ShuîYuê sat in her bed as she read a book; it wasn't very interesting, but it kept her mind off things; she turned a page when someone knocked on the door, and she looked up as the Crown Prince stood there nervous. "ShuîYuê, can I come in please?" He asked desperately, she nodded her head

"Are you okay now?" He asked, sitting on the bed; she nodded her head. "I am sorry for shouting at you earlier; I was only worried and lost my mind; I paid for the damages already." he apologised guilty.

"Crown Prince," she said gently, "Why have you started acting this way? You weren't like this before."

"I think I am going insane." he laughed, and she stared at him, worried.

"It's not funny," she muttered irritated.

"Alright, sorry, I apologised to that Ghost King already and to Wind Master as well," he said firmly; she looked at him, surprised. How could he apologise so easily to his enemy? "You think I can't apologise for you?" He asked calmly, "Ask Wind Master, she'll tell you everything."

"You apologised to Ghost King?" She asked carefully.

"I can do anything for you," he assured sincerely.

"I am sorry for not being able to inform any of you, but Yìfēi was sick. That's why I waited." she apologised.

"I know, she told me everything," he said holding her hand, "Also ShuîYuê don't ever scare me like this," he added softly, she looked at him, "I- I can't see you hurt or injured at all when Xiàn Fèng brought you to the Martial hall that day I was so shocked." he cupped her face.

"Your Highness," she called holding his wrists.

"I see you after so many months I thought of you every single day, I missed you a lot," he spoke parting her lips with his thumb, "I crave for you, I crave for your comforting scent, I crave for your lips." he leaned close, ShuîYuê turned her head away, he pulled back. "ShuîYuê what's wrong? I have noticed every single time I come close to you, you push me away." he asked softly.

"Your Highness I- "

"Don't you like it when I touch you?" he asked leaning close, "Doesn't your heart race like mine when I am so close to you?" he asked as their noses touched lightly.

"Your Highness I don't-"

"ShuîYuê I can't live without you, I have liked you for many years but never did anything because I thought you didn't like me or something, but I realised you were always there to support me when I needed help, you comforted me so softly it tickled." he smiled, "You took all my worries whenever I discussed them with you, you are like a drug," his eyes twinkled darkly, "And I am addicted to you." he kissed her, his hand roamed around her waist as the other one grabbed her hair, he pulled her closer, ShuîYuê pushed back at his chest, he didn't budge.

"Mmm" she couldn't breathe, her heart raced, she started feeling dizzy, she grabbed his neck as she tried to push him away, he pulled back breathless himself,
ShuîYuê's eyes closed slowly.

"I love you ShuîYuê," he breathed as her head fell on his hand holding it, "ShuîYuê!" He shouted shaking her shoulders.

The doctor sighed; she had never come across such careless people. She was new here and didn't know anyone properly other than their titles, but she was skilled and blunt; after treating the poor girl, she sat the entire group down, who always came running to her room one after another.

"Who's the one who kissed her?" She asked firmly, Zìxìn pointed his finger to the Crown Prince from the back of the group. "You are?" She asked the Crown Prince who sat looking down ashamed.

"King Jūn GuānYû," he introduced,

"Nice to meet you. I am Empress Dowager," she said sarcastically; as Zìxìn snickered, Huá glared at him, which shut him up.
"What's your relationship with her?" She asked annoyed.

"Fiancée," he answered quietly.

"Not married yet." she sighed shaking her head in disapproval.

"No, but we are getting married in two months," he informed suddenly.

"Great, then you should have waited for two more months before knocking her unconscious," she said. He had nothing to say. If anyone in Heaven found out what he did, he wouldn't be ever able to show his face. "She's sick, suffering from many things, and you can't control yourself," she spoke in a repulsed tone.

"I am sorry." he apologised.

"Look, you can be the Emperor's son or whatever, but she's my patient, and she's very weak; you are her fiancé. You should have taken care of her instead of kissing her unconscious." she scolded.

"Couldn't you tell she still needs to breathe or you forget that too?" Zìxìn asked mockingly.

"I didn't realise," GuānYû said earnestly.

"Didn't she pull at your collar or bite you to let you know?" Zìxìn asked trying to sound curious when he was enjoying this.

"I said I didn't realise!" GuānYû snapped raising his voice.

"Keep your voice down!" the doctor hissed, "Look, King, she's not well and you need to stop being horny." she put it bluntly. Zìxìn loved this woman, he needed her on his sassy argument team.

"I understand," he assured earnestly.

"You better," she advised getting up and leaving the room. Zìxìn walked her out he needed to make friends with this woman.

"Crown Prince," Yìfēi called.

"I am sorry," he said instantly.

"Please stop being so possessive; she isn't running away from you." she put forth, annoyed.

"You haven't fallen in love, Wind Master; you won't know how it feels to stay away from your lover," he argued.

"Fine, I may not understand it completely, but I know love isn't only about kissing her," she argued back.

"I said sorry for that already."

"It doesn't matter; you realise you won't be able to take her back if she continues to be sick, right?" Yìfēi spoke side side-eyeing the Ghost King.

GuānYû got up, leaving the room; Yìfēi sighed, pinching her nose. "You saw what he did right?" She asked Ghost King. "He's always like this, I don't understand why he's so possessive when she's his! He's the King, his father is the Emperor. What does he need to fear? He can get any woman he wants but he had to go like my YueYue out of the many women he could have picked," Yìfēi grumbled, "I think I should take YueYue and become a pirate with her instead, she'll rule the sea I'll rule the wind easy for us." she rambled getting up and leaving the room.

Ghost King visited ShuîYuê's room late at night. He sneaked in, walking carefully. She was asleep after taking her medicines; he sat beside her, moving away a hair strand out of her face. "You'll hate me even more," he said thinking about what he had done on Yìfēi's birthday. "I am even cheaper than this Crown prince, I drugged you and..." he was too ashamed to speak.

"I am sorry." he apologised softly. "I am sorry for hurting you so much. You are so precious, but I don't deserve someone like you," he said, holding her hand. "Don't ever forgive me for what I did because I can never forgive myself," he whispered putting the paint box he brought by her bed, leaving a sleeping ShuîYuê behind.

ShuîYuê painted happily after a long time; she was covered in paint as she mixed colours to get the desired shades; she hadn't seen the Crown Prince anywhere near her for a week. Yìfēi didn't let him even enter the building, Zìxìn happily helped her as he got to argue with this prince. Huá would watch her paint sometimes secretly; she was already sad. He didn't need to show his face to make her sadder; she pouted as she messed up the painting, holding it up high to see if it was visible; she got up and showed her drawing to the mirror before smiling. "It isn't visible from far away." she smiled happily.

She went back to painting for two hours before she felt dizzy, she got up stumbling. "I took my medicine, Why do I feel dizzy?" She wondered as she looked through her medicines. "I took my morning dose, but I am still feeling dizzy," she said worried, She didn't have any more medicines so she got up deciding to go to the doctor herself she felt much better after a week of rest, She walked up to her door as her vision went black, she fell on the cold floor.

Ghost King was coming to check on ShuîYuê; he would do so secretly every other day. He hadn't come yesterday, so he came today; her door was slightly open as he peeked in. 'Where is she?' He wondered as he scanned around the room until he saw her on the floor, he swung open the door and crouched down.

He took her pulse; it was fast; he picked her up running to the doctor, who was telling Yìfēi how to handle ShuîYuê's mood swings; both of them stared at him as he pushed open the door, ShuîYuê in his arms. "I found her on the floor," he told hurriedly; the doctor cleared up her bed as he laid her down, and she did something fast as she inserted needles in her hand. Yìfēi looked at Chéng Huá worried. "Was it Crown Prince?" He asked irritated.

"No," the doctor denied immediately. "It wasn't him; someone's been messing with her medicine. They changed the amount which was supposed to be given to her," she added. "Your Highness someone in your Manor doesn't want her alive," she said seriously.

"Who could it be?" Yìfēi asked worried.

"I don't know, it's not her fiancé for sure." the doctor said surely.

"It's your wife!" Yìfēi accused.

"Do you guys have some love triangle going on here?" The doctor asked suddenly.

Yìfēi shook her head, "You have no idea." she said as she explained everything to the doctor.

After listening to Yìfēi she simply asked Ghost King. "Do you care for her?"

"I do," he said in a heartbeat.

"What about your wife?"

"I care for her too," he answered stiffly.

"Your Highness, you can't have two people at the same time, why are you hurting this little girl if you already love your wife?"

"It's complicated."

"Do you believe your wife did this?" She asked carefully.

"She won't," he said surely.

The doctor sighed. "Leave the girl alone then, she'll get used to it," she advised feeling sad for the girl, as Ghost King left the room.

"He's lying isn't he?" Yìfēi asked suspiciously.

"He is," the doctor agreed nodding her head.

"Why is it so hard for him to understand?" Yìfēi asked tired.

"He cares a lot for her, he hates to see her with that horny King as well but it's something more he is trying to hide." she analysed.

"My best friend is getting hurt because of these stupid men," Yìfēi grumbled.

"Do something," the doctor said suddenly, "Take this little girl back with you as soon as you can."

"This place is harmful to her energy?" Yìfēi asked worried.

"It's not the place; either he'll pour his heart out, or we can conclude he loves his wife simply, and ShuîYuê was only something he was interested in who he doesn't like anymore." the doctor remarked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

ShuîYuê woke up, she had no idea what day it was or what time it was, she looked around the room it wasn't her own, she got up slowly as she looked around the room it seemed to be an infirmary, right she fainted someone must have brought her here, she left the room as she roamed the corridors trying to find her room, some maids bowed to her as she heard them whispering among themselves.

She continued to walk forward until she reached a room, it seemed to be in a similar area maybe it was her room, and deciding that it could be her room she pushed open the door slightly, the room was a study room many scrolls were neatly kept in. 'This isn't the room I am staying in. Let's go back.' she thought as she heard something breaking; she looked for the source of the noise and entered another room. "You have gone mad!" Ghost Queen screamed.

Huá had calmly listened to whatever she had to say which was, of course trying to prove it wasn't her who was messing with ShuîYuê's medicine but he knew better than anyone it was Chéng Jídù's doing, she was an overly jealous and possessive woman who feared for her position more than anything and even though he hadn't done anything she was afraid that ShuîYuê was going to steal her Ghost Queen position when she didn't even know Water Master didn't give a damn about titles.

"Look, Jídù, she isn't going to be your rival or whatever, so stop trying to kill her," he said firmly.

"I didn't do it!" She shouted in exasperation, her hands shaking with fury.

"I know better than anyone who it was." he hissed as his gaze landed on ShuîYuê, who was standing by the door of his room listening quietly; her clothes and hair were splattered with paint. Some were even on her neck. Yìfēi had wiped her as best as she could but it seemed Water Master had no idea what she looked like.

"I didn't-" Ghost Queen stopped mid-sentence as she noticed he was looking at the door, she turned her head to see Water Master standing there. "What are you doing here?" Jídù asked angrily as ShuîYuê looked at her.

"Water Master," he called getting up, "Are you okay?" He asked softly as he walked towards her.

"She's eavesdropping on our private conversation and you care if she's fine?" Ghost Queen questioned, her anger seeming to take control of her.

"Water Master," he called again, but ShuîYuê didn't respond. Chéng Jídù got up and grabbed ShuîYuê's arm dragging her out. "Jídù!" Ghost King shouted as he went after them. Jídù pushed ShuîYuê out of the room as she stumbled back. Huá followed right after her as ShuîYuê fell on the floor. She got up slowly, dusting her clothes.

"Stay away from my husband!" she threatened, he grabbed her arm and glared at her before stepping closer to ShuîYuê.

"Water Master, were you looking for your room?" He asked gently, ShuîYuê nodded her head slowly.

"What a minx! She was looking for you." Chéng Jídù accused as Ghost King looked at her with a firm gaze silently; she huffed before leaving them alone, and ShuîYuê stared at the floor blankly.

"Let's go back," he said as he walked forward. ShuîYuê followed after him quietly. Many guards and maids bowed to him as they stared at ShuîYuê who stared at the floor as she followed behind him.

"Isn't that Water Master?" a maid asked.

"It is, she looks a mess." a maid said back.

Ghost King glared at them as they scurried away, they reached her room as he opened the door, her painting had been left on the table as it was before, colours strewn on the floor as paint brushes had stiffened from drying, he picked up the colour boxes from the floor as he put them back in the drawer. "You should rest, I'll leave." he stood up. "You have got some paint on your neck," he added softly.

ShuîYuê blinked as she picked up her painting. She had no idea what she had made, and she stared at it blankly; he noticed she hadn't spoken a word all this time, not that she was talkative, but she definitely wouldn't have let his wife push her out the door like that. "Is everything okay?" He asked as he looked at her; she held up her painting to him; he looked at it and couldn't tell what it was. "It's nice," he said not knowing what to say.

"Was it your wife?" She asked looking at him for the first time in days.

He stared at her. "No." she nodded her head, before taking the painting from his hand.

"Water Master you should rest." he insisted as she picked up a new sheet of paper.

"I want to make something for you," she spoke as she washed the brushes.

"You should rest for now."

"Will you stay here for some time?" She asked as she opened her paint box.

He sighed. 'She's not well. She should be resting right now, but she won't listen to me.' he thought as he leaned against the wall. She was painting something on the paper, colours being mixed as she focused on her work. "Water Master," he called softly.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"I am making something for you."

"You can do that later."

"I don't think I'll have the heart to," she spoke shaking her head.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked miserably.

"I want to give a gift to you," she said simply.

"Why? I haven't done anything gift-worthy."

"Think whatever you like," she replied as she mixed red. He didn't ask any more questions as she painted, he didn't know how long he watched her paint but time flew by in an instant, she got up as she smiled at the painting, she walked up to him holding the painting in her hand, "This is a gift from me for you." she presented as he gently took the board from her hand.

It was him sitting on his divan with YànQīng behind him, as Zìxìn sat by talking to MíngLóng, who had a happy smile on her face; in the corner right next to him stood XiǎoÀi as she peeked from behind the curtains. "What is this?" He asked calmly.

"Your family." she looked up at him, memorising all his reactions.

"Why isn't my wife here?" He asked noticing Chéng Jídù's absence.

"I can't paint her," she said shaking her head.

"Why not?"

"I won't be able to do justice to her beauty," she answered looking away.

"You don't want to paint her or you can't paint her?"

"Both," she mumbled putting away her paint boxes.

"Water Master she did not change your medicines." he insisted firmly.

"I know." she turned around putting the brushes in their box neatly. He stared at her. "You said it wasn't her so it must be not," she added as she looked around for something.

"I'll leave." he walked to the door.

"I want to go back," she spoke as he reached the door.

"What do you mean?" He asked, confused, as he turned around.

"I want to go back to my home," she repeated as she walked up to him.

"You are not well." he pointed out.

"I am fine. It's going to be a full moon soon, and it'll heal my body," she assured as she held up an earring and a small pillow.

"This is for XiǎoÀi; she has one of my earrings; I want her to have the other too," she spoke as she gently held his hand, dropping it in. "She told me she likes soft things so I made this pillow." she smiled. "I embroidered her name on it as well; it's at the back," she said, showing it to him. "It's not very nice but I only learned embroidery in school and practised a few times before making this," she admitted sheepishly.

"I am sure she won't mind it," she added giving it to him. "It won't look nice if you take in your hands like that; I'll put them in a bag." she rambled as she walked away and came back with a bag; she put all three things in it before giving it to him, he stared at her silently all the time.

"You are not well you should rest for a few more days." he insisted.

"No, I am fine; I'll be...slowly," she assured, smiling.

"Water Master- "

"When can you arrange for us to leave?" She interrupted cutting him off. "It's going to be a new year in more than a week. I want to celebrate it at my home," she added softly.

He clenched his jaw his hand turning to fists. "Can't you wait for a few more days?" He asked stiffly.

"I want to go back," she replied, looking up at him; there was no trace of anything other than peace on her face.

"I'll send you back, but stay till you get better, at least," he responded desperately.

"I told you I am fine."

"Do you not want to stay here?" He asked upset.

"No," she answered averting her gaze.

"I'll make arrangements for you to leave," he said slamming the door shut.

Ghost King prepared for them to leave in four days. Yìfēi argued with ShuîYuê about this sudden departure but she remained resolute. GuānYû was of course very happy to leave, he visited ShuîYuê once again but the second he came more than four feet closer to her he fell back, she apologised for her moon shield mistaking him as an attacker but he simply shook his head telling her it was fine, it had been three days already, they'll be leaving tomorrow morning.

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A/N: These chs are too depressing! Damn it, man! Also GuānYû's bloody crazy these days. Forgive the cringe of these chapters, I promise they won't be so cringey.

Thanks for reading!

Bye-bye

Word count: 3600