An Lin wheedled at Xu Xiaolan as she brought over a bowl of medicine. “I’m too injured to drink by myself. You’ll need to feed me.”
Xu Xiaolan burst into laughter. “Alright, open wide.”
She began spooning medicine into An Lin’s mouth.
An Lin felt as if his heart were being warmed by the medicine. After experiencing that hellish battle from earlier, he had started to learn to appreciate life much more!
He finished the bowl of medicine and lay down with a blissful expression.
All of a sudden!
Excruciating pain shot through his body!
It started first in his stomach, and it soon felt as if all of his skin were being torn apart. The pain continued deep into his bones, all the way into his consciousness, as if it was going to destroy both his body and his soul…
“Ah…!” An Lin howled in agony.
“An Lin, An Lin… How do you feel?” Xu Xiaolan looked at An Lin with a sinister smile.
An Lin was dumbstruck by the sight of Xu Xiaolan’s expression.
A terrifying thought rushed into his mind.
“Xiaolan, could it be that your medicine…” An Lin’s lips trembled.
“It was me. Was the medicine delicious?” Xu Xiaolan chuckled coldly, and she raised An Lin’s chin with a slim finger to get a better look at the expression of suffering on his face.
“Why… Why would you do this? I don’t believe this!” An Lin’s heart throbbed with pain. This pain was countless times worse than the physical agony he was experiencing!
Xu Xiaolan smiled. “Why? Don’t you know why I’m doing this?”
An Lin was confused. He really didn’t know!
Xu Xiaolan didn’t wait for a reply from An Lin. Instead, she continued with a resentful expression. “The Great Empress has hugged you so intimately, why do you think I’m doing this?”
An Lin’s eyes widened in shock. “???”
“Hehehehe…” Xu Xiaolan suddenly began to laugh with a demented expression. “Heartless, disloyal men like you deserve to die!”
Massive pain spread through An Lin’s entire body, as if it were going to rip open every inch of his skin!
An Lin’s entire body spasmed, and his pain reached a peak as he began frothing at the mouth!
His eyes rolled over into the back of his head, and he took his final breath.
An Lin was dead.
Within a murky expanse of darkness.
A gentle call sounded beside his ear.
“An Lin… An Lin…”
An Lin opened his eyes and was a little dazed by the sight of some warm, flickering candlelight.
I’m not dead? Thank God that was all just a dream!
He looked around to discover a woman wearing a gentle smile meditating beside him.
The woman was elated. “You’re finally awake! Are you feeling better now?”
“Xiaolan? I… I just had a nightmare.” An Lin was still a little shaken.
“Don’t be scared, it was just a dream. I’m here for you.” Xu Xiaolan encircled her arms around An Lin’s body in a gentle, reassuring hug.
An Lin really was feeling reassured by her warm hug.
“It’s so good to have you with me.” An Lin sighed in contentment.
“You’re still injured, so you need to look after yourself.”
Xu Xiaolan patted An Lin’s gently before standing up and bringing over a bowl from the table with a radiant and enchanting smile on her face. “Come one, An Lin, it’s time to take your medicine.”
An Lin: “???”
He was struck by a sudden sense of deja vu, and he drew a sharp intake of breath as his body trembled.
He stared blankly at the bowl of medicine in Xu Xiaolan’s hands, and his mind completely descended into panic.
What was going on?
What was going on?
Was that just a dream earlier?
This was reality, right?!
A myriad of thoughts ran through An Lin’s cluttered mind.
“An Lin, what’s going on? You look a little pale,” Xu Xiaolan said with a concerned expression.
“I…” An Lin was a little fearful as he looked at Xu Xiaolan. “I… I don’t really want to drink medicine now. I just want to rest!”
Xu Xiaolan faltered slightly upon hearing this before tears welled up in her eyes. “It took me an hour to cook this medicine. At least have a little, even if it’s just for me…”
An Lin couldn’t bear to see her like this, but at the same time, he was still quite skeptical. “There isn’t anything dodgy in this medicine is there?”
Tears almost flowed down Xu Xiaolan’s face upon hearing this. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing.” An Lin was feeling quite sorry for Xu Xiaolin and quickly took the bowl from her, only to find that he was so feeble, even holding a bowl of medicine was a difficult task.
“Here, let me feed you.” Xu Xiaolan took the bowl from him in a thoughtful gesture before spoon-feeding him.
An Lin: “…”
What was this familiar scene?
“I have to clarify first that the Great Empress only hugged me because I was severely wounded from my battle with the Heavenly Time God, and she was trying to heal me!” An Lin said with an extremely earnest expression.
Xu Xiaolan cocked her head to the side. “Oh, I’m aware of that. Why are you telling me this?”
An Lin was finally reassured upon seeing Xu Xiaolan’s expression, and he began to drink the medicine she was spoon-feeding him.
An extremely warm and comfortable sensation instantly spread through his entire body.
“Xiaolan, you’re so good to me.” An Lin lay down on the bed elatedly.
“Of course I’m good to you.” Xu Xiaolan said with a warm smile, “But unfortunately, you’re not good to me…”
Deathly silence ensued.
A bad feeling welled up in An Lin’s heart.
In the next instant, excruciating pain shot through his entire body. It began in his stomach before spreading to every single inch of his body and even into his bones and consciousness.
He felt like the power of the medicine was tearing his body apart!
“Ah…!” An Lin howled in pain.
“Why? Why would you do this to me?!” he roared with confusion and rage.
“Hehehe…” Xu Xiaolan chuckled coldly and said, “Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your kiss with the Nine-Colored Divine Vermilion Bird? To think that you’re cheating on me with a bird!”
An Lin: “???”
“No, let me explain! That’s all a misunderstanding!” An Lin yelled.
“I’m not listening, I’m not listening!” Xu Xiaolan shook her head as a cruel smile appeared on her face. “Heartless, disloyal men like you deserve to be wiped off the face of this world! Die!”
Boom!
The power of the medicine completely erupted.
An Lin’s eyes rolled over, and he frothed at the mouth as he took his final breath.
Dead…
Within a vast expanse of darkness and chaos.
Another gentle voice sounded.
“An Lin… An Lin…”
An Lin almost cried upon hearing this voice.
He had thought that he was in heaven, but he was actually in f*cking hell!
Even an idiot would know what was going on now.
He really was being killed and resurrected over and over again.
Everything he was experiencing was far too realistic for it to be an illusion! He seemed to have fallen into a strange loop, which would make him wake up on this bed each time he died.
An Lin had already decided to just keep sleeping and not wake up.
“Come on, An Lin, it’s time to take your medicine.”
Xu Xiaolan continued to speak from his bedside.
“Are you not getting up? That won’t do. I’ve already made this medicine, so we can’t just waste it.”
Xu Xiaolan brought over a bowl of medicine as she spoke and forced it into his mouth regardless of whether he was awake or not…