Wen Yu Xi gazed into the distance and said, "His Majesty could not possibly forget his past lover so quickly, just as I can never forget His Majesty."
"Wen Yu Xi, you are the person I least wish to hurt."
"I know, but Your Majesty, I wish to be close to you, to be even closer. This thought has gradually taken root in my heart, growing larger until I can no longer ignore it.
Your Majesty, please grant me a chance?"
Xue Zi Ning's gaze faltered, and she withdrew her eyes. "Why bother? Wen Yu Xi, why put yourself through this? Even if we were truly together, my heart would never truly be yours."
"Your Majesty, I am not afraid, truly not afraid at all." Wen Yu Xi's gaze held a depth of affection she had never seen before.
Xue Zi Ning felt the surging emotion emanating from the depths of his heart.
She sighed, "Alright."
Wen Yu Xi's heart blossomed like a flower. "Your Majesty, may I kiss you then?"
Xue Zi Ning paused slightly, then slowly nodded.
Wen Yu Xi leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek, very carefully.
Even so, he was content. "Your Majesty, only when you fully accept me will I truly kiss you."
He had endured for so many years, he didn't mind waiting a day or two more.
He gently kissed her eyes, her cheeks, even her forehead, but truly did not touch her lips.
"What... what are you doing?" A voice suddenly interrupted the intimate moment.
Wen Yu Xi looked up and saw Feng Ling Er standing before him, shaking her head in disbelief. "Feng Ling Er..."
Xue Zi Ning blinked, opening her eyes to see Feng Ling Er shaking her head, her hand covering her mouth. "You... you two..."
"Ling Er..." Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but speak.
"Don't call me that..." Feng Ling Er bit her lower lip, tears streaming down her face.
Wen Yu Xi stood up and walked to Feng Ling Er. "Ling Er, this is His Majesty."
"I don't care who she is. Wen Yu Xi, I like you! Why are you with someone else?" Feng Ling Er yelled.
Didn't he know how much she liked Wen Yu Xi? And His Majesty, she clearly knew she liked Wen Yu Xi, yet she still wanted to be with him?
Xue Zi Ning stood up and said, "Ling Er, I am sorry. I did not consider you."
"Are you saying this now? Xue Zi Ning, are you deliberately trying to make me back down?" Feng Ling Er screamed hysterically.
"Mother, Mother." Xue Xing Yue and Xue Xing Chen woke up in the carriage. Hearing the commotion outside, they couldn't help but want to come out.
Wen Yu Xi, holding the two little ones, walked over. Xue Zi Ning stepped forward, took the children, and whispered, "I'm sorry for frightening you."
Xue Xing Yue looked at the now furious Feng Ling Er and said, "Aunt Feng, if you want to blame someone, blame me. It was I who brought Uncle Wen and Mother together."
Xue Xing Chen was not to be outdone. "I was part of it too."
Wen Yu Xi walked over, patted Xue Xing Yue and Xue Xing Chen's heads, and said, "With me here, why would you need to apologize?"
As he spoke, he looked up at Feng Ling Er and said coldly, "This was all my choice. Feng Ling Er, I have never said I liked you, nor have I ever accepted you. I have always liked, loved, His Majesty. This feeling has never changed."
"You..." Feng Ling Er took a step back. "You say that?"
"Ling Er, you are a good girl, and you will find your own person. But that person is not me. Even without His Majesty, it still wouldn't be me."
Feng Ling Er ran off crying.
Xue Zi Ning stepped forward and said, "Wen Yu Xi, it's my fault. I used to try to match you and Ling Er. Now she can't accept it, I..."
"Your Majesty, you are not wrong, and you never will be," Wen Yu Xi said word by word.
Xue Zi Ning paused slightly. At this moment, Wen Yu Xi seemed like a stranger she had never met.
"Your Majesty, since I have decided not to let you go, then no one in this world can fault you, even if you are truly wrong." His robe hem fluttering, Wen Yu Xi stood there, appearing somewhat unfamiliar.
"I want to go back," Xue Zi Ning said, holding the two children as she walked towards the carriage.
Wen Yu Xi glanced at Wen Yu. Wen Yu nodded, then drove the carriage away.
Wen Yu Xi leaped into the air and landed in an open space. "Come out!"
Countless figures in black rose from all directions. Wen Yu Xi opened his folding fan and, like lightning, struck down the black-clad assailants, leaving a ground full of corpses.
"Speak, who sent you?" Wen Yu Xi grabbed the last attacker and asked coldly.
The black-clad man coughed up blood and died.
Wen Yu Xi's face was extremely cold. Just as he was about to leave, a flash of silver suddenly flew towards him.
He dodged, narrowly avoiding it.
"Come out," Wen Yu Xi commanded, his folding fan striking towards a certain spot.
There was movement in the grass. Wen Yu Xi flew over, about to strike with full force, when he saw Feng Ling Er looking at him with a mournful expression.
Wen Yu Xi retracted his attack. "Ling Er."
"Don't call me that..." Feng Ling Er growled.
"Feng Ling Er..."
"I told you not to call me that! I feel like such a fool, coming here happily to see you, to look for you, only to find out I was the last to know. I'm very angry."
Wen Yu Xi sighed and sat down. "Feng Ling Er, you know, I like Ah Ning, very, very much."
Feng Ling Er sniffled. "I know. I knew from the beginning. But just like you like His Majesty, I like you, very, very much."
"Ling Er, many times, the people we like cannot be together. Like before, when I knew Ah Ning liked Yan Zhao, I gave up. I pretended not to care, but I was wrong. I couldn't forget the way my heart stirred when I faced Ah Ning, it leaped with joy."
"I know," Feng Ling Er said, tears flowing.
"I'm sorry, Ling Er. I have this opportunity, so I don't want to give it up. I don't want to regret it for the rest of my life."
"Even if she is just using you?"
"Yes, Ling Er. You don't know, even if it's just using me, I am very happy."
"I know that feeling." Because that was the feeling she had.
"So, I'm sorry, Ling Er."
Feng Ling Er smiled. "Why do you need to apologize to me? You never promised me, nor did you ever say you liked me. You have done nothing wrong to me; it has always been my one-sided affection."
"Ling Er, you will meet someone better. Then you will realize that your feelings for me were merely dependence."
"I don't know if I will meet the person you speak of. I just want to see you happy."
"Ling Er, take care." He reached out and touched her head.
Feng Ling Er smiled. "Go back and tell her I apologize. I wasn't angry at His Majesty, I just couldn't accept it at first."