CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 69: IS THE MARQUIS THINKING OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME?

Fu Shinian simply let Xiao Chengyu hold her hand, turned her back to him, and closed her eyes again, "I just won’t look. You can wipe the marquis’ body."

There was no other choice now.

Fu Shinian heard rustling behind her, the sound of Xiao Chengyu’s clothes being opened.

Jing Lai used strong alcohol to rub Xiao Chengyu’s body, rubbing him until Jing Lai himself was sweating.

After a while, Jing Lai said, "It’s done, the marquis’ fever has gone down."

"Did you dress the marquis properly?" Fu Shinian asked.

"Yes, he’s dressed." Jing Lai responded.

Only then did Fu Shinian turn around, still with Xiao Chengyu holding her hand, and said, "I’ll sleep here for a while, you have been busy all night, go rest for a bit."

"It seems my hand won’t be free anytime soon." Fu Shinian said helplessly.

Jing Lai thought, what kind of situation is this?

After returning, the marquis really should go to Fu Mansion to propose, right?

"Second young lady, thank you for your trouble." Jing Lai said, "If anything happens, call me immediately."

Fu Shinian nodded.

Fu Shinian then sat in the spot where Jing Lai was before, leaning against the bedpost to sleep.

However, her sleep was not deep, as she would wake up from time to time to check Xiao Chengyu’s temperature.

Luckily, that night, Xiao Chengyu’s fever didn’t return.

Fu Shinian gradually fell into a deep sleep, initially leaning against the wall, but at some point, she ended up leaning directly on Xiao Chengyu’s chest.

When Xiao Chengyu woke up, before opening his eyes, he felt a slight weight on his chest, and the hand he was holding felt soft and delicate. In a daze, he even squeezed it once.

But he soon realized something wasn’t right.

He quickly opened his eyes and saw Fu Shinian sleeping on his chest, her hand held in his.

"Marquis, you’re awake." Jing Lai’s low voice came from beside him.

Seeing Xiao Chengyu’s gaze still fixed on Fu Shinian’s face, Jing Lai said softly, "Last night, you suddenly had a high fever again, even hotter than during the day. I rubbed your body with strong alcohol to bring the fever down. But you wouldn’t let go of Miss Fu’s hand, so she had no choice but to stay with you all night."

Xiao Chengyu blushed, realizing his feverish stupor had led him to hold tightly onto the young lady’s hand.

At the moment, Fu Shinian’s weight on him felt almost nonexistent.

Probably too exhausted, even Jing Lai’s soft voice didn’t wake her.

Xiao Chengyu dared not even breathe too obviously, fearing it would wake Fu Shinian.

"But, marquis," Jing Lai hesitantly reminded, "You’re still holding Miss Fu’s hand."

With the marquis in this situation, he should be responsible for Miss Fu, shouldn’t he?

Xiao Chengyu’s face turned even redder, and he quickly let go of Fu Shinian’s hand.

"Keep your voice down, don’t wake her," Xiao Chengyu instructed.

However, Fu Shinian was already awake.

She opened her eyes, saw that Xiao Chengyu was awake, and without another word, habitually placed her hand on his forehead, "Not hot. Marquis, why is your face so red?"

Xiao Chengyu: "..."

"Jing Lai said you stayed with me all night," Xiao Chengyu said, "Go rest for a bit, the servants will bring breakfast soon and then I’ll call you."

Fu Shinian indeed hadn’t rested well; being sprawled over Xiao Chengyu all night and waking frequently to check his temperature had left her extremely restless, and she was now quite groggy.

"Alright then," she nodded and got up to rest.

Xiao Chengyu called her back, "Shinian."

Fu Shinian turned, asking worriedly, "Marquis, what do you need?"

Xiao Chengyu propped himself up to sit, and Jing Lai quickly helped him.

Once Xiao Chengyu was seated, he said, "Shinian, you watched over me all night. Although we’re innocent, we were indeed in the same room with the household servants aware. And there are still several days to come."

Fu Shinian was startled, rushing forward, "Marquis, you don’t intend to take responsibility, do you?"

Xiao Chengyu thought, assuming that he wanted to marry her, and the young lady seemed so excited?

But...

If he were healthy, not necessarily living to a ripe old age, at least another twenty or thirty years.

Even if Fu Shinian hadn’t risked her life to care for him, Xiao Chengyu would have already gone to propose.

How could he bear to miss such a good young lady?

But with his current health, should he marry her out of mere affection and then leave her alone after just a year or two?

That would be too selfish.

Xiao Chengyu wanted to explain that he wasn’t intending to marry her, but before he could speak, Fu Shinian said, "Marquis, you need not think that way."

Xiao Chengyu saw her eyes wide, a look of surprise as she waved her hands, "Marquis, as you said, we are innocent. Naturally, there’s nothing for which the marquis needs to take responsibility."

"As for what you mentioned, Marquis, about the household knowing I cared for you in your room," Fu Shinian said, blushing as she tapped her index fingers together, "but the servants also know you were infected with a disease, so there was no way you could do anything to me."

Xiao Chengyu: "..."

"Besides, the marquis will surely instruct the servants not to leak anything, right?" Fu Shinian continued, "Once we return to the capital, it’s not likely this will all make it back. Plus, with the marquis’ instructions, telling them not to speak recklessly, then in the capital, we can pretend nothing ever happened."

Xiao Chengyu: "..."

With everything Fu Shinian said, he suddenly found he had nothing left to say.

But seeing her so anxious, afraid he might take responsibility, Xiao Chengyu couldn’t help feeling gloomy.

Could the young lady... not like him?

Xiao Chengyu thought about it and found it unlikely.

How could she not like him?

If she didn’t, would she have done so many things for him, one after another?

Seeing Xiao Chengyu silent, Fu Shinian couldn’t help but ask nervously, "Marquis, you will have them keep it secret, right?"

Xiao Chengyu, in a rather complicated tone, asked, "You don’t want to marry me?"

Fu Shinian hadn’t considered the possibility of Xiao Chengyu having a short life.

After all, she was trying to extend his life.

Fu Shinian said, "The marquis is like a pine on the mountain, a moon in the sky, deserving to marry a girl he truly loves. We’re innocent and only in this situation out of necessity, so how could the marquis be compelled to marry me out of obligation?"

Xiao Chengyu opened his mouth, but he liked her.

It’s just that he doesn’t deserve to marry her.

The young lady’s eyes were red. Who knows how much determination it took for her to say this, or how sad she must be inside.

Seeing her like this, she must be saying it against her will, right?

Xiao Chengyu sighed and said, "I will instruct the servants to keep their mouths shut, not to speak indiscriminately. Don’t worry, go rest."

Fu Shinian smiled and nodded, "Thank you, marquis."

Fu Shinian went to sleep, while Jing Lai stood there, eyes red, looking as if he wanted to cry but didn’t dare make a sound, occasionally sniffing.

Xiao Chengyu: "..."