The girl's gaze was cold, clear yet imbued with a chilling aura.
It felt like being frozen in a world of ice and snow, her entire body immobilized.
Zhou Shiyin couldn't help but step back a few paces. For some reason, she felt a primal fear of this girl, a dread rising from the depths of her heart.
Despite her youthful appearance, her every move exuded a powerful presence.
"Miss Feng... Miss Feng..." Zhou Shiyin forced herself to call out.
Xue Zining withdrew her gaze, her tone icy, "I am the wife of the eldest young master. Miss Zhou, what do you think you should call me?"
Zhou Shiyin trembled, though unwilling, she curtsied, "Greetings, Eldest Young Madam."
Seeing that Zhou Shiyin did not leave, Xue Zining looked up and regarded her seriously, "Miss Zhou, is there something you need?"
This Feng Ning was so distant towards her. Zhou Shiyin continued to press on, "The Eldest Young Madam is invited to a temple fair tomorrow and wishes for you to join."
"No," Xue Zining refused outright.
Offering favors without reason often meant ill intentions. She didn't believe she and Zhou Shiyin could comfortably go out together.
Zhou Shiyin was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected the girl to refuse so decisively.
She couldn't help but add, "That temple fair is for the Queen Mother of the West; it's very efficacious."
She saw the girl finally raise her head again and ask, "What time tomorrow?"
Zhou Shiyin, startled, quickly replied, "I will come to find the Eldest Young Madam at Si Shi."
Xue Zining hummed and said no more.
Zhou Shiyin curtsied and left with Yun Zhu.
Xue Yan, standing nearby, stepped forward and whispered, "Miss, be careful, it might be a trap."
Xue Zining looked up, her eyes clear as water, shimmering with ripples, "If I don't go, how will I know if it's a trap?"
Xue Yan twitched her lips, knowing that Her Majesty was doing this deliberately, "Your maid will protect you well tomorrow."
"You will be at the Hua residence tomorrow. I can go alone."
Xue Yan was surprised, "No, your maid must accompany and protect you."
Xue Zining patted Xue Yan's shoulder, "No need to worry. Dealing with a single Zhou Shiyin is more than enough for me."
Xue Yan opened her mouth, wanting to ask what if it was a trap.
But looking at Xue Zining's bright eyes, she couldn't bring herself to disturb her. After all, ever since she learned that the Prime Minister was gravely ill, Her Majesty hadn't shown such bright eyes in a long time.
As evening arrived, Xue Zining returned to her room and went to the bedside. Hua Yunjin's complexion was much better than the first time she saw him.
She walked to the table, cut her finger with a dagger, and let her blood drip into a bowl. She brought the bowl to the bedside.
Supporting Hua Yunjin, she placed the bowl by his lips. Perhaps sensing the scent, he began to swallow. As half a bowl of blood entered his mouth, his complexion grew better and better.
After finishing, she placed the bowl on the table and walked back to the bedside, sitting down. Looking at the still sleeping youth, she whispered, "Hua Yunjin, when will you finally wake up?"
Whether it was the half-bowl of blood causing her to lose too much blood, or her recent mental and physical fatigue, she soon fell asleep.
In the darkness, a pair of eyes gleamed with a faint, eerie red light.
The morning light fell upon the bed.
The youth on the bed opened his eyes and looked around for a while before realizing there was a not-insignificant weight on him. He slowly looked down at himself, and saw someone lying on top of him.
The girl had a delicate and beautiful face, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. In her sleep, she seemed restless, her delicate brows deeply furrowed.
The youth reached out a hand, attempting to gently touch the worry lines on her brow.
Suddenly, his gaze changed, turning a ferocious, blood-red as he glared at the girl.
Xue Zining felt an unknown danger and opened her eyes, meeting those completely red, bloodshot eyes.
She froze and leaped back. The youth's hands had plunged fiercely into the bed. If it had been a moment later, her body might have been pierced through.
"Yunjin, you don't recognize me?" she asked slowly.
Her gaze was too clear, pure and transparent. The youth's eyes became hazy.
Seeing this, she bit her index finger, walked over, and touched it to the youth's lips. Gradually, the youth's gaze shifted from blood-red to clear.
Upon seeing her, the youth trembled, "Your Majesty..."
But after saying only those two words, the youth collapsed back onto the bed, motionless.
Xue Zining walked forward and saw that the youth had fallen asleep.
The door was suddenly opened. Xue Yan walked in and saw the disarray on the bed. Blushing slightly, she cautiously asked, "Did your maid disturb you and the Prime Minister?"
"He woke up just now," Xue Zining said, word by word.
Xue Yan scratched her head and said, "If he didn't wake up, it wouldn't be in this state, would it?"
Before she finished speaking, she saw a crystalline moisture in the girl's eyes; she was startled – those were tears.
"Miss, you..."
"He woke up, and he called me Your Majesty. Xue Yan, do you know how happy I am?"
Xue Yan's gaze paused. She stepped forward and said, "The Prime Minister will get better and better from now on."
Xue Zining walked to the table, cut her finger with the dagger, and let her blood drip into it. She stopped only when the bowl was nearly full, "Xue Yan, you stay here and watch him today. If he wakes up, feed him this half-bowl of blood."
Xue Yan looked at the bowl of fresh blood and sighed softly, nodding, "Your maid understands."
Xue Zining walked out of the room. Outside the Hua mansion gates, Zhou Shiyin was impatiently looking towards the South Courtyard, which was where Hua Yunjin resided.
Just as she was beginning to think the person wouldn't come, a figure gradually appeared at the doorway.
Zhou Shiyin breathed a sigh of relief, having thought the person wouldn't come.
"Miss Zhou," Xue Zining said blandly.
Zhou Shiyin said, "Eldest Young Madam, hurry into the carriage, or we will miss the time for the incense offering."
Xue Zining got into the carriage, and Zhou Shiyin also entered.
The carriage pulled away from the Hua residence. Zhou Shiyin looked through the carriage curtain as it moved further and further away from the Hua residence, her feeling of unease gradually dissipating.
She lowered the curtain, turned around, and met a pair of icy eyes looking at her coldly, filled with absolute chill.
Zhou Shiyin shivered involuntarily, "Eld... Eldest Young Madam, why are you looking at me like that?"
Xue Zining spoke faintly, but her tone was icy, "I want to know who sent you to go to such lengths to get me to the temple fair."
Zhou Shiyin's gaze flickered, her expression turning somewhat displeased, "Eldest Young Madam, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Xue Zining heard this and uttered an "Oh," "You don't understand? It doesn't matter. We'll know everything when we arrive. It's just..."
She looked coldly at Zhou Shiyin's trembling hand and said sternly, "I have a bad temper. If you don't make me happy, I will enforce family discipline."
Zhou Shiyin was startled, "Eldest Young Madam is really joking."
As she said this, her body seemed to relax considerably.
Xue Zining felt a chill in her heart. It seemed this trip was likely perilous, as Zhou Shiyin did not seem to fear her words of threat, clearly indicating she was going to her doom.
The danger ahead was unknown.