Chapter 138: Who Do You Prefer More

Soon, the Imperial Physician arrived in a rush and urgently began taking Chu Mingheng’s pulse.

Having his pulse taken was one thing, but the pressure came from the entire room full of people watching.

Chu Mingheng’s eyes were fixed on the screen on the other side. Lan Wu was still inside washing up, but the screen blocked the view so thoroughly that not even a shadow could be seen.

However, before long, someone emerged from behind it.

It wasn’t Lan Wu.

Chu Mingheng frowned in displeasure, only to see the person bow and report, “Your Majesty, Her Ladyship asked this servant to find her hairpin.”

Chu Mingheng remained silent.

Mujin cautiously made her way toward the soft couch, found the hairpins and jewelry that had been removed and piled together, quickly gathered them up, and carried them behind the screen.

“Your Majesty has a slight fever, but the symptoms are not severe. It is likely due to catching a chill from the cold wind. A dose of medicine should suffice.” Though he said this, the Imperial Physician found it strange. The last time he took Your Majesty’s pulse, Her Ladyship also mentioned that Your Majesty had a fever, but he couldn’t detect it during the examination. Your Majesty’s health is robust—how could there be any issues?

Now, after taking the pulse, it indeed seemed like symptoms of a fever, and… Your Majesty’s liver fire also appeared somewhat excessive.

“Your Majesty should also strive to ease your emotions and avoid extreme joy or sorrow.”

After finishing his words, the Imperial Physician noticed that Your Majesty paid no heed. He quickly glanced at the personal eunuch beside Your Majesty, as if reminding him to inform Her Ladyship of this matter.

Chu Mingheng grew somewhat impatient. He stood up and walked toward the screen but paused mid-step, glancing back at the people in the room and softly uttering, “Leave.”

The Imperial Physician hastily withdrew, and Chen Kangan had no choice but to retreat as well.

Behind the screen, Lan Wu was fretting over the marks on her neck that couldn’t be concealed. Mujin suggested wrapping a silk ribbon around it, reasoning that it wouldn’t be too conspicuous in the main hall, especially since it wasn’t cold.

Just as she was about to tie the ribbon for Lan Wu, a gust of wind swept from behind, followed by a forceful push that shoved her aside.

Lan Wu looked up in shock at the newcomer.

“Your Majesty, forgive this offense.” Mujin was bewildered, unsure of what she had done wrong, but seeing Your Majesty’s reaction, she quickly knelt.

“Mujin, get up quickly—” Lan Wu reached out to help her, but halfway there, her hand was grasped.

Chu Mingheng pulled her into his embrace, sitting down in Lan Wu’s chair. He gently buried his face in the crook of Lan Wu’s neck, but his eyes coldly watched Mujin as he repeated, “Leave.”

Mujin hastily set down the items in her hands and swiftly withdrew.

Lan Wu stared blankly at this scene—her hair wasn’t even properly styled yet.

“You, why…” She hesitated, refraining from saying Chu Mingheng was too harsh. Instead, she glanced toward the outside of the screen again, realizing no one was left there, and asked him, “What did the Imperial Physician say?”

Chu Mingheng held her without speaking.

Judging from his reaction…

Lan Wu gritted her teeth, grabbed his clothes, and turned to meet his gaze. “You didn’t listen to a word the Imperial Physician said, did you?”

Chu Mingheng remained composed and still didn’t speak upon hearing this. He simply found Lan Wu’s puffed-up expression somewhat novel and let his thoughts wander for a moment until he heard Lan Wu call his name.

“Hmm?” Chu Mingheng tightened his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck and taking a deep breath.

Lan Wu struggled for a while but couldn’t break free, so she simply tilted her head back to look upward. Just as she was about to speak, the one holding her spoke first:

“Ah Wu, which version of me do you prefer more?”

Chu Mingheng’s question was nothing short of astonishing.

His tone sounded nothing out of the ordinary, yet it was precisely this casual attitude that made one’s heart flutter with unease.

As if aware that this question was difficult for Lan Wu to answer, he chuckled softly, easing her worries: “It’s fine. No matter which version of me it is, aren’t they all still me? Whichever one A’Wu likes, I’ll be happy.”

Finally, his breath brushed lightly against Lan Wu’s ear, warm kisses trailing from her neck to her cheek, like a snake without malice or venom, intimately trying to prove its own goodness.

Lan Wu was momentarily speechless at these words—how could she dare believe them?

“I… I like them both,” she said, then hurriedly remembered something more important.

“Your Majesty, how much do you remember?” She felt that Chu Mingheng seemed completely unaware of the events of this lifetime, yet he wasn’t exactly the same as the Chu Mingheng she had last seen in her previous life. “Do you remember what happened with Prince Wei during the New Year’s Eve banquet this afternoon?”

Sure enough, Chu Mingheng shook his head.

Lan Wu’s pupils suddenly contracted. Then…

“Then where is Your Majesty?” she asked, referring to the Chu Mingheng of this lifetime.

A person could change completely upon waking up. Could it be that he needed to sleep again to return?

But there was no time now to let Chu Mingheng sleep again.

As Lan Wu grew anxious, her cheek was suddenly pinched, and her lips were pressed into a pout by an external force. Facing Chu Mingheng, she clearly saw the ferocity on his face and heard him ask word by word: “Do you want him more? Do you like him more, is that it?”

Chu Mingheng was so angry his teeth itched, yet he couldn’t vent his temper on Lan Wu. So he released his grip, pursed his lips tightly, set Lan Wu down from his lap, and stood up on his own.

Lan Wu thought he was leaving, only to see him pacing back and forth in the hall, looking as if he was on the verge of madness from anger but forcing himself to hold back.

“I didn’t think that way…” Lan Wu whispered in her own defense, sitting on the chair with her hands resting on her knees. After speaking, she glanced up timidly at Chu Mingheng.

“Then you like me more?” Chu Mingheng seemed to thaw from winter to spring, anxiously leaning close to her, crouching down to ask.

Lan Wu shook her head: “You’re the same person, just… you just haven’t remembered yet.”

Once Chu Mingheng recalled the events of this lifetime, wouldn’t he be the same person?

But Chu Mingheng didn’t see it that way. He glared fiercely at Lan Wu, pinched the tip of her chin, and warned her: “If I haven’t remembered, then I can’t be considered the same person. Tell me, you like me, right!”

After saying this fiercely, he saw Lan Wu’s eyes redden and immediately loosened his grip, caught off guard with a sense of helplessness. He stammered, “I wasn’t scolding you. It’s my fault, my fault…”

He hugged Lan Wu again, gently patting her back and stroking her slender spine. His heart, suspended in mid-air, never quite settled. He whispered softly, “A’Wu, it’s been so, so long since I last saw you. Just say it, say you like me. Grant me this beautiful dream, please, A’Wu… I’ve missed you so much…”

He called this a dream—did he think this was a dream?

Lan Wu was momentarily stunned. Holding Chu Mingheng’s face, she saw the obsession and the weary emptiness in his eyes. Sighing softly, she still humored him: “I like you.”

As soon as the words left her lips, her mouth was sealed, met with a lingering, tender kiss.

At the same time, Lan Wu added in her own mind—she wasn’t a bad woman, she liked both of them, but these two were clearly the same person, so she wasn’t a bad woman.

No, no.

Since Chu Mingheng thought this was a dream, how would he know there was another “Chu Mingheng” from this lifetime?

Lan Wu bit his lip, pushing him back with a fierce momentum as she looked at him: “Are you lying to me again?”