Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 138: Petals of Violet Chrysanthemum — IX

In truth, He had spoken with the Demonic Physician regarding Cheon Yerin’s post-surgery care. And immediately after, taken by worry, Li Xinyuan had been following Bai Huiqi at a distance.

Thus, the moment he saw the Heavenly Demon approach the white-haired fox, he had this unfathomable urge to insert himself between them.

It was, well, fathomable that he did not wish for Bai Huiqi to be corrupted by Cheon WuHui as he was in the original storyline.

But he stopped himself in the nick of time, falling back as the Heavenly Demon’s words of comfort spoken to Bai Huiqi fell into his ears.

Silently, the surgeon retreated, hands balled loosely at his sides. With a deep breath, he turned on his heels and left.

Chaperoning could be done later. At the moment, Bai Huiqi was in dire need of this. The sole, naked, fact that whatever the consequences may be, they were not his responsibility.

Perhaps inevitably, Bai Huiqi’s worry could only be soothed by the Heavenly Demon—not as the master of his destiny as was previously, but as the sole guardian of Cheon Yerin.

And so, he refrained from intervening. As long as it was a good influence, Li Xinyuan could let their proximity slide.

Thus, he made for the Demonic Physician’s office. If nothing else, he could at the least have some civil discussion with the internal medicine department, right?

...

The surgeon froze where he sat, eyes widening a fraction as his mouth fell open in the slightest.

Were his eyes deceiving him? Or was that really the motherfucking Crown Prince of the damn nation?

Li Xinyuan all but swallowed, tempted to rub his eyes.

"—Li, Doctor Li!" The Demonic Physician called for his attention, pulling his gaze to himself. "Are you well?" The old man frowned.

Li Xinyuan turned his head to him, blinking slowly. "Ah, of course—" he glanced at the familiar back that was disappearing out of his line of sight "—excuse my insolence, Demonic Physician, I seem to remember something important."

With that, Li Xinyuan shot to his feet and rushed after the ’maybe’ Crown Prince.

As he followed, strides wide and rushed, his heart thundered in his chest. With each step narrowing the distance, millions of thoughts ran in his mind, blurred, chaotic. Nearly inconceivable.

What’s going on? He thought. Did Liu Mingyun, the goddamn protagonist-slash-male lead, have a fucking doppelganger? A long lost twin?

What the fuck. What the actual fuck.

The feeling of impending doom, of damning crisis rattled his heart. Wild, chaotic, overwhelming.

Quickly enough, Li Xinyuan caught up to the maybe-not-Crown Prince. For a brief second, he contemplated seizing the latter, questioning. But then discarded the thought as soon as the man turned around.

He was smiling. Slyly, mischievously.

And Li Xinyuan’s heartbeat came crashing down. Oh. Oh you’re fucking kidding me.

Pretending to be ignorant, the-definitely-Crown Prince, Li Mingyun greeted, almost amused.

"Xin’er," his voice was like velvet caressing his flesh, like honey as it poured in Li Xinyuan’s ears. "What a surprise to meet you here."

"What the fuck are you doing here??" Li Xinyuan blurted, face flushed in bewilderment. Politeness, etiquettes, all forgotten, the surgeon was no longer one raised in this world. He was the Li Xinyuan of his previous life. "Your High— no, what the actual fuck are you doing in the Heavenly Demon Cult??"

In that moment, he all but ignored the archaic decorum and seized the Crown Prince’s arms. As he held the man, he came to a belated realisation—his own hands were shaking.

This situation reminded him of a meme floating in the internet in his previous life.

[Bro: It’s just a prank bro

The prank: ]

This was absurd.

"Why?" In a thick, trembling voice, Li Xinyuan whispered just a single word.

Liu Mingyun gently placed his hands on Li Xinyuan’s hips, soothing the fabric under his thumbs. "You’re shaking." He whispered, stating the obvious.

Like electricity, the words ran in his person, clawing through his veins. "Of— of course, I am." Li Xinyuan whispered, voice breaking from the seams. He heaved a sigh, dropping his head on the Crown Prince’s shoulder. "Why are you here?"

The Crown Prince hummed, his hands incomparably gentle as he put one on the surgeon’s nape and wrapped the other around his waist.

"I worry." He whispered, lips a kiss away from the shell of his ear. "On our way back, Xueyue informed me about this. The Heavenly Demon abducting Xin’er. I could not remain ignorant."

Li Xinyuan shuddered, tension bleeding out of his shoulders. "Your Highness, this is dangerous."

"Does that matter?" Liu Mingyun asked gently. "Do you perhaps think that I can be harmed?"

"Can’t you?" Li Xinyuan asked in return, his voice muffled against the Crown Prince’s shoulder. "This is Heavenly Demon Cult. You should return."

"I wish to differ."

"Your Highness—"

"Xinyuan," Sternly, Liu Mingyun created some distance between them. "Your safety—"

"—My Liege," Li Xinyuan interrupted, cupping his face. "I’m safe. Wholly safe. The Heavenly Demon is no threat to me. I’m merely a doctor treating a patient right now."

Liu Mingyun fell silent, reluctance danced in his eyes as he held the surgeon’s hand and pressed a soft kiss on his calloused palm.

"It’s hard, putting this heart at rest. Knowing you’re with someone else, it makes me irate." He confessed, looking down at Li Xinyuan with his crimson gaze hooded.

"There is nothing," at the confession, Li Xinyuan replied, his voice was mellow, soothing. "The Heavenly Demon has eyes for someone else."

Liu Mingyun gently tilted his head, eyes curious as he hummed, pressed Li Xinyuan’s palm against his chest. He allowed the surgeon to feel the somewhat erratic rhythm of his heart. "I find it hard to believe." He brushed his nose against the surgeon’s temple, and sighed. "To me, you’re the most beautiful."

Li Xinyuan blushed, at the proximity, and at the intimate, alluring words. "Yes, but you’re my betrothed. If you do not trust in others, then Your Highness must trust in my resolve." He bit his lower lip, worrying his teeth on the plush flesh. "My eyes only see you. Now, you must make haste and leave."

"Xin’er." Liu Mingyun tried to implore, his crimson gaze meeting the kind golden of his betrothed. "Rest your heart. The Heavenly Demon and I, we are of the same level. No harm will come to me."

"Your Highness, please?" Li Xinyuan blinked, giving him the best puppy eyes he could muster.

The Crown Prince couldn’t resist that. Stiffly, he looked away, ears red. "Very well," he coughed into his fist. "Only because you want this."

The surgeon smiled, his heart settling in relief as he nodded. "By all means." He whispered softly, and leaned in to press his lips on the corner of the Crown Prince’s lips. "Be careful."

Liu Mingyun took a few steps back, fingers pressed against the place Li Xinyuan kissed. "Of course." He smiled, crimson eyes sparkling with joy before he disappeared.

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