Chapter 497: The Thousand-Year-Old (18)

That was the truth, so Gu Li quickly cleaned the fish and grilled it. Wen Wan appeared calm on the surface, but inside she was frantically nagging the system. She found it hard to accept this fact. "I never expected that my identity would be exposed like this. Do you think I can trust Gu Li's character?"

"I can definitely believe him. After all, he would die for me. He's a good person."

system:【……】

With such a strong bias against the host, why are you still asking yourself questions?

Wen Wan's gaze unconsciously drifted towards the male lead's figure. She couldn't help it; such a beautiful woman was being shown to her, how could she not look? That wouldn't suit the mindset of an old pervert.

This is a typical body type that looks slim in clothes but has a muscular physique when undressed.

Gu Li looked over, and Wen Wan turned her gaze away as if she had been burned. "Are we at the bottom of a cliff? Can we find our way back?"

"I just looked around and I'm not quite sure where I am yet. I'll leave once I've recovered from my injuries."

"You're injured?" Wen Wan asked in surprise, then Gu Li looked over and said, "Second Prince, you're injured. Don't you feel any pain in your leg?"

Wen Wan was stunned for a moment; she really hadn't felt it.

System: [I blocked your pain receptors. Your foot is injured, but it's not serious.]

"Why is he at the bottom, and he's not injured, but I am?"

System: [Host, you're not the protagonist. You don't have the protagonist's halo. You're lucky to even survive.]

Wen Wan: "..." This sudden heart attack is so unpleasant. Does being a non-protagonist mean you deserve to get hurt?

The fish was quickly grilled and Gu Li brought it over. Wen Wan was really hungry. Although the fish didn't have any seasoning and was simply grilled, it was still quite fresh and had a mild fishy smell. Wen Wan ate it with great pleasure.

"You eat too."

After the two finished eating the fish, Gu Li checked his clothes. "They should be dry in a little while. I'll go find some firewood, otherwise it might get a bit cold tonight."

Wen Wan: "Be careful."

After Gu Li left, Wen Wan waited quietly.

Gu Li returned quickly and gathered some firewood; they would have to rely on these things to get through the night.

Night fell quickly, and the temperature dropped instantly. Wen Wan changed into her own clothes, but when it came time to change Gu Li's clothes back, she realized the awkwardness of the situation.

She had already worn it close to her skin, so it would be a bit awkward to return it. However, Gu Li calmly accepted it and put it on.

Wen Yan: "..."

As expected, she was the only one being dramatic.

Wen Wan: "Don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

"If Your Highness wishes to speak, you will naturally do so."

Wen Wan sighed, "Now you know why I don't want to be the emperor, right? This identity is a knife hanging over my head. To hide my identity, my mother killed everyone who delivered her babies, and then killed countless people who discovered my identity. She wants me to be the crown prince and to succeed to the throne. As for the child, I will marry the person she chooses. That person will disguise himself as a woman and enter my harem to have a child with me. After the child is born, he will not survive either."

"Isn't it shocking? My mother was never a good person. The only things she cared about were power, status, and... me."

To say that the Empress didn't love this daughter wouldn't be accurate.

She simply loved power and status more; she couldn't accept that her child wasn't the crown prince, nor could she accept that she wasn't the most honored woman in the world.

Wen Wan didn't quite understand these kinds of people, but she had no reason to condemn them; she was just a stranger.

"So, for me, the removal of the crown prince is not an unacceptable thing; on the contrary, it is a good thing. I can leave that position openly and legitimately and secure a better future for myself."

Looking at Gu Li, Wen Wan continued, "So don't say anything about assisting me in the future. I don't want to go to that cage-like position."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"There are only the two of us here, so you can call me A-Yuan."

"A-Yuan?"

"I chose my own nickname, and nobody knows it."

“A-Yuan”.

Wen Wan quickly felt sleepy and drifted off to sleep. She slept for an unknown amount of time before suddenly feeling feverish all over. She then sensed that someone was taking care of her, but she did not fully wake up.

...

the next day.

When Wen Wan woke up, there was a pile of fruit next to her, while Gu Li was building a house using bamboo, leaves, and some vines.

“We will be staying here for the next few days. The forests on the mountain are deep and dangerous. We can only build a simple shelter here so that Your Highness… A-Yuan can recuperate properly.”

"Um."

Wen Wan ate fruit while watching Gu Li set up the stall.

I must say, the male lead is really capable; even under these conditions, he managed to build a small room.

After that, they found some dry grass and checked it little by little. Finally, after confirming that there were no insects, they wove it together, layer by layer, to make a simple bed.

I ate fish for lunch.

After finishing eating, they continued making things and quickly made a cane and a table.

They even started sharpening stone knives.

Wen Yan: "..."

She's really all-around amazing. If I left her here alone, she'd probably starve to death.

Thank you, male lead.

Moreover, the male lead even went to find herbs for her, which moved Wen Wan to tears. This male lead truly lives up to the saying, an all-around male lead who is essential for both home and travel.

Wen Wan moved into the new house quickly. Gu Li wanted to sleep outside, but how could Wen Wan allow that? Would she even be human? "This bed isn't small, we'll have to make do for now."

"Can't."

"Then I won't sleep either. If you get sick, who will take care of me? I'll starve to death here, won't I?"

Gu Li: "..."

In the end, Gu Li still couldn't win Wen Wan over. It was the first time Wen Wan had shared a bed with a man, and she had an unusual insomnia. The person next to her had a high temperature and a very strong presence.

Wen Wan can only chat.

"Gu Li, what do you want to do in the future? Have you thought about it?"

Gu Li: "No, I just want to live a good life."

"You're so amazing, just surviving isn't the goal; you're destined to be someone of high status."

"Why would A-Yuan say that? From the very beginning, she was absolutely certain that I could succeed."

Wen Yan: "..."

What could she say? She couldn't very well admit that she knew the plot, could she?

She deliberately yawned and said, "I'm sleepy, you should go to sleep too."

Then I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, and before I knew it, I was asleep. There was no trace of the insomnia I had just experienced.

But Gu Li couldn't sleep. Moonlight shone in through the window, casting soft shadows. Gu Li opened her eyes in the darkness and looked at Wen Wan. What flowed in the darkness, no one knew.

Wen Wan seemed to feel the cold, and then instinctively huddled towards the heat source. Gu Li sighed, but in the end, he didn't push her away. Instead, he held her in his arms, avoiding contact with Wen Wan's injured leg, and whispered, "Who exactly are you, and where did you come from?"