"Miss, will Young Master Wen keep sleeping like this?"
"No!" Xiao Man said decisively, though worry gnawed at her heart. "He's not such a weak person. He's someone who won't be defeated by pain. The greater the pain, the more it will awaken his inner resilience. It's just that I don't know when he'll wake up."
"Then won't Young Master Wen hate you to death?"
Xiao Man gave a wry smile. "From the moment I decided to act against Wen Moyu, I anticipated the worst possible outcome. This is not yet the worst."
"What is the worst outcome?"
"The worst outcome is that he and I become sworn enemies, and he vows to kill me to avenge his sister," Xiao Man said softly. After all, if anyone dared to harm Xiao Luo or Dugu Mingyu, she would make them wish they were dead!
Ying Xue's eyelids twitched. "Young Master Wen would kill you? No way."
"Silly girl, I'm just a friend to him, while Wen Moyu is his own sister. Now that I've ruined her reputation, it's only natural for him to hate me." Xiao Man rubbed Ying Xue's head. "However, don't worry. Your mistress has many enemies. Even with him added, it won't make much difference to me."
Ying Xue pouted. Her mistress was just putting on a brave face. She might say it didn't affect her, but she was likely feeling miserable inside.
Xiao Man, still uneasy, sneaked into the Prime Minister's mansion that night to see Wen Mohan.
Since she had been to Wen Mohan's courtyard once before, Xiao Man found it without much difficulty.
The courtyard was silent. The maids and servants dared not even walk heavily, for fear of angering the master of the house and being sold off or beaten to death.
Xiao Man was adept at concealing her presence. Even in the heavily guarded Qin King's mansion, she moved as if no one were there. Infiltrating the Prime Minister's mansion was not a difficult task for her.
Xiao Man slipped into Wen Mohan's room. The imperial physician was dozing in the outer room. Xiao Man pressed the physician's sleep acupoint and entered the inner chamber.
Wen Mohan lay on the bed, lifeless. His already fair skin had become even paler, a far cry from the graceful young man she remembered.
Xiao Man sighed and sat by the bed, taking Wen Mohan's pulse. His pulse was normal, though a little weak, which was likely due to his lack of food for the past two days. The imperial physician's diagnosis was correct: Wen Mohan had been traumatized and was unwilling to wake up.
"I told you long ago not to get too close to me, that you would only get hurt in the end. But you just wouldn't believe me." Xiao Man took out her needle bag and began to acupuncture Wen Mohan. "I don't regret what happened with Wen Moyu. When I decided to fight back, I knew we might become enemies from then on. If I had to do it again, I would still strike her without hesitation."
Wen Mohan stirred in his sleep, as if trying to wake up. Xiao Man continued to ramble, "The Wen Mohan I know isn't so easily defeated. Whether you want to avenge your sister or kill me, you need to wake up first. If you don't wake up, no matter how much resentment or unwillingness you have, you can't do anything."
Wen Mohan's fingers moved. Xiao Man's eyes flashed with surprise. Wen Mohan could hear her. "Mohan, I know you can hear me. Wen Moyu's situation was my doing, but she brought it upon herself. I gave her a chance. If she hadn't attacked me, I would have let her go. She chose to act, and I merely returned her attack in kind." Su Dan Novel Network
"I know you hate me for hurting her in such a vicious way, making her suffer the humiliation of being violated again and again, making you feel that powerlessness all over again. But this is how the world is. The weak are trampled upon, and the strong dictate life and death. If you don't want to suffer such blows again, then strive to become stronger. So strong that no one can harm you anymore."
Xiao Man finished inserting the last needle and began to withdraw them. When all the needles were out, Xiao Man leaned down and whispered into Wen Mohan's ear, "Mohan, no matter what you want to do to me, you must wake up first. If you are so cowardly that you can't even endure this blow, even I will look down on you."
After speaking, Xiao Man got up to leave, only to have her clothes grabbed. Xiao Man lowered her gaze and realized it was Wen Mohan who had grabbed her clothes.
Xiao Man felt a moment of awkwardness. She hadn't figured out how to face Wen Mohan. She immediately broke free from his grasp and was about to leave.
"Man'er."
Xiao Man froze for a moment, then rushed out without hesitation. If she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to escape once Wen Mohan got angry!
"Man'er, don't go." The sound of a heavy object falling came from behind her. Xiao Man turned to see Wen Mohan rolling on the ground. She instinctively moved to help him up, but saw Wen Mohan struggling to get up, stumbling towards her.
Xiao Man stood frozen. So Wen Mohan hated her so much that even though he was weak and couldn't stand steadily, he still rushed to take revenge. What should she do? Leave, or stay and say harsh words?
To leave or not to leave? While Xiao Man hesitated, Wen Mohan had already reached her. Xiao Man quickly raised her hand to shield her face. She couldn't get her face hurt, or her father would have a hard time explaining it!
However, the expected slap did not fall. Instead, she was pulled into a tight embrace by Wen Mohan. Xiao Man was stunned, not knowing how to react. What was Wen Mohan doing? Was he trying to lower her guard so he could attack her by surprise?
"Man'er, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Xiao Man was confused. Wen Moyu was the one who was violated, and Wen Mohan was the one who was hurt. Why was Wen Mohan apologizing to her? Shouldn't he have scolded her furiously, calling her a vixen and declaring their eternal enmity?
Warm tears rolled into Xiao Man's collar, leaving her flustered. After all, she... she had never seen a grown man cry like this. She felt a tremor of fear. He must hate her to the bone.
"Man'er, I'm sorry. It's my fault, my incompetence. I couldn't protect you, and I let you get hurt again and again. I'm sorry."
What? Xiao Man felt her mind reeling. You fell into a coma because you were stimulated by my scheme against Wen Moyu! Shouldn't you be questioning me about my cruelty, but instead, you're blaming yourself and saying you should have protected me?
Xiao Man felt her mind in a complete mess. "Mohan, calm down. I know the matter with Wen Moyu has stimulated you..."
"She brought it upon herself. It's not your fault," Wen Mohan said, hugging Xiao Man tightly, his voice choked with sobs. "I only regret that I promised not to give her a chance to hurt you, yet I let her hurt you again. Man'er, I'm sorry, I swear there won't be a next time!"