Chapter 86: A Similar Kind of Possessiveness

Cornered by her persistent pestering, Shangguan Liqian cleared her throat and lowered her voice.

“Do you not already know that Sister’s heart belongs to you? This flower is naturally…”

The remaining words were whispered so softly they were almost lost to the air, yet Luo Wushuang caught every syllable.

Still, she wanted to hear her sister say it more clearly.

Adjusting her expression to hide the growing curve of her lips, Luo Wushuang feigned a look of confusion. “Sister’s voice was far too soft. I didn’t hear a thing.”

At first, Shangguan Liqian truly believed the Empress hadn’t heard her. Just as she gathered her courage and prepared to speak again, a flash of mischief in the depths of Luo Wushuang’s eyes caught her attention.

The words she was about to say were swallowed back down. Shangguan Liqian let out a cold snort. “If you didn’t hear it, then forget it.”

Seeing her expectations fall through, Luo Wushuang pouted, looking at her with an accusatory gaze.

Shangguan Liqian remained unmoved. She left the Empress there to deal with her memorials while she retreated to the daybed to read.

After the exhausting events of the previous night, followed by meeting Luo Wushuang after court and strolling through the Imperial Garden this morning, she was truly feeling the fatigue.

She wasn’t the only one feeling the weight of exhaustion; Princess Liyang was in a similar state at the Princess Manor.

Ever since the Imperial Physician finished the diagnosis, Lou Yanhui had moved into the manor.

Luo Yunjin’s heart was severely damaged, her internal organs had suffered various degrees of trauma, and her recovery was far from ideal. Combined with long-term alcohol abuse and irregular eating and sleeping habits, her health could only be described as abysmal.

The Imperial Physician had been blunt: even if Princess Liyang cooperated fully with treatment and maintained a strict regimen, she had perhaps seven or eight years of life remaining at most.

A complete cure was essentially impossible.

Upon hearing the diagnosis, Lou Yanhui’s eyes turned red instantly.

A tidal wave of overwhelming regret crashed over her. She had only wanted to use every resource available to master her own fate as soon as possible, so she would have the right to plan a future for herself and Little Jin.

She never imagined that her secrecy would push her lover to such a state.

Clearly, it was too late for apologies. No amount of regret or sorrow could stop the passage of time.

Seven or eight years. That was the most they would have together.

As she looked at Little Jin, who didn’t seem surprised at all and even accepted the news with a strange sense of calm, the frustration in Lou Yanhui’s heart surged like a raging sea. She couldn’t suppress it.

No! There had to be a way!

Even if she had to search the entire world for famous doctors, she would find someone to cure Little Jin and restore her health.

Since Little Jin had promised her a life until their hair turned white, she wasn’t allowed to back out halfway.

Luo Yunjin watched her, and her heart grew heavy.

She knew very well that the two of them reaching this point—and her body becoming this broken—wasn’t entirely Sister Yanhui’s fault. Her own personality played a significant role.

Thinking back to when she first met Sister Yanhui, though she had appeared bright and cheerful on the surface, the gloom and possessiveness in her bones were no different from the rest of the Luo family.

What she wanted was exclusivity. She wanted total possession.

Even though she had guessed back then that Sister Yanhui and the Huamu Clan were likely just acting out a part, she still couldn’t stand it when Yanhui’s gaze lingered on others for too long.

Specifically, she couldn’t stand Hua Yuhu—the only legitimate son of the Huamu Clan and Sister Yanhui’s nominal fiancé.

Every time she thought about how the two of them held a formal, recognized relationship—how they could stand before the world and receive congratulations and blessings—she was consumed by a madness of jealousy.

And so…

She chose to leave without saying goodbye.

She left the Western Regions even though she knew Sister Yanhui still loved her, and even though she knew the Huamu Clan wanted her dead.

Everyone around her assumed she left because she was triggered by Sister Yanhui and Hua Yuhu being together.

While that was true, her primary motivation was to draw away those with ill intentions—those who acted as stumbling blocks on Sister Yanhui’s path to power.

Just as she expected, her departure drew the attention of those lurking in the shadows. They focused all their schemes and malice on her, which significantly lightened the pressure on Sister Yanhui’s side.

Sister Yanhui was also far more capable than she had imagined. In just two short years, she had taken control of most of the power in the Western Regions.

However…

Under the weight of bone-eroding longing and her own internal darkness, she had ultimately neglected and ruined her own health.

She didn’t blame anyone!

She only felt a sense of regret. Sister Yanhui had come to fulfill her promise, yet she no longer had much time left.

After hearing the Imperial Physician’s report, she had hesitated more than once. But every thought of pushing the woman away vanished the moment she met Lou Yanhui’s stubborn, grieving eyes.

Forget it. It was only a few years. Rather than wasting time on useless pushing and pulling, it was better to cherish what time remained and leave behind beautiful memories for both of them.

That way, after she died…

Thinking about Sister Yanhui being left all alone after her death, a dull ache throbbed in Luo Yunjin’s chest.

Lou Yanhui, however, didn’t give her the chance to wallow in her misery alone.

For the past few days, after feeding her the medicine prescribed by the physician, Lou Yanhui would keep track of the time and take her outside for sun and walks as instructed.

But for someone who had stayed cooped up inside for two years, Luo Yunjin was reluctant to leave the house. Even when she did go out, she couldn’t walk for very long.

Thus, Lou Yanhui had been strictly supervising her at the Princess Manor. Medicine, medicine, medicine!

Sunlight, sunlight, sunlight!

Walks, walks, walks!

It was bearable for a day or two. But having to wander around the courtyard every day, with the distance increasing as time went on, the frail Luo Yunjin finally couldn’t take it anymore and protested.

“Sister Yanhui, let’s not go out today. I’m truly too tired.”

Glancing at Luo Yunjin’s pale little face, Lou Yanhui felt a pang of heartache, but she hardened her resolve and refused.

“No! The physician said you must move your body and get some sun every day.”

Besides, exercise required persistence. if they couldn’t stick to it at the beginning, how could they talk about the future?

Seeing Luo Yunjin’s reluctant expression, Lou Yanhui softened her voice to coax her. “Little Jin, please just hold on a little longer, okay?”

Looking at that frost-cold face now filled with expectation, Luo Yunjin sighed inwardly. She couldn’t bring herself to be willful anymore.

“Fine.”

Hearing her agreement, Lou Yanhui let out a sigh of relief. She stroked Luo Yunjin’s head and praised her with an encouraging look. “Good girl.”

Luo Yunjin squinted her eyes, enjoying the touch. Her thoughts drifted over the mess of their past, and she suddenly asked, “Sister Yanhui, when are you going back to the Western Regions?”

Lou Yanhui’s grip on her hand tightened, and her voice grew a few shades huskier. “Do you not like Sister anymore? Are you trying to drive me away?”