Chang Sheng misunderstood her meaning. He lowered his eyelashes, revealing a smile that was neither laughing nor crying.
"What? You won't even touch me?"
Shen Yue hadn't expected him to interpret it that way. She opened her mouth to say something, but felt it was unnecessary. This was good.
Chang Sheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and finally, without a word, he embraced Shen Yue.
He closed his eyes, a fine pain radiating from his heart, and he couldn't help but frown deeply.
He endured the inexplicable pain, gently massaging Shen Yue's nape with his fingertips, and whispered hoarsely in her ear, "Shen Yue, are you truly so heartless?"
Even a final embrace was denied him, as if he were as hard as stone.
Shen Yue wasn't heartless, but she had keenly sensed that something was amiss.
It seemed that if she embraced Chang Sheng, something she could not have foreseen would happen.
Yet, though she hadn't embraced Chang Sheng, he had embraced her.
In comparison, there seemed to be no difference.
Shen Yue thought Chang Sheng would hold on for longer, but he slowly let go of the embrace that carried a warm, restless energy.
Chang Sheng seemed to have seen through everything, or perhaps resigned himself to fate. He placed the potted plant into Shen Yue's arms, his voice very soft.
"You'll take good care of it, won't you?"
He was referring to the potted plant in his hand. In truth, ever since Shen Yue had shut herself in her room, sulking, Chang Sheng had already decided to use this as an apology.
However, before he could say anything, she had already bid farewell.
He was actually greedy, wishing he could secretly hide this medicine and let Shen Yue never find it. That way, as long as Shen Yue still wanted it, she would obediently return to find him.
But he was also afraid, afraid that Shen Yue would grow tired and annoyed and leave forever.
He feared this the most, and thus, he was willing to present it himself.
He was gambling with his own life, betting on whether the heartless person would turn back.
To his surprise, Shen Yue did not take the potted plant.
Shen Yue was very intelligent. She knew the potted plant was no ordinary plant, and she also knew it might be related to the elixir of life. However, her first reaction was not to take it.
Instead, she simply and silently "looked" at him.
Knowing that Shen Yue's eyes could not see, Chang Sheng's fingertips tightened abruptly. "Don't... don't you need it anymore?"
If Shen Yue didn't even need this, then he would have no reason to try and keep her.
His sense of having the upper hand instantly turned to panic. Cold sweat even dampened his hair, and his back was also a patch of sweat.
This was not just because Shen Yue refused his offering, but more so because of the feeling of being unable to grasp anything.
Panicked, nervous, and helpless, Chang Sheng's face turned pale.
Shen Yue couldn't see, so she didn't realize how many emotions had appeared on Chang Sheng's face. In a daze, she felt something warm splashing onto the back of her hand, drop by drop, cool and moist.
Chang Sheng was crying.
This realization made Shen Yue's fingertips retract slightly. As if lost, she softly called out, "Chang Sheng?"
Chang Sheng's voice was flustered and helpless, "Shen Yue, are you... are you never coming back to find me again..."
Chang Sheng reached out to caress Shen Yue's cold, smooth face, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably. Without waiting for Shen Yue's answer, and not stubbornly pursuing the question he had just asked, he whispered like a wronged child, "I gave you the elixir of life, why don't you want it?"
I placed my heart in your embrace, why don't you want it?
Did she think he was too late, no longer interested? Or perhaps she had found a better substitute, and no longer needed him.
He could feel the aura emanating from Shen Yue, which did not belong to this world at all.
If Shen Yue left, where would he go to find that white figure?
Shen Yue hadn't expected Chang Sheng to cry, nor had she expected him to be so heartbroken. This caused a flicker of bitterness to surface in her long-calm heart.
She absolutely did not wish for him to cry, so Shen Yue hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out and taking the potted plant.
A gentle breeze swept past, the sunlight dazzling. Faint golden light bathed the figures, oppressive and stifling, making it difficult to breathe.
Yet, it could not retain any warmth on Shen Yue's person.
The white soft cloth was coated in a layer of golden light, her face appearing translucent, a clean, dustless snow-white color, as if she might vanish at any moment.
The sunlight obscured her brows and eyes, her face devoid of joy or sorrow, anger or resentment. She said slowly, "I am leaving."
As soon as the words left her lips, the white figure became transparent, as if about to disappear at any moment.
"Shen Yue!"
Chang Sheng seemed to realize something, instinctively tightening his grip, desperately wanting to catch her. But his hand passed through the nearly transparent body, grasping only empty air.
Shen Yue seemed confused by his action and showed no reaction. The soft white fabric covered her eyes, only her tightly pressed lips revealing her emotions.
He heard Shen Yue speak, as if patiently explaining.
"I am leaving, you cannot catch me, you should go back."
His lungs felt as if they were being torn apart. Chang Sheng heard his own voice tremble violently, "Will you come back then?"
Shen Yue's movements clearly paused at his words. She slightly raised her hand, as if intending to touch his forehead, but ultimately it remained suspended in mid-air. Her tone was gentler than ever before. "I will not... You... go..."
As her figure became increasingly transparent, the only words that reached Chang Sheng were these.
He couldn't understand why Shen Yue could speak such cruel words with such a gentle expression.
He stubbornly tried to grasp her, his hand seemingly brushing against the smooth, soft fabric of her sleeve. A haze of blood blurred Chang Sheng's vision, rendering him unable to see anything clearly. He could only desperately fumble and pull, but he grasped only air.
He nervously retracted his fingers, wanting to touch her again, but the faint figure finally vanished, leaving not even a trace of her presence, as if she had never been there at all.
"Shen Yue?"
"Shen Yue?!"
Around him, besides the sound of the wind, there were the chirping of birds. Suddenly, a heart-wrenching roar, laced with blood and tears, startled the birds into flight, causing leaves to rustle and fall.
---
Shen Yue returned to Qingyun Sect, her mind still dwelling on the fact that she thought she had heard Chang Sheng call her as she left.
She remembered telling him she wouldn't deceive Yao'er and had asked Chang Sheng to go first, promising she would return.
Why did it sound like Chang Sheng was still so agitated?
As soon as she entered Qingyun Sect, Xuan Cheng sensed Shen Yue's presence and hurried to find her.
He was too anxious and disregarded all rules, directly grabbing Shen Yue's wrist.