MY PRINCE HUSBAND HAS SEVEN WIVES AND I AM HIS FAVOURITE!
Chapter 39: Abandoning him on a snowy night

Chapter 39: Abandoning him on a snowy night

Hua Jing’s heart pounded in her chest as she clutched Zhao Yan’s limp form.

His breathing was ragged, each shallow rise and fall of his chest sending waves of panic through her.

"Stay with me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You can’t pass out now! Not here!"

Zhao Yan’s hand twitched before closing around hers in a surprisingly tight grip.

His masked face turned slightly toward her, his voice barely audible.

"I’m okay," he murmured weakly, before his hand slackened and his body went completely still.

"No, no, no!" Hua Jing cried, shaking him lightly.

But he was unresponsive, his head lolling to the side as his mask gleamed faintly in the dim light.

Panic surged through her as she looked around, scanning the fallen men for any sign of movement.

Her shoulders relaxed slightly when she confirmed that none of them were getting up.

For now, they were safe, but she knew it wouldn’t last long.

The problem was, where the hell was she supposed to go?

This place was unfamiliar, the trees and snow-covered hills stretching endlessly before her.

For all she knew, more bandits were waiting ahead.

She cursed under her breath and turned her attention back to Zhao Yan.

His blood had soaked through his clothes and was now staining her dress.

"Ugh, this is disgusting," she muttered, glaring at the red splotches spreading over the fabric.

After a moment of hesitation, she bent down and slipped her arms around him.

"Alright, Zhao Yan, you’re coming with me," she said, her voice firm despite the wobble in her tone.

She heaved him upward, gritting her teeth at the weight.

He was impossibly heavy, and for a split second, she genuinely considered leaving him there.

He’d survive, right? He’s the prince! Someone will come looking for him... eventually.

But then she glanced at his pale face, the faint lines of exhaustion visible even beneath his mask, and her heart clenched.

"Why do you have to look so pitiful right now?" she grumbled, adjusting his weight on her shoulders.

She took a tentative step forward and immediately regretted it.

Zhao Yan’s weight nearly toppled her over, and she had to dig her heels into the snow to stay upright.

"Seriously? What are you made of? Bricks?" she hissed.

Her feet slipped on the icy ground as she trudged forward, sweat already forming on her brow despite the cold.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered. "You’re supposed to be the mighty prince, but look at you now! Making me do all the work."

---

After a few more agonizing steps, Hua Jing paused to catch her breath.

She let out a frustrated groan, glaring at the unconscious man slung over her shoulder.

"If you weren’t so heavy, this would be a lot easier, you know!" she snapped, as if he could hear her.

"And why the hell are you wearing so many layers? What are you, a walking wardrobe?"

---

She adjusted her grip on him and started moving again, muttering under her breath the entire time.

"I swear, if you survive this, you owe me. Big time. You hear me? A lifetime of favors!"

Her words were punctuated by grunts as she stumbled over uneven patches of snow.

The terrain was unforgiving, each step feeling like a monumental effort.

"Why couldn’t I have been transmigrated into a world with carriages? Or, I don’t know, magic flying carpets?"

Her feet slipped again, and she nearly dropped him.

"Oh, for the love of—!" she yelled, managing to steady herself just in time.

She glanced down at him, her brow furrowing.

"You better not wake up and make some snide comment about this later," she muttered.

"Actually, no. Wake up. Right now. Please. I’d even take your annoying sarcasm over this!"

But he remained silent, his head resting against her shoulder.

Hua Jing sighed, her breath visible in the cold air.

She trudged forward, her legs trembling with each step.

"I’m going to have legs of steel after this," she muttered.

"Maybe I should thank you. This is a great workout."

Her attempt at humor fell flat, even to her own ears, and she let out a bitter laugh.

The snow crunched beneath her boots as she continued onward, her muscles screaming in protest.

She was drenched in sweat now, and her arms felt like they were about to fall off.

"Why did I have to pick the heaviest prince in the entire empire?" she grumbled.

"Couldn’t you have been a dainty scholar or something?"

She paused again, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

For a brief moment, she contemplated putting him down and taking a break.

But then she looked at his face again, at the faint flicker of life still clinging to him, and she couldn’t do it.

"Fine," she said aloud. "But you owe me so much for this."

She adjusted her grip once more and pressed on, determined to find shelter.

The snow seemed endless, the cold biting at her exposed skin.

Her body ached, but she refused to stop.

"Come on, Hua Jing," she muttered to herself.

"You’ve survived worse. You can do this."

Hua Jing pressed forward, each step heavier than the last as snow continued to blanket the landscape.

Her breaths came out in visible puffs, the cold biting at her skin and cutting through her soaked clothes.

She glanced at Zhao Yan’s pale face, resting limply against her shoulder.

His breathing was shallow, and his lips had turned a light shade of blue.

The snow was slowing the bleeding, acting as a natural anesthetic, but it wasn’t enough.

He needed proper care—and fast.

---

Her gaze darted around the endless expanse of white.

Come on, there has to be something, she thought, scanning for any sign of shelter.

Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a dark shadow in the distance, partially hidden by a cluster of trees.

It looked like the mouth of a cave.

Hua Jing finally smiled. It was stiff due to the cold but it would do anyway.

She sighed while hoisting Zhao Yan further up, "That’ll do!"