“As expected, you really have to rely on your own efforts.”
Xie Yier pressed her throbbing forehead, her voice tinged with exhaustion.
Ailei, who had been standing by awaiting orders, heard Xie Yier’s muttering and couldn’t help but complain inwardly: You’re already a Duchess, what more effort do you need? Are you going to compete with the Empress for her throne?
“Ailei, when did you get here?” Only then did Xie Yier notice Ailei standing nearby.
“Lady, I’ve been here for an hour now. Ever since your last bathroom break, we even spoke just now.” Ailei bowed slightly, her voice calm and even.
“Is that so? Maybe my memory’s been a bit off lately. After this, go to the Academy and check on little Ai. If she’s still feeling unwell, take her to the Royal Hospital immediately.”
Xie Yier propped herself up on the desk with one hand, massaging her temples, which were throbbing from worry.
It’s not that your memory’s bad, it’s just that your whole heart is with little Aier.
Ailei grumbled inwardly—Xie Yier never used to be like this.
But out of concern, she still politely asked, “Lady, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
“I’m fine. Just a little tired.”
Xie Yier waved her hand, and in the next second, slumped over her desk.
“Lady?”
Ailei looked at Xie Yier’s limp hand, feeling like something was off.
It’s true that a sleeping person’s muscles relax, but when someone sleeps at a desk, their muscles usually tense up to support themselves. Even if they fall asleep, the relaxation is gradual.
“That’s not right… Something’s wrong!”
Fortunately, Ailei was knowledgeable. Anyone else would’ve thought Xie Yier had just dozed off.
Ailei realized Xie Yier had fallen unconscious and hurriedly called for a doctor.
After a long while, on a soft bed, sunlight poured through the window, illuminating Xie Yier’s breathtakingly beautiful face.
Ailei asked the doctor, “Doctor, how is Lady doing?”
Doctor: “She fainted due to extreme emotional depression.”
“Huh? Emotional? Depression? Caused her to faint?”
Doctor, do you even hear yourself? She recognized every word individually, but together, Ailei was baffled.
The doctor could only give a wry smile. “In all my years as a doctor, this is a first for me too. I’m curious myself.”
Ailei: ???
A big question mark hung over Ailei’s head.
Back in the classroom, Aier still felt a lingering weakness deep in her body, as if she were treading on cotton. Her thoughts drifted.
The school doctor said she’d fainted due to an allergic reaction to the Potion, but she’d only ever taken a Recovery Potion.
A Potion meant to restore her ended up making her need restoring herself—what an irony…
But more unsettling than that was the ever-present, intense gaze from her side, sticking to her like a shadow.
“Hey! Still daydreaming during class?”
As soon as class ended, Donna’s energetic, voice-actor-like tone eagerly rang out in her ear.
Like a nimble orange butterfly, Donna instantly occupied the empty seat beside Aier.
Aier: Seriously… why is she still here…
Aier turned her head slightly, her innocent turquoise eyes looking at Donna with a complex gaze, her face full of helplessness. “Miss Donna, my mental state… doesn’t really have anything to do with you, does it?”
She still remembered Donna’s little prank in the Medical Room earlier, which left her a bit annoyed.
Of course, under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have shown it. But thinking of Xie Yier, Aier resolved to act cool for once.
Aier: aloof.jpg
“Hmph! How can it not matter?” Donna put her hands on her hips, her orange-gold eyes sparkling. “It’s almost lunch! Come with me to the cafeteria!”
Aier pursed her lips, wondering why, even after she’d clearly shown her refusal, Donna didn’t seem to notice at all.
Aier took a deep breath and replied in a calm yet firm tone, “Sorry, I have no obligation to do that.”
“Then what will it take for you to come with me?” Donna wouldn’t give up, even adding a bit of childish stubbornness. “I’ll pay double this time! How about 20 silver coins?”
“No need.” Aier shook her head lightly. “If Miss Donna wants company, you should ask someone else.”
Donna was a bit annoyed by this soft but firm rejection. She looked around, made sure no one was watching, then suddenly leaned in close to Aier.
She lowered her voice, a sly and triumphant smile appearing on her face. “Hey! I know one of your secrets! Once you hear it, you’ll definitely agree to come with me!”
Aier’s heart skipped a beat, a flash of panic in her turquoise eyes.
Speaking of her secrets, aside from being kept by Xie Yier, what else could there be…
No, wait, there’s no way Donna could know about that.
Aier felt her breath grow cold, silently telling herself it couldn’t be that, there was no need to panic.
She tried her best to maintain a calm expression, but her voice was already trembling unconsciously. “W-what secret?”
“You…” Donna deliberately drew out her words, her orange-gold eyes fixed on Aier’s changing expression. “You’re being ‘kept’ by Duke Sheiyl, aren’t you?”
When she said “kept,” Donna leaned in close to Aier’s ear and put special emphasis on the word.
“Eh?”
Aier’s face instantly paled, her pupils shaking.
Even though she tried her best to control herself, the shock and embarrassment that flashed in her eyes were still caught by Donna.
The aloof act she’d put up a moment ago collapsed instantly, replaced by fear and unease.
“How… did you know?” Aier’s voice dropped, her face alternating between red and white, but she couldn’t refute the claim.
“That’s not your concern!” Donna, seeing her tactic worked, immediately puffed up like she’d won a great victory.
“So, are you coming with me to eat now or not?” she said, instinctively reaching to grab Aier’s arm to pull her up.
However, she clearly overestimated Aier’s current physical state and underestimated her own excitement.
Aier was already feeling faint, and with Donna’s sudden tug, she lost her balance in an instant, letting out a startled cry as she toppled forward uncontrollably!
Aier reflexively shut her eyes, bracing herself for pain.
Thud—there was a sound, not too loud or too soft, that drew the attention of everyone in the class.
Quite a few people turned to look, and when they saw the two of them had fallen, someone kindly asked, “Hey, are you two alright…”
But in the next second, as they realized what they were seeing, the classmates’ faces all turned a little red.
Especially the girls, who widened their eyes, blushing and covering their mouths in shock.
At that moment, Aier still had her eyes tightly shut.
But after a few seconds, the pain she expected never came.
Her cheek had landed on something warm and soft, with a faint, sweet fruity scent lingering at the tip of her nose.
But the size… was about the same as her own… and kind of firm.
Aier instantly realized what she’d landed on, and a wave of intense embarrassment and shame surged through her!
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