Chapter 40

The sky gradually brightened, and dawn broke through the floating light.

After an entire night passed, Rong Yang had gradually become exhausted. Her whole body was still hot and restless. Lying on the bed, she pressed her lips together, feeling only terribly thirsty.

She sat up and said in a forceful tone, “Thirsty.”

At the same time, she moved the iron chains on her feet, trying to stand. In the end, she could only lean weakly against the side of the bed.

Su Yao tilted her head and opened her eyes. Seeing that Rong Yang had endured for an entire night, her temper softened somewhat.

Pushing the wheels of her chair, she went to the tea table, brought over a pot of tea, poured a cup, and handed it to her.

There were two or three steps between them.

Rong Yang accepted the teacup, took a sip, rinsed her mouth, and spat out a mouthful of bloody water.

She could now be certain that what television read the original at bailiantales.comdramas said about biting one’s tongue to commit suicide was a lie. Otherwise, she would have died who knew how many times already.

Then she handed the cup back to Su Yao, signaling for her to pour another.

After drinking two or three cups in a row, her dry, parched throat finally felt a little better.

Now that Su Yao was closer, the oppressive feeling of the Qianyuan scent before her also strengthened by a few degrees.

What rushed toward Su Yao along with it was the lingering smell of blood that could not be dispersed. Su Yao hesitated, then took the teacup Rong Yang handed back to her.

Their fingertips accidentally touched. Rong Yang’s eyes, already dark red from restraint, became even redder. She instinctively swallowed.

Unable to help herself, she opened her mouth with difficulty. “…Come here.”

After being tormented for an entire night, her reason was already on the verge of collapse. That sudden, light touch was now magnified countless times in her eyes.

She tried hard to smell the Kunze’s scent beside her.

Still not enough. Not enough…

Su Yao stood there, no one knew what she was thinking. She tentatively took one step forward.

In the next second, Rong Yang leaned forward and lowered her head against her body.

She buried her head against Su Yao’s shoulder and neck, like a trapped beast willingly bowing at her feet.

As Rong Yang came closer, Su Yao was completely occupied by her scent. Her body trembled uncontrollably.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, resisting that instinctive submission. When Rong Yang leaned into her, Su Yao had originally meant to push her away, but for some reason, she hesitated.

Scalding breaths scattered against her neck. Her gaze moved downward, and she could not help being shocked. The clothing across Rong Yang’s entire back had been soaked through with blood…

Had she actually bled this much?

In the end, the wound on her back was because she saved me…

Threads of faint, shallow jasmine fragrance were released.

Rong Yang leaned like this for a while, and the agitation in her heart and the pain in her gland gradually receded. This body seemed to like Su Yao’s scent very much. Merely leaning against her was already enough to soothe part of her emotions.

She could not help greedily taking in the jasmine fragrance radiating from Su Yao’s body, uncontrollably rubbing closer against her neck.

Su Yao’s body stiffened, and displeasure mixed into her cool voice. “If you want to lean, then lean. Stop moving around!”

Rong Yang’s heart jumped. Like a thief caught in the act, she froze and stopped moving. Even her breathing grew lighter, as if afraid that the Kunze before her would withdraw and leave because of her sudden offense.

After another long while, Rong Yang felt somewhat better, both physically and mentally. She slowly sat up and left Su Yao’s side.

She lifted her eyes and met Su Yao’s gaze. Her voice was very low and deep, and very pleasant to hear.

“Let Imperial Physician Li come in and see me alone.”

Her eyes were like a painting thick with ink and color—stunning and fragile, cool and unparalleled. Su Yao’s heart trembled.

After a moment of silence, Su Yao furrowed her brows slightly and said, “I understand.”

—

Although Imperial Physician Li was a Zhongyong and could not smell the scent, she could still feel the oppressive force in the air.

Her survival instinct told her she should not enter this place, but reason told her that if she did not go in, she would also find it hard to survive.

“Princess, you called for me.” Imperial Physician Li knelt before Rong Yang.

“What exactly is my current situation?” Rong Yang’s brows lowered, and her expression instantly turned sharp.

Imperial Physician Li steadied herself and said, “The suppressing medicine is currently ineffective on you. The best way to get through this vulnerable period is to have the princess consort stay by your side and release her scent to soothe your frenzied scent.”

“So in the future, every time I have a vulnerable period, she has to be here?” Rong Yang asked.

“In theory, yes. The Imperial Medical Bureau has not yet developed suppressing medicine suitable for you. Although there is one type, it harms the body greatly and must not be taken unless absolutely necessary,” Imperial Physician Li said. Now that the princess consort was willing to release her scent, it would be best not to use that new medicine.

“The scent compatibility between the princess [Read on BaiLianTales]and the princess consort is extremely high. You should be able to feel that.”

“Is there no other method?” Rong Yang sighed.

“A temporary mark, or a permanent mark.” Imperial Physician Li wiped cold sweat from her forehead and brought it up.

Who in the residence did not know that the princess disliked the princess consort? They had been married so long and had never even shared a bed, let alone marked each other. In Rong Yang residence, this was a forbidden phrase no one dared mention.

Once they marked each other, the Qianyuan’s possessiveness and desire to protect the Kunze would become even stronger, while the Kunze’s dependence on the Qianyuan would gradually become etched into her bones. If she ever left this Qianyuan, the Kunze would wither along with it.

Mark the female lead?? How could that be possible!

Rong Yang pressed her forehead, faintly feeling her head begin to hurt again. She took a deep breath. There was no longer any clear jasmine fragrance in the air.

“Get out!” Rong Yang’s chilling voice sounded.

The pressure abruptly deepened, and Imperial Physician Li immediately felt cold sweat streaming down her body.

Rong Yang needed that jasmine fragrance. She needed Su Yao!

“Call the princess consort in!” Rong Yang’s voice carried some urgency. Let the female lead sit to the side. She just needed to get through this unbearable vulnerable period first.

Along with the faint jasmine fragrance came Su Yao’s cold voice. “What? I thought you would not let me enter again. After all, you so dislike seeing me.”

“Su Yao, do not forget your status. You have no right to question my decision.” Rong Yang spoke from above, the arrogance in her bones making people overlook her current disheveled state.

“Heh. Princess, you need not remind me of this status every moment. I have also never forgotten everything this status has brought me.” A trace of darkness surged through Su Yao’s eyes.

When Rong Yang heard this, the headache that had just gotten slightly better worsened again.

She did not know where the female lead’s hatred value had reached.

After this vulnerable period arrived, she had called out to that so-called system in her mind countless times, but there had been no response.

At critical moments, it was not useful at all. Every time, it only appeared after the matter was over!

[I’m here.]

!!!

You appeared quite suddenly!

[Too busy. You’re in your vulnerable period now?]

Yes.

[The current situation is still all right. I have not detected anything abnormal.]

It’s very abnormal, okay? I feel like I’m dying. I’m a fake Qianyuan, so why do I have to suffer through a vulnerable period!

[This cannot be avoided. You must conform to the persona script.]

…

I just want to ask one thing. Can you lessen this pain?

[No. This is not an injury. This is the original body’s instinctive reaction.]

…

[Isn’t the female lead here? She can ease the pain.]

Does she look like she wants to be here?

[…]

The person on the bed had been silent for a long time. Su Yao swept her gaze around and caught sight of the person on the bed curled into a ball.

She gently pushed the wheels closer to the bedside and lowered her brows to look down at the person on the bed. Rong Yang’s eyes were closed. It seemed she had fallen asleep?

She could actually sleep?

In this situation, Rong Yang’s trust in her was rather beyond ordinary.

Rong Yang’s eyes were tightly shut. Even when asleep, her brows were faintly furrowed, and even her expression had that sharp, unapproachable quality.

Her forehead and neck were slightly damp. It seemed she was very hot.

When Imperial Physician Li came in earlier, had she not looked at the wound on Rong Yang’s back?

It was still like that, without even a bandage wrapped around it.

Su Yao’s brows furrowed tightly. For some reason, she hated this kind of closeness. It was because of the scent’s influence, wasn’t it?

“Let… me… Su Yao…”

“Su Yao…”

Inside the silent bedchamber, only the person on the bed was mumbling something indistinctly.

Su Yao frowned. Was this madwoman talking about her?

She bent down, and a lock of long hair slipped from her shoulder. Only then did she realize she had gotten too close, and she hurriedly pulled back.

No one knew how long passed. Rong Yang hovered between dream and wakefulness. She truly had been too tired and had actually fallen asleep.

In a daze, she opened her eyes and vaguely saw a figure beside the bed. She abruptly remembered that she was still in her vulnerable period and that Su Yao was sitting beside her. Her drowsiness instantly scattered.

But after sleeping for a while, the suppressed, agitated scent inside her body seemed to have been soothed, and it had become calm.

“You’re awake?”

Su Yao’s faint questioning voice came.

She looked very tired.

Rong Yang sat up and said coldly, “Mm.”

She could not forget the persona.

“Call Imperial Physician Li in.”

Rong Yang felt that her vulnerable period had already passed.

Su Yao glanced at her and said nothing, pushing the wheels of her chair as she left the bedchamber.

When Imperial Physician Li stepped into the hall, her face was full of surprise.

The oppressive force of the scent had disappeared.