His eyes were hidden in the darkness of the night, making them difficult to see clearly; one could only discern a fleeting glimpse from his voice.

"Nuonuo, I did not refuse to see you, please don't be angry with me."

According to the plot of the book, Li Xian should still be in Lu County. Lu County is a long way from Shanghai. Would he really come all the way here to apologize to me?

Xu Nuo looked at him strangely and reached out to try to push his fingers off the door, but instead of pushing them, he grabbed them.

Xu Nuo is angry.

This jerk of a man has fallen for someone else and is harassing her in the middle of the night; now he even dares to hold her hand.

Xu Nuo twisted her hands hard and kicked him with one foot. Because she was wearing a nightgown, she couldn't lift her foot high and only kicked his calf.

The kick landed squarely on Li Xian's still-healing wound. The sudden pain, combined with his uneasy thoughts, caused him to lose his balance and fall.

In the instant he collapsed, he gritted his teeth and swallowed the muffled groan.

Xu Nuo looked shocked.

"..." Is the male protagonist here to stage an accident?

Or has she suddenly become incredibly strong again?

To test her, she raised her little fist and punched the door frame. Instead of smashing the door as expected, she hissed as she clutched her arms.

Li Xian sounded even more anxious than she did, and he rushed straight up to her.

"Nuonuo, are you alright?"

This surprised Xu Nuo for a moment.

She saw his face.

He couldn't see it clearly before, but now that he's closer, he can see it clearly under the light.

The right side of his face was lighter in color, with a touch of pink, and there was a noticeable difference in skin tone at the edges.

Moreover, he looked terrible.

he...?

Forget it, what's it to her?

Xu Nuo withdrew her hand, her pretty face cold: "It's nothing, you can go now, but don't come looking for me again."

After saying that, she was about to close the door, intending to shut the person out as quickly as possible, so she closed the door very swiftly.

The door did not close smoothly; it was blocked by four long, sharp fingers.

Xu Nuo's face was a little pale as she stared at his hand, which he quickly withdrew.

Did that just snap it in half?

She couldn't help but ask, "What...what exactly do you want?"

Afraid she would close the door, Li Xian took a step forward and looked closely at her: "Nuonuo, I didn't refuse to see you. I really, really want to see you. Believe me, don't be angry with me, okay?"

The corners of his eyes were tinged with a faint red, which made Xu Nuo's heart skip a beat: "Do you have a reason for this?"

Li Xian's pale lips twitched slightly.

He nodded.

Xu Nuo wanted to curse.

Although everything happened so cleverly, it undoubtedly told her that the plot of the book was irreversible, but she had also considered other possibilities.

For example, could Li Xian have some kind of hidden difficulties?

He refused to see her, offered no explanation, and for a whole month after she left Lu County, he never came to see her again.

Is there really a reason behind it?

But all of that became less important when Xu Nuozhen boarded the train to leave home.

A whole month.

She cried when she needed to cry, and she felt sad when she needed to be sad.

What's the point of telling her it was a misunderstanding now?

At the fertilizer plant, she asked him very seriously, "Is there something you're struggling with?"

As long as he says "yes," she will give him her utmost trust, and even if he cannot explain on the spot, she will obediently leave first.

Then wait for him to tell you the truth.

Instead of getting caught up in the anxiety of not knowing anything and starting to overthink things.

Everything that should and shouldn't be thought is strung together, turning into a play where the truth is hard to discern.

People say that my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens, but how many of them still succumb to fate in the end?

Xu Nuo was a theist and believed that there were beings in the world that were superior to humans. Otherwise, how could she explain everything she was going through?

She was immersed in the book, and the plot within it was just like that annoying fate.

She was willing to trust Li Xian, so she went to him immediately, hoping to get the most accurate answer from him.

But he avoided seeing them, and when he did see them, he said nothing.

She was upset about it and even felt nauseous for several days.

The night was heavy and dark.

Li Xian waited for her response, but she didn't get a response. His fingers, which had just been numb from being pressed, curled up helplessly, then quickly unfolded again, trying to use the pain to force himself to clear his mind.

He called her cautiously, "Nuonuo..."

Xu Nuo reached out and pushed him, trying to push him out the door.

Li Xian's eyes were filled with helplessness and fear. He completely forgot about the injury on his hand and reached out to touch her. But when he saw the white cloth on his hand, he quickly put his hand behind his back.

As if afraid of being discovered, he hurriedly took a step back.

The attempt to cover up the truth only made it more obvious.

Xu Nuo's fair face flushed red, and even her eyes welled up with tears. Looking at Li Xian, whose face was filled with fear, she said with disappointment, "Li Xian, I once told you that in this world, apart from life and death, nothing that cannot be changed is really a big deal. Instead of you hiding things from me, it's better to be honest and talk things out. Even the worst things can always be resolved. It's better than not knowing anything and endlessly overthinking."

Li Xian's face was already pale, but now it was even more frighteningly white. His lips trembled uncontrollably, and he wanted to say something but couldn't utter a word.

Xu Nuo wiped her eyes, her voice trembling with tears: "Li Xian, don't come looking for me anymore. You don't need to explain to me. Whether you have your reasons or not doesn't matter now. Our little troubles are nothing serious. Don't worry, I'm not crying because of you. I don't want you anymore, and I don't like you anymore."

I don't want you anymore, I don't like you anymore.

That last sentence was like a thunderclap, blasting his pent-up helplessness and despair into a maddening pain.

He was nearly out of control, his eyes bloodshot, looking like he wanted to devour someone: "Don't you want me?"

Xu Nuo was easily swayed by gentle persuasion but not by force, and angrily retorted, "Yes, I don't want you anymore, don't..."

"His hand is broken."

Xu Nuo was stunned.

"Here, here, here, this, here..."

He seemed to lose control in an instant, his eyes bloodshot, revealing his desperate wounds to her one by one.

He really went mad, because of her casual remark that he didn't like it and didn't want it anymore.

This one ray of light in his life allowed him to forget the pain, face the darkness without fear, and have the will to live.

How could this be...

You can't leave him.

With each glimpse of her clothing revealed, a gruesome wound was exposed, and Xu Nuo's face paled further, causing Li Xian's heart to ache a little more.

Finally, Li Xian knelt down weakly, carefully holding her drooping fingertips, his expression a mixture of crying and laughing.

Xu Nuo heard him mutter helplessly, "Nuonuo, it's something that will kill you."

It's something that will kill you!

He held her fingertips carefully, as if touching a fragile bubble, with deep affection.

A humble plea: "Nuonuo, please don't leave me, okay?"

…

After Li Xian lowered his eyes and told her everything, Xu Nuo could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

"Li Xian, you...you are really...so annoying. You...kept this from me. When you were dying, I was still overthinking and cursing you as a...scumbag, a...bad person who fell in love with someone else. Waaaaaah."

Xu Nuo was sad and angry, but mostly heartbroken. Although Li Xian deliberately avoided everything in the police station and even comforted her that it didn't hurt.

But she wasn't stupid. Li Xian was a member of the "Five Black Categories," and even if he were beaten to death, no one would seek justice. How could he escape so easily?

What saddened her even more was the overwhelming fear that followed. What if Li Xian hadn't escaped with his life? What if that Liu Chun had dragged him into the mess...

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but curse him again: "If you really... die, and I find out... find out the truth later, what do you think I'll think? Will I not cry? I'll cry twice, once because I think you betrayed me, and once when I find out the truth. By the time I find out the truth, you'll already be dead, you'll be gone, and I won't even be able to see you one last time. How sad will that be for me? You stinky Li Xian, I will never forgive you. You're so annoying, waaaaaah."

After Xu Nuo finished speaking in one breath, she couldn't help but burst into tears, heartbroken.

Li Xian held her tightly in his arms, hating himself for making her so sad.

Despite the physical pain that had kept him from shedding a single tear, seeing her crying so heartbrokenly brought tears to his eyes.

Heartache mixed with a base and gleeful joy.

She shed tears for him.

"Nuonuo, I'm sorry, it's all my fault, I deserve to die..."

Xu Nuo couldn't bear to hear the word "death" right now. With her eyes red from crying, she glared at him fiercely and said, "Don't say 'death,' waaaaaah!"

She lay helplessly in his arms, her delicate and warm body trembling.

A powerful warmth surged through his chest, which had been wracked with pain and lost all sensation, accompanied by the sound of his heartbeat, dispelling his fear and despair.

So he lowered his head, pressed his forehead against the top of her head, and pleaded humbly, "Nuonuo, please don't leave me, okay?"

Xu Nuo glared at him angrily again, but she didn't look fierce at all.

It's breathtakingly beautiful.

I am willing to die for it, and to live for it.

His light.

He is my only light.

…

Xu Nuo cried herself to sleep.

Actually, it wasn't entirely because she was tired from crying, but because she kept crying and Li Xian kept holding her and comforting her.

His embrace was warm and comforting, and although his voice was naturally deep and cold, it possessed a gentle tenderness that showed boundless acceptance of her.

His palm gently rested on her back, stroking the back of her head, again and again, with unwavering patience.

Xu Nuo only remembered the words the two kept repeating.

"Nuonuo, I was wrong."

"snort."

"Nuonuo, don't abandon me."

"snort."

"Nuonuo, I love you."

"…snort."

"Nuonuo, don't hate me."

"snort."

"Nuonuo".

"Um?"

"Nuonuo".

"what?"

"Nuonuo".

"..." Xu Nuo fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was lying comfortably in my big bed, covered with a light blanket.

In my hands…

She turned her head slightly and saw the man curled up under the bed.

He lay on the ground facing her, not sleeping well, his brows furrowed and his face pale.

His uninjured hand rested on the edge of the bed, holding hers tightly.

Xu Nuo's eyes welled up with tears again, and she moved her hands.

Li Xian woke up immediately, sat up, and looked at her anxiously: "Nuonuo, what's wrong?"

Xu Nuo pouted unhappily: "Who told you to sleep on the floor? Are you out of your mind?"

With all those injuries, instead of taking proper care of herself, she came all the way to Shanghai, showing no regard for her own health whatsoever.

"Nuonuo, do you want some?"

Xu Nuo yawned and asked blankly, "What?"

She has naturally sensitive eyes; her eyes would redden when she yawned. Li Xian naturally wiped away the moisture from the corners of her eyes.

His tone was serious: "Do you want my life?"

"If you want it, I'll take it; if you don't want it, I won't take it either."

Xu Nuo was amused by his words, and gave a haughty "humph". She looked at the ceiling and the small curtains with her big eyes, but refused to look at him: "Then your life is mine. From now on, I am your master."

Li Xian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if satisfied and joyful, and gently pressed his forehead against the back of her hand.

Nuonuo, don't leave me.

Don't abandon me.

Even if it means being a pathetic creature begging for your sympathy with injuries, I would gladly accept it.

Xu Nuo gently poked the top of his head, and Li Xian looked up, his eyes a little red.

Xu Nuo pointed to the table, her voice soft and sweet: "I want that cup."

Li Xian stood up, thinking she was thirsty, and picked up the kettle to pour water, but Xu Nuo stopped him: "No, no, the cup is empty."

She couldn't wait any longer, so she got up, walked over barefoot, and placed her hand on the cup.

Li Xian's eyebrows and eyes remained lowered in silence.

Xu Nu poked his arm and commanded in a spoiled tone, "Drink it all."

Xu Nuo gave Li Xian half a cup of herbal water and watched his complexion slowly recover before she breathed a sigh of relief. She covered her mouth and yawned, then looked at Li Xian coquettishly and said, "I still want to sleep."

"good."

Li Xian picked her up, and she obediently reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, nestling in the crook of his neck: "Hold me."

Li Xian was overjoyed and looked down at her with tenderness.

His voice was hoarse: "Okay."

Sunlight streamed through the curtains and fell onto the bed.

Xu Nuo wasn't covered by a blanket; she was curled up in Li Xian's arms, her chubby little face pressed against his chest, occasionally smacking her lips.

If she made the slightest noise, the sleeping man would reflexively stroke the back of her head and open his eyes to look at her.

If she was still asleep, he would gently close his eyes again.

If she opened her eyes, he would lower his head and ask her gently, "What's wrong?"

Half-asleep, Xu Nuo mumbled, "I want to drink water."

"good."

Li Xian got up and poured her a glass, then put his arm around her as she stood up. She let out a soft "ah" and gulped down a large glass of the drink with his hand.

After drinking the water, she felt refreshed. She stretched in his arms and pushed Li Xian's head far away with her outstretched hand.

Are you hungry?

She touched her stomach, her bright eyes looking at him: "I'm hungry."

Xu Nuo has never cooked at home, the kitchen has never been cleaned, and there is nothing else to eat besides pastries and cakes.

Li Xian boiled water, poured a cup, and placed it by the window to cool.

Xu Nuo was brushing her teeth in the bathroom, her mouth full of toothpaste foam. She took a sip of water and spat it out. Li Xian had already soaked her towel and wrung it out.

Xu Nuo habitually turned her face toward him.

"pain."

Li Xian thought he had hit too hard: "Where does it hurt?"

Xu Nuo squinted her red and swollen eyes and said pitifully, "My eyes."

Cool lips gently landed on her eyelids.

His voice was deep and resonant, like the sound of the moonlit night: "Nuonuo."