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

Chapter 202 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (106)

Marquis He'an listened with his neck slightly hunched as Madam Gao recounted the past. Even though she said he didn't appreciate the music, he readily admitted it.

When it came to his daughter's matter, he finally sat up straight.

With so many beautiful daughters, it's no doubt that Marquis He'an was exceptionally handsome in his youth.

He was once a renowned handsome man in the capital, but he was burdened with the reputation of being a jinx to his wives, and those with daughters in their families were not very warm towards him.

Lu Liruan once heard Madam Gao chuckle and say, "Which girl doesn't love to look pretty? Anyway, your father's face is so handsome it can really confuse people!"

I wonder if my father knows that his wife has a very high opinion of him.

Ji Shumin's appearance was overlooked because of his overall demeanor, and the Marquis of He'an had a similar idea.

At this moment, he frowned and remained silent, sitting very straight, deep in thought, which was quite intimidating.

Lu Wanqing was already feeling sad, thinking that Marquis He'an would not agree to her request.

"Chengming and Chengan, are you two capable of taking good care of your sister?" Marquis He'an asked his sons.

Lu Cheng'an nodded solemnly, and Lu Chengming also put away his usual easy smile, looking particularly familiar: "As long as the two of us are alive, we will never let our sister suffer the slightest grievance."

Lu Wanqing felt a little awkward. She wanted to learn how to be a merchant from her brothers, not to cause them any trouble.

But at this moment, she had no time to worry about such things.

"If you really want to, then go out and have a look. When I was young, I also traveled and lingered in the scenery of Jiangnan. Although Qing'er is a woman, she cannot be confined to the house because of my words. Go if you want to, and come back anytime you want." Marquis He'an sighed and finally relented.

He understood what the lady meant. The reason he was able to marry her back then was that, firstly, there were very few families in the capital who dared to marry their daughters to him.

Furthermore, Madam Gao herself had inquired about him and learned that he was a gentle and even somewhat indecisive person, which is why she was willing to marry him.

Even when she was still in her boudoir, Madam Gao was a woman of great character and will think carefully about every step she took.

Even when she couldn't change direction, Mrs. Gao never got discouraged or gave up.

Instead, within the scope of choices and control, choose the best and most suitable options for yourself, always putting yourself first.

After she married into the family, Madam Gao remained the same.

So whether the claim of him being a jinx to his wives is true or not, it is certain that his previous wives may have lost their lives because of childbirth.

Marquis He'an already had more than one or two children, so he didn't place much importance on having offspring.

If an ordinary woman were to marry into a noble family, she might insist on having her own biological children in order to secure her position.

But Madam Gao thought differently.

Regardless of status, one must first be able to survive...

Because of her concerns, Mrs. Gao chose not to have her own children, thus ensuring that they would never threaten her life.

Just as she knew, the Marquis of He'an didn't care about that; he only needed a wife who suited his taste and had a good temper.

She was assigned to raise his children and manage the household. Lady Gao did an excellent job, and Marquis He'an treated her very well in return.

Their relationship deepened with each passing day. To this day, the couple has rarely argued or quarreled.

Mrs. Gao was truly devoted to her children.

It's not because she doesn't have her own biological children that she treats them so well.

Rather, it's because Madam Gao is such a person that she wouldn't intentionally bully a child.

Although the children each have their own personalities, they are all kind and good-hearted. Putting oneself in their shoes, Mrs. Gao is also younger, making it easier for her to get along with these children.

Over the years, our feelings for each other have grown stronger.

The harmonious atmosphere within the Marquis of He'an's residence was largely thanks to Madam Gao.

Marquis He'an did not hesitate to say: "Because of my wife, the Marquis He'an's mansion is such a peaceful and warm place now."

Although they didn't mention it, all the children respected and were filial to Madam Gao.

Although she didn't get what she wanted, Mrs. Gao walked the path she chose very well.

Seeing Lu Wanqing's current state, Madam Gao was reminded of her own past.

She wanted her children to get what they wanted...

Lu Wanqing was very excited, and her face was still flushed even before she went to bed that night.

The girl, who is usually not very talkative, was chattering incessantly today, almost to the point of being noisy...

Even little Fu, who was swaying and pacing around, has learned the few phrases she keeps repeating.

"Great! Great!"

"Father, brother, good! Good! All good!"

"Mother, Mother, hello!"

"all good!"

Little Fu chattered away in a loud, guttural voice.

It picked up a few words from Lu Wanqing's words and learned their meaning, which actually matched Lu Wanqing's current mood.

Lu Wanyun, who was already half-asleep on the bed with her eyelids drooping, was amused and woke up when she heard Xiao Fu's loud voice.

"Yes, yes, yes, all good, all good, there's no one bad..." She leaned over and patted Xiao Fu's outstretched wings, tossing it a peanut to eat, so that its mouth could shut up for a while.

"You won't be able to be with me after the New Year..." Lu Wanyun thought for a moment, then suddenly felt a little lonely.

She and Lu Wanqing grew up together and had never been separated.

When Lu Liruan first entered the palace, the two of them found it very difficult to adapt. Unexpectedly, now the two of them are going to be separated.

"It's not like I'm not coming back." Lu Wanqing realized this too, but pretended to be strong.

"Thinking back now, it was better when we were kids. We were together all the time. Now... how many days a year can we be together?" Lu Wanyun murmured.

Lu Liruan and Lu Wanqing also fell silent. The previously cheerful atmosphere suddenly became much quieter.

Yes, when you embark on the path you've chosen, changes are inevitable; this is the price of moving forward.

We can't let the thought of parting ways in the future make us disregard the present.

The sisters were happily playing together again the next day...

It really brought back the feeling of my childhood; the Marquis of He'an's mansion was bustling with activity everywhere.

The group made lanterns together, watched acrobatics, and made glutinous rice balls by hand.

One by one, the plump, round glutinous rice balls took shape as they rolled around. The various fillings had a rich, sweet, and savory aroma that made one's mouth water.

As Lu Liruan ate her glutinous rice balls, she wondered what Ji Shumin had eaten and what he had done that day.

If I'm not there to watch over him, he probably won't even eat properly...

Lu Liruan thought that Ji Shumin's lack of proper eating and exercise while she was away was already enough to worry him.

When she got back and entered the house, Lu Liruan was dumbfounded.

The room was filled with a strong medicinal smell. Although the room was usually filled with a lingering medicinal fragrance, Lu Liruan was used to it and was very familiar with the smell.

But today... it definitely doesn't smell like medicine!

Lu Liruan wrinkled her nose and quickened her pace. Qinghe saw her walking briskly towards her, bowed from a distance, but did not come to greet her. Instead, she turned around and went into the house.

Her actions made Lu Liruan realize even more that there must be something inside the house! She quickened her pace, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

Could something have gone wrong with Ji Shumin's condition?

I clearly told him that no matter what happened, he must call me immediately and absolutely not hide anything from me!

They all ignored my words; without a doubt, it was Ji Shumin's idea...

During that short journey, Lu Liruan's mind was filled with a multitude of emotions.

Xiao Xizi was about to bow when the Empress swept past him like a gust of wind, before he could even utter a sound.

Upon entering the house, one is instantly enveloped in warmth. Ji Shumin is afraid of the cold, so the house is always heated by an underfloor heating system and has a charcoal brazier.

The smell of medicine becomes even more pronounced when steamed.

As soon as Lu Liruan entered, she looked for Ji Shumin. But when she turned around the screen, she saw an old doctor standing there in a reddish-brown robe.

The old doctor must have spent a lot of time on the border, exposed to the wind and sun. He looked much older than his age, with dry and wrinkled skin that looked like the peel of an orange that had been blown through by the wind.

Wearing red clothes at this time would look even stranger.

Upon seeing Lu Liruan, he stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, Happy New Year!"

"What are you doing here?" Lu Liruan asked warily.

When Ji Shumin was being detoxified a few days ago, he was already in a deep coma. He only glanced at him before turning around and leaving as fast as he could.

Now that he's obediently staying here, could it be that Ji Shumin has encountered some bigger problem?

Lu Liruan immediately tensed up and peeked behind her.

But they saw Ji Shumin sitting comfortably in his wheelchair, heading this way.

Seeing Lu Liruan looking at him, he curled the corners of his lips: "Liruan, why are you in such a hurry? I thought you would stay at the Marquis's residence for a few more days..."

Lu Liruan became even more suspicious, as Ji Shumin was usually very clingy.

Although the Third Prince sometimes appears aloof and sometimes eccentric towards others, he seems unable to be separated from Lu Liruan even for a moment…

He was happy to say it and happy to show it, like a spineless person, staying by Lu Liruan's side every day, as if he wanted to be with her forever!

Sometimes Lu Liruan found him annoying, but the Third Prince would stare at her with those straightforward yet captivating eyes.

This trick worked very well; Lu Liruan fell into his trap time and time again, going along with his wishes.

Even though she knew that Ji Shumin was doing it on purpose, Lu Liruan couldn't bring herself to refuse him.

Despite his clingy attitude, today I heard him say: "Why don't you stay at the Marquis's residence for a few more days?"

Lu Liruan felt something was wrong.

"What? Did I come back at the wrong time? Did I interfere with your ability to hide people in the house?" Lu Liruan deliberately looked at the old doctor.

Ji Shumin: ...

"How could Li Ruan wrong me like this... Besides Li Ruan, who else pities me?" Ji Shumin spoke slowly and softly, not caring at all about others seeing his posture.

“There are plenty of people who pity you.” Lu Liruan has become quite resistant to him by now.

"Li Ruan..."

Before Ji Shumin could say anything more, Lu Liruan suddenly noticed something amiss: white cloth was peeking out from under the hem of Ji Shumin's clothes.

Lu Liruan stepped forward and touched it.

"Oh no—Your Majesty, don't touch it!" the old doctor hurriedly called out to stop her.

Lu Liruan herself did not use any force, but her expression changed drastically when she felt the touch of her hand!

His expression, which had just relaxed slightly, suddenly tensed up again.

With a gentle lift, the layers of gauze wrapped around Ji Shumin's calves were revealed.

The hard thing Lu Liruan just touched was a board used for securing Ji Shumin's legs.

"What...what's going on?"

Lu Liruan's fingertips trembled slightly as she touched the object and then withdrew her hand.

Ji Shumin looked slightly helpless: "I was thinking of keeping Manli Ruan for a while."

"It's a method to regenerate broken bones," the old doctor explained. "His Highness cannot stand or walk because the broken bones were not properly set after the injury."

"Your Highness used elixirs at the time, so the bones were mostly unable to heal and couldn't support the weight. However, they weren't completely unable to grow. When I examined Your Highness, I discovered that your leg bones were crooked."

Seeing that Lu Liruan was looking at him without speaking, the old doctor assumed that Lu Liruan wanted to know more: "This bone regeneration technique sounds simple. It involves breaking the unhealed bone again, and then arranging the pieces one by one, like mortise and tenon joints, and then snapping them together!"

When talking about his expertise, the senior doctor became animated, clearly having not encountered such a patient who had captured his attention in a long time.

As he spoke, he gestured and made very vivid onomatopoeic sounds...

They didn't notice that Lu Liruan's complexion was getting worse and worse, with a faint bluish-white tinge.

"Snap! Snap!" The old doctor was getting impatient and still couldn't quite articulate what he was saying, so he resorted to gestures and descriptions.

He only stopped speaking and shut his mouth when he felt Ji Shumin's sharp gaze piercing him like an arrow.

Lu Liruan felt a little nauseous after hearing what he said.

But at this moment, her heart was filled with a strange worry and helplessness, for no reason and for no apparent cause.

On the very first day she came into this world, Lu Liruan wondered if things would be different if Ji Shumin's legs could heal.

But now, Lu Liruan suddenly felt a sense of unreality and unease.

If Ji Shumin gets better, then will he no longer need her? Lu Liruan didn't know why she had this thought, but it didn't conflict with her wish for Ji Shumin to be healthy.

"You should go back now," Ji Shumin waved to the old doctor.

"I will come again tomorrow to change your dressing." The old doctor also sensed that something was wrong, so he put on his equally cheerful reddish-brown cloak and left with Xiao Xizi.

Once only the two of them were left in the room, Ji Shumin's previously calm expression changed in an instant.

He raised his face, pushed the wheelchair forward two steps, and moved closer to Lu Liruan.

He rested his head against Lu Liruan's waist and abdomen, gently wrapping his arms around her and slowly tightening them: "Liruan, you came back so early, did you miss me?"

Lu Liruan half-squatted down, her gaze level with his, the hem of her dress that she had just lifted still not lowered.

Her calves, which were tightly bound, felt nothing when Lu Liruan touched them.

After the numbing effect wore off, only waves of continuous pain remained.