Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 86: Chapter

For a long, agonizing moment, neither of them moved. The only sound in the room was the quiet, steady breathing of little Mingyu sleeping nearby.

Wenzhe’s heart hammered against his ribs not from the exertion of climbing a window, but from the sudden, overwhelming closeness of his wife. In the soft lantern light, he could see the faint trace of herbal oil on her fingers, the smudge of ink on her cheek, and the sheer, unadulterated fury mounting in her wide eyes.

[Stupid, clumsy, oversized mountain of a man!] Su Yueqing’s voice screamed violently inside his head, shattering Wenzhe’s sudden daze. [Get off me! Get off me right now before I bite your nose off! What is he doing?! Is he trying to smother me to death before the banquet tomorrow?!]

Wenzhe blinked, a deep flush instantly crawling up his neck. He scrambled backward, detangling his long legs from her silk robes as he practically threw himself off her, clearing his throat awkwardly as he stood up.

"I... I did not intend to fall," Wenzhe muttered, his usual commanding general’s voice reducing to a strained whisper so he wouldn’t wake his brother. He quickly smoothed down his dark robes, looking anywhere but at her.

Su Yueqing bolted upright on the floor, rubbing her sore shoulder as she glared up at him like a feral cat. "Are you insane?!" she hissed in a furious whisper. "Climbing through windows in the middle of the night? Sneaking around like a thief? If the guards saw you, they’d think the estate was being raided again! What are you doing here, Wenzhe?!"

Wenzhe kept his jaw tight, his eyes finally landing on the silk parcel that had rolled near the foot of Mingyu’s bed. He walked over, picked it up, and set it down heavily on the low table beside her makeshift mattress.

"My brothers mentioned you skipped dinner," Wenzhe said flatly, crossing his arms behind his back to hide the nervous twitch of his fingers. "I merely came to check on Mingyu’s condition. And... since the kitchen had leftovers, I brought them. It would be a waste to let the servants throw it out."

Su Yueqing raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting from his stiff posture down to the parcel. The sweet aroma of roasted duck and warm osmanthus cakes was practically screaming her name.

[Leftovers? From the Duke son’s estate level of wealth?] she scoffed in her mind, though her mouth was watering. [This block of wood actually sneaked into his own kitchen, packed a fresh meal, and climbed a window just to bring me food? No. Don’t be fooled, Yueqing! He’s trying to soften your guard!]

She crossed her arms, turning her face away proudly. "I don’t need your charity, Master Xi. I am perfectly fine."

GRUMBLE.

Right on cue, her stomach betrayed her again, letting out a sound so loud it practically echoed in the quiet room.

Nine’s voice chimed in instantly. [Ding! Host’s stomach has officially declared war on your pride. I highly recommend consuming the high-quality protein provided by the target before you pass out.]

Wenzhe, hearing both her furious thoughts and her very loud stomach, couldn’t help the tiny, amused twitch at the corner of his lips. He sat down cross-legged on the floor opposite her, casually untying the silk parcel to reveal the still-steaming dishes.

"Eat," Wenzhe commanded quietly, pushing the tray toward her. "You have been in here all day, and tomorrow you have to attend the Governor’s banquet with me. If you faint from hunger in front of the capital’s nobility, my mother will throw another ink-stone at my head. Consider this an order from your husband."

Su Yueqing glared at the steaming duck, then at his smug, stoic face, her eyes narrowing into slits.

[An order? An order?!] her mind shrieked in pure indignation. [Who does this arrogant executioner think he is? Ordering me to eat his suspiciously delicious-smelling food? I should throw this roasted duck right at his handsome face!]

[Ding!] Nine’s voice chimed in with absolute glee. [Highly unrecommended, Host. The duck is perfectly seasoned, and your glucose levels are rapidly depleting. Furthermore, wasting food goes against your core survival protocols. Just eat the duck and plot his downfall later.]

Su Yueqing let out a sharp, dramatic huff. "Fine. But I am only eating this because I refuse to let good food go to waste, not because you told me to!"

She snatched a piece of the roasted duck, biting into it with a ferocity that made Wenzhe wonder if she was imagining his neck between her teeth. Almost instantly, her expression softened, a look of pure bliss washing over her face before she quickly forced her mask of cold indifference back on.

[Oh my god, this is heavenly,] her inner voice sighed, completely betraying her fierce expression. [The skin is so crispy... okay, fine, maybe I won’t poison him tomorrow. Maybe I’ll wait until next week.]

Wenzhe, sitting cross-legged across from her, had to physically bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud. He watched her eat, her cheeks puffing out slightly like a hoarding hamster, entirely contradicting the villainous threats echoing in her mind.

His eyes then drifted past her, landing on the couch where his little brother lay. Wenzhe froze.

The contrast was staggering. Mingyu’s usual pale, ash-like complexion was gone, replaced by a soft, healthy flush. The boy’s breathing wasn’t the ragged, painful wheezing that had haunted Wenzhe’s nightmares for years; it was deep, peaceful, and steady. He was even wearing a ridiculous, bright pink robe, his hair neatly combed and smelling faintly of soothing herbs.

Wenzhe’s chest tightened, a wave of profound, overwhelming emotion washing over him. He slowly reached out, his large, calloused hand gently brushing a stray lock of hair from Mingyu’s forehead. The boy’s skin was cool to the touch the fever had completely broken.

"He... he is breathing normally," Wenzhe whispered, his voice cracking slightly, stripped of all his usual general’s authority. He looked back at Su Yueqing, his dark eyes wide with a mixture of shock and deep, raw gratitude. "How did you do this? The imperial physicians said he wouldn’t survive the winter."

Su Yueqing swallowed her bite of osmanthus cake, wiping her mouth gracefully with her sleeve. She shrugged, trying to act casual despite the proud puff of her chest.

"The imperial physicians are idiots who rely on old texts and useless prayers," she said smoothly, though internally she was smirking.

[Of course he’s better! Modern medicine and a custom IV nutrient flush leave your ancient herbal soups in the dust, Master Xi!] she thought triumphantly. [Keep looking at me like I’m a goddess, it will make it so much sweeter when I become the ultimate villainess of your life.]

Wenzhe stared at her, completely ignoring her internal rant. For the first time since they had met, he didn’t see an unpredictable, arrogant and pretentious woman. He saw a woman who had spent all day hiding in a dark room, ignoring her own health, just to save a little boy who wasn’t even blood-related to her.

"Thank you," Wenzhe said softly, his voice dropping into a low, sincere register that vibrated in the quiet room. "Whatever your reasons are... thank you for saving my brother."

Su Yueqing choked slightly on her cake, her face instantly turning a bright, furious pink.

[Stop looking at me with those soft, puppy-dog eyes!] she panicked internally, her heart doing a weird, uncomfortable flutter. [You’re supposed to be cold! You’re supposed to be the ruthless male lead! If you act like this, how am I supposed to be a proper villainess?!]

"Don’t get emotional, Master Xi," she snapped aloud, turning her head away to hide her blushing cheeks. "I merely did it because a dead child in my courtyard would be bad luck. Now, if you are done gaping at me, you can leave the way you came. I need my sleep if I am to tolerate your family at the banquet tomorrow."