The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 235 Autumn Hunting Crisis (9)

The sky was already beginning to lighten, and before she knew it, Jing Anle had fallen asleep without even realizing it.

The heavy rain from last night has stopped, replaced by warm rays of sunshine.

“Xiao Heng…”

Seeing the scene before her, Jing Anle murmured to herself that she had actually slept quite soundly last night. She turned her head and saw that she was still leaning against Xiao Heng's chest. Jing Anle blushed with embarrassment and struggled to get up, causing her thick cloak to slip off.

In other words, they slept in each other's arms last night... Thinking of this, Jing Anle's voice rose a few decibels, "Xiao Heng!"

"Hmm?" Xiao Heng's lips moved, as if he had been mocked. He struggled to open his eyes, looked at the lively woman in front of him, and smiled. "Awake?"

“We…we last night…” Jing Anle’s cheeks flushed, and she turned away halfway through her sentence, too embarrassed to continue.

"Anle." Xiao Heng said, standing up behind her. He embraced Jing Anle from behind, encircling her in his arms.

"You looked so cute when you were sleeping last night, like a little kitten."

Knowing that Xiao Heng was teasing her, Jing Anle tried to break free from him and touched his hand, but Xiao Heng covered her hand with his own. His voice was deep and gentle, "You are mine..." Xiao Heng kissed her neck, his kiss both intimate and tender.

Ke Jing Anle keenly sensed that something was wrong with Xiao Heng. His body was burning hot, and his palms were also hot. "Xiao Heng!" She turned around with difficulty and saw Xiao Heng's flushed cheeks.

Jing Anle remembered that Xiao Heng had been caught in the rain last night, and judging from his current appearance, he had probably caught a cold. She touched Xiao Heng's forehead with her hand, and it was indeed burning hot.

Xiao Heng's eyes had become hazy. Although he was ill, he was still very strong. He took Jing Anle's hand, leaned down and gently kissed the back of her hand, murmuring, "Anle..."

Jing Anle was worried that Xiao Heng was delirious from the fever, so she could only gently coax him, "I'm here..."

Jing Anle put in a lot of effort, coaxing and pulling Xiao Heng to sit down, letting him lean on her shoulder. After a while, Xiao Heng finally fell asleep.

Seeing the unfinished fruit on the ground, and then looking at the unconscious Xiao Heng, Jing Anle felt a pang of tenderness and a pang of self-reproach. He had gotten sick while trying to save her.

Seeing that the weather was fine outside, Jing Anle picked up the cloak from the ground, covered Xiao Heng with it, and then left the cave alone.

The moment Jing Anle stepped out of the cave, the intense light almost blinded her. It took her a while to adjust. The thunder and lightning of the previous night were gone. But the area was overgrown with weeds and there were no roads. Jing Anle picked up a sturdy stick by the roadside for self-defense. Suddenly, she remembered the dagger she had hidden in her boot. She instinctively reached for it, her heart pounding. "Luckily, it's still there."

Jing Anle tried hard to recall the pharmacological knowledge that Consort Lin had taught her, "Sanhancao, Zisu..." She bent over and tried to find herbs around her that could treat colds.

Fortunately, Jing Anle found some common herbs. She picked some and prepared to take them back to the cave for Xiao Heng to take.

Jing Anle carefully observed the surrounding terrain. There were mountains on both sides, and she seemed to be sandwiched between them. She could faintly hear the sound of flowing water. Jing Anle looked back every few steps, not daring to go too far. As she walked, she pushed aside the waist-high weeds. Finally, Jing Anle found a path that was almost completely buried by weeds.

Jing Anle was overjoyed; it seemed they had a chance to return to the hunting grounds soon. Jing Anle hurried back to the cave and found Xiao Heng still unconscious. He first pounded the herbs into a broth, wrapped it in leaves, and slowly fed it to Xiao Heng. Then he stayed by his side, quietly waiting for him to wake up.

"Xiao Heng, please wake up soon!" Jing Anle prayed.

After a while, Xiao Heng's body temperature gradually dropped, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

When Xiao Heng opened his eyes, he saw Jing Anle standing by his side, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He struggled to sit up and draped his cloak over Jing Anle.

"How are you feeling?" Jing Anle asked with concern.

"I feel much better, Anle. You saved me again." Xiao Heng held her hand, his eyes filled with love. "I don't know what would have happened to me without you."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and the distance between them shortened a little more.

Seeing that Xiao Heng's face was pale, Jing Anle wiped the leftover fruit from last night and handed it to Xiao Heng, saying, "Eat something first."

Looking at the fruit Jing Anle offered, Xiao Heng remained silent in thought. He grasped Jing Anle's slender wrist with one hand, his brows furrowed. "Are you injured?"

"Huh?" Jing Anle herself didn't notice, and only when she looked down did she realize that there were many thin bloodstains on her hands. They hadn't completely cut through her skin, but because Jing Anle's skin was so fair, they looked quite gruesome.

"You must have been scratched by accident in the woods just now." Jing Anle pulled her hand back and gently rolled down her sleeve to cover the wound.

"Right now, we need to find a way out quickly. I just saw a small path outside, which might be a way out."

Xiao Heng gazed into Jing Anle's clear, autumn-water-like eyes, and a surge of indescribable heartache welled up within him. As the Crown Prince of Li, he had seen countless women—some charming, some gentle, some even aloof—but most of them were there to get close to him, to please him, or to exploit him.

But Jing Anle seemed different. She was beautiful and powerful; sometimes arrogant, sometimes domineering, yet she was also intelligent, resilient, and stubborn. Xiao Heng admitted that he was indeed attracted to Jing Anle's beauty at first sight, but gradually he grew to like her personality and everything about her. He was certain he wanted her!

"What are you looking at?" Jing Anle thought Xiao Heng was still sick and hadn't recovered yet.

Xiao Heng reached out and plucked a weed from Jing Anle's hair. "Look."

Jing Anle took it, a helpless expression on her face. There was no mirror here, and she had been outside for so long, she must be in a terrible state.

Xiao Heng seemed to read her mind, and with a single breath blew the weeds away, he said out of the blue, "The cattail is as resilient as silk."

"Huh?" Jing Anle was taken aback. Before she could continue speaking, Xiao Heng pulled her up.

"It's getting late, we need to find a way out quickly."

Jing Anle looked at Xiao Heng's profile; he was resolute and handsome, and even in dire straits, she felt inexplicably at ease.