Wen Ningxuan gradually quieted, settling as if falling into a deep, peaceful sleep. Lin He occasionally touched his forehead with the back of her hand. Looking at Wen Ningxuan, lying there so still, his brow slightly furrowed—perhaps from the pain of his wounds—his usually refined features tinged with a delicate paleness. He remained beautiful, like an angel. In the past, Lin He would never have imagined that such a celestial being could belong to her, dedicatedly guarding her. Yet here she was, having only recently been fretful about the constraints of his family, their strict rules, and the potential lack of freedom after marriage. A man who loved her this much was a blessing she had earned over lifetimes; if she didn't cherish him, there might never be another. Thinking this, a gentle smile bloomed on Lin He’s face, and she whispered near Wen Ningxuan’s ear, "You must get well soon. When you are better, I promise you, I’ll agree to marry you right away. I won't fear any difficulty, even venturing into a dragon’s lair, if it means staying by your side."

Whether it was Lin He's words that fueled an immense surge of vitality into the person or if Wen Ningxuan's inherent constitution was simply strong, the subsequent hours of the night, though punctuated by several sudden crises, some quite perilous, were ultimately navigated safely thanks to Ling Xiang’s tireless efforts. By dawn, Wen Ningxuan’s fever had begun to subside; Ling Xiang assured them that a gradual drop was the right way for the fever to break.

By nightfall the following day, Ling Xiang examined Wen Ningxuan’s injuries again. He confirmed the fever had broken, signifying they had passed the critical stage. Once Wen Ningxuan woke, he would require slow recuperation to purge the remaining toxins from his system.

Hearing this, Lin He finally exhaled a breath she felt she’d been holding since Wen Ningxuan’s incident yesterday afternoon. Her nerves had been taut, and she hadn't slept a wink all night, staying vigilantly by his side, terrified of any unexpected turn.

Afterward, Ling Xiang changed Wen Ningxuan’s dressing and re-bandaged the wound. He then instructed Ah Xiao to watch the Young Master for a while, stating he needed to return to the adjacent room to prepare more medicine.

Ah Xiao nodded, glancing at Lin He beside him. "Miss, you have been up for a full day and night. Please return to rest. Ah Xiang and I will watch the Young Master tonight. If anything happens, I’ll send someone to notify you."

Lin He shook her head. "No need. I'm not tired. You have Ah Xiang stay here, don't go far. Zi Yu and I will watch him. You go attend to your own tasks."

Ah Xiao felt uneasy; could the Miss handle any emergency alone? As he hesitated on how to phrase his concern, Lin He pressed, "Ah Xiao, why are you still standing there? Hurry up and go. It’s fine, I’m here to watch him." At this moment, Lin He couldn't spare a thought for anything else; all she knew was that she had to guard this man and wouldn't feel at ease until he was completely safe.

Ah Xiao saw the resolute look in Lin He’s eyes, and a flicker of approval entered his gaze. He surmised that perhaps the Young Master would prefer the Miss to stay by his side, so he nodded and departed. Outside the door, he encountered Zi Yu, gave her a swift, expressionless look, and walked past.

Zi Yu shot Ah Xiao a brief glance before entering the room. Seeing Wen Ningxuan lying on the bed with Lin He sitting by his side, she said, "Miss, I heard Ah Xiang say the Young Master is out of danger now, right? It’s late; if you are staying here to look after Second Young Master tonight, you haven't eaten anything today. Let me fetch you something."

Lin He shook her head. "Don’t bother bringing anything for me. Make some food and take it to Ah Xiang and the others."

"Miss, please eat something and rest for a bit. The night is still long. You need to take care of yourself first if you are to care for Second Young Master. What if you collapse from exhaustion?" Zi Yu advised gently.

Zi Yu, who had also kept vigil throughout the night, was faring slightly better, having managed a short nap by the table, but now she was overwhelmingly tired. Seeing the dark circles under Lin He’s eyes, she said with genuine concern, "Miss, Ah Xiang confirmed the Young Master is fine, and Second Young Master won’t be waking up for a while. Go back, eat something, freshen up, and come back after you’ve slept."

"Indeed, Miss. Go back and rest. The Young Master won't wake for several hours yet. You can return after you’ve slept," Ah Xiang chimed in with his persuasion.

Lin He looked at Wen Ningxuan, still deeply unsettled. Finally, Zi Yu appealed to her, "Miss, you usually stay up late, and Second Young Master always scolds you for it. You haven't closed your eyes for an entire day and night. When the Young Master wakes and sees you like this, he will be even more heartbroken. He will blame me then! I beg you, please don't let the Second Young Master wake up and scold me."

Unable to withstand the joint pleading of Zi Yu and Ah Xiang, Lin He finally returned to her small courtyard. After washing up, she ate a sparse meal and lay down on the bed. She felt restless, unsure if she had truly slept at all. After a brief, troubled rest, she thought she heard voices in the courtyard discussing the Second Young Master’s condition. Lin He immediately sprang up, threw on her clothes. Zi Yu was just walking into the room, announcing, "Miss, Second Young Master has woken up."

Lin He didn't bother finishing dressing or tidying up, merely sweeping her hair back with her hand before rushing out to the courtyard. Entering Wen Ningxuan’s room, she confirmed he was indeed awake, lying in the bed. His complexion was still pale, but his spirit seemed relatively strong. When he saw Lin He enter, a profound tenderness filled his handsome phoenix eyes. Lin He hurried to the bedside and asked softly, "How are you? Does the wound hurt?"

Wen Ningxuan shook his head, his bright, crystalline eyes sweeping over Lin He from head to toe. Lin He understood he was ensuring she hadn’t been harmed. Lin He offered a light smile, stepped a few paces back from the bed, and turned a slow circle in front of him, saying, "See? I’m fine."

Only then did Wen Ningxuan relax. He spoke softly, "Why did you wake up so soon? You guarded me all night; you should have taken some rest yourself?"

"I just slept a little and woke up. How did you know I was here all night? You were completely asleep last night," Lin He asked casually.

"I know. I also know that He'er promised to marry me soon, no matter the difficulty, and stay with me for life." There was a trace of teasing in his eyes.

Lin He was mortified that the rascal had overheard every word. Her face instantly flushed crimson. She shot Wen Ningxuan a sharp, reproachful glance and started to rise, intending to leave, but Wen Ningxuan was faster, grasping her hand. He said nothing, just gazed intently at her with a faint smile playing on his lips. After a long moment, he finally said, "He'er must remember what she said, and I will remember it too."

Looking at Wen Ningxuan, Lin He suddenly regretted voicing those sentiments. She didn't know how to respond now. Struggling free by force risked aggravating his injury, so she sat there, blushing, for a while. Then, remembering yesterday's events, she asked, "What happened yesterday? Why would someone suddenly try to kill us? Should we send someone to investigate this matter?"

"No need. It was Yin Ruoxuan’s people." As he mentioned this, Wen Ningxuan’s voice turned chillingly cold.