Murong Xuan Lie’s men escorted Mei Lin back to Murong Jing He’s tent and only left after confirming that Murong Jing He had returned safely.
When Mei Lin entered the tent, she found Murong Jing He lounging lazily against soft cushions, drinking wine while watching Adai, who was kneeling beside him, play with a small, fiery red creature.
Mei Lin stood quietly by the tent’s entrance, bowing in greeting but not stepping further inside. It wasn’t until some time had passed that Murong Jing He seemed to notice her presence. He looked up and motioned her over.
Mei Lin walked over to him. Since he was half-lying down, she didn’t dare remain standing, so she knelt down beside him, just as Adai had. But before she could settle herself, Murong Jing He pulled her into his arms. He pressed his nose against her neck, sniffing, and then asked in an affectionate tone, "Where did you pick up this floral scent?" His demeanor was so casual that it was as if he had never left her alone in the deep forest. There was no trace of guilt, not even a perfunctory excuse.
Mei Lin might have been unsure how to respond to kindness, but she had no trouble handling situations like this.
"You're teasing me, my lord. Where would there be flowers in autumn? It's just the scent of mountain leaves," she replied playfully, pretending to lift her sleeve to her nose and sniff. She didn’t mention a word about what had happened that morning, nor did she express any complaints.
"Is that so? Let me smell more closely," Murong Jing He laughed, leaning in again, but this time aiming for her unusually full chest.
Mei Lin’s heart raced as she recalled the previous night’s ordeal, and the pain seemed to return. Thinking quickly, she raised her hand slightly to gently block him, making the gesture seem more like shy modesty than rejection. "My lord... I’m... I’m hungry..." she stammered.
She wasn’t lying; although she had found some random things to eat on her way back, they had done little to fill her up.
Murong Jing He paused, as if only now realizing that she hadn’t eaten all day. His mood seemed to sour, and he looked mildly displeased. Still, he said, "Go to the next tent and find Qing Yan. Have him get you something to eat and arrange a place for you to rest." His meaning was clear—she should eat and then rest, with no need to return.
Mei Lin breathed an inward sigh of relief. She quickly got up from his embrace, knelt to thank him, and then hurried out, not even bothering to maintain appearances. She really did seem starved, but only she knew that her real concern was avoiding any trouble Adai might cause, which could lead to Murong Jing He taking out his frustration on her.
She had already noticed that Murong Jing He was particularly indulgent toward Adai because of her resemblance to Luo Mei. Mei Lin had no desire to compete for his favor with Adai; all she wanted was to avoid unnecessary trouble and complete her mission safely.
As she stepped outside, she took a deep breath, looking up at the faint moon and scattered stars. She calculated the days—just ten more before she needed the next dose of the antidote. She only hoped the hunt would end before then.
* * *
Qing Yan was an attendant, appearing to be in his early twenties, with a pale, beardless face. Though he looked younger than Murong Jing He, he was actually a few years older. It was common for eunuchs to appear youthful.
Since Murong Jing He hadn’t gone to sleep yet, Qing Yan naturally didn’t dare sleep either. However, when he heard Mei Lin’s request, he frowned and raised an eyebrow. After a long while, he returned with a plate of cold roast meat.
"Eat," he said, lifting his chin and looking down at Mei Lin with disdain, his tone dripping with arrogance.
Mei Lin didn’t mind and thanked him before starting to eat.
"Don’t think that just because you’ve shared the master’s bed, you’re half a master yourself..." As she struggled to cut through the cold, tough meat with a thin knife, he continued to lecture her in a snide tone.
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