It Was A Fake Marriage, But Jiu Qian Sui Took It Seriously - Chapter 19

Shen Qingli slowly regained some consciousness. Her cheek was pressed against a warm surface, and she could hear the steady thumping of a heartbeat…

 It seemed someone was holding her.

She struggled, trying to break free from the grip of what she assumed was an enemy. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t even open her eyes.

Sensing the unease of the person in his arms, Jun Mo Ran lowered his head and whispered near her ear, “It’s alright. Just sleep for a while.”

As if recognizing his voice, the tension in her body eased instantly. Her limbs lost their strength, and she drifted back into exhaustion.

Jun Mo Ran tightened his arms around her but was careful not to hurt her. His lips pressed into a thin line, saying nothing.

Yun Sheng followed behind with cautious, hurried steps, not daring to breathe too loudly. Heaven knew how terrified he was when he found Lady Shen, covered in bl00d, hanging onto a tree branch jutting out from the cliffside.

Their master had never cared for a woman before. If she had died… then wouldn’t their master be doomed to a life of solitude? If their master didn’t take a wife, how could he, as a personal guard, even dare to think about marrying?

Before long, the two arrived at a wooden house built by the creek.

“Bring Doctor Xiao Yang,” Jun Mo Ran ordered, his voice cold and laced with fury.

Afraid of becoming collateral damage, Yun Sheng immediately dashed to the neighboring house and dragged Doctor Yang over.

After checking her pulse, Doctor Yang’s face darkened. “Your Grace, Lady Shen has multiple external injuries, but none are life-threatening. The real problem is…”

Jun Mo Ran’s expression stiffened. His voice turned even colder. “What is it? ”

Doctor Yang hesitated, glancing briefly at Yun Sheng before lowering his voice. “Lady Shen has been poisoned with a highly potent aphrodisiac… I’m afraid she will struggle for the next two hours.”

Jun Mo Ran’s gaze sharpened. Only now did he notice the unnatural flush on Shen Qing Li’s face. Her moon-white garments—clearly innerwear—clung to her fevered body. Soft murmurs escaped her lips from time to time…

Imagining what she might have endured, his eyes turned to shards of ice.

“Oh! Such a beautiful woman, how can we let her suffer? I, the prince, will reluctantly help her…” A pale, androgynously beautiful man walked in from the outside.

Hearing this, Yun Sheng quietly stepped aside, knowing he was the most likely to be caught in the crossfire.

Sure enough, before Xuan Yuan Zhe finished speaking, he was struck by an internal force and sent flying, along with a nearby vase.

Yun Sheng, barely holding on, exhaled slowly with his lips tightly closed.

“Antidote,” Jun Mo Ran’s eyes were filled with danger.

Doctor Xiao Yang, bracing himself, said, “There is no antidote.”

The girl’s low moans turned into soft hums.

Jun Mo Ran’s eyes narrowed, and the exquisite jade ring on his thumb shattered instantly.

Leaning against the doorframe, Xuan Yuan Zhe smirked. “This drug was never meant to have an antidote. It’s meant for pleasure, after all. Don’t take it out on my poor physician.”

“Halfway through my acupuncture treatment, you had someone drag me away. It looks like you’ve found a new love and forgotten the old one.” As he spoke, his eyes swept over the trembling beauty.

Jun Mo Ran’s fury erupted. “Get out—ALL of you! ”

Yun Sheng was the first to run out, ready to take a breath of freedom.

“Yun Sheng, get back in here!”

Alright.

Yun Sheng obediently stood at the threshold, knowing from experience that this position wouldn’t result in a severe fall if he were thrown out.

Jun Mo Ran, ignoring Yun Sheng’s antics, said, “Investigate!”

“The cliff above is Xiangyun Cloth Shop. Check if her maid is there. If she is, have her bring a clean set of clothes quietly.”

“Yes.” Yun Sheng accepted the order and left, making sure to shut the door tightly behind him.

Jun Mo Ran turned back, only to see the drugged woman’s robes slipping from her shoulders, revealing a light green undergarment embroidered with lotus blossoms emerging from water. Her fair skin carried a delicate flush of pink.

His breath caught. He forced himself to avert his gaze and quickly pulled a thin blanket over her, wrapping her up tightly.

“…Hot.”

Shen Qing Li felt as though she was trapped inside a burning furnace. No matter how she twisted and turned, the unbearable heat refused to dissipate.

A soft, delicate moan escaped her lips. The arms holding her trembled slightly at the sound—even she was startled awake by it.

Her voice… Why did it sound so soft, so husky?

She opened her eyes and immediately met a pair of deep, penetrating ones.

The voice she had heard in her most desperate moment wasn’t an illusion—it really was him. He had come to save her.

But… What was happening now? It seemed… He was holding her?

His features were cold and refined, distant like the moon high above. The dark silk of his robes was embroidered with wisteria vines that twined and curled, as if weaving their way into her heart.

“… Lord Jiu…”

Shen Qing Li tried to steady her trembling voice, but it still came out soft and sweet, dripping with an unnatural allure.

Her heart clenched. She bit down on her lip hard, the metallic taste of bl00d spreading across her tongue, staining her teeth a deep red.

What was happening to her?

Jun Mo Ran’s gaze darkened. He loosened the blanket that had been wrapped around her and gently grasped her chin.

“Don’t hurt yourself. You’ve been drugged. Bear with it.”

Was he… worried about her? But hadn’t he been deliberately keeping his distance?

Shen Qing Li felt her rationality slowly slipping away, her vision turning hazy. The fire inside her body burned hotter, an unbearable itch spreading from deep within. She instinctively rubbed her cheek against the hand holding her chin.

His palm was cool, the callouses rough against her delicate skin, momentarily easing the tingling sensation. But it wasn’t enough—she needed more.

Her muddled mind sought the source of relief. She reached out and grasped his wrist, tilting her head back to expose the graceful curve of her neck, hoping to feel more of that cool touch.

“Mm…”

But instead of the expected sensation, her hands were firmly restrained.

Confused, Shen Qing Li opened her eyes and looked up—only to find herself staring straight into his.

His dark, abyss-like gaze locked onto hers, pulling her in, drowning her in its depths.

She swallowed involuntarily. Her soft, cherry lips brushed against his, her tongue lightly flicking across his lips.

They were cool—soft like water. She wanted more. She gently nibbled at them, only to be met with a firm grip on her shoulders.

Jun Mo Ran abruptly stepped back, putting distance between them. His breathing was uneven, yet he forced himself to maintain control. He pulled away from the kiss with great restraint.

“Ali, you mustn’t.”

He could not take advantage of her in this state. If anything were to happen between them, it should never be under these circumstances.

A woman’s reputation was everything. Losing her innocence before marriage would bring shame and condemnation from the world—he would not allow her to suffer such judgment.

That single word—“Ali”—brought tears to her eyes.

He still remembered that she was Ali. But he was no longer her Brother Mo Ran.

Even now, in this state, he still insisted on keeping his distance.

Her mind echoed with his cold, indifferent words from that day—

“There is nothing between us.”

Of course. He had only helped her because of her father.

How could she be so shameless, allowing him to see her in such a disgraceful state?

A sliver of clarity returned to her, but her body refused to obey. The torment only worsened, her instincts pulling her toward him.

But she wasn’t that kind of woman.

Shame and fury twisted inside her. In desperation, Shen Qing Li pulled the dagger from Jun Moran’s waist and plunged it into her arm.

The sharp sound of the blade slicing through flesh echoed in the room—

Yet, there was no pain.