Few people knew about the scar on Chu Huaixu's body. The Empress Dowager was one of them, and Song Ting was another. He had kissed it and felt heartache for it more than once.
At that time, Chu Huaixu also said, "But look at its shape, doesn't it look like a butterfly with outstretched wings?"
It really does look very similar. Song Ting thought to herself at the time, "This person is good in every way, even the scars on his body are beautiful."
But now the scar is gone.
How exactly did the scars, which even the imperial physicians couldn't cure, disappear from Huai Xu's body? Song Ting dared not even imagine; he was afraid he wouldn't be able to accept it.
At the same time, he desperately wanted to know the truth; he was eager to know everything that had happened to Chu Huaixu.
Those were the five years he missed, the five years in which this person struggled in the mire.
“I used a medicine,” Chu Huaixu said. “It makes a person’s skin rot first, and then new skin grows back.”
His tone was casual, as if he were not talking about some excruciating pain, but rather what he had for lunch that day.
So indifferent, so uncaring.
Song Ting couldn't be so composed. His hands, gripping her shoulders, tightened unconsciously, and his voice choked with emotion: "Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt, I don't feel anything."
"You're lying to me."
How could it not hurt? The process of flesh rotting and then regenerating is incredibly painful.
Chu Huaixu turned his head slightly to look at Song Ting, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Commander, are you about to cry?"
Song Tinglian was still buried in his neck and refused to lift her head. Upon hearing this, she bit his neck lightly.
"You've seen me cry before, what's so strange about that?" The voice was muffled, with a noticeable sob in it.
The lamplight flickered in the Buddhist hall. The benevolent Buddha looked down at the two people kneeling before him. Chu Huaixu also looked up at him, then his gaze shifted to the ever-burning lamp with his name on it.
He had smashed the lamp before, but it was back on the shelf today.
He closed his eyes, and the flickering candlelight before him transformed into a raging fire and the blood flowing within it.
"I don't remember," Chu Huaixu said softly.
With a slight tightening of her teeth, Song Ting said with dissatisfaction, "You remember, you clearly remember."
“I don’t remember, Song Ting. I only remember the fire at the Duan Prince’s mansion that night and the tears shed by those who died in the fire. As for you, I remember nothing.”
"Everything about you is fake. Sometimes I can't even tell who I am, so why should I remember those illusory illusions?"
"Many times I've thought that I'd rather you had died that night, in that fire, like everyone else in the palace. If that were the case, you would always be my little dog."
"Song Ting, my puppy actually died that night, didn't it?"
"..."
He spoke these words calmly throughout, unlike the several times he had questioned Song Ting with lingering resentment after their reunion. Yet, it dealt Song Ting a heavy blow, and the man remained silent for a long time.
Chu Huaixu's legs were a little numb from kneeling. He pushed the person away, trying to get up, but was held even tighter.
The man finally released his grip, sparing the reddened skin, and instead kissed Chu Huaixu's lips.
She only gave him a light kiss before releasing him. Song Ting cupped his face and said something inappropriate and inexplicable, her tone sounding somewhat aggrieved:
"The young emperor seems to like you a lot. Were you two close before?"
Chu Huaixu had long noticed that this person was different from usual, and at this moment, the reason for this strangeness seemed to have been found.
He looked at Song Ting, his amusement becoming even more pronounced: "Is my lord jealous?"
Song Ting quickly admitted, "Yes, I was jealous. How come I didn't know you and the little emperor were so close?"
He used to follow Huai Xu closely, never knowing that this man had any dealings with the young emperor.
“I didn’t even know myself, but he said I saved him,” Chu Huaixu said speechlessly.
Although the young emperor's reminder had brought it to his memory, he had no intention of telling Song about it. There was no need.
Song Ting's lips twitched downwards, his expression even more displeased. He pecked at Chu Huaixu's lips repeatedly, as if he couldn't get enough of kissing him.
"Saving me wasn't enough, you had to save others too." The hurt on her face turned into heartache, and two lines of tears fell unconsciously. "Why, Huaixu, why are all the people you save so bad..."
Chu Huaixu's pupils suddenly trembled.
Yes, he thought. The people he saved, whether it was Song Ting, Chu Minghuan, or the Empress Dowager, were all wolves and tigers, heartless and cruel. Each of them was an executioner who caused the downfall of the Duan Prince's Mansion.
Without them, perhaps everything would be different.
How cruel fate is, to play such a cruel trick on him.
"So you're going to use him too?" Song Ting kissed him urgently, her breathing quickening.
He gently placed one hand on Chu Huaixu's throat, as if ready to guard against him saying something he didn't want to hear.
Chu Huaixu sensed it, but still said, "If needed."
Song Ting's arm trembled slightly. He stared at the snow-white neck in front of him, which he could hold so easily in his palm. His thumb was pressing on the artery, and the throbbing was connected to the heart, just as if Chu Huaixu's heart was beating in his palm.
He couldn't bear to actually strangle Chu Huaixu, but he also didn't want Chu Huaixu to focus his attention on anyone other than him.
"No, you can only use me. You are mine."
"Young master, you are mine, you can only use me."
Chu Huaixu chuckled and pushed the person off him. Song Ting wanted to chase after him, but then stopped.
Chu Huaixu found some lamp oil and added it to the ever-burning lamp. The candlelight flickered more violently because of his movements, making the shadows of the two of them blurry.
"But he is the emperor, and that identity is more useful than that of the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"The commander couldn't protect me, but the emperor cleared my name with just a few words."
Song Ting wasn't sure if he was serious or just trying to annoy him, but he was very unhappy.
He couldn't help but walk over, take the lamp oil from Huaixu's hand, and light the remaining two lamps for him.
Huai Xu was initially reluctant, struggled a bit, but finally let him have his way.
Song Ting's eyes were still very red, and the grievance on her face was almost palpable, which was very different from the decisive and ruthless commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard during the day.
"I don't need anyone else." Song Ting put the lamp oil back, picked the person up by the waist, and trapped them on the base of the Buddha statue... He kissed, "I can help you with anything you want, Huai Xu. You don't need anyone else, just use me."
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