Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 170: Preening Black Dahlia — XI

Li Xinyuan stilled for a moment, brown eyes following the young lady’s trembling finger to gaze upon the delicate ring resting on his finger.

"Ah," he made a quiet noise at the back of his throat, an unwitting smile — shy yet warm — dancing on his lips. "This ring?"

"Y-yes, that ring."

Li Xinyuan’s lips thinned again, head raising to look at his patient. Eyes narrowed, he took a belated note of her pallid face and watering eyes.

"Is something the matter?"

Namgung Hyein’s body stiffened as she shook her head swiftly. "I... I cannot help but be curious. It appears rather— rather delicate."

Li Xinyuan frowned, concerned about the stammer in her words. "Why, yes," he looked back down at the ring, smile returning with warmth. "It is, is it not? My betrothed gifted me with this ring."

Namgung Hyein flinched, reeling back in shock, glazed eyes widening even more. The world around her darkened for a fraction of a second as she sucked in a sharp breath.

Hands gripping the armrests for her dear life, the young lady swallowed, the lump in her throat painful. Her lips opened and closed several times before finally she found her voice.

"Betrothed?"

"Indeed." Why was his response so nonchalant? So painfully unruffled? As if he did not know of her heart. Could Doctor Baek really be so oblivious of the pain in her heart?

The agony tearing her apart? Was he really so unaware? Or, did he simply not care at all?

Namgung Hyein choked back a sob, a trembling hand reaching to cover her pallid face. It was as if she had seen a ghost she could not fight.

Her heart seized painfully. Her chest was tight as if it would burst any moment now. Silently, her breath hitched, stuttering in her lungs as she fell back against the chair.

"Y-you, you are spoken for?" With great effort, she kept a mournful sob at bay and asked, shoulders trembling as she pressed her hand on her eyes.

"Yes?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.

Through the gaps between her fingers, Namgung Hyein saw the stark, oblivious confusion on Doctor Baek’s face.

Tightly, she squeezed her eyes closed, jaw tight with effort to keep away a cry of pain in her chest.

"Why, why did you not— not th-think of mentioning that?"

Li Xinyuan’s confusion only deepened as he canted his head to the side, observing the young woman’s strange reaction. Had he been a drawn character, a conspicuous question mark would be hanging over his head.

"Are you well?" He asked again, cautiously pressing his hand on Namgung Hyein’s knee, only to feel her flinch under his touch.

What a dilemma. She had never reacted like this before?

"Why did you not mention it before?" The sharpness of her voice caused the surgeon to flinch in bewilderment.

Okay... Why was she suddenly so upset?

Over nothing too.

Li Xinyuan distanced himself from her, gingerly shifted her feet to the stool before standing up.

"You never thought to ask." He stared down at the young lady as if she was a complex problem he no longer had a solution to. "And I much prefer my personal matters away from my profession."

Why even was he being forced to explain himself?

For a moment, the surgeon really did want to walk away, jump out of the window and not look back at all.

Namgung Hyein was recovered well enough that even without him personally visiting, the female lead could help her with physical therapy with guidance.

Li Xinyuan’s lips pulled down, feeling dismayed at the sudden change in her attitude. Yet, he made no move to leave and remained towering above her.

Something about the way she gathered into herself, shaking, and holding her tears back, made the surgeon pause and stare to try and understand her.

But no matter how hard he tried, he just could not come to a solid conclusion that would be believable.

Finally, rather than wasting his brain power in discovering her thoughts, he simply asked, "What is upsetting you so suddenly?"

As he asked the question, Li Xinyuan crossed his arms on his chest, leveling Namgung Hyein with a scrutinising look. As if he was trying to find the variable that had caused her sudden behavioural shift.

He looked back and forth between her and her feet before the glint of his ring caught his attention.

For a second, the genius surgeon’s eyes widened with surprise. Could his ring have upsetted her?

Was she envious of him now that she knew he was spoken for?

No, how could that be, Li Xinyuan swiftly shook his head to dismiss that thought. Or did she— did she feel something for— no, impossible.

"Young Miss Hyein," he tried once more, carefully leaning down to rest his hand on her head. "Please share with me. What is the cause of your upset?"

Namgung Hyein shuddered at the touch. Her skin burned at his touch, but this time it was not the pleasant kind she had grown used to.

This time, it burned with shame and pain.

She had been designing a future with Doctor Baek in her head. He who was a man betrothed. And she hadn’t known.

Namgung Hyein sobbed, weeping into her hand, shaking. "Why— why you—?" Her voice tightened, trembling so much it was a surprise she could still speak. "I— I—"

She could not bring herself to say anything. Abruptly, she snapped her head to the side, startling Doctor Baek again that he took a step back.

She could feel the weight of his incredulous stare. Yet, this time, she could not bring herself to care.

He was spoken for. Away from her, back home he had a woman awaiting his return.

No wonder despite her so called beauty, he never even looked at her with anything untoward. Who would... With feet like hers? Not when he had someone to go back to.

Her sobs grew, throat sore as she wiped her eyes. She was more furious and ashamed of herself than Doctor Baek.

Fool! She was a fool! A foolish person who broke her own heart.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" She rocked back and forth pitifully, the chair creaking under her weight. "Why didn’t you tell me, Doctor Baek?!"

Tears fell and fell as she cried, face flushed red as she pressed her hands tighter on her eyes. Really, it was her own fault.

But it did not make the heartbreak any less painful.

Li Xinyuan stared at Namgung Hyein as she wailed and all but choked on her own tears. This... This was certainly new.

Her meltdown came so suddenly that he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Should he call the female lead, or should he handle it himself?

"Young Miss Hyein," he tried weakly, shifting from one foot to another, feeling disconcerted. "please calm down and tell me what’s wrong."

Namgung Hyein’s response was even more stifled sobs that made his heart tighten. This was not his place to soothe her, it seemed.

Around him, time seemed to pass by so swiftly as he fretted over the matter futilely.

When Namgung Hyein failed to respond even after he asked multiple times while trying to calm her down, Li Xinyuan sighed in resignation and shook his head.

He was left with no choice.

The surgeon pursed his lips tightly, dragging his feet towards the door and away from the distressed young lady.

Carefully, he pried the door open and gave the female lead a smile that was more a grimace.

"Young Miss Jihye?" He called feebly, exhaustion seeping in his voice. Dragging his palm over his face, the surgeon let out a sigh. "I’m afraid this is something I am thoroughly ill-equipped to handle."

At the female lead’s concerned look at his state, he smiled tightly again.

"Something seems to have distressed Young Miss Hyein greatly. I surmise recruiting your aid will be far better than simply sedating her."