Chapter 344 - Thoughtful Interlude (2/2)

Lei Xing nodded, ”But better safe than sorry...” She said, patting his cheek like a child. She then picked up the folded piece she had dropped on the table on her arrival and handed it to him, ”This is for you. Eunuch Li handed it to me at the Imperial pharmacy, he was apparently there checking on some medication for your mother...” She dismissively informed, she did not like discussing the Empress dowager as just the mention of her usually dampened the mood.

The Emperor did not say anything and simply took the folded paper and opened it, within the folded note was another smaller folded note with two words written on it. The Emperor knit his brows and removed the second note and handed it back to Lei Xing, ”This is for your sister...”

Lei Xing blinked, taken aback as she took the folded note in her hand and read the words ”Xiao Ting” on the top. Lei Xing snorted in amus.e.m.e.nt and asked, ”Is this from that General? He's been writing to her?”

”Now and then...” The Emperor offhandedly responded.

”I see...” Lei Xing said with a slight smile. She could not imagine that uppity General An writing love notes. She was curious to know its contents, but her morality won out in the end and she placed the note on the table and turned her attention back to the Emperor. She wanted to talk more with him but she knew that now was really not the time.

The Emperor folded the note and turned back to her to find her intently watching him, again. He inwardly sighed and took her hands and repeated the words, he had been saying on repeat since last night, ”Xing er', I am truly alright... stop worrying or you'll get yourself sick.” He said with a frown.

”En.” Lei Xing simply went knitting her brows in a disgruntled pout, before wrapping her arms around his waist in a hug. She was aware that she was being a tad overbearing today but she could not be blamed. She was simply being cautious and attentive. The Emperor sighed and put an arm around her, reassuringly stroking her arm.

They quietly stayed like that for a while before Lei Xing sat up and held his shoulders and seriously said, ”You should stop worrying too. The stress lines on your forehead are unbecoming...”

The Emperor touched his forehead with a confused expression, looking even more confused when he felt no lines there, making Lei Xing snort in laughter. The Emperor slightly smiled as he narrowed his eyes at her, perplexed.

Lei Xing snorted and pat his head like a child and added, ”... Don't worry, you still look beautiful even with them~” She jokingly said, trying to brighten his mood, today had been a stressful day for all of them.

Doctor Lou had said to her that the Emperor behaved muddle-headed when she was involved. But as far as Lei Xing could tell, it was when Prince Yi was involved that he truly behaved muddle-headed and incessantly indulgent. After all, she was not gunning for his throne or his life, nor had she ever truly stepped on his toes. Not that she thought that he would not offer her the same, if not more leniency.

The point was that she did not abuse his affection for her - not anymore anyway and her past errors could not compare. Most infuriatingly was that Prince Yi did not appreciate his efforts and kindness towards him, which made it more grating for those watching. Lei Xing inwardly sighed, it was what it was.

The Emperor knew what she was doing and chuckled as he pulled her into a tight hug as he said, ”I love you...”

”I love you mo-” Lei Xing caught herself on the word and knit her brows.

Lei Xing's face colored and she awkwardly shifted a bit, before going ahead and adding, ”...more.” It was just a word. It took nothing from her and would lighten a heavy day for him so it was nothing she couldn't do. The Emperor straightened up and looked at her face with a blinding smile, causing her to avert eyes with a frown as her face reddened even more as the images from the last time they were here ”together” flashed through her mind.

Lei Xing cleared her throat and promptly changed the topic, ”Ah...have you heard from the old man recently?” She almost forgot this matter in her fretting over the Emperor.

The Emperor raised his eyebrows, ”No... Why?”

”It's nothing serious. It's just that he told me he was going back to Tung Mei because he was worried about her. You know she's been ill, so I originally thought he was going to heal her but... the head physician told me today that she's not faring well. So I was wondering if something happened to him...”

The Emperor knit his brows, it was really one thing after another today. But since Lei Xing asked, he would definitely have to look into it. So he said, ”... 'll send scouts out to try to find him. As for Miss Tung, the Imperial physicians will continue to do all they can until he makes an appearance... Although, I'm sure he's perfectly fine and has reasons for allowing her illness to continue.”

Lei Xing nodded, ”I thought so too, but I just thought to mention it just in case you hear from him. I honestly won't put it past him to have forgotten about her somewhere along the way...” She added with a little laugh which the Emperor responded with an agreeing smile.

”Anyway, I'll be leaving now. Don't work too hard~” Lei Xing said with a smile, dropping a kiss on his cheek before rising to her feet. Uncharacteristically, the Emperor simply smiled and nodded at her departure. Usually, he would be clawing at her to stay longer, this just showed how much burden this move against Prince Yi put on him.

Lei Xing inwardly sighed, this interlude was simply a break from her own nagging problems as well. She had temporarily left everything to Ming Shu and Xiao Ruo because in the irritated frame of mind she was in, she was bound to explode on someone if she did not go discuss find out about the Emperor's health from the head physician.

Now that she had confirmed with her own two eyes that he was alive and well, she had to go deal with the mess caused by a certain boisterous Princess who naturally did not take the breaking news of a certain Prince's imprisonment well.