Chapter 36: Wanqing Yu's Herbal Medicine

Ye Yao curled up in a corner, hugging herself and closing her eyes in an attempt to sleep. Leaning against the cold wall was unbearable; it made her almost long for Shen Yan’s embrace. As much as she disliked him, there was no denying the physical warmth he provided.

No matter how many positions she tried, Ye Yao couldn’t get comfortable. Just then, Shen Yan returned carrying firewood, casting her a glance. Ye Yao immediately sat up straight—why had he come back?

Without a word, Shen Yan crouched down and set about lighting the fire with the damp but usable wood he’d managed to find. The cave was instantly illuminated by the flames. Ye Yao noticed his face was smudged with soot, likely from gathering the firewood, and his pant legs were dirty, his shoes caked with mud.

The sight made her chuckle. She never thought she’d live to see Shen Yan in such a sorry state.

Once the fire was going, Shen Yan said, “Come here.”

Ye Yao didn’t hesitate, settling herself beside the fire. Shen Yan couldn’t help but smile at her eager little expression. “Why aren’t you ever this obedient normally?”

“Must you talk so much just to warm yourself by the fire?” Ye Yao rolled her eyes. Was he crazy? Couldn’t he call her over without making a fuss?

Shen Yan shook his head, oddly unwilling to argue with her.

As they warmed themselves, Ye Yao edged away to maintain some distance.

“I believe you about Qin Miao,” Shen Yan said suddenly.

At his words, Ye Yao turned her head. The flickering flames cast shadows across his face. He sat slightly turned, the halo of firelight tracing his jawline, his whole being wavering between light and dark—just like his meaning to her over the past three years.

Tch.

Heaven had blessed Shen Yan with such a handsome face—what a pity…

“Ye Yao.”

“Huh? What is it?” She’d been so entranced by his beauty that she forgot to answer.

“I said, I believe you about Qin Miao.” Shen Yan, for once, repeated himself. He’d rather enjoyed that dazed, captivated look in her eyes.

“Oh.” Ye Yao’s response was flat.

“Oh?” Shen Yan raised an eyebrow. What kind of reaction was that? Wasn’t she the one who’d felt so wronged when he’d asked her to apologize before?

When no further reply came, he looked at her. “Is that all?”

“What else do you want?” Ye Yao rubbed her hands together. “I wasn’t at fault with Qin Miao to begin with. I only care what the people I care about think.”

With that, she sniffed and leaned closer to the fire. Shen Yan could clearly see the fine down on her cheeks and her long, curled lashes fluttering like butterflies. Even without makeup, she was still as exquisite as a porcelain doll.

So free.

She lived so freely—just as she could, without hesitation, walk away from their relationship. It should have been a good thing, but hearing it now brought Shen Yan no comfort.

Did she mean he was no longer someone she cared about?

The thought left Shen Yan feeling as though a wad of cotton had lodged in his chest, impossible to swallow. Unbidden, his mind drifted to the game of Truth or Dare from earlier that day.

“What’s going on between you and Gu Yancheng? Are you two so close you can kiss in private?”

The abrupt question caught Ye Yao off guard. She glanced at Shen Yan, confused.

“My relationship with Gu Yancheng is none of your business, is it?” His interrogative tone irritated her. She could explain if she wanted to—but she refused.

“None of my business? Ye Yao, have you forgotten what we are to each other?”

Her words were like a spark to his chest.

“What are we? Ex-husband and ex-wife?” Ye Yao feigned ignorance, unable to suppress a mocking laugh. “Shen Yan, our relationship was nothing more than a contract with an expiration date.”

“The day the agreement ended, it was your actions that made your intentions clear.”

She couldn’t be bothered to argue; dwelling on it only made her sick.

“I was used that day, too,” Shen Yan said after a pause.

It was the Shen family’s matriarch who’d asked him to pick Qin Miao up from the airport. He hadn’t foreseen the trap: being photographed at the terminal entrance, the photos quickly spreading online. By the time he managed to take them down, Ye Yao had already seen them.

“Used?” Ye Yao felt as if she’d just heard the world’s funniest joke. “Shen Yan, do you believe that yourself? Who would dare use the president of the Shen Corporation?”

And even if Qin Miao had used him to publicize their relationship, wasn’t that exactly what he wanted?

“You don’t trust anything I say?” His tone was almost wounded.

“That’s right,” Ye Yao replied without hesitation.

The air grew tense. Ye Yao withdrew to her corner, folded her arms, and closed her eyes, unwilling to speak further with Shen Yan.

Whether it was the warmth or exhaustion, this time Ye Yao fell asleep almost instantly.

In her sleep, she felt herself being moved—cradled in a gentle embrace. She shifted, found a comfortable position, and drifted back to sleep.

A commotion woke her.

“Wanqing, sister, what are you doing?” came a cry.

Ye Yao opened her eyes to glance at Shen Yan, not yet aware of her own situation, before the voices outside drew her attention again.

“Yu Qingqing, you’re shameless! You’d stoop to such underhanded tricks?”

Yu Wanqing’s voice trembled with restraint. “You like Ji Yanxi, so marry him. I have nothing to do with Bai Mohan—leave us out of this!”

Ye Yao rushed outside, only to see Yu Wanqing’s eyes red, glaring at Yu Qingqing, who had collapsed on the ground.

She hurried over. Yu Wanqing, her strength spent, leaned on Ye Yao.

“Yao Yao…”

“I’m here.”

Yu Wanqing had been drugged; her gaze was unfocused, her body unnaturally hot.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle this,” Ye Yao reassured her.

“Alright.”

The drug needed to be released quickly; keeping it in the body for too long could cause irreversible damage. The most urgent thing was to get her down the mountain, but the journey would take time, and they lacked proper equipment.

At that moment, a small knife was offered. Ye Yao looked up to see Shen Yan. She took it, disinfected it with fire, and made a shallow cut on Yu Wanqing’s arm.

Blood flowed. Ye Yao carefully watched for clarity in her eyes. When it returned, she tore a clean strip from her own clothing to bandage the wound.

As she finished, Yu Wanqing gripped her hand. “Yao Yao, Bai Mohan… he’s in the cave. Please… help him…”

Ye Yao was about to rise, but Shen Yan stepped inside first.

In the cave, Bai Mohan, sensing something was wrong, used pain to keep himself conscious. The drug’s effects were strong, and he’d exerted all his will to resist.

Shen Yan helped him up. “How do you feel?”

Bai Mohan opened his eyes weakly. “Ayan, I’m glad it’s you…”

“Can you hold on? I’ll get you down the mountain.”

“Is Miss Yu alright?” Bai Mohan asked anxiously.

“She’s fine, don’t worry.”

“That’s good.” Relief colored Bai Mohan’s voice.

Shen Yan helped Bai Mohan down the mountain. With so much blood lost, the drug’s effects had almost passed.