Mu Xueshi slept in a dazed state until the afternoon. The sound of footsteps in the room rose and fell by his ears, yet he simply could not wake up. In his mind, the face of Princess Wenyang and the Third Prince alternated. In the end, what appeared before his eyes was a golden gauze curtain, within which two figures were entwined in desperate intimacy—one was the Third Prince, and the other was that petite and charming person…
Breaking out in a cold sweat, Mu Xueshi finally jolted awake. The damp cloth on his forehead had already been replaced several times. He had sweated, and his fever had subsided somewhat. However, the soreness throughout his body and the piercing ache in his heart remained vivid. Mu Xueshi did not open his eyes; faint voices drifted through the room, and he kept them closed, pretending to still be asleep.
“His Highness has changed so much—I’m afraid Young Master Xue won’t be able to take it,” came Qingya’s voice.
“Yes… yesterday, when His Highness left the room, his expression didn’t look good. I’m worried Young Master Xue was…” Qingzhu continued.
“Bah, don’t talk nonsense. I think His Highness was just angry. Didn’t he once lock Young Master Xue in Linhan Palace before…”
“But back then there wasn’t that princess. Now it’s different—His Highness’s heart is with her. Every time I see Young Master Xue looking so dispirited, I feel like crying.”
“Me too… I’m really worried. I’m afraid Young Master Xue might not be able to bear it and his illness will worsen. You’d better watch your words from now on—I’m really worried about that mouth of yours.”
“I think what I say is always quite reasonable…” Qingzhu said, somewhat aggrieved.
“You’re just too straightforward. Remember—during this time, be mindful of your words in front of Young Master Xue.”
“Alright, alright, I understand…”
“……”
Mu Xueshi bit his lip and deliberately turned over, making a loud noise.
Seeing that Mu Xueshi had woken up, Qingzhu chuckled awkwardly and walked toward him.
“You’re still here… that’s good… I thought yesterday was just a dream…” Mu Xueshi rubbed his eyes with his delicate hands and forced himself to smile at Qingzhu.
“How could we not be here? Since His Highness sent us to serve you, we’ll stay here,” Qingzhu said, removing the damp cloth from Mu Xueshi’s forehead and soaking it into the medicinal water in the copper basin.
“Oh…” Mu Xueshi smiled awkwardly. “Why did His Highness suddenly send you here?”
Knowing her tendency to speak bluntly, Qingzhu paused to think before answering, “Probably because we’ve always served you, so we understand your habits better. Otherwise, if we were sent to serve Princess Wenyang, how could we manage? I heard she can personally choose servants in the courtyard. Luckily, we were assigned here to serve you—otherwise…”
“Ahem…” Qingya coughed from the side.
Qingzhu turned to look at Qingya, who wore a reproachful expression. Not knowing what she had said wrong, Qingzhu muttered resentfully, “It’s true… otherwise, are we supposed to say His Highness finds Young Master Xue unpleasant, and by extension finds us unpleasant too, so he drove us here?”
Though her voice was low, in the tense atmosphere of the room, Mu Xueshi heard every word clearly.
Qingya pinched Qingzhu hard and whispered, “Who told you such nonsense? How could that be!”
“When I went to the kitchen today, all the servants were talking about it. They said the Third Prince ordered that all the food be changed to the dietary style of Lubei. Everyone knows the kitchen used to cook according to Young Master Xue’s tastes. And when I went, their attitude toward me had clearly changed—they said things are different now, so there’s no need to be so polite anymore…”
“How could they kick someone when they’re down…”
“Yes… that Princess Wenyang personally went through the embroidery room and the kitchen. I heard she forbade every place from making clothes or preparing meals for Young Master Xue.”
“That’s fine—we can cook for ourselves… alright, stop talking…” Qingya nudged Qingzhu. Realizing her mistake, the two quickly put on smiles and turned toward Mu Xueshi.
“Young Master Xue, you’ve slept for so long—why not get up and wash your face?”
Pretending he had heard nothing, Mu Xueshi obediently dipped some water from the copper basin brought by Qingya and splashed it onto his face. His eyes felt dry and sore, so he avoided touching them, only briefly washing his cheeks before withdrawing his hands.
“Young Master Xue, are you hungry?” Qingzhu asked eagerly.
Qingya immediately felt a headache—she had just warned her, and Qingzhu had already forgotten.
Mu Xueshi touched his stomach and smiled. “A little.”
Qingzhu was delighted and turned to order the guards to arrange food from the kitchen, but Qingya quickly grabbed her arm, her expression darkening.
“How about this—I’ll cook instead. Chun Nuan Pavilion should have a small kitchen, right?” Mu Xueshi suddenly suggested.
Qingya and Qingzhu both looked at him in astonishment, unable to believe those soft, fair hands had ever worked in a kitchen.
“Yes, yes, there is—it’s just a bit simple.”
Mu Xueshi felt a bit uneasy. He had only helped out in the kitchen a few times over the past two months and learned a few simple dishes. He didn’t know whether it would suit their tastes. But what mattered was the process—he only wanted the people around him to see him smiling. Even if he couldn’t eat a single bite, he would still force himself.
“My master will come today—I want to cook a few dishes for him,” Mu Xueshi said, struggling to stand.
At that moment, Sun Ye entered the room. Seeing Mu Xueshi standing there in loose underclothes, he suddenly recalled how soft Mu Xueshi’s body had felt in his arms the previous day, and his thoughts became momentarily chaotic.
“Ah, Sun Ye, you came at the right time—go buy some groceries,” Mu Xueshi said with a light laugh.
“Buy groceries?” Sun Ye repeated with a frown.
The two maids beside them covered their mouths and laughed. Mu Xueshi couldn’t bring himself to laugh, so he explained, “Yes—go to the market and buy some ingredients. I’ll cook for you all.”
Sun Ye looked as though he had just heard the funniest thing in the world. Even his usually calm face showed an unnatural smile.
“What is it…?” Mu Xueshi asked cautiously.
“Nothing,” Qingya said with a smile. “We’ve only ever seen Young Master Xue sneak food from the kitchen, never secretly cook there.”
“Haha… yes… we thought Young Master Xue only knew how to eat!” Qingzhu added with a foolish grin.
Qingya shot Qingzhu a glare, completely exasperated with her.
Sun Ye usually went out to handle matters for the Third Prince. He had never bought vegetables before. Now, leisurely selecting ingredients on the street felt even harder than locating or killing someone within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The market was bustling—today was market day, and many vendors had set up stalls. Looking at the colorful vegetables, Sun Ye hesitated, unsure what to choose.
“Young master, are you buying vegetables?” an elderly woman asked in a hoarse voice.
Sun Ye nodded and began picking through the pile.
The woman observed his tall, refined bearing and the faint trace of youthful innocence in his features. He didn’t look like someone already married. Seeing the way he chose vegetables, she knew it was his first time.
So, without hesitation, she charged him five times the usual price. Sun Ye, who had never bought vegetables before and whose wealth from the Third Prince was plentiful, even thought her prices were cheap.
A refined young noble with a sword at his waist yet carrying a basket of vegetables—it was an eye-catching sight. As Sun Ye walked, he felt strange gazes cast upon him, grew irritated, and quickened his pace.
At a street corner, Sun Ye suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. His mind went blank, and he immediately chased after it. His steps were swift, but the other person moved just as fast—so Sun Ye was certain it was him.
Ever since Poison Master Mo Ru had saved his life, he had disappeared. Sun Ye didn’t know whether what he felt was guilt or something else—but whenever he thought about how Mo Ru had waited for him to return and rescue him, only to vanish when he did, a sense of bitterness filled his heart.
Back then, Poison Master Mo Ru would often squat on the wall, making teasing remarks and provoking Sun Ye for amusement. Sun Ye didn’t know how many punches or kicks he had given him—the lush grass beneath the wall had even been flattened where he repeatedly threw him down.
Who would have thought that, in the end, the one who saved his life would be him?
By the time Sun Ye came back to his senses, the figure had already disappeared completely. Standing alone in a quiet alley, basket in hand, he felt like an utter fool.
Qingya tended the fire, Qingzhu chopped and washed vegetables, and Sun Ye split firewood outside. The usually quiet Chun Nuan Pavilion became lively. Some maids, seeing the bustle, came over to help.
Qingya and Qingzhu were both excited, watching Mu Xueshi with great interest, chatting and laughing. The small room was filled with cheer.
Mu Xueshi didn’t know how he could still smile. His lips stretched into a smile, numb and aching, his facial muscles stiff as if frozen. The joy of others, though beautiful, felt distant from him. Watching the smoke rise in curling wisps, Mu Xueshi suddenly thought of the Third Prince. When the pain became so overwhelming it was hard to breathe, the chatter of the maids sounded beside him, and he turned his head, forcing a smile in response.
At that moment, he finally understood a truth: what is most cruel is not being shattered—but stepping on those broken pieces, pretending it doesn’t hurt, while stubbornly continuing to search…
Futile Devices Scans 
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