Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 142: Fluttering Poppies — III

"How do you feel now, Young Miss Cheon?" Li Xinyuan smiled down at the little girl lying on the bed.

Cheon Yerin met his eyes and mustered a small smile. "I cannot ascertain any particular difference just yet." She paused, almost freezing for a second. "However, I am certain I will feel it eventually."

Li Xinyuan merely smiled at her attempt to covertly explain herself. "Oh, I’m sure. My companions and I will be staying here for a while. During this, I shall be keeping a record of your conditions. So leave the worry to me."

Then, he stood up, sighing softly. "Well, allow me to excuse myself, Young Miss Cheon. Rest well and do not skimp on light meals. I’ve spoken to your primary maid regarding your food. So do not fret over that either."

Cheon Yerin nodded, her movements somewhat stiff. For a second, she appeared to want to say something but stopped herself short.

Seeing this, Li Xinyuan tilted his head to the side, elegant brows rising as he prompted. "Well, do not keep it to yourself, Young Miss."

Cheon Yerin’s lips pressed together, her brows furrowed and she made a quiet noise at the back of her throat. "Ah... I was wondering."

Li Xinyuan’s curiosity increased at the obvious hesitation in her words. "And what would that be about?"

"... Did... Did my father— did the Heavenly Demon visit me whilst I was unconscious?"

Li Xinyuan paused, her words made a certain part of his brain screech to a halt. "A-ah! Is this even a question?" He replied, forcing a cheer in his voice. Heck, he had no idea if Cheon WuHui did visit his daughter since he, too, was out. "Of—"

He cut himself off at the look on Cheon Yerin’s small face. As his lips snapped shut, the surgeon couldn’t help but send an almost desperate glance at the servants standing around the room.

Thankfully, one of the servants noticed his distress and stepped forth. With a deep, respectful bow, he spoke to Cheon Yerin. "Forgive me for intruding upon this conversation, Young Miss." He cleared his throat. "While you were out, the Cult Leader came to visit." He added. "He could not bear to awaken you."

At that, the little girl’s face relaxed. Happiness she could not quite conceal just yet spilled on the canvas of her face. In a much chippier cadence, she replied. "Oh! I see."

Seeing the clear joy on her face made Li Xinyuan’s heart ache. To draw joy from such a small gesture, just how distant Cheon WuHui was with his daughter.

The surgeon could almost see himself in her. At the unprompted thought, the surgeon turned his head away and stared at the servant who had stepped forward.

"Did he really?" He asked, taking the man farther away from Cheon Yerin. "I mean, did the Cult Leader really visit the Young Miss?"

The man nodded, no sign of deception on his face. "Yes, Doctor Li. The Cult Leader did."

Li Xinyuan nodded, gave him a few instructions and quickly left the room, unable to stay there any longer. As soon as he was out of the room, the surgeon let out a breath he did not know he’d been holding in.

Well, at least something of the Cult Leader’s relationship with his daughter was salvageabl—

Wait, that is definitely not his responsibility.

Then again, Li Xinyuan continued to glide down the hall, robes billowing after him. I am doing this for Bai Huiqi, and against whatever the original story dictated.

"Ah, Doctor Li." The Heavenly Demon appeared in front of him out of the blue. "There you are."

Li Xinyuan’s steps screeched to a halt, his body jerking to stop, so as to not collide with the red-haired man.

Slowly, he looked up to meet the Heavenly Demon’s eyes. "Cult Leader has been searching for me?"

"Indeed so." The Heavenly Demon nodded gracefully. "Doctor Li might be one of the first to make Us go look for him."

Li Xinyuan dipped his head, biting his lips. "Allow me to apologise, Cult Leader."

"No apologies are due, Doctor Li." The Heavenly Demon replied, his voice was almost serene. "Where are you headed at this time?"

Li Xinyuan cleared his throat, voice somewhat tight when he replied. "I will need to check on Bai Huiqi as well."

Hearing the white-haired fox’s name, Cheon WuHui’s expression went through a subtle shift. "Ah," he nodded, and remained silent for a few seconds. "How coincidental. We were thinking of visiting Young Master Bai as well."

Li Xinyuan nodded, slow and deliberate as he watched the man fall beside him. "Allow me to accompany you then."

Cheon WuHui slowly shook his head. "Allow Us to accompany you instead, Doctor Li."

Li Xinyuan frowned for a split second, then his expression smoothed over as he nodded without a word.

Ideally, he would rather Cheon WuHui stayed as far away from Bai Huiqi as possible. He had not forgotten the way the original story had proceeded for either of them.

But, fates sure had ways to get its bidding.

Li Xinyuan swallowed quietly. The two turned a corner, walking in leisure towards Bai Huiqi’s room where he was resting.

Li Xinyuan had managed—though unknowingly—to get to Bai Huiqi before the Heavenly Demon Cult. He had managed to get Bai Huiqi to open up just a little.

It wasn’t much, but it was something.

However, as by a strange twist of fate, all three of them ended up in the eye of the storm called Heavenly Demon Cult.

Li Xinyuan ultimately failed to keep Bai Huiqi and Cheon WuHui away from each other. By no fault of his own, too.

Perhaps it was inevitable, after all.

If that is the case, the least he could do is to make sure that Bai Huiqi does not fall in steps with whatever nefarious plans the Heavenly Demon had.

Bai Huiqi... He was not a weapon. But a living breathing person. He deserved the due respect.

Li Xinyuan snapped out of his thoughts, and took a seat by the fox spirit’s bedside with a gentle flourish.

His eyes raked over the white-haired fox spirit’s pallid—paler than normal—face. With a frown and a curl of his lips, Li Xinyuan gingerly reached to brush the back of his fingers against Bai Huiqi’s forehead.

... Sure enough, he was running a fever.

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