrated, though a hint of color returned to her pale cheeks.

"If you're unsure whether to say it, then perhaps it's best left unsaid," Xiao Yuhan replied, noticing the blush on her cheeks. Why did he find her flushed face so particularly appealing?

This was maddening! How could he develop such feelings for a girl whose background was so mysterious?