Chapter 126 – Together

When Jian Mei woke up, he looked around at the familiar yet strange place, feeling as though it was the day after a dream.

Someone beside him softly said, “Mei Mei, Mei Mei, you’re awake.”

Jian Mei saw Ping Ping’s face.

Then he noticed the rundown ceiling of the hospital’s walls. There was no smell of antiseptics, and the environment wasn’t as clean and tidy as a modern hospital. But when his eyes met Ping Ping’s, he felt a surge of emotion.

“Ping Ping…” Jian Mei murmured, “I’m back?”

Ping Ping grasped Jian Mei’s hand and said, “Mei Mei, you finally woke up. You’ve been asleep for a day and a night!”

Jian Mei could hardly believe it himself.

His consciousness had first returned to Earth, and now he was back here. He had worried before about whether he might never return, but thankfully, that fear didn’t come true. Unfortunately, now he was left with the concern of whether he could return to Earth again.

Ping Ping said, “Mei Mei, are you okay? They said you might be infected, so you need to rest well.”

Jian Mei tried to gather his thoughts. He murmured, “I’m infected?”

Ping Ping nodded.

Jian Mei got out of bed, finally adjusting to his surroundings, and quickly asked, “Where is His Majesty?”

“And Xiao Ban?” Jian Mei was anxious. “Where are they? Are they okay?”

In his haste, his legs gave out as he tried to get down, nearly causing him to fall by the bedside. Luckily, Ping Ping caught him just in time, preventing both of them from toppling over.

Ping Ping reassured him, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Yunshi helped share half of Xiao Ban’s burden, and now both of them are out of danger.”

Jian Mei finally let out a sigh of relief.

“But…”

The moment Jian Mei heard “but,” he knew things weren’t that simple. He asked, “But what?”

“But Xiao Ban got infected with the plague, and Yunshi also got infected while saving him. According to the tests, Yunshi seems to have lost his divine power,” Ping Ping said, unable to hide his sadness, lowering his head.

Jian Mei felt his heart sink. “How could this happen…”

Ping Ping was equally heartbroken.

Jian Mei gently patted his head and softly said, “Ping Ping, don’t worry. Everything will be okay. I need to go check on them.”

Ping Ping nodded.

Jian Mei realized that he was no longer in Golden Town but had returned to the Imperial Capital. His biggest concern was the condition of Lu Xingwang and Xiao Ban. When he went to see them, Xiao Ban was still unconscious, and Lu Xingwang had not yet woken up either.

He stood behind the glass, looking anxiously at the people lying in bed, his heart filled with worry.

At that moment, he encountered someone. The person was wearing a long, silver-gray robe and a large hood that obscured most of his face, giving off a mysterious aura. Jian Mei couldn’t see his features clearly but sensed that this person might be dangerous.

As they were about to pass each other, the person softly called out, “Please wait.”

Jian Mei turned around, puzzled, and looked at him. “Excuse me, are you Jian Mei?”

Jian Mei nodded honestly. “Yes, I am. May I ask who you are?”

“I am Lan Chang, the patriarch of the Lan family,” the man replied, turning to face Jian Mei. “You may not know us, but I am the father of Imperial Concubine Lan, and I am considered one of Lu Xingwang’s elders.”

Jian Mei quickly responded, “I see.”

He was always respectful to elders, so he immediately bowed. “Hello, I am Jian Mei.”

“I have heard of you,” Lan Chang said, returning the bow. “You are the one destined for Xingwang.”

Jian Mei was taken aback, not fully understanding this statement.

Lan Chang simply extended his hand and said, “If it’s convenient, may I check your health?”

Jian Mei replied, “Sure, but I think I may have contracted the plague. I might infect you.”

Lan Chang shook his head, “That’s not a problem.”

Since Lan Chang insisted, Jian Mei didn’t resist and extended his hand. Lan Chang took it as if feeling his pulse, carefully sensing something. After a moment, he said, “There is still some of Xingwang’s divine power lingering within you, but it is gradually fading.”

Jian Mei felt like he understood, yet at the same time, he didn’t.

Sensing his confusion, Lan Chang suggested, “Would you mind stepping aside to talk?”

Jian Mei nodded.

They found a secluded pavilion to sit and talk. Lan Chang explained the entire situation to Jian Mei, including how Lu Xingwang had given up his chance to be cured in order to save him and how he had never stopped searching for him afterward. After hearing all this, Jian Mei was stunned. He stared at Lan Chang, trying to process the overwhelming information.

Lan Chang asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jian Mei’s breathing became increasingly uneven, his chest rising and falling as he gasped for air. His eyes reddened as he spoke in a trembling voice, “So, the reason we were separated, the reason I ended up here, all of it was connected to this sorcery?”

Lan Chang nodded.

He looked at Jian Mei and said, “I’m sorry for involving you in this.”

Jian Mei shook his head.

The thought that Lu Xingwang had been bearing so much more than he knew, the thought that if it weren’t for these unforeseen events, he might never have crossed paths with Lu Xingwang. The thought that, perhaps, if not for Xiao Cheng, Lu Xingwang—who chose to face the poison alone—might not have held on this long, pained him deeply.

“And him…” Jian Mei whispered, “What about his divine power? Have I returned it to him now?”

Lan Chang decided to explain in simpler terms, “The reason you appeared in our world is because you still have some of Xingwang’s divine power within you. Your soul and his are connected. That’s why, when your physical body went into a dormant state, you found yourself in our land.”

Jian Mei asked worriedly, “Does that affect him?”

Lan Chang smiled and said, “Because the toxins in his body weren’t fully cleansed, he hasn’t completely reclaimed all his divine power. But in the past few days, to save all of you, he had to use his abilities. Therefore, the person most affected by this, I suspect, should be you.”

Jian Mei couldn’t argue with that.

After Lu Xingwang’s incident, Jian Mei had returned to Earth.

At the same time, Jian Mei made a frightening realization. He softly asked, “So, because he’s expended so much energy, his body has unconsciously started to reclaim his divine power. Is that right?”

Lan Chang nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”

Jian Mei continued in a quiet voice, “So that means, once his divine power fully returns to his body, I won’t be able to come back here anymore, is that right?”

…

The air grew still for a moment.

After a long pause,

Lan Chang nodded, “Yes.”

Jian Mei’s heart clenched instantly, plunging him into an intense inner conflict. At the same time, he felt a sense of joy for Lu Xingwang—what originally belonged to him would finally be returned to its rightful owner.

Lan Chang said to him, “But it won’t be right away.”

“This is a very slow process,” Lan Chang continued softly. “You still have time, Jian Mei.”

Jian Mei looked up at him.

Lan Chang lowered his gaze, hiding the sadness in his eyes, and gently added, “You still have enough time to say goodbye to him.”

Jian Mei didn’t respond immediately; he was processing this information.

From a very early age, back in middle school when he was still young and naive, Jian Mei hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with the outside world. It seemed like Lu Xingwang had slowly introduced him to it, helping him integrate into society, teaching him to be brave, and showing him how to face life.

In the traces of his growth, every part of it seemed to be etched with Lu Xingwang deep in his bones. By the time Jian Mei realized it, it was already impossible to sever that connection.

“So… my time is limited, isn’t it?” Jian Mei looked up, his bright eyes showing a hint of a smile. “Does he know about this?”

Lan Chang shook his head.

Jian Mei sighed, “I see.”

Lan Chang wasn’t sure what Jian Mei was thinking, but he said, “Jian Mei, I’m telling you this because I hope you can cherish the time you have left and not leave yourself with too many regrets. You’ve already missed out on so much. Do you understand?”

Jian Mei nodded, “I understand.”

He had thought about whether he should distance himself from Lu Xingwang during their remaining time together, so that it wouldn’t be as painful when they eventually had to part. But then he reconsidered and decided he didn’t want to do that.

Since the time left was so precious, he didn’t want to waste a single moment.

After Lan Chang left, Jian Mei stood up and slowly walked to the door of Lu Xingwang’s hospital room. The guards outside recognized him and didn’t stop him, allowing him to enter.

Jian Mei pushed the door open and walked inside, approaching the bed where Lu Xingwang lay. Lu Xingwang had indeed lost a lot of weight. The stress and pressure from the pandemic and the situation with Xiao Cheng had taken a heavy toll on him. Jian Mei knew that Lu Xingwang had never been someone who took good care of himself. When he got busy, he would neglect his health, and without someone to care for him, he wouldn’t pay attention to his well-being at all.

Jian Mei sat down beside Lu Xingwang, gazing at his face for a long time, as if trying to imprint this person’s image deeply into his heart.

He reached out and covered Lu Xingwang’s cold hand with his own. His body was so cold, to an almost frightening degree. Jian Mei realized he had never really taken the time to look closely at Lu Xingwang before. Life had always seemed so rushed. But now, with the sudden gift of time, he found himself unable to look away, feeling like no amount of looking would ever be enough.

In the future…

What would he do if they could never see each other again?

Jian Mei felt a growing discomfort in his heart.

Having gone through life-and-death experiences, his perspective had changed. Previously, he thought that just being able to live a good life together would be enough. He didn’t dare hope for more. But after everything that had happened in the hospital, his thoughts had subtly shifted.

Especially now, knowing that he might not have much time left, those hidden desires in his heart began to surface.

Life doesn’t offer many chances for do-overs. He knew that if they couldn’t meet again in the future, he just wanted to spend as much time as possible with this person, to create more beautiful memories together and leave no regrets behind.

As Jian Mei looked at Lu Xingwang’s face, he noticed something unexpected: “The scars are gone.”

For some reason, the scars on Lu Xingwang’s face, caused by the poisoning, had completely disappeared. Jian Mei could now see the appearance of the Crown Prince as described in rumors.

His sharp eyebrows and eyes gave him a somewhat stern look. His eyelashes were long, and his thin lips had an appealing shape. He always appeared serious when speaking, but when his lips were closed, they were incredibly attractive, perfectly suited for kissing.

Could he… kiss him?

Once the thought took root, it grew uncontrollably.

Jian Mei, almost against his will, stood up and bent down, intending to lean closer. His breath became unsteady with nervousness as he slowly moved in. Just as his lips were about to touch Lu Xingwang’s, he suddenly froze.

Wait…

He might be infected.

That moment of hesitation made him pause, and in his distraction, he didn’t notice that the person lying on the bed had slowly opened his eyes.

Lu Xingwang’s gaze landed on Jian Mei, watching him intently. Just as Jian Mei was about to pull back and stand upright, Lu Xingwang caught his hand. With a gentle tug, the unprepared Jian Mei fell back onto him. Lu Xingwang held the back of his head, continuing the kiss that had been interrupted.

The kiss was tender and lingering.

Unlike the hurried kiss on the battlefield, this one felt like the gentle warmth of a long-awaited reunion.

At first, Jian Mei was a bit surprised and didn’t quite go along with it, but gradually, he was drawn into Lu Xingwang’s rhythm and began to respond to the kiss without realizing it.

Finally, just as Jian Mei was starting to feel short of breath, Lu Xingwang released him.

Jian Mei gasped for air and gave him a slightly reproachful look. “I almost suffocated.”

Lu Xingwang let out a low chuckle.

Some people might look pale, but when it comes to forcefully kissing others, they seem to know exactly what they’re doing.

Jian Mei grumbled, “Who kisses like that?”

Lu Xingwang spoke in a low voice, his tone slightly raspy from sleep. “Weren’t you the one who initiated it?”

Jian Mei felt wronged.

He protested, “But I didn’t actually go through with it!”

Lu Xingwang’s lips curved into a smile. “Exactly, so I helped you out.”

Jian Mei was left speechless.

He could never win an argument with the Crown Prince.

Sitting beside him, Jian Mei lowered his voice and asked softly, “Is there anywhere else you feel unwell? I heard they said you were unconscious for a long time.”

Lu Xingwang half-sat up in bed, glancing at his communication terminal. “It’s just the result of overusing my divine power. There’s no need to worry.”

Jian Mei lightly scolded, “This place is so dangerous. What would have happened if something went wrong? You really scared me.”

Lu Xingwang looked up at him, his dark eyes fixed intently on Jian Mei. He spoke softly, “Because I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

Jian Mei felt a gentle flutter in his heart.

But it made him happy.

He regarded Lu Xingwang as the most important person in his life, and he was relieved to know that Lu Xingwang felt the same way. Jian Mei didn’t fully understand the difference between affection and love, but he knew one thing—he couldn’t lose Lu Xingwang.

Jian Mei whispered, “Is it because I’m very important?”

Lu Xingwang nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Yes, extremely important.”

Jian Mei looked at Lu Xingwang and asked, “Is it because… you see me as family, and that’s why you take care of me?”

This was important to him, and he wanted to be clear.

However, Lu Xingwang’s gaze held a hint of teasing—a rare expression for the usually serious prince. He softly said, “Mei Mei.”

“Yes?” Jian Mei replied.

“What I mean to say,” Lu Xingwang’s lips curved into a slight smile, “is that no one kisses their family like that.”

These ambiguous words made Jian Mei blush, his heart heating up. If his time was indeed limited, all he wanted was to be with Lu Xingwang.

Jian Mei hesitated, his hand unconsciously gripping the bedsheet, revealing his nervousness. He asked, “Then, how do you feel about me…”

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Jian Mei’s words caught in his throat, and he looked toward the door, surprised.

Outside, a doctor called, “Your Highness, we saw from the monitors that you’ve awakened. We’d like to conduct a health check.”

Jian Mei knew the doctor was just doing his job, so he quickly stood up and said to Lu Xingwang, “They’re here to examine you. I should… I should go.”

But as he was about to leave, he was suddenly pulled back.

Jian Mei gasped lightly and sat back down on the edge of the bed, looking at Lu Xingwang in surprise. In the prince’s eyes, he saw a determined intensity. It was at this moment that Jian Mei realized that perhaps Lu Xingwang’s heart wasn’t as calm as it appeared.

Lu Xingwang spoke in a low voice, “Continue.”

Jian Mei blinked. “Huh?”

Lu Xingwang’s voice was even quieter, “Continue what you were saying.”

Jian Mei pointed toward the door where the knocking was still ongoing, “But they seem… to really want to come in.”

Lu Xingwang replied that they didn’t need to worry about that.

“…”

So willful.

Jian Mei, flustered by the command to continue, felt a wave of shyness wash over him. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke, “I just wanted to know… if I’m not just a family member to you, and… you’ve kissed me… so, that means you’re…”

But the words he wanted to say wouldn’t come out.

Lu Xingwang finally responded in a deep voice, “Yes.”

Jian Mei looked up at him.

Lu Xingwang lowered his head, his demeanor very open, and said softly, “Because I love you.”

Not just “I like you,” but “I love you, Jian Mei.”

“I’m a selfish person, maybe even a bit cunning. I knew exactly what could happen if I came here myself. I could have commanded my subordinates to come instead. But even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance of losing you, I couldn’t take that risk.”

“I’m more afraid of losing you than I am of losing my own life.”

“Before this, I was always hesitating. But when faced with life and death, I couldn’t stay calm anymore. I couldn’t keep hesitating because I love you.”

Jian Mei stared at him, stunned, stammering, “Really?”

Lu Xingwang lowered his head again. Admitting his love to the one he loved wasn’t something to be ashamed of. He only regretted not saying it sooner. So he repeated it for Jian Mei to hear, “Because I love you and don’t want to lose you.”

Jian Mei felt a mix of overwhelming happiness and deep sorrow.

He gripped Lu Xingwang’s hand tightly, thinking about how their time together might be limited, and it felt like a knife was twisting in his heart. But then he thought about how they could finally be together as lovers, and his heart soared with joy.

Jian Mei’s eyes were red with emotion.

Lu Xingwang looked down at him, his rough fingers gently brushing against Jian Mei’s pale cheek. He softly asked, “Why are you crying?”

Jian Mei shook his head, tears sliding down his face. He sat up and, taking the initiative, kissed Lu Xingwang’s lips. Just then, the doctors outside, who had been waiting impatiently, finally opened the door. As they entered, they were met with a scene that made them avert their eyes. The doctors exchanged glances, and seeing the emperor’s slightly dark expression, they quickly said:

“Sorry, wrong room.”

“I just remembered I have something to do.”

“We’ll close the door for you!”

Jian Mei was startled by the intrusion, shrinking back in embarrassment and frustration. He tried to hide in Lu Xingwang’s embrace and said with a mix of shame and annoyance, “Why can the door be forced open? Now everyone saw us.”

Lu Xingwang smiled slightly. “So what if they did?”

Jian Mei was still flustered.

Lu Xingwang, however, gently patted his head and said with a warm voice, “When you become the empress, the whole nation will be watching you.”

Jian Mei’s body stiffened slightly, and he nuzzled into Lu Xingwang’s embrace, acting a bit coy as he said, “Well, it’s your reputation on the line, not mine.”

Lu Xingwang’s voice was low. “You are nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Jian Mei huffed softly, “I haven’t even agreed to be the empress yet, so don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Lu Xingwang chuckled quietly, clearly not taking this statement seriously. For the Crown Prince, once he decided to hold onto someone, he would never let go.

…

In the afternoon, Jian Mei visited Xiao Ban and Yun Shi, who had both regained consciousness.

Xiao Ban was noticeably shaken by everything that had happened and seemed a bit downcast, but his spirits lifted when he saw Jian Mei. Noticing his lack of energy, Jian Mei proactively said, “You can’t get discouraged now. The epidemic still isn’t under control, and this is when you’re needed the most. You were with the rebel forces, and you have a foundation with the people. Right now, many civilians need someone to help organize and manage them. You’re close to them, so they’re more likely to listen to you. I believe you can do it.”

Xiao Ban hesitated and said, “Even after all this, you still trust me enough to give me tasks? Do you really believe in me?”

Jian Mei replied without hesitation, “You’re my friend, of course I believe in you.”

Xiao Ban stared at Jian Mei for a moment, meeting those clear, unwavering eyes. After a while, he finally let down his guard, and tears he had been holding back began to fall as he hugged Jian Mei tightly. “I thought I was really going to die back then, but I didn’t want to drag you down, Mei Mei. I’m sorry for putting you in danger. I’m sorry for everything.”

Jian Mei gently patted his back, comforting him. “Xiao Ban, it’s not your fault. I’ve already spoken with the General. You know a lot about the rebel forces. If you cooperate with him and help deal with the rebels, revealing Xiao Cheng’s true nature to them, you’ll be able to atone for your actions. The General won’t hold anything against you.”

Xiao Ban was grateful, “I understand, Mei Mei. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to cooperate with the General and prove myself.”

Jian Mei felt a lot more at ease after hearing that.

Despite the morning’s events, which had caused many people in the hospital to look at him differently, the ongoing epidemic left little time for gossip. People only made lighthearted comments in passing, but when they entered the wards and saw the suffering patients, any thoughts of humor quickly disappeared.

Jian Mei carefully checked the patients’ conditions and then asked, “What about the patients from Golden Town?”

Ping Ping was now acting as his assistant.

Ping Ping replied, “Some of them have already been transferred over here. They’ve been taking the medicine regularly, and their condition is relatively stable, though the illness tends to fluctuate.”

Jian Mei nodded, acknowledging the information.

Since he himself had been infected, he was acutely aware of the nuances of the disease. Unsure if he would ever return to the modern world, Jian Mei finished his rounds and then asked Ping Ping, “Ping Ping, did you bring my luggage back?”

Ping Ping wasn’t sure why Jian Mei suddenly seemed a bit excited but answered honestly, “Yes, it’s in your room.”

Jian Mei responded, “Good!”

He hurried back to his room, retrieved his phone from his luggage, and quickly took photos of many patients’ clinical records, including his own. He recorded pulse readings and various other data, sending them all to his WeChat. He thought that if he was lucky, perhaps things would happen just as Lan Chang had said: because of the instability of his soul, he might return to Earth again.

If that happened, and he could get his father’s and grandfather’s help, then everything might be resolved.

As night fell and it got later, just when Jian Mei was about to go to bed, someone knocked on his door. It turned out to be the priest caring for Lu Xingwang, who said, “Mei Mei, His Majesty asked for you to come and check on him.”

Check on him?

He really could think of anything—so many doctors around, yet he still needed Jian Mei to come.

Although Jian Mei was mentally rolling his eyes, he didn’t refuse. He obediently got out of bed and said, “Okay, I’m coming.”

When he arrived at Lu Xingwang’s room, sure enough, he found the man still reviewing official documents, even from his hospital bed. Lu Xingwang looked up at him and said, “You’re here?”

Jian Mei stifled a yawn, indicating that he was a bit sleepy.

Lu Xingwang pointed to a bed not far away and said, “Go sleep there.”

“Sleep with you?” Jian Mei asked. “But you’re working. Won’t I disturb you?”

Lu Xingwang shook his head, “No, you won’t. I might have to return to the palace tomorrow, so we’ll have less time to see each other. I asked you to come so I could spend more time with you.”

Why does he always manage to say such sweet things so seriously?

Jian Mei blushed a little but nodded lightly, “Alright, but I’m really tired, so I’m going to sleep now.”

Lu Xingwang nodded, “Go ahead and sleep.”

Jian Mei thought he might have trouble falling asleep in a different bed, but to his surprise, as soon as he lay down and caught the lingering scent of Lu Xingwang on the blankets, he quickly drifted off.

He slept deeply, and when he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was the hospital ceiling.

He heard his mother’s voice nearby, laughing as she said, “Thank you for coming to visit Mei Mei. He’s still sleeping in—such a lazy child.”

Jian Mei slowly opened his eyes.

Seeing the hospital ceiling again, he felt an unexpected calmness, even more so than the previous times. Having experienced this before, he found that his ability to accept it had grown stronger. Once he understood the pattern, his mind gradually settled.

He realized that he had returned once more.

And he knew he had to make the most of the time he was awake here. He needed to research a way to control the epidemic, to find a solution before it was too late. He didn’t know when he might wake up again, and with the dissipation of divine power, there was a chance he might never return. So, he had to seize every moment and do something meaningful for Lu Xingwang during this final stretch of time.

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