Chapter Eight: Nothing Can Truly Be Hidden

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Seeing her in that state, he furrowed his brows and glanced at the man not far behind them, likely understanding what had just transpired. He immediately ordered the sentry to capture the man who was attempting to flee. Then, he looked back at Jiang Shiyi, who was already leaning against his arm, dazed and barely conscious. Huo Yixun reached out to touch her forehead and found it burning with an alarming fever. After trying unsuccessfully to rouse her, he had no choice but to carry her back to his tent. He laid Jiang Shiyi on a folding bed and placed a damp towel on her forehead. Jiang Shiyi, groggy, opened her eyes to see Huo Yixun bending over her. She rubbed her eyelids, her vision blurry and unclear.

“Minister Huo...” she called out instinctively.

Seeing she was awake and about to leave, Huo Yixun was suddenly stopped by her delicate, boneless hand gripping his.

“Don’t go...”

Huo Yixun found himself unable to move, unwilling to look back at the owner of that hand, and whispered hoarsely, “I’ll get some cold water.”

At that moment, Jiang Shiyi felt everything spinning dizzily before her eyes. The air was warm and humid, and her fading consciousness grew hazy. Suddenly, she bit her lower lip, her fair neck arching into a graceful curve, stifling the words she was about to utter.

Huo Yixun remained silent for a moment. Soon after, he returned with a clean towel soaked in cold water, pulled the blanket over her, and, with his large hand beneath, lifted the hem of her thin clothing at her slender waist.

Weak and confused, she cooperated without resistance, raising her hands willingly. Her waist was soft and supple, her expression alluring, her eyes shimmering with a restless light, seeming to look at someone yet not really seeing. An ethereal beauty.

Huo Yixun’s gaze darkened for a few seconds before he averted his eyes without hesitation. Although her body was burning with fever, he felt sweat breaking out all over himself. The dim light flickered, a gentle breeze stirred, and occasional low groans of pain echoed softly within the tent.

“Minister Huo... I feel so awful...”

Her little finger entwined with his.

Huo Yixun raised his hand and firmly pushed her hand back under the blanket. He checked her forehead again — still scorching hot.

“I’ll go call a doctor. Lie still and don’t move.”

“No, don’t leave me... I’m scared...”

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Her voice was irresistibly seductive, like a cat waking from an afternoon nap, soft and nonchalant. Perhaps the medicine had made her clingy; the sharp-witted woman he usually knew had vanished, replaced by a fragile, helpless figure relying on him, evoking an unexplainable tenderness.

When no response came, she called again, her voice weak and gentle: “Minister Huo...”

“I’m here.”

Huo Yixun replied softly. Jiang Shiyi clung to his finger, her flushed face slowly losing its redness. After a while, when he looked down again, her complexion had returned to normal and she had fallen asleep.

He quietly withdrew his finger, ensuring she was completely safe before turning to leave. Outside the tent, his expression darkened, radiating a fierce intensity.

There was so much talk about improving public conduct everywhere, yet such rampant mischief happened right under his nose. Thinking of the woman inside the tent, dressed only in lightweight clothes and sleeping soundly, a sharp light flashed in Huo Yixun’s eyes.

Soon, he returned with some cold medicine, helping her put on a clean military training short-sleeve shirt. Pouring a cup of warm water, he gently pulled her out from beneath the blanket and fed her the medicine.

Jiang Shiyi was trembling all over from the chill, powerless to resist. Seeing her in such a state, a flicker of murderous intent flashed in Huo Yixun’s eyes. It was fortunate he had come across this incident; otherwise, the person handling her now might have been someone else entirely. This thought made his chest tighten uncomfortably.

Once he confirmed she was sound asleep, Huo Yixun left the tent. After a long night of turmoil, he was quite exhausted.

When Huo Shaoqin returned to his own tent dejectedly, he was shocked to see Huo Yixun freshly washed and perfectly composed inside. He shook his head vigorously to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. Only after noting the double occupancy arrangement in the tent did he dare to confirm he hadn’t made a mistake.

What was going on with this living demon again?

Ahhh! Impossible to live!

Just as he was about to lose his mind, Huo Yixun shot him a cold glance: “You’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”

Huo Shaoqin was speechless: “You really are my brother — you have a bed but refuse to sleep in it, insisting on taking mine!”

In anger, Huo Shaoqin grumbled but eventually resigned himself to sleeping on the floor.

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As time passed, the morning sun rose slowly, its golden light filtering through the curtains and falling upon Jiang Shiyi’s face. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, squinting slightly to ward off the piercing sunlight.

Suddenly, she remembered something and sat up abruptly. Seeing her surroundings, she relaxed and a smile involuntarily curved her lips as memories of the previous night flashed through her mind.

The night before, she had escaped with all her might.

Before she could ponder further, the tall, stern man entered carrying a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns.

He glanced at Jiang Shiyi and said, “Breakfast.”

Jiang Shiyi pouted; she was fastidious and refused to eat before washing up. Yet, understanding the situation, she braced herself and faced the meal.

She stepped down from the folding bed, her slender, fair legs tracing the curves of her waist and hips beneath the short sleeves, the contours graceful and enticing. Her pale face bore a delicate flush of vulnerability and allure.

Even someone as aloof as Huo Yixun couldn’t help but curl his fingers, stirred by this intoxicating sight.

Jiang Shiyi felt no discomfort in her attire; at 165 cm tall, Huo Yixun’s clothes on her resembled a short skirt—longer even than some modern mini skirts.

She sipped the porridge and then asked, “Was the man caught last night?”

Huo Yixun nodded. “There’s someone watching him for now. Once the town police arrive, they can interrogate him.”

Huo Yixun was a man who liked to follow procedures; otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited so long to speak with Chen Hongbo.

“Why didn’t you attend the social dance last night?”

“Do you know how long I waited for you last night?”

Huo Yixun narrowed his eyes, about to speak when she added, “I refused twenty-five handsome young officers who asked me to dance—all just to wait for you.”

Huo Yixun snorted coldly. “So you ended up being targeted?”

Jiang Shiyi was speechless. She glanced at him quietly. His dark eyes, illuminated by the morning light, looked especially cold and severe, like a frozen fire—an alluring austerity.

She blinked and said, “I just accidentally stumbled into trouble. Besides, I still have you...”

She smiled and leaned closer, a faint sweet fragrance brushing against his nose.

Huo Yixun took in her sly smile fully.

He was tall and upright; looking down, he saw the woman clad only in a military green short-sleeve shirt, her lower body revealing most of her pale skin. The shirt’s length was barely enough to cover, no more than a palm’s width, concealing almost nothing.