Song Ting stood frozen in place, his hands hanging at his sides, slowly clenching into fists. Chu Huaixu faced him in a standoff.

After a while, Song Ting suddenly moved, slowly walking towards Chu Huaixu.

Not knowing what he intended, the latter subconsciously stepped back, but his gaze remained stubbornly fixed on him, refusing to admit defeat.

Have you said enough?

The man spoke slowly, his voice cold, his eyes equally gloomy.

Chu Huaixu thought he had finally hit a nerve, and couldn't help but smile, his tone contemptuous:

"What, are you so angry that you want to kill me, sir?"

The vulnerability revealed by his previous breakdown was once again concealed beneath his exquisite and beautiful appearance with this smile.

At this moment, standing in front of Song Ting was Huai Yue, who was used to hiding everything with a smile.

His eyes were slanted at the corners as he glanced at Song Ting, his expression full of provocation.

"I told you long ago, if you don't kill me, you'll regret it sooner or later."

"No." Before she could finish speaking, someone grabbed her chin.

Chu Huaixu was forced to raise his head, a flash of fear crossing his eyes, but more so, anger.

He demanded sharply of the man before him, "What are you doing?!"

Song Ting didn't do anything excessive; he just gave him a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, a fleeting touch.

The movement was too fast and too light; Chu Huaixu didn't react in time and even forgot to resist.

“Chu Mingyu…” Song Ting sighed softly, pressing her forehead against Chu Mingyu’s.

Their breaths mingled, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. Song Ting pressed her thumb against his lips, gently caressing them.

The possessiveness in his eyes was terrifyingly strong.

Unfortunately, Chu Huaixu's entire attention was focused on the finger that was messing with his lips, and he didn't notice the man's eyes that seemed to want to devour him.

"Chu Mingyu..."

Song Ting called his name again, then finally let go, wrapped her arm around his waist, and picked him up.

"The ground is cold, remember to wear shoes next time."

Chu Huaixu: "..."

It was like punching cotton; Chu Huaixu was so angry that his face almost contorted with rage.

He also smelled the strong scent of wound medicine on the man.

When one plan failed, he came up with another. He hooked one arm around Song Ting's neck and placed the other hand over Song Ting's chest, pressing down hard as he called Song Ting's name.

I was finally able to hear a muffled groan that was being suppressed.

Only then did he seem to finally calm down, and he obediently buried his face in Song Ting's chest, chuckling softly.

Song Ting's trip to Jiangnan had been delayed for far too long, and the palace was in complete chaos.

Before Chu Huaixu woke up, he couldn't spare the time to deal with it. But as soon as Chu Huaixu woke up, he began to take care of those matters.

As a result, he barely showed up at the mansion for several days.

Sometimes, Chu Huaixu would have already retired for the night before he would hear someone quietly slip into his room and tiptoe to his bedside.

After staring at him for a while, the man sat by the bed for a bit, then climbed out the window.

It's quite laughable that a dignified commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a man who can control the entire world, acts like a thief in his own home.

Chu Huaixu sneered inwardly, feeling only a chill.

That night, Song Ting didn't come home until very late, and Chu Huaixu was alone in his room reading a storybook.

The candles in the room had been burning for a long time, and their wicks had become very long and branched out in many places. Chu Huaixu then took a pair of scissors and carefully manipulated them.

He couldn't help but think that people are like this candle; the longer they live in this strange and complicated world, the more delusions they will generate in their hearts.

The candlelight flickered suddenly, and a cold, sharp sword was already pressed against Chu Huaixu's neck.

"Young Master Chu." It was a woman's voice.

Chu Huaixu held the sword blade between his index and middle fingers, slowly turned around, and a faint smile appeared on his lips:

"Miss, it would be better if you didn't greet people that way next time."

The woman, dressed in night clothes and with a black veil covering her face, withdrew the long sword from Chu Huaixu's neck and bowed, saying:

"Young Master Chu is a man of many minds; I must be on guard."

"The Third Young Master Chu is no more. From now on, please just call me Huaiyue."

The woman in black remained silent.

"Young lady, you risked your life to visit the residence of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Was it on your master's orders?"

"With Song Ting gone, the guards of this Prince's mansion are utterly insignificant."

Chu Huaixu sensed a hint of smugness in the woman's tone and teased her:

"Since you are so skilled, why didn't your master send you here directly last time? Perhaps he would have already taken Song Ting's life."

"Young master is joking. The lord has not forgotten the agreement between you. The lord only wants the goods. As for Song Ting's life, it is naturally left to you."

The woman cupped her hands in greeting again and said, "Now that you have entered the Song residence, young master, what is your next plan?"

Chu Huaixu walked leisurely to the table, his slender, pale fingers gently tapping the surface:

"On the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, the Empress Dowager traveled east to hold a grand prayer ceremony."

The woman in black met his gaze, and after a long while, she took out two porcelain bottles, one black and one white, from her bosom.

She first handed the black bottle to Chu Huaixu: "This is Thousand Days' Intoxication. Young Master, you are very knowledgeable and have probably heard of it."

Chu Huaixu nodded.

"His lord thought that the young master might find it useful, so he entrusted me to deliver it to you."

Chu Huaixu raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Thank you for your trouble."

The woman in black pretended not to notice the sarcasm in his words and hesitantly handed over the white porcelain bottle:

"As for this... this thing is called 'Soul Severing,' and it is a kind of Gu poison."

"His Majesty said that the young master is too intelligent, and he is always worried about him, therefore..."

Chu Huaixu paused, holding the porcelain bottle, and chuckled, "So it's for me to eat."

The woman in black: "..."

Chu Huaixu gently pulled off the bottle stopper and poured the contents into his palm; it was a small red pill.

It looks like the cheapest kind of candy sold on the street, a big handful for a penny, and available in all colors.

Eating just one of these can stain your entire tongue, and it takes a long time for the stain to come off.

He had eaten it once before to make that person happy.

Without much hesitation, Chu Huaixu swallowed the small pill.

"My lord says that the poison of 'Soul Severance' will take effect in six months, and as for the symptoms when it takes effect—"

"Young master, you don't need to know now, and it's best if you never know..."

He really is a cunning old fox.

"The lord also said that although the young master is extremely intelligent, he is deeply afflicted by the Gu poison. Even if the young master has the ability to bring the dead back to life, without an antidote, it cannot be cured."

"Therefore, I hope that you can act as soon as possible to obtain the antidote. There's no need to bother considering other methods..."

"Your master is so insincere, aren't you afraid I'll expose this to Song Ting?"

Chu Huaixu toyed with the empty bottle in his hand, a faint smile always on his face.

"Young master will not," the woman in black said firmly.