My Delicate Cousin

Ming Yao is a young cousin who has just arrived at the Marquis's residence. Delicate and lovely as a doll, she's especially adored by the older members of the family.

She has come to the capital to seek a cure for her illness and to find a good match.

Unfortunately, her illness is strange. Every night, she turns icy cold and trembles all over, and no amount of medicine seems to help.

One night, Ming Yao dreams that the Marquis's heir, Xie Yi, has such strong yang energy that he can drive away the evil spirits inside her. If she just sleeps in his arms, her health will gradually improve.

When she wakes, Ming Yao grits her teeth and sneaks into Xie Yi's room that very night.

Well, he's the heir to the marquisate, but he's also a sickly invalid. He won't know a thing!

To avoid the political turmoil at court, Xie Yi has no choice but to feign illness and unconsciousness.

Who would have thought that some reckless little girl would suddenly barge into his courtyard, crawl under his covers, and cling to him, nuzzling and hugging him?

First night.

Subordinate: This girl is the young cousin from the residence. She might be an assassin. Should I just cut her down...?

Xie Yi: No. Let's see what she wants first.

Third night.

Subordinate: The young cousin is back. Should we arrest her and let the Old Madam deal with her?

Xie Yi recalls the previous night, his Adam's apple bobbing: ...No need. You may go.

Tenth night.

Subordinate: The young cousin comes here every night. What exactly is she after?

Xie Yi: She may simply... have her eye on me.

After sneaking around for three months, Ming Yao finds that she feels perfectly well and no longer needs to sleep with that sickly invalid. She simply waits for the Old Madam to arrange a match for her.

The day the matchmaker arrives, Ming Yao happily goes to sneak a peek.

But the matchmaker never shows. Instead, the tall, elegant man standing in the hall is none other than the sickly invalid she's been hugging every night!

He's so tall that his figure can completely envelop her.

In public, he pretends they've never met. With a pair of smiling, teasing eyes, he gently calls her "cousin."

In private, he corners her against the wall, step by step.

"Why didn't you come last night, cousin?"

"Am I just something you use and throw away when you're done with me?"

Later, the worldly and graceful heir visits her little courtyard every night, insisting that he has to cure her illness.

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