Xingyuan paused, tugging at her hand. Huh, it wouldn't budge; he was gripping it tightly.
"Grandfather, I'm fine!" Xingyuan spoke, her voice a little hoarse.
"You must be thirsty! Drink some water quickly." Yue Tangqing wiped away his tears and quickly poured a cup of water from the table nearby, handing it to her.
Xingyuan was indeed thirsty. She immediately took the cup and drank it all in one go, then returned the cup.
"What happened to me?" Although Xingyuan knew the plot, she still didn't want to arouse suspicion.
Yue Tangqing's body trembled slightly, his eyes filled with sadness, but he still managed to force a smile.
"It's nothing, you were in a car accident on the way. The doctor said it's not serious, and you'll be discharged after a few weeks of recovery."
At this moment, Xingyuan seemed to suddenly remember and asked, "What about the others?"
Yue Tangqing's smile completely faltered, but he didn't want the child to know the truth, so he deflected, "They live in other places. You rest well, and you'll see them when you're healed."
After speaking, fearing she might see through his facade, he quickly added, "Grandfather has something to attend to, so I'll be going now. You stay here and recover."
Xingyuan nodded obediently, her sickly face showing a docile expression.
After Yue Tangqing left the ward, his face finally revealed a fragile expression. He had never imagined that he would experience the sorrow of a parent outliving their child.
Yue Tangqing instructed the woman in black, "A Zhi, take good care of His Highness! Remember, do not reveal anything else to her."
"Yes! Your subordinate understands." She was an elite dark guard trained by the kingdom to serve the monarch. Although strictly speaking, Xingyuan was her true master, for now, she had to obey the current king's orders.
This was the first time Xingyuan had transmigrated into such a frail body, feeling drowsy after only a few hours each day. She even needed help to get out of bed.
Two weeks later, Xingyuan could finally sit up in a wheelchair through her own efforts. She was eager to go out and see the world, having been cooped up in the hospital room for too long.
A Zhi followed her closely. As soon as she reached the hospital lobby, her attention was drawn to something playing on a large screen.
"It is reported that some time ago, the direct heir to our royal family was involved in a car accident, resulting in two deaths on the spot and one person's condition currently unknown. What will be the future of our nation? We urge everyone to pay further attention..."
Before Xingyuan could finish watching, A Zhi anxiously found someone to turn off the screen.
"A Zhi, is what they said in there true?" Xingyuan looked at A Zhi with teary eyes. Even though she already knew, for some reason, her heart was filled with extreme pain at this moment, and she even felt a surge of restless emotions within her.
Xingyuan suddenly threw a tantrum, smashing everything she could see to the ground, even fiercely pounding her own numb legs with her fists.
A Zhi, startled, quickly regained her composure and rushed to stop Xingyuan, whose legs had already started bleeding.
"Your Highness, whether it's true or not, your health is the most important thing right now." A Zhi tightly gripped Xingyuan's hands, preventing her from harming herself further.
Xingyuan continued to struggle frantically. It wasn't until a doctor administered a sedative that she finally calmed down.
"Doctor, how is she?" A Zhi asked anxiously, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead as she watched the doctor emerge from the operating room.
The doctor pulled off his mask and said politely, "Fortunately, it was just a superficial wound that reopened, no bones were injured. Cooperate well with the hospital's treatment, and Her Highness the Princess's legs can still recover. However, why did Her Highness suddenly act like this this time?"
"It's all my fault!" A Zhi said with great remorse. "I didn't expect the news about the Crown Prince to be broadcasted in the lobby. Her Highness was stimulated, and then..."
The doctor's expression turned serious. "How is that possible? The hospital had already given instructions. How dare they act on their own accord?"
"Could it be... No, His Highness's safety is paramount. This matter must be reported to the King." A Zhi seemed to recall something and suddenly rushed off to contact Yue Tangqing.
When Xingyuan opened her eyes again, she was lying in bed.
"A Yuan, are you alright?" Yue Tangqing rushed over anxiously.
"Grandfather, why did you lie to me?" Xingyuan's voice was cold, her demeanor one of utter heartbreak.
"Grandfather wanted to... tell you after you recovered. I didn't expect someone with ill intentions to exploit it and harm you." Yue Tangqing was filled with guilt. Now that A Yuan was his only remaining family, he had to protect her.
Xingyuan lowered her eyebrows, hiding the expression in her eyes, and said innocently and vulnerably, "I want to go home!"
"This..." Yue Tangqing hesitated, but looking at Xingyuan's hopeful gaze, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. "Alright, let's go home! Grandfather will hire the best doctors for you, and we'll definitely cure your illness."
Xingyuan was discharged from the hospital. Yue Tangqing invited the best doctors in the entire Yue Ling Kingdom to treat her. Her injuries healed quickly, but with that, Yue Tangqing also began to notice some discrepancies.
For example, Xingyuan, who used to be able to stay quiet by herself, was now restless and prone to impulsive anger.
Many people who had previously sought to work by the future Crown Prince's side now avoided him.
When Xingyuan had an episode, she would destroy everything in sight, whether it was people or objects. She developed a fondness for the beauty of destruction.
Yue Tangqing was deeply worried upon hearing his subordinates' reports. However, every time he visited Xingyuan, she would appear normal. After some thought, Yue Tangqing secretly invited a highly respected psychologist.
"Your Highness, how are you feeling today?" the middle-aged man asked gently, pushing his glasses up his nose with a scholarly smile.
"I think I would feel much better if you disappeared from my sight," Xingyuan said blankly, looking at the doctor, who was not the first one she had seen, completely unwilling to engage.
"Your Highness is joking," the middle-aged man's expression stiffened for a moment before he continued.
"Heh!" Xingyuan sneered impatiently. "Hurry up and ask whatever questions you have."
The middle-aged man asked a few casual questions with a smile, sitting steadily, showing no intention of leaving.
Xingyuan's violent impulses resurfaced. She casually grabbed everything within reach and hurled it at the man.
"Get out!" Xingyuan angrily ordered him to leave.
If she could stand up now, she would have shown him why the flowers were so red.
Because Xingyuan's emotions had been unstable lately, everything in her room was free of sharp edges. Therefore, the middle-aged man did not suffer any significant harm, but his face showed an expression of having everything under control as he left the room.
"How was it?" Yue Tangqing asked impatiently as soon as the man emerged.
This man was a psychological expert he had specially invited, rumored to be highly accomplished in his field.
The man pushed his glasses up and said confidently, "I have found the diagnosis for Your Highness's condition."