This seemingly worried remark sounded utterly mocking to Shen Yue. She had no idea what sentiment Cheng Qian Gong harbored as he uttered such words, but to her ears, it was exceptionally laughable.
She gently raised her gaze, her cold, vibrant eyebrows and eyes calmly observing Cheng Qian Gong. Within her eyes, a chill colder than the snow outside the window emanated, her tone unwavering, eerily placid.
"I appreciate Lord Cheng's concern."
This single sentence immediately widened the distance between them, as if mocking Cheng Qian Gong's unsolicited solicitude.
Cheng Qian Gong's throat felt as if it were burning. Gazing at Shen Yue's utterly impassive eyes, he grew immensely flustered, his voice carrying a restrained hoarseness, "Your Highness, are you perhaps upset that I didn't visit you? I can explain."
Shen Yue seemed profoundly annoyed, her head throbbing. Looking at the person before her only amplified her vexation. "I don't want to hear it, and you don't need to explain. Tell me, what are you here for?"
Cheng Qian Gong's body stiffened, his palms clenched, and the surrounding air seemed to distort.
His expression remained unchanged, his handsome, refined features slightly lowered. "Your Highness, I have come to bid you farewell. Thank you for your care during these days, Fourth Highness."
So this was Cheng Qian Gong's purpose in coming to see her.
Perhaps because it was within expectations, Shen Yue felt no great emotion. Or perhaps she was simply numb from the pain, incapable of feeling anything.
Shen Yue had said she never intended to keep Cheng Qian Gong confined, so she wouldn't refuse his request.
The young girl's beautiful, languid eyes, tinged with sickness, were somber and calm. Her long, dense eyelashes cast a shadow.
A turtle crawled in her palm, seeming to have grown tired, and lay still within her hand.
Shen Yue teased the turtle, her voice light and indifferent, "If you wish to leave, I naturally will not stop you."
Cheng Qian Gong faltered, seemingly surprised to receive the answer he desired so easily. He should have felt relieved at this point, as it saved him much trouble and effort. Yet, for some reason, his heart felt hollow, as if something important had been gouged out, leaving an empty, drafty space, bone-chillingly cold.
Shen Yue spoke again, "But."
A flicker of light, so subtle even he didn't notice it, flashed in Cheng Qian Gong's eyes. A hint of a smile escaped his lips.
He knew it...
He knew it...
"If you leave, then never return."
Shen Yue continued to play with the turtle in her hand, speaking as if uttering the simplest of words, devoid of any emotion.
Yet, that very attitude conveyed to the man before her that this was no jest, but the truth.
The blood in his body seemed to freeze instantly, and he could not hide his dazed expression.
An extreme, violent emotion brewed within Cheng Qian Gong, nearly compelling him to lower his voice. "Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"
Cheng Qian Gong was a very intelligent man. He couldn't possibly not understand the meaning of these words. This question, devoid of any real meaning, perhaps served to mask his own disquiet.
He had already reached an agreement with Shen Yao Jin. Upon the success of their plan, Shen Yue's life would be spared, and he would care for her well, marrying her with proper ceremony and fanfare. This was not a difficult feat for him; all it took was to give Shen Yue a new identity, and they could deceive everyone.
He had calculated everything, except for Shen Yue's own willingness.
This was a question he dared not ponder too deeply.
But he remembered, he remembered clearly, that Shen Yue had said she liked him, that he was her beloved.
If that were the case, even without the immense power, Shen Yue still had him by her side. He would always be with her, never allowing her to suffer any grievance.
Shen Yue's brow did not even twitch. "It means precisely what it says."
As soon as she finished speaking, her throat tickled. Shen Yue covered her mouth, coughing suppressedly. The slender, fair fingers beneath her sleeve clearly showed the blue veins, her wrist extremely delicate and refined.
Perhaps due to the immense emotional turmoil, she felt extremely unwell, dizzy, and weak.
From the coughing, a faint flush appeared at the corners of her narrow eyes, spreading to her cheeks.
"Your Highness!"
Cheng Qian Gong's heart leaped. Without a moment's thought, he rushed forward to gently pat her thin back. She was so thin; through the thin fabric, one could feel her protruding bones, quivering as if she were a butterfly about to spread its wings.
Shen Yue's throat was very itchy, but she suppressed the urge to cough. She raised her hand, her fingertips trembling, yet she still painstakingly and slowly pushed Cheng Qian Gong away.
"Didn't you say you wanted to leave? What are you still doing here?"
Cheng Qian Gong had been pushed away by her many times before. A hint of sour liquid seemed to seep into his heart, quietly gathering like a dammed lake.
He stood there like a shadow, motionless, his brows growing ever more somber, his gaze colder, like a ferocious beast fixing upon its prey, making one's scalp tingle.
He felt that Shen Yue was pushing her luck, taking advantage of him.
Thus, he did not step forward, making no move, just standing there, coldly watching Shen Yue's face turn red from her suppressed, fine coughs, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.
Her complexion was extremely pale, her lips a sickly red, her exquisitely drawn eyebrows slightly furrowed.
As soon as she finished speaking, her throat tickled. Shen Yue covered her mouth, coughing suppressedly. The slender, fair fingers beneath her sleeve clearly showed the blue veins, her wrist extremely delicate and refined.
Perhaps due to the immense emotional turmoil, she felt extremely unwell, dizzy, and weak.
From the coughing, a faint flush appeared at the corners of her narrow eyes, spreading to her cheeks.
"Your Highness!"
Cheng Qian Gong's heart leaped. Without a moment's thought, he rushed forward to gently pat her thin back. She was so thin; through the thin fabric, one could feel her protruding bones, quivering as if she were a butterfly about to spread its wings.
Shen Yue's throat was very itchy, but she suppressed the urge to cough. She raised her hand, her fingertips trembling, yet she still painstakingly and slowly pushed Cheng Qian Gong away.
"Didn't you say you wanted to leave? What are you still doing here?"
Cheng Qian Gong had been pushed away by her many times before. A hint of sour liquid seemed to seep into his heart, quietly gathering like a dammed lake.
He stood there like a shadow, motionless, his brows growing ever more somber, his gaze colder, like a ferocious beast fixing upon its prey, making one's scalp tingle.
He felt that Shen Yue was pushing her luck, taking advantage of him.
Thus, he did not step forward, making no move, just standing there, coldly watching Shen Yue's face turn red from her suppressed, fine coughs, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.