How To Hide The Tyrant's Child In The Apocalypse
Chapter 22. A jade leaf tonic cure

Chapter 22: 22. A jade leaf tonic cure

AT THE SAME TIME

MEI SHEN’S POINT OF VIEW:

The pestle slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the counter. I didn’t even flinch. My hands were trembling too badly, my heart pounding too loudly. I was losing him.

"Jade leaves, seven petals... honey water... steady... keep steady-" I whispered under my breath, but my voice cracked halfway through.

I could hear him, no, Lianwei his laboured breaths from the next room. Every single shallow inhale made my chest tighten, as if his lungs were tethered to my own. If he stopped...

"System prompt: Warning. Subject Lianwei’s vitals are critically unstable. Recommend administering Jade leaf tonic within 12 minutes to avoid organ failure."System warned.

Twelve minutes. I forced my shaking fingers to grind the petals finer, pouring honey water that quivered in its cup like my resolve. But his name wouldn’t stop repeating in my head. Lianwei. Lianwei. Why didn’t he tell me who he was? Why did he let me hate him, let me believe he’d moved on, when all along-

"System clarification: Subject Lianwei initiated four year search post separation. Resource expenditure: Extreme. Physical and emotional degradation: Severe. Host identified as emotional person, loving more than he should."System explained.

I froze, breath caught in my throat.

"What...?"I asked.

Four years. He spent four years looking for me. Even though in the novel, Emperor Lianwei never would have. He was cold, ruthless, moving forward without ever glancing back. But my Lianwei, he...

"Why?" I whispered hoarsely, though I didn’t know if I was asking him or the gods.

"System response: Emotional feelings classified as irreplaceable. Subject Lianwei’s deviation from the narrative is driven by an intense psychological need for the host. Prolonged absence resulted in critical mental deterioration."System explained.

I pressed a hand over my mouth, a sob breaking free. My vision blurred.

"Oh, Lianwei..."I whispered.

"How poetic." Zeyrith whispered lazily in my head. "The mighty emperor undone by a single woman. He burned his empire from the inside looking for you, and you didn’t even know. Tell me, Mei Shen, doesn’t that kind of devotion make you sick, or does it make you ache?"

"Shut up." I hissed. My hands moved faster now pouring, stirring, testing the warmth with the back of my hand. "I don’t have time for your venom."

But the tears wouldn’t stop, dripping soundlessly onto the counter as I whispered his name over and over.

"Lianwei... Lianwei, don’t you dare leave me now."I kept muttering while making the medicine.

The tonic was ready. I grabbed it and bolted to the bedroom. He laid there, face pale as parchment, sweat soaking his hairline. His lips moved faintly, a whisper so soft I almost didn’t hear it.

"Mei... forgive me..."He muttered.

I dropped to my knees beside him, nearly spilling the cup.

"Lianwei, don’t talk like that. Save your strength."I whispered.

His hand twitched weakly toward me.

"I... I looked... for you... every... day..."He muttered.

A broken sound escaped me as I pressed the cup to his lips.

"I know." I whispered, voice shaking violently. "I know now. And I’m not going anywhere, so don’t you dare give up."

He coughed weakly, almost choking on the first sip. My fingers tightened around the cup as I tilted it more carefully, forcing my voice steady.

"Small sips, Lianwei. Just a little at a time. Please.."I whispered gently.

"Administer tonic in slow increments. Monitor gag reflex. High probability of convulsions during initial absorption."System explained.

His eyelids fluttered.

"Stay... with me..."He whispered between sips.

"I’m here. I’m not leaving." I brushed damp strands of hair from his forehead, my thumb lingering on the scar along his temple. "You carried that ring for four years, didn’t you? You stubborn, foolish man."

A faint, broken laugh escaped him before it dissolved into a rasping cough.

"I... love you... so much... even when I... shouldn’t..."He muttered.

I pressed my forehead to his, tears streaming freely now.

"You idiot." I whispered. "You’re not allowed to leave me. You hear me? Not after all this."

"Monitor for vital stabilization. Administer secondary dose within four hours."System said.

His breaths grew steadier, though faint tremors still ran through his body. I clutched his hand tightly, feeling the calloused fingers that had once traced my cheek so tenderly.

"I’ll save you, Lianwei. I swear it. Even if I have to tear the heavens apart."I said.

"Oh, how dramatic." Zeyrith purred. "But tell me, Mei Shen, will you still cling to him when the weight of his crown crashes back down?"

"I’ll cling harder." I spat under my breath, never taking my eyes off Lianwei’s pale, sweaty face.

I didn’t move from his side. Not when the candle burned low. Not when my limbs screamed from exhaustion after hours of running and brewing and praying. I sat there clutching his hand like it was the only thing tethering me to the earth.

"Lianwei..." I whispered again, the syllables soft and shaky. His name felt foreign and familiar all at once, like tasting sweetness after years of drought.

"Vitals stabilizing at normal levels. Heart rate irregular but improved. Host recommended to rest for optimal caregiving capacity."System said.

I ignored it. Rest? How could I rest when he looked like this? His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. Every faint exhale was a silent battle won. I brushed damp hair from his forehead again, fingers tracing the hard lines of his face, the same face that haunted me for years. This man... he was supposed to be cold. Ruthless. The emperor who crushed rebellions without blinking. In the novel, he wouldn’t have searched for me. Wouldn’t have cared. But he did. He carried my ring for four years. He crossed oceans and mountains. He let himself waste away trying to find me.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" My voice cracked as I blinked back tears. "Why did you let me believe you were fine without me? That you had moved on to another woman?"

Zeyrith’s voice slithered through the edges of my mind, smug and taunting.

"Because that’s the game, isn’t it? He’s the emperor bound to a thousand secrets. And yet here you are, Mei Shen, cradling his hand like a lifeline. I wonder... when the crown weighs heavy again, will he still choose you?"He smirked.

"Shut up." I whispered, my jaw tight. "I don’t care about crowns. I care about him."

His fingers twitched faintly in my grasp. My breath caught.

"Lianwei?"I whispered.

But he didn’t wake up. Just a low, broken sound escaping his lips.

"I’m here. I’m not going anywhere." I promised. My thumb brushed over his scar gently, memorizing the curve. "You found me, didn’t you? You always do. So stay this time. Stay and let me fight for you too."

Huan had fallen asleep curled up against my side hours ago. His small hand rested lightly over Lianwei’s arm, as if anchoring him in place. My throat tightened. We looked like a family, something I had once dreamed of but never dared believe could exist. It was deep in the night when his hand jerked weakly, startling me.

"Mei..." His voice rasped, barely audible.

I shot upright.

"Lianwei? I’m here."I whispered.

His stormy eyes cracked open, glassy with fever but sharp enough to find me in the darkness. His fingers clutched weakly at my sleeve.

"Don’t... leave... please..." His voice broke on the last word, raw and desperate.

A sob lodged in my throat. I took his hand in both of mine, squeezing tightly.

"I’m not leaving. I promise. You’re safe now."I muttered. _{fr\eewe.bn(o)v\el.c(o)m}

But he shook his head faintly, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

"They... took everything... last time. I... I couldn’t protect you... I messed up, I never needed other...woman than you Mei." He whispered.

"You don’t have to anymore. You’re not alone this time." I whispered fiercely.

He choked out a broken laugh that dissolved into coughing. His grip on my sleeve tightened with surprising strength.

"I... dreamed of you... every night... of holding you... of begging you... to forgive me..."He whispered.

"Lianwei, you don’t have to beg." Tears streamed down my face as I leaned closer. "I forgive you. I never stopped loving you, do you hear me?"

His eyes widened faintly, a single tear sliding down his temple.

"You... love me?"He asked.

"Yes." I brushed my lips against his knuckles. "I love you, Lianwei. Stay with me. Stay with us."

A shaky breath escaped him, his body relaxing slightly. His hand slid weakly to my cheek, thumb brushing away a tear.

"I... carried it... four years... for you... wanted to... see it on your finger... again..."He muttered. "I ws wrong for stopping wedding before."

My tears fell freely as I pressed my forehead to his.

"You stubborn, foolish man. I’ll wear it when you’re strong enough to put it on me yourself."I said.

A faint smile curved his lips before his eyes fluttered closed again.

"Don’t... go..."He muttered.

"I’m not going anywhere." I murmured, kissing his temple. "Sleep now. You’re safe."

His breathing evened out, and I sat there holding his hand, unwilling to let go even as my eyelids grew heavy as I fell asleep.