Chapter 116, Section 116: "Being... by the one you love..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Seeing that the two were about to come to blows, Shen Mi rushed out almost instinctively, like a peacemaker who stepped in on the spot, pressing down on their weapons with both hands.

"Don't do this, don't do this—let's talk this out!"

Dan Heng was clearly startled by her sudden appearance. His eyes changed instantly, and a complex expression, rarely seen on his face, appeared. Perhaps because of this complexity, he was the first to put down his weapon, moving so carefully that he was almost afraid of hurting her.

Blade, however, seemed indifferent, still holding up the broken stick, stubbornly expressing his attitude.

Shen Mi looked at Dan Heng, then at Ren. From a distance, she had only seen Dan Heng hold Ji Yun to Ren's neck, but now that she was closer, she noticed the pink scratches under Ren's collar. She was afraid that things would escalate, but judging from Ren's expression, he seemed unwilling to let go no matter what she said.

Shen Mi, driven by malice, seized the opportunity when he wasn't paying attention and snatched the wooden stick from his hand, throwing it on the ground.

The nearly round wooden stick rolled on the ground again and again until it had rolled far away, giving them no chance to fight again. Only then did Shen Mi breathe a sigh of relief.

Ren hadn't expected Shen Mi to be so bold; a moment of carelessness, and she actually succeeded. Looking at the weapon thrown far away, Ren was speechless for a moment. Was it really necessary to be so rough with him…?

Yes...his weapon?

He wanted to say something sarcastic, but he met Shen Mi's warning gaze and had to swallow the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Shen Mi's gaze quickly returned to the person standing opposite him. Only then did Ren belatedly realize—

Why should I be afraid of her?

Yes, why should I be afraid of her? Ren didn't quite understand herself for that brief moment. She wanted to argue with her, but then again, they were already talking about something else. The past was the past, and even if it was only a few seconds ago, bringing it up again would only seem absurd.

He crossed his arms, his expression indifferent, and looked at Shen Mi, intending to see what she would say next.

Shen Mi looked left and right and saw that the two men's demeanor had temporarily calmed down, so he coughed lightly, intending to take the opportunity to clear up this misunderstanding in one fell swoop.

She stood on a slightly higher step, like a mediator. Although it was described as a "middle position," from Ren's perspective, she was clearly more inclined towards Dan Heng's side.

But—what does it matter?

Anyway, he doesn't like her, so why should he care which side she's on? Even Jing Yuan was hurt by her, so it would be too stupid for him to jump into the fire pit again.

Even so, a subtle, aching feeling still crept into her heart. Ren frowned and waved her hand, as if that would shake off the invisible awkwardness.

Shen Mi stood there, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two. The light from above the steps fell behind her, casting a faint outline, like a halo of yellow light spreading outwards.

"Why don't you take this opportunity to clear up all the misunderstandings?"

Danheng looked at her quietly, neither responding nor refusing, remaining silent as if he were an outsider.

Ren chuckled and found a place to lean against. He had just been humiliated in front of her, so he wasn't going to hold back now that he had the chance: "Between him and me, it's complicated. Shen Mi, you don't need to interfere."

Shen Mi frowned, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes. She should have known better; with Ren's personality, he would never obediently listen to her advice.

“But if you continue like this, I’m afraid it will only get worse for both of you.” Her tone softened, but it still carried an unyielding firmness. “Have you thought about what if you regret it someday?”

Ren didn't answer, but smiled with his head down, a smile that hid a knife: "Explain yourself? Shen Mi, I didn't want to criticize you, but you've been so self-righteous."

He straightened up and slowly walked towards Chen Mi, his voice extremely low, as if afraid she wouldn't hear every word: "Some things can't be clarified just by 'explaining' them. You don't know about our past, and I forgive your ignorance. But you insist on making everyone act out a happy ending for you, and to be honest—I can't do that."

He paused for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were chillingly cold: "I believe there are some people who also don't want to see me."

Ren's tone shifted abruptly, his words carrying a hidden meaning. Shen Mi followed his gaze and saw Dan Heng with his head bowed, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles white from the force—at that moment, she almost heard the air scream. It wasn't anger, but an extreme, suppressed silence.

It's as if it has nothing to do with him.

Yes, it's normal to dislike him; dislike is an emotion that Dan Heng should have. From the moment he was born, people have imposed on him identities that don't belong to him, and he might even get into trouble because of these.

Every time he builds up his mental foundation, telling himself, "I am Danheng, I am Danheng," there are always disruptive elements that tear down the very foundation he has built.

Before, it was them, those unimportant people, but now it's her.

Shen Mi then realized what was happening.

She had always lamented the tragedy of the "Five Heroes of the Clouds," but she had never seriously considered that the "misunderstood past" she spoke of might not have been part of Danheng's life at all.

She thought she was helping them, but she overlooked one thing: even if those grudges could be resolved, it would only be an entanglement between Danfeng and Ren.

But the person in front of her was Dan Heng, not Dan Feng.

From beginning to end, Danheng seemed to be forced to bear hatred that had nothing to do with him, and also forced to accept the concern that seemed to belong to him.

What he is enduring is not his own life.

So, who am I trying to clear up a misunderstanding between?

Her trembling gaze betrayed the fact that she already had a definite answer in her heart.

Shen Mi looked up at Dan Heng and saw that his expression was calm to the point of being indifferent, but his eyes were like the depths of the Boyue Ancient Sea—dead and silent, with even the faint light submerged in them.

She dared not think about who Danheng thought she was doing this for.

Is it Danheng? It doesn't seem so.

The misunderstanding she was trying to clear up involved someone whose name wasn't "Danheng".

Is that Danfeng? It seems so.

But what about him? He's clearly not Danfeng.

She had clearly told him herself—he was Danheng, and would always be Danheng.

But at this moment, she herself became confused.

Ren raised his eyes, the corners of his lips slightly upturned, his expression carrying a hint of almost pleasurable delight.

His gaze was fixed on the person with their head down, as if he were admiring some kind of porcelain that had finally collapsed and shattered.

He spoke slowly, his voice deep and clear, each word like a rivet hammering into Dan Heng's heart:

What does it feel like to be completely rejected by the person you love?

Shen Mi stared blankly at Dan Heng, noticing that his eyes were tinged with a redder color than the corners of his eyes.

He did not refute Blade; in other words, he accepted everything Blade said.

The night wind brushed against Chen Mi's cheeks, carrying away all his resentment, all his hope, and all his aspirations for the future.

Dan Heng left without a word, his footsteps echoing dully in the empty steps. Chen Mi stood there, his eyes unfocused, as if all his strength had been drained away, not even daring to chase after him.

After enjoying the final performance, Ren took a few steps forward, his steps light and steady. He placed his hand on Chen Mi's shoulder, his posture like that of a victor looking down on someone, but his tone was surprisingly gentle: "It's late, go home. It's alright if you're gone, you're not alone."

He cleverly avoided mentioning anyone's name while implying that he would always be there.

A sense of smugness quietly rose in his heart—this way, no one could stop him from staying with her to continue searching for a way to break the demonic body.

Shen Mi abruptly shook off his hand. Her movement was light, but it conveyed a cold and resolute determination.

Blade looked at his hand that had been flung away, somewhat incredulous.

Shen Mi stood with his back to the blade, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke again, his voice trembling: "I have no right to criticize you, but you have no right to say anything to him either."

She paused, her breath barely suppressing the tears welling in her eyes. "I let you take advantage of the situation—I know why you stayed, isn't it to get what you crave most?"

Shen Mi looked in the direction Dan Heng had left, but she couldn't hold back her tears, which flowed out like a burst dam.

"You can go now. I'll tell you when the time comes... I have more important things to do right now."

Ren watched as Shen Mi's figure receded into the distance, the night stretching her silhouette long and lonely.

Logically speaking, he should be secretly pleased right now.

But reality was not as he had imagined. Watching her gradually disappear at the top of the steps, his heart felt empty, without even a trace of joy. The answer he had longed for brought him a strange bitterness and loss at this moment.

A gentle night breeze swept by, swirling fallen leaves and stirring a vague unease within him. He lowered his head slightly, a forced smile playing on his lips, cold and unfamiliar: "Strange… I should be happy, so why am I like this?"

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Author's Note: Family, today's post is short but concise. Author: Here comes the knives! Here comes the knives! No need to fight over them, everyone gets one. [Please][Please][Please][Pigeon]