The Endless Promise

10. Night Guest

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By the time BaiLong found Luoyin's decrepit courtyard and made his way to the  dusty, rickety bed, he had a full-blown fever.

He felt hot and sore, and he weakly tossed and turned all night.

"Water..." He croaked at some point, and was relieved to find a bowl of cold water at his lips.

He drank the water and fell back into the feverish sleep, only to tense up when he felt something wet touch his forehead.

His eyes flew open at once!

The room was dark.

The servants had long abandoned this wing of the household, and Zhang Luoyin didn't even receive lamps or candles.

Luoyin stole candles from the storage, but Bailong hadn't been bothered to find them, and had fallen asleep in the dark.

But despite the darkness, there was that familiar scent.

"Xu Weiyan!" It was the middle of the night, and she was somehow in his room.

Had she already discovered who he was?!

"What are you doing here?!" He demanded while attempting to sit up, but he flopped back to the bed weakly.

In the darkness, Xu Weiyan simply reached over and placed a wrung-out wet cloth on his forehead.

"Stay still." She said. "You have a fever.

"I have my own reasons for sneaking into the Zhang residence. I knew from touching you earlier that you were ill, so I came to check on you before leaving."

"How bold of you! What if I report you to Lord Zhang?!"

"He won't believe you." She replied.

Bailong opened his mouth to reply, but clamped it shut.

She was right, and he didn't like it.

Also, he ought to be ashamed of himself!

He was the previous Medicine Deity, so how could he not have known the state of his own body?!

He puffed out hot air, suddenly feeling petty.

"Tch! Whatever your reasons, this is inappropriate! Our dear 'Erudite Swordsman' is doing such a thing! How can you enter a man's room in the middle of the night?!"

"No one will see me."

"I can see you!"

"No one will believe you."

"You-!!" He huffed in annoyance. "Even if no one sees you, shouldn't you worry about what might happen?!"

"I didn't feel the least bit threatened."

"You-!!!!" That rubbed Bailong the wrong way, like someone had forcefully yanked off one of his dragon scales! "I dare you to repeat that when I'm fully recovered!!!!!"

He forced himself upright out of sheer force of will, but Weiyan swiftly hit a few of his accupoints and he slumped back down.

"Please stay still." She instructed, as calm as ever, as she used the wet cloth to clean his face.

He tried to move, but not even a muscle would shift, and even his tongue felt heavy.

The wet cloth began wiping his neck, and then his chest.

The disrespect nearly made Luoyin spit blood, but all he could do was helplessly glare at her dark figure.

"Improper!" He forced out, squeezing his eyes shut, but Weiyan simply ignored him.