Chapter 10, The Intent of the Falling Flowers

"Ah! Take off your cloak before coming over, be careful not to let the cold chill her, it will be better that way." Shen Tu Rui, unafraid of being overly sentimental, waved his arm holding the medicine bowl to dispel the intangible cold, his caring and affectionate demeanor both earnest and exaggerated. Lan Dan glanced at him from the corner of her eye, unable to fathom why he would deliberately act this way in front of Lan Cheng, fearing that Lan Cheng might harbor resentment towards her.

She saw him in the mirror; he had changed into a casual soft robe, without a belt. As he sat down, the robe gathered in folds, yet it accentuated his broad shoulders and slim waist, showcasing his handsome figure. She remarked on her beautiful hair, and his was no less impressive, dark and abundant, styled into a full and attractive bun, adorned with a small jade hairpin that was pleasing to the eye. He seemed like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, suddenly becoming radiant and striking, as if the layer of dullness that had shrouded him was instantly lifted. It was unclear whether he had intentionally concealed himself in the past, allowing Shen Tu Cheng's charm to dominate.

Shentu Rui was once again amused by her, "Do you still dare to look down on him? The world's foremost physician, do you have any idea how much effort I expended to persuade him?"

Lan Dan remained silent; he spoke very rightly

Shentu Rui walked over, sat down behind her, and snatched the comb from her hand. Lan Dan, unwilling to yield, deliberately tightened her grip and refused to give it to him, but she could not withstand his strength and was easily overpowered.

Lan Cheng strode in with his head held high, and upon seeing this scene, he was momentarily taken aback with a displeased expression, standing by the warm stove without approaching further

Shentu Rui suddenly raised the corner of his mouth mischievously, and his brows and eyes appeared even more enchanting due to a hint of wickedness, "What are you still calling him? His Highness, the Prince of Yan, personally washed it for you."

Always ... ...

Lan Cheng's expression changed dramatically, and she stood up in anger, throwing down the words: "I am not afraid of bad luck!" She ran out, sobbing.

Friend? Lan Dan smiled self-deprecatingly. The reason she ended up in such a situation is that she could not see others clearly, yet others could see through her. A person like her should not have friends, nor should she allow anyone into a position where they could hurt her.

Shentu Rui also ignored her, and after administering the medicine to Lan Dan, he casually spoke: "On such a cold day, what brings you here?"

Lan Dan turned her words over in her heart; Shen Tu Rui was indeed a liar who could speak falsehoods more sincerely than truths! Wasn't it said that Shen Tu Cheng was suspicious of him and deliberately made him live in a shabby house to humiliate him? It turned out that he had chosen it himself!

Lan Dan shrugged her shoulders, wanting to shake him off, but he held on tightly, so she stopped moving.

Lan Dan let out a silent cold laugh, not responding. As long as she could settle the debt, she didn't even want to live anymore; why would she care if she was under his control?

Collaborating with a tiger for its skin, this phrase lingered in her mind, yet... regardless of whether it is Xiao Landan or Fu Zhu, in this lifetime, will she ever be able to receive a truly warm embrace filled with sincerity?

Lan Dan gazed at her stunning new face in the mirror, so exquisite that each time she looked, it felt almost unreal. She couldn't help but reach out to touch it, fearing it might be nothing more than a fragile mask that could fall away at any moment, reverting her back to the ordinary Dan Yang

Lan Dan borrowed some of his strength to sit up straight and said, "Go out and have someone prepare a bath for me"

She averted her gaze from the mirror, wishing neither to see him nor to see herself

"Did you think my hair looked good before?" she asked, seizing on his words and pressing him aggressively.

"Also... is also." Lan Cheng forced a smile, concealing her emotions, "When you get married, it will be easier to move then."

At the moment the death knell tolls, from the guillotine to the potter's field... She is too cold, too in need of an embrace that can offer her a moment of solace, no matter how insincere it may be

Shentu Ruilang laughed heartily as he stood up, "I will go and bring in the attendants to serve Her Highness the Princess right away"

The emperor's brother said, "Lan Cheng is watching his expression, 'He already has several palace concubines, yet you remain a solitary person.'"

In her heart, the never-ending snowstorm was momentarily obstructed; she wished to catch her breath, rest for a while, and then continue her solitary journey.

Shentu Rui finally laughed heartily, "No wonder she is my mother; a mother and child are of one heart."

Lan Dan, with a blank expression, reached out, pinched it, and swallowed it without hesitation

Is this also the masterpiece of the great physician Ge? He still dislikes me so much The medicine is so unpleasant to taste

Lan Dan turned her body away and ignored him, listening to his laughter as he walked out. ... The way she interacted with Shen Tu Rui ... was truly peculiar. Clearly, they should be enemies, yet there was also a sense of obligation; to say there was an obligation would be too far-fetched, it was merely a matter of mutual benefit. However, she could not bring herself to hate him. She was well aware of his many secrets, and she knew he had a heart as cold as a scorpion's, yet she found it impossible to speak harshly to him. As soon as she relaxed even slightly, he would become a friend she found exasperating.

Lan Dan felt a surge of anger upon hearing this. With her left hand, she swung it carelessly and unexpectedly struck his shoulder. She let out a surprised "oh" and looked at her left hand, grasping and releasing it a few times, feeling that it was more agile and powerful than before

Shentu Rui entered, and the maid did not report his arrival. Indeed, this is his home; there is no need for him to inform her of his comings and goings, as she holds no status or favor in this household.

The room fell silent. After a while, Lan Dan asked indifferently, "Is it sticky?"

Shentu Rui then removed his hand and certainly said: "A little bit."

How long does 'always' refer to

Lan Dan walked to the mirror and sat down, casually combing her hair. She has had this habit since childhood, occasionally combing her hair while it dries, which makes the process quicker and results in smoother hair

Shentu Rui feigned pain as he moved his shoulder, saying, "It hurts, but it seems to be much better. It should be a fever that has activated the meridians." He supported himself on the floor, smiled at her, and somewhat playfully said, "Give me a smile, does it look better?"

Lan Cheng raised the corner of her mouth, snorted, and sat down arrogantly. The exquisite white fox fur cloak spread out, giving her a somewhat heroic and spirited appearance. "Alright, I'll sit here to spare your precious heart from getting cold!" she said in a sarcastic tone, rolling her eyes.

Lan Dan instinctively moved the corners of her mouth, yet it was still not quite satisfactory. Suddenly coming to her senses, she found Shen Tu Rui teasing her again. Filled with both anger and annoyance, she turned around and faced away from him.

Shentu Rui had little interest in conversation, holding onto Lan Dan without letting go, gently stroking her flowing long hair, his gaze also resting on her face

Shentu Rui paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile and joked, "You are indeed quite straightforward"

The top physician? Lan Dan was not convinced, saying, "I still have facial paralysis and my limbs do not obey me! How good can the medical skills be?"

Shentu Rui laughed heartily, extending his arms to embrace her, pulling her into his embrace, "As expected of Danyang! I will tell Ge Chun what you said right away; I estimate that the next batch of Yurong Pills will be even more bitter."

Lan Cheng crossed her arms and disdainfully surveyed her surroundings. "Look at this wretched place, there are hardly any servants. Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has told you countless times to move to a more respectable residence, yet you refuse to listen! What is it? Is there a mountain of gold and silver buried here, or is your beloved lady resting here, that you are so reluctant to leave?" As she mentioned the beloved lady, she shot a sharp glance at Lan Dan.

Lan Dan felt quite disgusted; she hadn't washed her hair since she fell ill. What does it feel like to touch it?

"Marriage?" Shentu Rui then raised his eyes to look at her, and with a hint of sarcasm, retorted, "When did I ever say I wanted to get married?"

He continued to comb her hair, very gently and carefully, even tenderly lifting the ends, unwilling to let them fall to the ground. "I have always liked your hair, even in the palace, it is rare to find such beauty." He said this happily, without thinking.

After taking a shower and having a meal, the person felt much more energetic. Lan Dan slowly paced around the room, unexpectedly finding a silver lining in the misfortune; after an illness, her left hand and left foot showed significant improvement. Although she had not fully recovered, she no longer had to walk awkwardly with a limp.

The colorful lantern, like a punctured Kongming lantern, suddenly deflated, pouting in indignation, "The Empress Dowager says you have no intention of marrying right now, completely enchanted by that vixen. Whoever marries you will be unfortunate!"

Shentu Rui furrowed his brows tightly, feeling quite annoyed. He stood up without going to greet her, but instead picked up the medicine and sat down beside Lan Dan's bed. Lan Dan's bedroom was small, and with the heated floor, they had removed the bed frame and simply laid several thick mattresses on the floor to sleep on. Shentu Rui sat cross-legged beside the bedding, gently cradling Lan Dan in his arms, feeding her the medicine.

Shentu Rui smiled nonchalantly and said, "This matter should be decided by the Empress Dowager, what does she say?"

Knowing that this embrace comes from Shen Tu Rui, she still likes it very much. Knowing that he is not sincere, she still craves the sense of security that envelops her.

The maid deliberately walked heavily outside the window, moving quickly, sounding somewhat hurried, yet when announcing, she still maintained her usual elegance and composure: "Princess Chengyang has arrived"

In the ordinary city of Danyang, where only her beautiful hair stands out... It is unknown how many years have passed since anyone has embraced her like this

Since you have agreed, "Shentu Rui put down the wooden comb and took out a delicate jade bottle from his bosom, "just take this. " He poured out a small red pill, "I haven't thought of a name yet, how about calling it the Jade Beauty Pill? Its effects are similar; one pill a month can make the skin radiant and the eyes sparkling. Once the medication is stopped, within three days, the complexion will wither, the hair will turn gray, in short, one will age instantly and then die.

Having gotten used to living here, why bother moving around? What exactly do you want from me? He clearly wanted to send Lan Cheng away quickly, and Lan Cheng also knew this, feeling somewhat awkward.

Shentu Rui's hand paused for a moment, then he smiled and continued skillfully, as if he had been combing her hair for a hundred years. "Hmm," he generously admitted, "when a beautiful girl walks by, everyone naturally looks at her face; for those who are not as beautiful... they can only look at her hair, neck, hands, and so on.