Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 198 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (102)

As Lu Liruan felt it, she realized that her mind was clearing up in sync with the frequency of his heartbeat.

"How are you feeling now?" Lu Liruan sat up, moved closer to him, and looked up to ask tentatively.

"It's much better than a few days ago." Ji Shumin pulled the cushion behind the two of them and found a comfortable place to lean back.

He pulled Lu Liruan in front of him and, while she was still somewhat dazed, pulled her into his arms.

His thin chin rested on Lu Liruan's shoulder. He was so thin that Lu Liruan felt a little pain when he exerted a little force.

But Lu Liruan couldn't bear to push him away. The two of them silently embraced each other, as if they had been reunited after a long separation, or as if they had escaped death.

"Thank goodness, you're still alive. You didn't abandon me," Lu Liruan murmured.

Ji Shumin's gentle breath brushed against her ear: "Who scared you again?"

"Didn't I promise you that day that I would survive...?"

Lu Liruan thought to herself: What's the use of your promise?

How can I possibly believe you can control life and death...?

You can make someone live or die at will. If such a thing were possible, what would be the point of having Yama, the King of Hell, or judges?

Seeing that he was still looking at her quite seriously, Lu Liruan gave a brief account of what the old doctor had done these past few days.

This prompted Ji Shumin to let out a sneer: "You slippery old fox."

Lu Liruan blinked; she rarely heard Ji Shumin use such vulgar language.

“He’s not as helpless and without choice as He Pingyan described,” Ji Shumin shook his head.

"Back then, he tried to swindle precious medicinal herbs from me and get gold and silver jewelry from Xirong so he could escape with his whole family. He lied to both sides and made a fortune wherever he went. Now, he's acting pitiful, just hoping to settle down in the capital. Life here is too comfortable. He'd rather risk his life to detoxify and treat me than continue wandering and instability."

“I think he’s very willing to go all out for his family and has a strong sense of responsibility. Living in such a turbulent place, the more careful you are, the more likely you are to survive,” Lu Liruan said, expressing her understanding.

Ji Shumin nodded, agreeing with Lu Liruan's statement: "A tree dies when transplanted, but a person thrives. He can no longer stay in Xirong. That's good; cutting off another path for him will make things more stable for him in the future."

"His medical skills are indeed quite good."

"Yes, he will do everything he can to detoxify me. Only by proving his worth can I have a peaceful life from now on." Ji Shumin spoke from a different perspective than Lu Liruan.

So, it's not just a coincidence that he came at this time to detoxify you, is it? Was it because he was most dedicated at this moment?

"Won't it happen again?" Lu Liruan was still shaken. If this kind of thing happened again, she would be exhausted and die before Ji Shumin.

"Things will get better day by day. I'll stay with Li Ruan and live to be a hundred years old."

Ji Shumin gently kissed Lu Liruan's earlobe, his voice soft, but Lu Liruan could hear a firmness in it that she had never heard before.

They were just trying to fool me all along.

Lu Liruan was too lazy to argue with him. As long as Ji Shumin could really get better day by day as he said, that was better than anything else.

Lu Liruan had often fantasized about what she would feel, what she would think, and what she would do when Ji Shumin finally pulled through and was successfully cured of the poison…

Each time, I feel both anticipation and excitement.

But now, these imaginings have finally become reality.

Although Ji Shumin has not fully recovered, he has finally been able to put the weight off Lu Liruan's heart...

But Lu Liruan felt unusually calm. Perhaps it was because of the ups and downs of the past few days that her boundless emotions burst forth and condensed at that moment.

Overwhelmed and upheavals, Lu Liruan had never experienced such a sudden shift from heaven to earth, with heartache like being stabbed in the heart.

What was written in the storybooks was not actually made up by people.

Since these words were created, it's natural that someone must have experienced this feeling.

When Lu Liruan was pondering this, she found it so mysterious. But after experiencing it firsthand, she realized it was absolutely true, without a trace of falsehood...

The flames of the dragon and phoenix candles seemed to suddenly become much brighter...

The image of the two embracing each other is projected onto the wall.

Lu Liruan listened to Ji Shumin's soft murmurs as he spoke to her. They weren't very helpful, but they made her feel at ease.

My eyelids started to droop, my vision became increasingly blurry, and my thoughts were drawn away and gradually faded away.

Before anyone knew it, Lu Liruan had fallen into a deep sleep.

Even when Ji Shumin put her back on the pillow, covered her with a blanket, and supported himself on his arm beside her, silently observing her for a moment, she did not react at all.

Her breathing was steady, and her eyelids and the tip of her nose were still a little red, traces left from crying...

Ji Shumin tentatively touched her cheek, but there was no reaction.

He leaned over and kissed the corner of her eye again, but she still didn't react.

Ji Shumin felt a fullness in his chest. Just looking at the girl in front of him, he felt an urge to meld her into his body.

This feeling was uncontrollable to him; the Third Prince only admitted here that he had an uncontrollable and inescapable desire.

She just wanted to get closer to Lu Liruan.

It's like a different kind of addictive hunger; it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable, but rather it's a deep, lingering longing that's etched into your very bones.

His addiction to the pills caused him unbearable pain, but Ji Shumin was completely absorbed in Lu Liruan and had no desire to give it up.

As long as he stays by her side, he feels warm all over, as if he were in lukewarm water or bathed in sunlight, allowing him to glimpse the light of day and preventing him from falling into despair and darkness again.

The old doctor came to see him again a few days later. When he saw Ji Shumin, who was sitting upright in his wheelchair and calmly accepting Lu Liruan feeding him medicine, he paused for a moment.

When Ji Shumin saw him come in, he tilted his head and glanced at him indifferently, the corner of his mouth curving into a half-smile.

Even when he was ill, and even when Lu Liruan was taking care of him as if he were a child, his imposing presence remained undiminished.

The old doctor's beard trembled three times as he recalled his reckless behavior over the past few days, a surprised smile appearing on his face.

"His Highness the Third Prince is very fortunate. That day, I even told Your Highness that you would be safe and sound!" He turned to Lu Liruan and nodded: "Does Your Highness remember?"

Lu Liruan does remember.

But these days, as I listened to Ji Shumin recount the old doctor's past deeds, I recalled my first impression of him.

He doesn't seem like an honest person; something's definitely up...

Looking back now, I realize my intuition about people was pretty accurate.

"Yes, that's right." Lu Liruan forced a smile.

The old doctor was exceptionally cautious during this consultation, but after taking Ji Shumin's pulse, he stroked his beard, his eyes revealing surprise and excitement: "I didn't expect the Third Prince, who was so weak, to recover so well."

Ji Shumin: ...

Lu Liruan: ?

The old doctor was completely unaware that he had said anything inappropriate.

Instead, they thoroughly examined Ji Shumin from head to toe, front to back, and finally concluded: "His Highness the Third Prince has recovered very well!"

"After using the antidote for a while longer, you can rest and recuperate in peace... Your Highness, please don't worry. His Highness won't be gone in the blink of an eye."

Although the old doctor was from the Western Rong region, and doctors have never shied away from discussing life and death, it shouldn't be this unreserved...

After hearing his words, Lu Liruan was unsure whether she should be happy.

He was speechless, stuck there, and after a long while, he nodded rather awkwardly: "Hehe, really? Then I'm relieved."

"Don't worry!" the old doctor said cheerfully.

"Did Li Ruan tell him that she was worried I might leave in the blink of an eye?"

After the old doctor left, Ji Shumin slowly and deliberately twirled his prayer beads and asked in a low voice.

Lu Liruan had no recollection of who she had confided her worries to or what nonsense she had spouted when she spoke to the old doctor.

"no!"

Lu Liruan shook her head: "I don't think Your Highness is that weak!"

Ji Shumin: ...

Really? Nobody would believe that.

By the time Ji Shumin was able to slowly move around in his wheelchair on his own, it was already the beginning of February.

It's cold outside, and for some reason, there's been an unusually heavy snowfall this year, as if it's going to bury the entire imperial city.

When I woke up early that morning, everything outside was covered in a white blanket of snow.

Even though he lived in his own mansion, Ji Shumin still disliked having many people serving him.

Therefore, the snow in the yard couldn't be cleared in time.

When Lu Liruan pushed open the door and went out, she stepped into a thick mound of snow and sank up to her calves...

Ji Shumin's arms were weak, and he had to stop and rest after turning the armrests of his wheelchair a few times.

He moved several times before finally reaching the doorway. He leaned against the door frame, tilting his head to watch Lu Liruan walking in the snow outside.

Suddenly—

A fluffy snowball came flying towards me.

These days, Ji Shumin's body seems to be out of his control.

It's as if your mind and limbs have been forcibly separated; your eyes clearly see the snowball flying towards you, but your body has no way to dodge it.

The snowball hit Ji Shumin squarely on the chin, then scattered, and a clump of snow fell into Ji Shumin's collar.

Before he could do anything, he startled Lu Liruan, who hurriedly ran back.

He wanted to shake the snow out of Ji Shumin's clothes, but his hands were still wet from being in the snow and were freezing cold. He was momentarily at a loss...

Ji Shumin raised his hand and touched it, finding that the snow had completely melted. Seeing Lu Liruan looking like she had done something wrong, Ji Shumin raised an eyebrow, and taking advantage of her inattention, scooped up a handful of snow that had fallen beside the door frame and stuffed it into Lu Liruan's collar as she leaned over to check...

Lu Liruan shivered from the cold, and when she came to her senses, she looked at Ji Shumin with an accusing gaze. His move this time was much more substantial than hers had been, as he had stuffed a handful of food into her mouth.

Ji Shumin shrugged, his pale fingertips turning slightly red from the cold.

“Li Ruan is really acting like a child…” he said slowly.

You're still criticizing me?

Lu Liruan quickly dragged his wheelchair back and found him a set of dry clothes to change into.

When Lu Liruan touched his legs, her icy hands seemed to stimulate Ji Shumin through the thin fabric of her undergarment.

His knees lifted slightly as a reflex!

This left both Lu Liruan and Ji Shumin stunned.

Lu Liruan blinked and quickly put her hand back on it.

This time, however, Ji Shumin felt nothing at all, only a faint chill through his skin.

"You can move your legs now?" Lu Liruan unconsciously raised her voice.

No matter how many times she repeated the same movements, Ji Shumin's legs did not react anymore, only some sensation remained.

Ji Shumin tapped his kneecap quite hard. This time, it was a reflex, much lighter than before, but still enough to surprise Lu Liruan.

Does this mean that Ji Shumin's nerves are slowly recovering, and there is a possibility that his leg can be cured...?

"Although there may be a reaction now, the bones inside me are not growing properly." Ji Shumin shook his head gently.

Seeing Lu Liruan's joyful expression, he decided to just say it directly, so as not to give Lu Liruan any expectations.

When Ji Shumin first discovered his disability, he did experience a breakdown.

He gritted his teeth, supported himself with his arms, and struggled to move forward with his two legs, which were no longer able to support him.

But he fell down again and again.

After each time I stand up, my legs become swollen and painful.

Just like on his wedding day, when he tried so hard to please the Emperor…

Ji Shumin gradually compromised and accepted the situation.

His physical disability did not limit his thinking, but it certainly limited his physical movements.

“It’s alright, there’s still a long road ahead, maybe one day…” Lu Liruan realized that her excessive expectations might provoke Ji Shumin, so she quickly waved her hand to comfort him.

Her movements were a bit too hasty; Lu Liruan has never been good at hiding her thoughts.

Ji Shumin knew she meant no harm, but seeing the glint in Lu Liruan's eyes for a moment, an idea silently formed in his mind...

"Why is Li Ruan so insistent on enabling me to stand and walk again? Does it mean that if I can't walk in this life, I won't be the same person I used to be?" Ji Shumin asked calmly, with a hint of confusion.

“You are you no matter what you are like… I don’t think that your disability can hinder you in any way. It’s just that I want you to be well. Don’t take it to heart,” Lu Liruan explained earnestly.

Ji Shumin seemed to be deep in thought and did not ask any further questions.

He had long since given up hope, but he found it difficult to tell Lu Liruan about what had happened before. Although Lu Liruan had seen his most unbearable side, Ji Shumin still did not want her to know what he looked like.

Too ugly.

But now, as he listened to Lu Liruan's words, a long-lost, inexplicable feeling slowly invaded his heart.

The snow was piled up there in a thick layer.

By mid-February, it will be Chinese New Year.

Last year during the Lunar New Year, Lu Liruan and Ji Shumin were still in the palace, and the palace banquet was tasteless.

The steamed food was soggy and mushy, and the crowds were huge.

This year, the Emperor inexplicably pardoned Ji Shumin, exempting him from returning to the palace to celebrate the New Year.

"Perhaps something has happened." Ji Shumin said casually. Nowadays, the emperor appears less and less often, and he only attends the morning court once every few days, causing the court officials to speculate in various ways.

On that very day, strange news spread throughout the palace that the emperor was slaughtering livestock and offering sacrifices to the gods.

Despite it being a joyous New Year celebration, the Emperor's residence in the palace was filled with the stench of blood. The Empress remained calmly in the same room as the Emperor, showing no sign of panic.

Looking at the altar filled with blood, she closed her eyes and silently stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist with her fingertips.