Chapter 15: She’s Actually Giving It…?!

After boldly blurting out that line, Lin Wuming came back to his senses—only to realize just how close he was to his junior sister.

Close enough to feel the warmth of her breath.

Close enough to catch the faint fragrance on her skin.

His lips were no more than ten centimeters away from her forehead.

The memory of that day in Senior Sister’s room suddenly resurfaced.

Lin Wuming’s expression stiffened—advancing felt wrong, retreating felt awkward.

“You… if you don’t want to be treated, I honestly don’t care.”

He muttered stiffly.

“But you’d better think carefully. What you care about most… if you don’t want to be left with lifelong regrets, you don’t have much time to waste.”

He Yingying had originally been a little annoyed.

‘How could such a thing be decided so casually?’

She was still a girl, after all.

Not to mention—a princess.

But then she felt her senior brother’s slightly panicked, uneven breathing—and suddenly, the frustration vanished.

‘Why does it seem like he’s more nervous than I am?’

‘More shy than me…?’

‘So adorable.’

A soft, mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

Now she was certain—this must be another test.

A test of her resolve.

A test of her bravery.

And even if it wasn’t a test… somehow, it didn’t seem that bad?

Still… if she agreed so easily, would he think she was too loose?

That was what worried her.

She didn’t want to leave her senior brother with any bad impression of her.

But then… how should she respond?

After a moment of hesitation, He Yingying gritted her teeth and said….

“Senior Brother’s condition is a little… well…”

“Forgive me for speaking frankly, but this is a matter of principle for a young woman.”

She turned her head away, putting on a deeply conflicted expression.

“Oh? So you’re refusing treatment, then?”

Lin Wuming managed to keep a straight face, but internally he was panicking like crazy.

If she really refused, then this was going to spiral out of control.

He Yingying said nothing, biting her lip in silence, as if struggling deeply with the decision.

Time ticked by slowly.

Cold sweat gathered on Lin Wuming’s back, despite the winter chill.

He Yingying, on the other hand, was doing mental calculations.

‘This hesitation should be enough by now, right…?’

Then—she finally let out a long sigh, her face full of sorrow and resignation.

“So be it. My royal mother… she bore me in hardship, raised me with care. Her kindness is a debt I could never repay in a thousand lives. If she’s truly in danger now, how can I sit idle? I’d be unworthy as her daughter.”

“Senior Brother… if you must take something from me… then so be it.”

Her bitter smile, her look of hopeless submission—it was like she had resigned herself completely, heart dead, dreams extinguished.

“Sh-she’s really… giving it!?”

Lin Wuming felt his scalp go numb.

His eyes involuntarily drifted toward the faint white stockings barely visible under her skirt. He swallowed hard.

If she really gave it… was he supposed to accept or refuse?

No—this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that!

Looking at his little junior sister, Lin Wuming suddenly felt like he was definitely going to hell after this life.

It was his first time hearing her speak about herself.

He had no idea she’d been carrying so much weight on her shoulders.

‘How touching…’

To save her mother, she would abandon her dignity and heal her broken body—just to stand beside her mother in the coming storm.

And he?

He had become the scumbag who struck her while she was already down.

Even if he apologized now, what use would it be?

Lin Wuming was sure—his junior sister must despise him now.

Utterly and forever.

But he didn’t know… what He Yingying was actually thinking.

She felt the subtle shift in his breathing again.

Though her expression remained full of pain, she was secretly proud of herself.

‘Hmph. Not bad. This princess’s acting is still on point! Senior Brother totally bought it!’

Looking at her mournful appearance, Lin Wuming couldn’t bear it.

Guilt and regret swelled in his heart.

But things had gone this far—no turning back now. Might as well see it through.

He let out a long sigh.

‘Well, at least this means the Primordial Chaos Technique is in the bag, right?’

Since it was all settled, Lin Wuming didn’t waste any more time.

He pulled out the herbs he had bought earlier and the medicine pot he borrowed from the shopkeeper, and began preparing the treatment.

He Yingying sat by the bed, listening to the sounds of her senior brother bustling about.

For some reason, a strange sweetness bloomed in her heart.

It was almost like… a newlywed couple, with the husband carefully tending to his pregnant wife—

‘Ahhh! What am I even thinking?!’

Blushing furiously, He Yingying covered her face.

Her cheeks were practically dripping with heat.

Thankfully, her senior brother was focused on his task and didn’t notice her strange reaction.

In less than half an hour, the medicine was ready.

“Don’t move!”

Now that he was already the villain in this story, Lin Wuming figured he might as well commit.

He walked up to his junior sister, barked a cold order, and then, without hesitation, lifted her skirt and draped it over her thighs.

He crouched down in front of her.

He Yingying was shy, but obediently sat still.

And then—Lin Wuming froze.

Beneath the skirt were the soft, smooth stockings.

He knew their texture very well by now—after all, he had carried her around for days.

But this time… he had to take them off for her?

“I… I’ll do it myself.”

He Yingying, her face flushed red, seemed to realize the same thing.

She reached under her skirt and slowly slid the stockings down to her knees.

Lin Wuming was stunned.

His mind was filled with that brief glimpse of pink and white that flashed before his eyes.

Yes—this was a cultivation world.

But for some reason, fashion was quite modern.

Girls wore proper underwear—and thankfully, there were ‘no evil safety shorts‘.

He Yingying, however, ran into trouble.

Her damaged meridians already limited her movement.

Add to that her shattered knees, and taking off her stockings wasn’t easy.

She could still do it—but only by assuming a very embarrassing position.

Blushing even deeper, she called out in a small voice…

“Senior Brother…”

This time, Lin Wuming understood.

Gently, he took hold of the stockings and carefully helped her slide them all the way off.

She rested her feet on his thigh, feeling the delicate touch of his fingers.

She covered her mouth in surprise—so gentle, so cautious.

Had she ever heard of a man so tender?

Even her royal father, though not cold to his consorts, never showed this kind of affection.

Let alone… letting someone rest their feet on his lap, helping them remove their socks so gently.

Even the romance novels loved by noble young ladies never had such a scene.

Once the stockings were removed, her pale calves and dainty toes were left bare.

Before she could feel the chill, Lin Wuming draped a warm cloth over her legs.

“Senior Brother is… way too good at this.”

He Yingying covered her face again, listening to her thundering heartbeat.

In that moment, her mind wandered somewhere ridiculous—

She was already picking baby names.