On the bed, Yun Chunnuan was wrapped tightly in a quilt, completely covered from head to toe.
Only a small face and a slender wrist were exposed.
Beside the bed sat a young man with a delicate appearance, completely different from the rough men of Bianliao, more like someone from the Central Plains.
He was taking Yun Chunnuan's pulse.
Meanwhile, Yun Chunnuan lay there, utterly baffled.
After a while, the young man withdrew his hand and smiled slightly, "The Princess's fever has subsided, but her body is weak and needs plenty of rest. It's imperative she doesn't get angry again."
"I had a fever?" Yun Chunnuan blinked. She had a fever, how come she didn't know?
Could it be that the bug from crossing over also included intermittent amnesia?
"Yes, didn't the General tell the Princess? Last night, the Princess suddenly had a high fever that wouldn't subside, and the General called me over in the middle of the night..."
"Enough of your nonsense!"
Before He Xuanzhi finished speaking, he was interrupted.
Yelyu Lie looked displeased, rummaging through a large chest, not knowing what he was searching for, "Hurry up and write the prescription, then get lost!"
"Tsk." He Xuanzhi pouted, refraining from saying more.
He could see that there was tension between the Little Princess and the General, and she didn't even know that she had a fever all night, there must have been some misunderstanding.
He wanted to play the good guy, but the Barbarian wouldn't let him?
Oh well, what could he do with such a handsome face and kind heart.
He Xuanzhi wrote a prescription for the still bewildered Little Princess on the bed. Before leaving, he whispered to her, "The Princess had a fever last night; it was I who told the General that his body temperature is different from ordinary people and could be used to warm you."
The sneaky action was caught by Yelyu Lie, who was instructing Qiao'er on something.
He turned and gave the young man a kick on the backside, "Hurry and get lost!"
Geez! Good intentions treated like donkey liver and lungs!
He Xuanzhi brushed off the dust on his buttocks and loudly said, "The Princess is weak, General, you must not do anything reckless again. Remember, remember."
If not appreciated, let him have a young wife and still live like a monk!
He Xuanzhi shouldered his medicine box and walked out proudly.
Little did he know that Qiao'er, who had been coming in and out, had her eyes on him long ago.
Where did this Central Plains man come from? Why had she never seen him before?
Take him home as her husband!
Qiao'er hopped out, holding the prescription and pretending to seek guidance.
Soon, the room quieted down.
Yun Chunnuan was so embarrassed that she wished she could find a hole in the ground to hide in. She never thought the reason he was bare-chested was actually to warm her!
She quietly lifted the quilt, discovering that her pants were perfectly intact, and her skin was clean, not at all like she experienced such an event.
If the Barbarian General had really taken advantage of her, she certainly wouldn't be feeling this way now...
The body ache was probably due to the fever.
Oh, this is beyond embarrassing!
Yun Chunnuan hid under the quilt, cautiously glanced at the man who had his back to her, not knowing what he was doing in the room.
She felt she ought to thank him.
And should... apologize.
But!
He didn't explain clearly!
If he had just told her it was because of the fever and that he was warming her, wouldn't she have misunderstood?
"Um..."
Just as Yun Chunnuan began to speak, the man's proud voice interrupted, "Realize your mistake? Too late! I'm very hurt!"
Yun Chunnuan: "..."
"It was clearly you who didn't say! In that situation, I didn't know I had a fever, how could I not misunderstand?"
Yelyu Lie's tall figure turned around, his face both angry and aggrieved, "Even if I had said, would you have believed me?!"
Yun Chunnuan: "..."
Ah this... it seems, indeed she wouldn't have believed.
In that situation, if he had said she was feverish and he was warming her with his bare body...
She would only think of it as an excuse, not daring to admit, and look down upon him...
"Ha, nothing left to say?" Yelyu Lie stood up and threw a hand warmer wrapped in soft velvet onto the bed, "From now on, warm yourself! Even if you're sick, I won't even glance!"
With that, he left in a huff.
Even let out a "hmph".
Yun Chunnuan stared blankly at the door which shook as it was slammed.
Picked up the little hand warmer thrown on the quilt.
She remembered that Qiao'er had just brought it in, perhaps because it was too hot, she tossed it back and forth between her hands, and when she saw the Barbarian General, she hurriedly handed it over to him.
Then, when the doctor was taking her pulse, the Barbarian General was rummaging in the large chest.
While the doctor was speaking to her, Yun Chunnuan had no idea what he did next.
Now looking at this small hand warmer, it was wrapped in a layer of velvet.
The velvet was haphazardly stitched with coarse thread, but it was no longer too hot to touch and felt rather soft, warm, and comfortable.
She propped up her body with one hand, looking towards where he had just sat.
On the table were scissors, needle, and thread, along with a large piece of fabric that had been cut poorly, and scraps of cloth all over the floor...
Yun Chunnuan slightly curled her lips, holding the little hand warmer and put it under the covers.
She really, owed him a sincere apology.
But... He seemed really angry, angry to the point of not wanting to speak to her anymore.
What to do?
"Princess, Princess!"
Just then, the door was pushed open again, and Qiao'er walked in nervously cradling a fluffy, dirty... puppy?
Halfway in, she seemed unassured, hurried back to lock the door.
"Princess! Can you save it? Boohoo! Auntie Jing said she wants to kill it!"
"What's happened?"
Qiao'er was just all cheerful, and now she was crying sadly.
Yun Chunnuan quickly pulled on her clothes, got off the bed and lifted the quilt.
Qiao'er wiped her tears, sobbing as she said, "Auntie Jing said that this little white wolf ruined her yard, accidentally bringing Fragrance-seeking Grass into the General's room. The General insisted on punishing A-Yang because of the Princess! She also said the little white wolf injured a sheep in her sheepfold, it must be killed!"
As she cried and sobbed, Yun Chunnuan felt a bit bewildered.
There was one thing that caught her attention.
"You said... this is a wolf?"
"Yes, yes!" Qiao'er nodded repeatedly, "It should be a wolf, but I'm not sure why it's white! In Bianliao, they are considered ominous creatures. If the General finds out it hurt a sheep, he'll definitely have Auntie Jing kill it! Princess, please save it!"
Yun Chunnuan initially thought that furry, little dirty thing was a puppy.
Just about to stroke it, her hand paused.
A wolf...
This cute little thing, is a wolf?
But... how did Qiao'er determine it's a little white wolf?
In Bianliao Country, wolves are sacred animals, a symbol of their people, even Yelyu Lie's mount is a pure black Wolf King named Jifeng.
Bianliao people live alongside wolves, treating them as companions, so Qiao'er isn't the least bit afraid.
Yet in Yun Chunnuan's education, wolves are fierce, brutal creatures that dare to eat any animal, including humans.
So upon hearing it's a wolf, she felt a little scared...