9 Faking Her Illness

He was here….but why? Pan Yu Mei couldn't figure out why her jerk of a husband was here. This left her mind blank for a moment.She has only met him once but that was enough to tell her...he had no fondness for her. If it wasn't for Chu'mei calling her name in desperation over and over, she would not have snapped back in time. "What to do…what to do…Ju Ming…your dead for," Pan Yu Mei muttered while stomping her feet in a panic state. There was no way out of this one.

Without a second thought, she charged towards her bed, unclipped the hook on the silk curtains. The curtains slid down, covering her bed. That was the best she could do…a thin silk wall between her and Pei Nan. As long as he didn't lift up the curtains, she would be saved. Pan Yu Mei prayed he wouldn't lift the curtain. Her next move was to hide her ghostly appearance. The blanket was pulled up, all the way until it reached her nose. She moved the curtain a little bit, just enough so she could see the room.

Pan Yu Mei watched...

Chu'mei had just opened the door for Prince Nan. "What took so long?" the imperial eunuch next to Prince Nan asked Chu'mei in a very annoyed tone. "Your highness, please forgive me. I just gave my lady medicine and could not get to the door until now," Chu'mei apologized in front of Pei Nan.

"Mm…" he slightly nodded before taking a step forward. He had his hands behind his back, standing tall and aloof, worthy of his princely title. Sadly, his face was cold and unemotional.

Chu'mei could tell exactly what his intentions were; she immediately stepped in front of him and smiled awkwardly. "Your highness, my lady has just fallen asleep," she was implying that he should leave. "Is she as sick as they say?" he suddenly asked…still in that very same unmoved voice. Chu'mei has seen him with Consort Ning multiple times. He never used this rude tone with her, it was just her lady that got this horrible treatment. Chu'mei swallowed the injustice and replied to him, "Replying to your highness, it is not as serious as they say. The doctor has seen my lady; she only needs a few days' rest,"

"Mm…step out for a moment. I would like to have a word with Consort Pan," Chu'mei bit her lips nervously. He didn't even look concerned about her. In her mind, he was hear to find out whether she was playing or not. Chu'mei couldn't blame him, Pan Yu Mei always did things like this to get his attention but now...it was different. If he finds out what her lady was planning...what would happen to her lady? "Your highness, please think about my lady's health, please come back tomorrow," Pan Yu Mei was moved by how loyal Chu'mei was. Even when the atmosphere was so deadly, she was willing to protect her.

From the smallpeephole she created, she could see how annoyed Pei Nan was getting. If her little Chu'mei kept at this rate, she would get punished by him and Yu Mei would not let that happen. *kekeke* Pan Yu Mei faked a light cough. "Chu'mei, is someone here?" she asked in a gentle and soothing voice.

"Xiaojie, His highness is here to visit you,"

"Let him in, you may leave," Both Chu'mei and the royal eunuch left. Pan Yu Mei watched with her panda eyes as the wolf walked closer and closer to her. She only wanted to pretend to be a ghost to scare Consort Ning, but now...she was truly going to be a ghost.

Naturally, her body's first reaction was to cover her entire body with the blanket, only her black eyes were showing. He stopped a few inches from the bed. "I'm sorry I can't greet your highness, I am too sick to get up," *Cough* Pan Yu Mei muttered under the blanket. No response…he kept silent. This made Yu Mei even more anxious. His silence was worse than him yelling at her. She could not read his mind when he was silent. "Did you really see the doctor?"

"Do you not believe me?"

"I didn't say that, I am only asking,"

"Yes, I did. If you've gotten your answer now, you may leave. I am quite tired today," *yawn* [Please leave, leave, leave, LEAVE!] Yu Mei pleaded, wishing he would just leave her alone.

In her head, she wished that he could read her mind this once…but what was he doing? His hand reached for the thin curtains, the only thing shielding her from being caught. The sweat full of fear on her forehead began to drip harder and harder. *Curtain lifts* *High scream* Yu Mei pulled the blanket all the way over her head. She rolled her body away from him and began to cry. Pei Nan was startled by this sudden action of hers. "Pan Yu Mei? What's wrong?" for the first time, his voice showed sincerity. He bent forward, lightly grabbing her shoulders and grabbed the corner of the blanket. He tugged, she tugged. Yu Mei was gripping tightly onto the corner of the blanket, same corner Pei Nan grabbed. They were both tugging back and forth. [Damnit, let go you asshole. Why are you torturing me?] Yu Mei bit her lips from anger. It felt as if he was doing it on purpose, like he knew her plans. Which of course, he was in reality, oblivious to it.

Pei Nan kept tugging at the blanket. Why was this woman so strong? Was she always this strong? "Pan Yu Mei, get out of the blanket now?"

"I can't," she shook her head. Her whole body moved with her, making her look like a wiggling round dumpling. "Why?"

"I can't face you looking like this…I've got…" inside the blanket, Yu Mei was struggling to find an excuse. "The doctor says that the medicine I took has some side effect. I've gotten rashes on my face. I'm UGLY!" *Loud cry* "I would rather die than to face you," *Wuwuwu* Yu Mei let out an even louder and high pitch cry. Her dramatic cry even made Pei Nan step back a few steps. "I'll come back tomorrow if you don't want to see me,"

Yu Mei slowly pulled the blanket down to her eyes. She watched as Pei Nan left the room. When she was sure he left, she took off the blanket and let out a deep breath. It was so hot inside the blanket, her body felt like an oven.

If she didn't die from being found out, it would have been from suffocation.

Chu'mei quickly closed the door and ran over to Pan Yu Mei. "Xiaojie!" she lifted the curtain up and almost fell backwards. Her lady's look were really too much. She had been so frightened, she forgot about her ghostly lady. "Chu'mei, I almost really turned into a ghost just now," Yu Mei pat her chest a few times. "That asshole is really too scary. We must not meet him in the future,"

"Xiaojie, what's wrong with you? You've never badmouthed young master before?" Chu'mei put her hand on Yu Mei's forehead. "What are you doing?" Yu Mei shook Chu'mei's hand off her forehead. [What a weirdo!] Yu Mei thought.

"You don't have a fever…so why are you acting so strange?" her big innocent eyes stared blankly at Yu Mei.

"Aiya, does that really matter right now. We have bigger plans today. Let's go," for the first time, Yu Mei grabbed Chu'mei's wrist gently and left the room.