The seemingly concerned words sounded utterly mocking in Shen Yue’s ears. She didn’t know what kind of mindset Cheng Qian Gong had when he spoke like this, but to her, it sounded particularly ridiculous.
She gently lifted her gaze, her aloof, richly colored eyes calmly observing Cheng Qian Gong. Within her pupils was a chill colder than the snow outside the window. Her tone remained unchanged, eerily placid.
“I trouble Lord Cheng for your concern.”
This sentence immediately created a distance between them, as if mocking Cheng Qian Gong’s presumption.
Cheng Qian Gong’s throat felt as if it were burning. Gazing at Shen Yue’s extremely placid eyes, he felt a surge of panic. His voice was a restrained hoarseness, “Your Highness, are you blaming this minister for not visiting you? I can explain.”
Shen Yue seemed utterly annoyed, her head aching severely. Looking at the person before her only amplified her irritation. “I don’t want to hear it, and you don’t need to explain. Tell me, what did you come here for?”
Cheng Qian Gong’s body stiffened, his palms tightening. The surrounding air seemed to distort.
His expression remained unchanged, his handsome, refined features slightly lowered. “Your Highness, this minister has come to bid farewell. Thank you for your care these past days, Fourth Highness.”
So this was Cheng Qian Gong’s true purpose for visiting her.
Perhaps it was within expectations, so Shen Yue didn’t feel much. Or perhaps she was already numb from the pain and incapable of feeling anything.
Shen Yue had once said she never intended to keep Cheng Qian Gong confined, so she wouldn’t refuse his request.
The young girl’s beautiful eyes, shadowed by illness, were somber and calm. Her long, dense eyelashes cast a patch of shadow.
A turtle crawled in her palm, seemingly tired. It lay there, unmoving.
Shen Yue playfully poked the turtle, her voice light and indifferent, “If you wish to leave, I naturally will not stop you.”
Cheng Qian Gong was stunned, seemingly not expecting to receive the answer he desired so easily. At this moment, he should have felt relieved, as it saved him much trouble and effort. Yet, for some reason, his heart felt hollow, as if something important had been dug out, leaving a void through which the wind blew, chilling him to the bone.
Shen Yue spoke again, “But.”
A flicker of light, imperceptible even to himself, flashed in Cheng Qian Gong’s eyes. A trace of a smile even escaped his lips.
He knew…
He knew…
“If you leave, then never come back.”
Shen Yue continued to play with the turtle in her hand, speaking as if it were the simplest of matters, devoid of any emotion.
Yet, that attitude conveyed to the man before her that this was no jest, but the truth.
The blood in his veins seemed to freeze instantly, and he couldn’t conceal his stunned expression.
An extreme, violent emotion brewed within Cheng Qian Gong, almost compelling him to lower his voice, “Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?”
Cheng Qian Gong was a very intelligent man. He couldn’t possibly not understand the meaning of this statement. This meaningless question was perhaps a way to conceal his own panic and turmoil.
He had already reached an agreement with Shen Yao Jin. Once it was done, Shen Yue would have no threat to her life. He would provide her with good food and drink, and he would marry her publicly, with all the proper ceremony. For him, this wasn’t difficult. As long as Shen Yue's identity was changed, they could deceive everyone.
He had planned everything, but he had never considered whether Shen Yue was willing.
This was a question he dared not ponder too deeply.
But he remembered, vividly remembered, Shen Yue saying she liked him, that she adored him.
Since that was the case, even without this overwhelming power, Shen Yue would still have him by her side. He would always be with her, never letting her suffer any grievance.
Shen Yue’s brow didn’t even twitch. “It means exactly what it says.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her throat itched. Shen Yue covered her mouth, suppressing a cough. The slender, fair fingers beneath her sleeve clearly showed the bluish veins, her wrists incredibly delicate and refined.
Perhaps due to the great emotional fluctuations, she felt exceptionally unwell, her vision blurring, her body devoid of strength.
Because of the cough, a faint blush appeared at the corners of her narrow eyes, spreading onto her cheeks.
“Your Highness!”
Cheng Qian Gong’s heart lurched. Before he could think, he rushed over and gently patted her frail back. She was so thin; through the thin fabric, he could feel her protruding bones, trembling as if a butterfly about to take flight.
Shen Yue’s throat was very itchy, but she suppressed the urge to cough. She raised her hand, her fingertips trembling, yet she still pushed Cheng Qian Gong away with difficulty and slowness.
“Didn’t you say you were leaving? What are you still doing here?”
Cheng Qian Gong had been pushed away by her many times. A point of sour liquid seemed to seep into his heart, quietly accumulating like a dammed-up lake.
He stood there like a shadow, unmoving, his brows growing darker, his gaze more indifferent, like a fierce beast fixated on its prey, making one’s scalp tingle.
He felt as though Shen Yue was pushing her luck, taking advantage of his kindness.
So, he didn’t step forward, didn’t make any move. He just stood there, watching with cold eyes as Shen Yue’s pale face turned red from suppressing her fine cough, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.
Her complexion was exceedingly pale, her lips a sickly red. Her exquisitely painted eyebrows were slightly furrowed.
As soon as she finished speaking, her throat itched. Shen Yue covered her mouth, suppressing a cough. The slender, fair fingers beneath her sleeve clearly showed the bluish veins, her wrists incredibly delicate and refined.
Perhaps due to the great emotional fluctuations, she felt exceptionally unwell, her vision blurring, her body devoid of strength.
Because of the cough, a faint blush appeared at the corners of her narrow eyes, spreading onto her cheeks.
“Your Highness!”
Cheng Qian Gong’s heart lurched. Before he could think, he rushed over and gently patted her frail back. She was so thin; through the thin fabric, he could feel her protruding bones, trembling as if a butterfly about to take flight.
Shen Yue’s throat was very itchy, but she suppressed the urge to cough. She raised her hand, her fingertips trembling, yet she still pushed Cheng Qian Gong away with difficulty and slowness.
“Didn’t you say you were leaving? What are you still doing here?”
Cheng Qian Gong had been pushed away by her many times. A point of sour liquid seemed to seep into his heart, quietly accumulating like a dammed-up lake.
He stood there like a shadow, unmoving, his brows growing darker, his gaze more indifferent, like a fierce beast fixated on its prey, making one’s scalp tingle.
He felt as though Shen Yue was pushing her luck, taking advantage of his kindness.
So, he didn’t step forward, didn’t make any move. He just stood there, watching with cold eyes as Shen Yue’s pale face turned red from suppressing her fine cough, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.
Her complexion was exceedingly pale, her lips a sickly red. Her exquisitely painted eyebrows were slightly furrowed.