Zhou Shu said seriously, “You’re right. I’ll use a needle to force the young prince to let go.”
“Use a needle?” Ning Wan Wan worriedly asked, “Won’t that be dangerous?”
“It’s not dangerous; his hand will just lose sensation for several days.”
“Ah?” Ning Wan Wan looked sympathetically at the unconscious Si Zhan. “Then, let the imperial uncle hold him.”
Zhou Shu suppressed his laughter, “What about Old Madam Ning?”
“I’ll have my maidservant go back and tell my grandmother.”
“I’ll call your maidservant in.” Zhou Shu then turned and left. Soon, Fu Yi entered.
“Fu Yi, I won’t be able to return tonight. Go back and tell my grandmother about today’s events to avoid worrying her.”
Fu Yi glanced at the unconscious Si Zhan, then replied, “…Yes.”
“If she asks why I didn’t return, say the imperial uncle was injured saving me, and I’m staying to take care of him. She will understand.”
“Yes.”
After Fu Yi left the warm pavilion, she bowed and exited.
Yuan Zhu hurriedly nudged her brother, “Brother, don’t just stand there. A young girl shouldn’t go home alone at night. You should escort her.”
Yuan Bi, stunned, responded, “Oh, okay,” and quickly chased after her.
Zhou Shu, watching them, sighed, “Yuan Zhu, if your brother didn’t have you, he’d probably be single for life.”
Yuan Zhu agreed.
*
Morning sunlight illuminated the warm pavilion as Ning Wanwan slowly opened her eyes, surprised by her surroundings. She sat up in panic.
“Awake?” Si Zhan’s low voice came from nearby.
Turning her head, Ning Wanwan spotted Si Zhan in a reclining chair, maintaining a distance from the bed. She was unaware when he had moved there.
Si Zhan’s hand was still holding hers as he lay on his side, looking intently at her. Somehow, she had slept on Si Zhan’s bed.
Chapter 42: Undercurrents
She covered her chest where her heart was about to burst, her small face pale as she looked at Yuan Zhu: “Why didn’t you take a carriage back?”
Yuan Zhu replied, “If I took the carriage of the Yi Wang Mansion back to the Ning Guo Gong Fu, it would tell everyone in Biandu that the Young Mistress spent the night at the Yi Wang Mansion.”
