Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 45: Shrivelled Forget-me-not — II

Li Xinyuan’s eyes flew open, pupils shrunken and sweat making his fringes stick to his face, the surgeon jerked up, white robes translucent from the excessive amount of cold sweat trickling down his body.

Sitting up against the headboard, the surgeon breathed heavily, short inhales coming in gasps as he panted, fists clenched on his lap, crumpling the duvet in his hold as he trembled.

Beads of sweat trailed down his forehead, a few hanging on his long lashes as he stared at his lap, golden irises blank and mind oddly silent.

It was a dream. It was a dream. It was just a dream—

It was a fucking nightmare. Again.

Li Xinyuan’s body trembled as he gritted his teeth, hunching forward, lips falling open as he gasped. One of his hands flew to his neck, trembling fingers feeling the delicate flesh as sweat of his palm met with that of his throat.

The surgeon’s hands trembled, shaking tremendously against his throat as his respiration came in short stutters.

His handsome face had lost all its colour, fair cheeks pallid as he blinked rapidly, trying his best to dispel the grotesque image of that thing.

His hand resting on his throat subconsciously tightened, feebly imitating the firm squeeze he felt in the nightmare.

As the surgeon’s dream-induced panic quelled, his grasp on his throat weakened, fingers trembling minutely as he dropped his hand and heaved a shuddering sigh.

That the fucking gods it was just a nightmare.

Li Xinyuan firmly shook his head as he straightened his back and looked ahead of himself, brows furrowed in consternation while the morning sun fell over him from the window, casting a dim silhouette on the side of his face.

Why the fuck did he even have a dream like that after such a long time? Most importantly, when did Li Xinyuan even fall asleep?

He didn’t even remember falling asleep at all. Not to mention the transition between the nightmare and the waking world was far too smooth.

Wait, hold up. Li Xinyuan’s head snapped up, hastily wiping away the precipitation off his face with the help of his sleeve, the surgeon crawled out of the bed and all but bolted towards the door, bare feet thumping against the carpeted floor.

Without a care, the surgeon threw open the door, sprinting through the corridors as his long raven hair whipped behind him, robes fluttering against his body at his speed.

Anxiety painted itself on his handsome visage as Li Xinyuan rushed to the dining area with only one thought in his mind.

Where is Hu Lijing?

The servants he passed by stopped to give Li Xinyuan a bewildered look as they watched their ever-composed Young Master rush through the house in such a disarrayed state.

They couldn’t help but wonder what could have happened for the ever so calm Specter of Blood Moon to be storming through the house in such a rush?

Li Xinyuan ignored their looks, face taking on a determined look as he screeched to a halt in front of the dining hall’s doors.

As he stopped, Li Xinyuan looked at the door with narrowed eyes, he couldn’t sense Hu Lijing’s Qi.

It filled his heart with an ominous premonition.

Taking a deep bracing breath, Li Xinyuan pursed his lips together and reached his hands out, resting his palm on the intricately carved wood, the surgeon pushed the doors open, bracing himself for anything.

The moment the doors were pushed open, Li Xinyuan came face to face with Li Jinhua sitting at the head of the table, her face unruffled as she nursed a cup of tea for herself, eyes cast down.

"Good morning... Auntie." Rather awkwardly, Li Xinyuan greeted, cringing internally at the hoarseness of his own voice.

"You do not look so good, Xinyuan," Li Jinhua commented, not even raising her head to take a look at her nephew. "Or rather, you do not sound good either. Is everything well?" She wondered aloud, finally raising her head to look at him.

The moment her critical gaze rested on Li Xinyuan’s person, he felt oddly exposed, as though someone was appraising not just his physical body, but his soul as well.

The surgeon, in a bout of self-consciousness, hugged himself slightly, one hand holding the other arm as it hung at his side.

Li Jinhua hummed, cocking an eyebrow as her gaze raked down his dishevelled form. "Why are you like this?" She asked finally, eyes lingering on his pallid features. "Couldn’t you have dressed yourself in something more... Proper, Xinyuan?"

Li Xinyuan winced, ducking his head as he pouted. He understood that his current state was, for the lack of better words, less than impeccable. But he was in a rush, alright??

His pout deepened, not that he could say that to his aunt. She would just judge him even more.

Snorting through his nose, the surgeon walked into the dining hall, closing the doors behind him as he inches closer to Li Jinhua.

"Er... I apologise, Auntie. I was confused for a while."

"Confused about what? Your location?" Li Jinhua deadpanned at him. "As if someone would kidnap you out of the blue, Xinyuan."

Li Xinyuan rolled his eyes at her words. Smartass.

A second of silence later, Li Jinhua spoke up again, this time though, concern seemed to have trickled into her voice, bypassing her defences.

"Say, what bothered you so much? I remember giving you a rest today. Come have a seat with Auntie, have a cup of tea with me."

Taken aback, Li Xinyuan coughed dryly. Of course, how could he even forget?

The classic: I know you from the toenail of your feet to the longest hair of your head!

Well, now that she already had the hunch, there was no point in being discreet about his queries.

Hence, Li Xinyuan snapped his head up, openly scanning the dining hall in hopes of catching the sight of Hu Lijing’s figure before letting his gaze fall on the Divine Phoenix who looked back at him, judgemental to her very core.

Well, wasn’t she just the best aunt in the world? Sarcastically, Li Xinyuan thought before clearing his throat as he asked. freewēbnoveℓ.com

"About that..." he began, walking to the low rise dining table as he, Li Xinyuan shuffled to sit down, knees folded under himself and hands resting on his lap. "Where is Hu Lijing, auntie?"

Li Jinhua set her teacup down and looked at him, her face the very picture of confusion as she opened her mouth.

However, the words that left her lips, moreso the tone of her voice, had Li Xinyuan freezing where he sat.

"Hu... Lijing...?" Li Jinhua frowned contemplatively, savouring the name on her tongue as she looked at her tea then back at Li Xinyuan, confusion apparent in her gaze.

Li Xinyuan felt his back turn cold. Her reaction was as if this was the first time she was hearing Hu Lijing’s name.

What the fuck was happening? What was going on?! Li Xinyuan had never felt this confused in his entire fucking life.

Scratch that, in the two goddamn lives he’d lived!

Don’t fucking tell him—?!