After Marrying the Disabled Prince (BG) - Chapter 9: Rascal

Bao Ning exerted great effort to pull Pei Yuan back onto the bed. His body was large, and he was sleeping so deeply, as if completely unconscious, heavy as an ox. Bao Ning was careful not to touch his injured leg, but it took a while.

By the time Pei Yuan was finally lying comfortably again, Bao Ning was drenched in sweat, sitting beside him, panting. After a moment of rest, she stood up to light the lamp.

The wine jar had broken, and shards of porcelain scattered everywhere. The strong scent of alcohol filled the air, making her feel nauseous.

Doesn’t this person care about his body at all?

She had been taking care of him every day, hoping he would heal quickly, and get better soon, but with this bout of drinking, her previous efforts seemed wasted.

Bao Ning was somewhat angry.

She lit the candle, the faint yellow light flickering. Bao Ning shielded the flame with her hand and checked on Pei Yuan’s condition.

He had almost fallen to the ground earlier, and she wondered if his leg had been hurt again.

The candlelight illuminated Pei Yuan’s face, and Bao Ning’s heart skipped a beat. His face was deathly pale, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. His lips, dry from drinking too much, were cracked and bleeding.

She had only been away for one day, and he had managed to make himself like this?

Bao Ning’s heart raced. She feared that something might have happened to him. She half-knelt before him, softly calling, “Fourth Prince, Fourth Prince?”

Pei Yuan did not respond. Bao Ning grew more anxious, no longer caring about anything else. She reached out to open his eyes, shouting, “Pei Yuan, wake up, don’t scare me!”

“Pain…” Pei Yuan’s eyes fluttered open, and he murmured weakly.

Bao Ning almost burst into tears. She quickly pulled her hand back. “Okay, I won’t touch you. Where does it hurt? Tell me, hmm?”

Pei Yuan’s consciousness slowly returned. He heard a buzzing sound in his ears, but couldn’t distinguish what it was. He thought it was just a hallucination, frowning in discomfort, then turned to lie on his side, curling up and falling silent.

Seeing his pitiful state, Bao Ning’s anger nearly vanished.

She placed the candle on the table, sat beside him, and wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief. She whispered, “Does your leg hurt?”

Pei Yuan pressed his lips tightly together, still refusing to speak.

Bao Ning studied his posture, furrowing her brow. She reached out to touch his abdomen, asking, “Is it your stomach that hurts?”

Because he was lying on his side, in order to make this gesture, Bao Ning had to stretch her arm around his waist, leaning over, which caused her skirt to brush against him. As she stumbled slightly, her fingers brushed against his waistline.

She hadn’t touched his skin directly, only brushed against his clothing, but Pei Yuan suddenly reacted. He jerked his eyes open, grabbed Bao Ning’s wrist, and forcefully pressed her hand down.

Bao Ning was pulled and stumbled, her cheek landing on his hipbone, the pain making her tear up immediately.

Pei Yuan sat up and, in a swift motion, grabbed her neck with his other hand, his voice harsh. “Who?”

The movement was fluid and swift. Pei Yuan thought he was under attack, using all his strength. Bao Ning’s wrist, face, and neck hurt, and she couldn’t free herself. She was like a helpless kitten pinned to the bed, coughing incessantly and unable to say a complete word.

Under the candlelight, Bao Ning saw the murderous, cold look in Pei Yuan’s eyes. He looked like a wolf.

Only then did Pei Yuan finally recognize Bao Ning’s face. Her eyes were red, her face streaked with tears, and his hand tightened around her delicate neck, feeling the soft touch of her skin.

His brain, which had been clouded with drunkenness, cleared up instantly. He quickly released his grip and pulled her up, tentatively asking, “Bao Ning?”

Bao Ning finally caught her breath, hastily wiping the tears from her face, muttering, “You really have a rotten good heart.” She got up to leave.

“Wait.” Pei Yuan instinctively reached out to grab her sleeve. A cold sweat broke out on his back, and his strength drained, causing him to fall back down.

Bao Ning stood her ground, having initially made up her mind not to care for him, but upon hearing Pei Yuan’s labored breathing, she eventually softened and returned to help him.

Pei Yuan had woken up, still drunk, and everything he had done earlier was purely instinctive. Leaning against the wall, he was still as limp as a puddle of mud.

After a few failed attempts, he slid down again. Bao Ning grew angry and scolded him softly, “Sit up, or I won’t bother with you anymore!”

Pei Yuan barely opened his eyes to glance at her, as though he understood, and with his arm bracing himself, he finally managed to sit up.

“Should’ve done this earlier. Why make me scold you?” Bao Ning muttered.

Pei Yuan coughed a few times, frowning, and let out a hiccup.

Bao Ning sighed, waving away the alcohol stench in front of her nose, and asked, “How much did you drink?”

Pei Yuan raised two fingers.

“Two jin?” Bao Ning asked.

Pei Yuan shook his head. “Two jars.”

“…” Bao Ning gaped at him. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

“Don’t scold me,” Pei Yuan mumbled, eyes still closed. “I feel terrible.”

He was much more endearing when drunk—at least now he was talking, unlike his usual cold and indifferent demeanor.

Bao Ning told herself not to argue with a drunk, took a deep breath to calm herself, and patiently asked, “Where do you feel uncomfortable? Tell me, okay?”

Her tone was soft, and Pei Yuan was quite receptive to it. He replied quietly, “My stomach hurts. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Didn’t I leave food for you?” Bao Ning replied, getting up to check the bowl that had been sent to him earlier. The lid was still on, and not a single bite had been touched.

Even her patience was tested now. Bao Ning felt a sharp pain in her chest as she glared at Pei Yuan. “If you were Ji Yun, I’d slap you right now.”

Pei Yuan said nothing, keeping his mouth shut.

Bao Ning sighed and softened, coaxing him, “Okay, okay. You behave, lie down, and I’ll make you some porridge, alright?”

Pei Yuan nodded, like a wooden doll. Bao Ning frowned, feeling resigned. She went to help him lie down. Pei Yuan obediently lay down, and she tucked him in, about to leave.

But before she could take a step, Pei Yuan suddenly reached out, grabbing her sleeve. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to cook!” Bao Ning stomped her foot, not wanting to argue with him anymore, trying to pry his fingers loose. “Let go.”

Pei Yuan refused. “I won’t.”

He lay there, neck raised, looking at her with defiance, as if saying, “What are you going to do about it?” His eyes were slightly open, revealing black, gleaming pupils.

Pei Yuan had double eyelids and narrow, slanted eyes, the corners of which tilted slightly upward. He didn’t like looking people in the eye and usually had a cold, distant expression. But now, he looked like a mischievous rogue—immature, annoying, and clingy.

Bao Ning took off her coat and stuffed it into his hand. “You wanted the sleeve, right? Here you go.” She was left in her undergarments, shivering from the cold, as she crossed her arms and walked toward the door.

Pei Yuan stared at the coat in his hand, not reacting at first. Only when Bao Ning was almost out the door did he snap back to his senses and call out, “Bao Ning.”

Bao Ning turned around, glaring at him. “If you cling to me anymore, I’ll really hit you!”

Pei Yuan said, “I want to talk to you about something.”

Bao Ning gave him a look, seeing his serious expression. “What is it?”

Pei Yuan replied, “Let’s talk about something. Don’t leave.”

Bao Ning froze. Suddenly, she realized that Pei Yuan might have gotten himself into this state today because he thought she was going to leave and wouldn’t care for him anymore, so he gave up on himself?

Pei Yuan thought she was hesitating. Pressing his thumb against his temple, he swore with three fingers up, “I promise you, if I ever yell at you again, I’ll…”

Bao Ning smiled and asked, “What will you do?”

Pei Yuan said, “I’ll stop drinking for three days.”

Bao Ning’s smile faded. She stopped looking at him and lowered her gaze, fiddling with her fingers.

Pei Yuan murmured, “Are you angry?”

Bao Ning shot back, “Shouldn’t I be angry?”

“Don’t be angry,” Pei Yuan said. “I’ll buy you a drink.”

Bao Ning replied, “Who wants to drink your disgusting alcohol?”

Pei Yuan lowered his head and sniffed himself. “It doesn’t stink. It’s jasmine-scented.”

Bao Ning was amused but quickly controlled her expression. She took two steps forward, took her coat back, and said, “I’m going to make you some porridge.”

Pei Yuan asked, “Are you still going to leave?”

“Why are you so talkative?” Bao Ning was helpless. “I never planned on leaving. I went out during the day to buy something.”

Pei Yuan said, “Oh,” and then fell silent. He pulled the blanket over his head, leaving just his eyes exposed. He quickly became drowsy, eyelids flickering before he fell asleep again.

Bao Ning chuckled, tightened her collar, and stepped out of the room.