Shen Yue closed her eyes, her body seemingly drained of all strength. Biting her lip, her tender lips were torn, bleeding like a thick layer of rouge.
She let out a gasp.
"It wasn't me..."
Shen Yue clenched her fingers tightly, each one connected to her palm in stinging pain. She lost her composure, grabbing the man's impeccably neat clothes. The corners of her lips were bitten and broken, blood vivid like a phantom. A tear slid down her eyelashes, whether from rain or something else unknown.
She stared fixedly into the man's indifferent eyes.
It was like a silent roar.
One word at a time.
"It wasn't me, it wasn't me. I despise those dirty tactics the most. You understand nothing, you know nothing. You're always so arrogant and self-willed!"
Cheng Qian gong's breath hitched, his eyes dark and turbulent, unable to refute.
Her delicate, beautiful eyebrows drooped with fatigue. Her pale, sickly face held no trace of color, her long, thick eyelashes cast downwards.
Then, she let go.
Her tightly closed lips betrayed her exhaustion.
She took a step back, a chill emanating from her brows. Her dark, moist eyes met Cheng Qian gong's directly, "Cheng Qian gong, if you wish to leave, then go."
The expulsion was unconcealed.
It wasn't that she didn't want to keep him, but she knew she couldn't. Since she already knew she couldn't keep him, it was better to let go.
This was Shen Yue's way. When she loved someone, she poured her heart out, wishing to present the world's most beautiful things to her beloved. But if she decided to let go, she would never be indecisive.
She wouldn't chase Cheng Qian gong away; it was all up to Cheng Qian gong's own will.
Whether he wanted to stay or leave, Shen Yue would not interfere.
This was only because he was Cheng Qian gong.
If anyone else dared to treat her this way, she would torment them to the point where life was worse than death, wishing to bite off a piece of their flesh.
But Cheng Qian gong was different.
He was a light in her most desperate darkness. She couldn't be so heartless, so she retreated again and again.
Cheng Qian gong heavily dropped the hand he had held, his breathing quickening. After a moment, he stood up abruptly, his voice laced with anger.
"Your Highness, what do you mean? Do I wish to stay here? If you hadn't used the Crown Prince to pressure me, why would I cling to this place shamelessly?"
Shen Yue's lips quivered twice, her voice barely audible, "Is it my fault?"
In the dim light, the skin revealed by Shen Yue was dazzlingly white. She bit her teeth tightly, controlling her surging emotions, yet her eyes were still dotted with tears, like dew, glistening and fine.
"You came looking for me yourself."
She hadn't even realized she was crying.
Cheng Qian saw clearly, his pupils tinged with a hint of warmth.
A pale face, long and thick eyelashes, full, vibrant red lips bitten into a bloody, beautiful mess, tears streaked across her face.
Her expression remained faint. If not for the abundant tears streaming down, no one would have guessed she was crying.
Her voice was still calm, as if she were trying hard to suppress it.
"I didn't beg you."
"Cheng Qian gong, I have never asked anything of you."
She had never begged him to look back at her.
Nor had she begged him to let her stand by his side.
This was Shen Yue's last shred of dignity.
She was very prone to crying as a child, shedding tears at the slightest provocation, able to cry for half a day over a small injury. But the grown-up Shen Yue rarely cried, because very few people could hurt her anymore.
She encased herself in a hard shell, blocking all harm, except for Cheng Qian gong's cold words.
That figure stood for a long time, then turned and left.
The floor still held moisture, indicating the person had not left long ago.
The room, filled with incense, was quiet.
Cheng Qian gong clasped his hands, staring out the window. It was still raining, and Shen Yue had rushed out without an umbrella. She was already quite wet, and such a commotion might lead to a chill.
His hands, unconsciously clasped, his knuckles turning white from the force, remained still for a long time.
After a long while.
He let out a soft sigh.
—
Shen Yue did indeed catch a chill and had a severe fever, causing her internal organs to ache.
In her daze, she had many dreams. Countless faces flickered in her dreams, all veiled in a thin layer of gauze. She couldn't discern their features, only felt that everyone was distorted and eerie, like ghosts wearing human skin, coming to claim her life.
Mist swirled, and sunlight streamed in, dispersing the fog.
In her dream, Shen Yue saw Cheng Qian gong.
He was dressed in white, his eyebrows clear and handsome, his face like jade.
Beside Cheng Qian gong stood Shen Yao jin. The two stood shoulder to shoulder, with an army of thousands behind them.
On the high platform, Shen Yao jin wore a bright yellow dragon robe, tall and handsome.
And she, alone.
"Your Highness..."
The hoarse, dry voice made Shen Yue feel disoriented. She lowered her head in confusion and saw a patch of red. 138 Reading Network.
Fu An's face was covered in blood, his original features almost unrecognizable. His body was riddled with countless bloody holes, flesh and skin in tatters.
Her face instantly turned pale, as if in disbelief. Her legs gave way, and her trembling fingertips reached out to touch the bloody, blurred face.
"Fu An, is that you, Fu An?"
Fu An used his last bit of strength to grab Shen Yue's hand. He gripped it so tightly, it felt as if he was about to gouge out a piece of her flesh.
The blood was still warm.
Fu An's eyes, shedding bloody tears, looked like he was crying and laughing, his words dripping with anguish.
"Your Highness, run!"
With that, he pushed her forcefully.
Shen Yue, who had been kneeling on the ground, was pushed backward. Her vision blurred with mist. She dizzily lowered her head, her palms covered in blood.
"No, no..."
Seeing the scene before her, Shen Yue, unable to control her emotions any longer, cried out hoarsely, struggling to run back and pull Fu An. "Fu An, let's go together, together."
How could she abandon Fu An and leave him alone? They had grown up together, endured so much hardship, so many injuries. Fu An had never abandoned her; he had saved her life countless times.
He valued Shen Yue more than his own life.
Fu An lay on the ground in disarray. Shen Yue watched, her heart aching so much her fingers trembled, she reached out to pull Fu An's hand without hesitation.
Crying out, "Let's go together, Fu An."
Logically, he shouldn't have felt pain in the dream, yet Shen Yue could clearly feel a bone-chilling, dull ache all over her body, penetrating into her marrow.
As soon as she opened her mouth, blood flowed out.
Shen Yao jin's face was cold and indifferent. He looked down at her from his high perch, as if she were a struggling ant.
His thin lips parted, uttering two words softly.
"Release the arrows!"
Countless bows were aimed at her, and the arrows rained down upon her.