Killer Queen + 18

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Watching the Crown Prince stumble toward them from across the way, Doctor Mo couldn't help the hesitation that flickered across his face. No matter how unwilling he was deep down, the man approaching him was still the Crown Prince—and clearly dragging along a very sick body.

Huangfu Haotian had already stepped up to catch the Prince, holding him up before the Prince shoved him aside roughly.

"Step aside, Fourth Brother. Even if some mistakes can never be undone, I still… I still have to walk over there myself… and say sorry… to my teacher…"

The Crown Prince slowly made his way to Doctor Mo, step by painful step.

"Teacher… it's been eight years. I've come today… to apologize."

Xiao Li had no idea what kind of story lay behind all this, but watching the powerful Crown Prince humble himself like this before a countryside physician, even she couldn't help but feel moved.

She looked up at Doctor Mo, who was clearly struggling to maintain his composure. And yet, even so, she heard him respond in a cold, hard voice:"Your Highness, I can't accept such courtesy. You've done nothing that deserves an apology from me. So please… let it go."

"Teacher…" the Crown Prince said again, about to kneel in apology. But Doctor Mo suddenly turned away, stepping aside as if he had nothing at all to do with this.

"Grandpa!" a small voice called out from inside the house.

A little head peeked out from behind the door, her bright eyes sparkling in the lantern light. "Grandpa, who's the patient outside? Why won't you let him come in?"

Xiao Li immediately recognized the little girl who ran out—it was Lan'er, Doctor Mo's granddaughter. She remembered the girl telling her name before.

Dressed in a bright red outfit, Mo Lan looked sharp and adorable. Under the soft glow of the moon and lanterns, her pretty face was already showing signs of growing into a real beauty.

"Hehe, turns out it's Uncle Haotian! Oh wow, there's even a super pretty lady with him!"

The second she saw Xiao Li, Mo Lan ran up and giggled, "Auntie, I remember you! You're the one who stayed over at Uncle Haotian's house last time, right?"

As she said that, a mischievous grin crept across her face, and her big eyes sparkled with teasing glee.

Suddenly, Xiao Li's face burned like it was on fire. She wanted to glare at the girl, but something told her now wasn't the time. She could only sigh in her heart: Wow… this kid has a scary good memory.

And of course—this was all thanks to Huangfu Haotian!

The moment she thought of him, Xiao Li shot him a death glare, more annoyed than ever.

Seeing how embarrassed she was, Mo Lan tilted her head, a little flustered herself. "Okay, okay, I won't talk about that anymore… so embarrassing…"

"Lan'er…" Xiao Li couldn't take it anymore. This cheeky little thing—if she didn't speak, no one would mistake her for a mute, that's for sure.

"Lan'er…" a hoarse voice echoed suddenly.

Startled, Xiao Li looked up to see the Crown Prince staggering toward her and the little girl. But his eyes were fixed only on Mo Lan.

"You're really… Lan'er…"

Xiao Li stared at his face under the moonlight—paler than ever. And for some reason, a strange feeling stirred in her chest. His eyes… they were looking at the girl with something far beyond simple curiosity.

Then, the Crown Prince slowly bent down on one knee, using it to prop himself up, and reached out a trembling hand to gently stroke Lan'er's little cheek.

"Lan'er… Youlan… Is it really… really you? Are you really… my Lan'er?"

The tiny Mo Lan, startled by the intensity in his eyes, backed away quickly. "Huh? Who—who are you?"

She turned and bolted behind Doctor Mo, hiding behind his legs. "Grandpa, that uncle's really scary! Is he gonna die or something?"

"Lan'er! What nonsense are you talking about?" Everyone froze at her words, and then Huangfu Haotian scolded, "What would a little girl know about life or death?"

But Xiao Li's eyes were locked on the Crown Prince, still kneeling. Suddenly, he doubled over and began coughing violently, pressing his hand to his chest.

"Cough, cough… cough…"

"Your Highness!" Xiao Li quickly dropped down beside him and tried to support him. "Are you okay?"

Huangfu Haotian rushed over as well, helping her steady him. "Brother! Are you alright? Are you feeling worse?"

The Crown Prince tried to wave them off with his left hand, still coughing hard.

"Don't worry… I'm not dying yet… cough… not yet…"

But before he could finish, Xiao Li felt his full weight collapse against her.

"Ah!" Her vision spun, and a heavy wave of metallic blood hit her nose.

"Your Highness!" she shouted instinctively.

But it was already too late. The Crown Prince fell like a collapsing mountain, dragging them both toward the ground.

"Brother!" Huangfu Haotian panicked, shoving Xiao Li aside and catching the Crown Prince in his arms. "Please—wake up!"

Even Doctor Mo, who until now had refused to look the Prince in the eye, suddenly snapped into action. "Quick, Fourth Young Master! Help me get him inside!"

After some urgent care, the Crown Prince slowly opened his eyes again.

"Sigh…" He let out a long breath, and when he looked at Doctor Mo, his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"Teacher… that girl… she really is the child Youlan gave her life to protect, isn't she?"

Doctor Mo's expression turned heavy. He finally nodded.

"Yes. Mo Lan is indeed Youlan's daughter. I was never willing to accept how she died… so I kept it a secret all these years."

Tears finally spilled down the Crown Prince's cheeks. The sobs he'd held in for so long came pouring out in waves of anguish.

Xiao Li sat by the door, holding Mo Lan close, silently watching the Crown Prince cry.

She didn't know the full story behind this heartache, but it was clear—he and Youlan were never the happy couple people might have imagined.

"Lan'er, come here," Doctor Mo finally said after a long silence.

Xiao Li gently let go of the child, patting her hand softly. "Go on. Grandpa wants to tell you something important."

Suddenly, Huangfu Haotian walked over and took Xiao Li's hand. "Come on, let's give them some space."

And for once, Xiao Li didn't resist. She let him lead her away.

Haotian's courtyard was right next to Doctor Mo's. He brought her back to the quiet place, which looked especially peaceful under the moonlight. There weren't many servants around, just the stillness of night.

Sensing something was off, Xiao Li slipped her hand from his and stood quietly, staring at the moon. But in her heart… her emotions were tangled.

No one spoke for a long time.

Finally, under the pale moonlight, Huangfu Haotian turned to her. His eyes—deep and dark—locked with hers.

"You've followed me all the way here… did you ever think you'd run into something like this?"

Xiao Li blinked in surprise, then slowly nodded.

"Did the Crown Prince… become like this because he lost the woman he loved?"

Haotian reached out again, taking her hand.

"If you don't mind… would you let me tell you a story?"

He didn't wait for her to answer. Gently, he pulled her into his arms.

She meant to struggle—but found she had no strength to move at all.

The courtyard was already set with a small table of fruit, and beside it was a large reclining chair.

Holding her waist, Haotian walked her over, then slowly laid her down with him on the chair.

Under the full moon, the only thing Xiao Li could hear was the calm, steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Mo Lan's a beautiful child, isn't she?" Haotian said softly above her.

"She looks… just like Youlan did back then."

With one arm draped over her shoulder and the other resting lightly on her waist, his sharp jaw gently brushed her hairline as he spoke in the gentlest voice she'd ever heard.

It was such a heartbreaking love story that Xiao Li forgot all about escaping his embrace.

Youlan had once been a maidservant to the Eldest Princess. Because the princess never married, she adopted Youlan as her daughter.

The princess had always been sickly, so the Emperor allowed her to move near the Imperial Hospital. That's how Youlan grew up around medicine. The head of the hospital—Doctor Mo—saw her intelligence and made her his personal apprentice.

The Crown Prince, born of the late Empress, had lost his mother early. He was close to the Eldest Princess, and naturally became childhood friends with Youlan.

As they grew older, those innocent ties turned into love.

But when the Emperor found out, he refused to let the Crown Prince marry a low-born girl. In fact, he was so furious he began the search for a proper consort for his son.

The Prince, in defiance, moved into the Princess's residence and refused to return to the palace.

At that time, the Princess was seriously ill, and Youlan was pregnant.

Worried for their future, the Princess urged the Prince to apologize to the Emperor. The Emperor agreed to forgive him but ordered him to return to the East Palace immediately.

After that, only Youlan remained in the residence. She cared for the dying Princess while trying to protect the child in her womb.

But the news of her pregnancy still got out. When the Empress found out, she told the Emperor at once.

Furious, the Emperor had the Crown Prince confined and forced abortion medicine on Youlan.

The Princess, already near death, finally passed away.

And Youlan, broken and exhausted, fell ill.

Thankfully, Doctor Mo helped her escape one night, and she disappeared from the palace forever.

A year later, the doctor told the Prince that Youlan had died.

Then he resigned and left the Imperial Hospital.

Since then, the Prince had been sick ever since—eight long years.

"....."