Xiao Shen...Master...
Zhan Xinjia looked up in surprise, her pupils contracting, and her violently beating heart skipped a few beats.
A cacophony of shrill ringing filled her ears, making it impossible for her to remain calm and rational. The world seemed to fade to a pale, ethereal color, except for the young man standing alone before her, who still retained his color. But those eyes, once brimming with warmth, were now only lifeless.
Cold, indifferent, and unfamiliar.
The young man's casual glance was devoid of any warmth or joy that should accompany a reunion; instead, it was filled with a morbid malice, coldly scrutinizing her as if he wanted to seize something.
Zhan Xinjia didn't know whether she felt more guilty or more frightened at that moment. She was speechless for a moment and just stared at him in shock and confusion.
He opened his lips in silence, but no sound came out for a long while.
Or perhaps, she simply didn't know what to say, and whatever she said seemed inappropriate...
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Qiaoqiao tiptoed down the basin of water and gave an awkward smile.
"Hehe, Ah Zhi, Lord Shen, you two chat, I'll go check on how Miss Cui is doing."
Before Zhan Xinjia could stop her, Qiaoqiao ran off in a flash.
Now, only two people remain in the tent, one sitting and one standing, gazing at each other from a distance. Although only a few months have passed since they parted, it now feels as if a lifetime has passed between them, with an unfathomable and insurmountable chasm already between them.
After a long while, Shen Suqing withdrew his gaze and slowly stepped forward.
His dark eyelashes were lowered, casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids, obscuring the thoughts in his eyes. He deftly rolled up his sleeves and carefully wrung out the handkerchief in the basin, never looking up at her again.
The young man's tone seemed casual, but upon closer examination, it seemed to carry a hint of displeasure.
"She'll call you Ah Zhi too?"
Unexpectedly, the first question asked by Lord Shen was this. Zhan Xinjia was stunned, somewhat confused and bewildered.
"Hmm, anything is fine, right? It's just a name after all..."
Perhaps it was her imagination, but she felt the air pressure around her seemed to drop even lower after she said those words.
Zhan Xinjia was momentarily flustered and at a loss, timidly lowering her head even further, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the uneven stitching on the edge of the quilt, as if this could alleviate some of her tension and embarrassment.
Gathering her courage, she tentatively began to speak.
"Young Master Shen, are you angry...?"
The young man froze as he wrung out the handkerchief, his knuckles clenching silently.
He pressed his thin lips together into a thin line, said nothing, took a dry handkerchief, and walked towards her.
A warm handkerchief was placed over his cheek, wiping away the sweat from his forehead and temples. Zhan Xinjia, whose neck was a little itchy from the handkerchief, subconsciously tried to turn his head away, but his jaw was suddenly gripped firmly by the young man's slender fingers, the force so strong it hurt.
He pressed his fingers up her chin, forcing her to look up.
Shen Suqing lowered his brows, his voice becoming even deeper and colder, his tone carrying a sharp questioning tone filled with barely suppressed anger.
What are you hiding from?
Zhan Xinjia, lost in thought, stumbled into his dark, gloomy eyes.
He tilted his head slightly, his eyes and brows listless, but a sickly, eerie smile suddenly appeared on his lips.
Those eyes, devoid of any luster, stared fixedly at her.
"How could I be angry? Even if I'm completely fooled, even if I'm easily abandoned... Do you always think so confidently—how could I dare to be angry with you when you've played me like a dog?"
As he spoke, he slowly moved his knuckles, which were gripping her chin, upwards.
As if playing with some beloved object, his calloused fingertips gently caressed her eyebrows and eyes, tracing her features inch by inch. He suddenly chuckled softly.
The laughter was short and self-deprecating.
"Stop hiding, behave yourself, or I don't know what I might do."
This statement is already an undisguised threat.
Zhan Xinjia was startled and immediately obediently raised her head to let him wash her as he pleased, sitting there like a silly little fox doll.
How strange...
Little Shen looks a bit... well, she doesn't know how to describe it, but he doesn't seem like Little Shen anymore. He gives her a strange sense of danger, aloofness, coldness, and even a fierce look.
But she left without saying goodbye, so it's understandable that Master Shen is angry.
Thinking of this, Zhan Xinjia, who was already feeling guilty, felt even more distressed and remorseful. While he was wiping her face, she secretly grabbed a wisp of his drooping clothes and held it in her palm, unwilling to let go.
"Young Master Shen, I'm so sorry..."
She felt uncertain and uneasy.
Shen Suqing didn't respond until he had thoroughly wiped her sweaty face clean. Then, he slowly withdrew his hand and pulled out the sleeve he had been holding. He took two steps back, deliberately keeping his distance from her.
His phoenix eyes still held a mocking indifference.
"Don't you think it's too late to say this now? Or do you really think that I will forgive you no matter what, as long as you apologize?"
Zhan Xinjia felt guilty and didn't dare to say a word. The young man sneered, waved his sleeve, and turned to leave.
Now she was anxious and forgot about her injured leg. Instinctively, she threw off the covers and tried to chase after him. But she had barely taken half a step off the bed when she stumbled and fell to the side. Her legs were too weak to support her weight, and she could hardly stand up again.
it hurts……
A lump formed in her throat, and Zhan Xinjia clutched her knee, gasping for breath. The pain was so intense it brought tears to her eyes.
What should I do? I haven't had a chance to explain to Master Shen yet.
Lost in thought, feeling sad and helpless, the footsteps at the door seemed to return again.
Zhan Xinjia felt a lightness in her body as the young man carefully lifted her up by her knees and placed her back on the bed.
If he was merely in a bad mood before, now he was clearly angry, his rage palpable.
Shen Suqing's tone became more forceful, his teeth clenched.
"Where do you think you can run to with all these injuries?"
Zhan Xinjia lowered her eyes weakly, "I just wanted to talk to you a little more, but you looked so fierce and impatient. I don't want to argue with you, and I don't want you to hate me. Can you please stop being so mean to me..."
As she spoke, tears of grievance fell "plop" onto the quilt, spreading into a small splash.
Zhan Xinjia covered her face with her hands.
She knew she looked pathetic and embarrassed, but she just couldn't control her emotions.
She was the one who did wrong, and she didn't mean to deny it, but she really had a lot to say. She wanted to tell Lord Shen that she had found important family members, she wanted to explain to Lord Shen that what "Pei Yi" said in the dungeon was all a lie, and she wanted to childishly show off the many amazing things she had done since coming to Canghan City.
She wants to be praised, to be comforted, or even just to have him quietly listen.
At least, she doesn't want things to be like this.
I don't want to treat Master Shen like a stranger.
The young man remained silent for a long time, so long that Zhan Xinjia thought he had already left alone. She helplessly covered her eyes, tears streaming down her face, her back trembling slightly as she sobbed softly.
In a daze, I heard his faint voice in front of me.
"You were the one who rejected me first, so why are you crying now?"
Upon hearing this, Zhan Xinjia forced back her tears.
She hastily wiped her tear-stained face with her sleeve, then, without looking up, softly hummed in agreement.
"I understand, you can go now."
She lay down as if nothing was wrong, pulled the blanket over her head, curled up in bed with her knees tucked in in a very insecure position, forced herself to close her eyes, and forced herself to dream again.
It's okay, I was already prepared to be disliked when I left anyway.
One should not be so greedy as to want everything.
Before she could convince herself with this self-deceptive explanation, the blanket covering her head was pulled off, and she was unexpectedly pulled out of bed, her eyes red from crying.
This time, she was held and sat on his lap.
Shen Suqing remained silent, staring at her for a long time, as if trying to see through her tear-reddened, pitiful eyes to her heart.
The girl who used to be so delicate that she would ask him to rub her forehead if he tapped her twice is now covered in bruises, and she almost lost both of her legs.
He could never forget the day she was brought back, barely alive and covered in blood. He almost collapsed to his knees from exhaustion after just one glance. His vision blurred, he felt so overwhelmed with grief that he retched, and he was so devastated that he lost the ability to think clearly. He gritted his teeth and strained with all his might to keep himself from fainting on the spot.
My heart aches terribly, clenching tightly as if it's been ripped open with a bloody gash.
All the resentment and hatred he had harbored along the way vanished in an instant. He no longer cared about his own selfish desires or his narrow-minded thirst for revenge. All he knew was that it didn't matter if he was kept being deceived or treated like a dog.
At least, she has to live.
She couldn't let him act like a selfish, perverted madman, wishing she would be crippled for life, unable to walk, unable to escape, never able to leave him again, and forever dependent on him in his arms.
He closed his eyes, then raised his sleeve and gently wiped away her tears with the softest fabric inside. His trembling hand stroked her thin, pale face, and then he held her tightly in his arms.
His voice was terribly hoarse, and his tone was filled with despair.
"Knowing I'm angry, can't you... say something nice?"
Why did you let others call you "Azhi" too? Why didn't you immediately promise me that only I could call you that from now on, even if it was just a lie, just teasing me like before...
"You don't even have the patience to lie to me anymore?"
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