Feng Yexuan had returned.
"Where is Zi Yue?" Chu Qianli felt a pang of unease. Had he simply abandoned Long Ziyue? Without escorting her back to the barracks?
"She's with Fulong, and she's safe."
Feng Yexuan leaned against a nearby table, his gaze fixed on her face. For some reason, he suddenly uttered, "Stupid woman."
Chu Qianli was taken aback, then a vein of exasperation pulsed on her forehead. "My lord, why are you calling me names out of the blue?"
"Aren't you?" Feng Yexuan raised an eyebrow.
Chu Qianli wore a look of resentment. "My lord, I don't want to argue." She paused, then her eyes suddenly lit up. "Fourth Imperial Brother, you knew my identity all along? Then... you deliberately gave me Mother's token?"
She had noticed the token hanging from his waist that night and had asked for it. At the time, Feng Yexuan had appeared indifferent, and she had been puzzled. However, her excitement and joy at receiving the token had overshadowed any lingering doubts. Although Long Xiyue was not from the Northern Nether Kingdom, she was a renowned figure throughout the Azure Continent. How could Feng Yexuan have casually given away Long Xiyue's token? Without even asking for a reason? It turned out he had intended for it to be returned to its rightful owner all along.
"Only now you realize it," Feng Yexuan said with a cold snort, his gaze still carrying a hint of disdain.
"Fourth Imperial Brother, are you still angry?" When she had gone to find Old General Wei Xian, he had said she was guarding against him upon her return. It wasn't exactly guarding, but rather a sudden wave of confusion, and she hadn't known how to process it. After all, her identity could not be revealed at that time. But he seemed to know everything! She was just a mortal, and it was not strange to feel a sense of shock towards a "celestial being" who knew everything.
"I wasn't guarding against you, I was just too astonished." Of course, she didn't know if he would believe her. But now, with a formidable enemy at hand, they shouldn't be playing games of suspicion, should they? "Fourth Imperial Brother, can you forgive me? Can we stop being angry?"
"But you are still stupid." Feng Yexuan's attitude was truly maddening.
Chu Qianli felt both wronged and helpless. "Alright, alright, I'm stupid. You are the smartest person in the whole world, can that satisfy you?" She then couldn't help but mutter, "If I'm so stupid, why did you come back to protect me?"
The moment she spoke, not only did Feng Yexuan's eyes flicker slightly, but Chu Qianli herself felt her heart suddenly quicken. She knew he had returned to protect her. But Wuya was here. Why couldn't she believe that he had returned for Wuya? Why did she feel it was for her? Yet, in her heart, that's exactly what she had thought – he had returned for her. Without any thought or judgment, she had simply believed it. But on what grounds?
Chu Qianli suddenly felt a sense of unease. She glanced at him discreetly, only to find Feng Yexuan's gaze locked onto her. Thump! Thump! Her heart pounded faster. A faint ache seemed to return. She wanted to speak, to break the awkward silence, but her lips parted, and no words came out. She didn't know what to say. Her thoughts raced. Suddenly, she remembered something and looked up at Feng Yexuan. "Fourth Imperial Brother..."
Feng Yexuan merely watched her, his brow furrowed with a complex expression. It seemed as if he felt a touch of embarrassment at having his thoughts revealed, yet also a proud coldness, unwilling to expose too much of his emotions to her.
"Fourth Imperial Brother..." Chu Qianli's fingertips tightened, and her heart felt incredibly taut. She remembered! She remembered something important! Her thoughts finally settled on the Qiankun Chain, and she retrieved the box she had put away.
Seeing the wooden box in her hand, Feng Yexuan's eyes instantly darkened. This stupid woman, only now did she remember! Chu Qianli's fingers trembled slightly. This was the first time she was opening the wooden box since he had given it to her. As the lid was lifted, Chu Qianli's breath hitched to an extreme! Finally, she placed the wooden box on the table and quickly took out its contents. Upon seeing them, her entire body froze! The Imperial Seal! The Imperial Seal of the Dragon Soaring Kingdom! She was stupid! She was truly stupid! No wonder Feng Yexuan called her a stupid woman! He had given her the Imperial Seal long ago, but she had foolishly remained unaware. She hadn't even bothered to look at what he had given her. She was not only stupid but also excessively so!
Feng Yexuan turned his face away, not wanting to reveal too much of his feelings at this moment. But in truth, the moment he saw her take out the Imperial Seal, his heart felt a degree of grievance. If she had cared about him even a little more, she would have discovered this Imperial Seal sooner.
After a long while, Chu Qianli put the Imperial Seal back and looked at him. He was still wearing his mask, and his face beneath it was now unclear, yet in her sight, it seemed to become clearer and clearer.
"Yexuan..." Chu Qianli didn't know why she suddenly called out his name like that.
Feng Yexuan's fingertips tightened, his tall frame instantly stiffening. What was this dead woman trying to do by calling his name at this moment? He felt an impending sense of being tricked. Feng Yexuan knew that his heart always softened too much in front of her. No matter what she wanted him to do, as long as she called him softly, his resolve would vanish.
"Don't think calling me by my name can offset your foolishness!" Feng Yexuan turned around, directly facing away from her. In reality, his heart was still pounding tightly. She had been struck by the Soul Capturing technique, and he didn't know what she was thinking about him or their relationship now. He feared his expectations would be too high, leading to disappointment. Even despair. In her heart, at this moment, there was only Wuya.
Chu Qianli didn't know why she had called him, but suddenly, her heart felt a surge of sorrow. She walked behind him, then surprisingly moved to face him and reached out, removing his mask.
"What are you doing?" Feng Yexuan looked down at her, but he didn't stop her actions.
"I don't know..." But she just wanted to see his face properly. This face was incredibly clear in her sight. Some scenes seemed to be slowly clearing up in her mind as well. His good, his bad. His obsession, his possessiveness, his madness. Her liking for him, her resentment towards him, her dependence on him, her resistance to him... Chu Qianli's brow gradually furrowed. Her hand moved to her heart, but then slowly shifted towards her lower abdomen. Was there once a life here? A vibrant life... but she hadn't protected it...
"Li'er!" Feng Yexuan quickly noticed her distress and grabbed her shoulders. "What have you remembered?"