Cen Xi's breath hitched, her mind thrown into turmoil by his harsh words.
"Don't speak. I don't want to hear anything you say. You're always so heartless, leaving without a second thought. Have you ever considered how I'm supposed to live after you're gone?"
"You want me to have some peace and quiet? Fine! I'll listen to you and leave the princess's residence. I've waited for more than twenty days, but all I get is the news of your resolute departure."
Is this fair to me?
After Shen Jinchen finished speaking, he seemed unwilling to hear any further response from Cen Xi. He turned Cen Xi around, cupped her face in his hands, lowered his head, and pressed his lips to her slightly dry lips.
After his domineering, slightly cold tongue slid into Cen Xi's mouth, it greedily seized her scent, forcefully exploring every corner.
He's gone mad; only this close, interdependent relationship can mask his fear of her leaving.
After a deep kiss, Shen Jinchen directly pressed her pressure points, preventing her from saying a word, and then took Cen Xi and headed towards Shenfeng Valley, which was not far away.
That place was once where Jun Jianchou trained soldiers for Cen Xi, and it was also where Shen Jinchen and Cen Xi left behind memories.
As soon as Shen Jinchen entered, he led Cen Xi to the small wooden house.
What will happen next is obvious.
After a tender moment, Shen Jinchen still wouldn't let her speak, nor would he say anything himself. He just held Cen Xi tightly without moving, as if he were savoring the feeling of something lost and then regained.
Cen Xi had been hugged enough by him and really wanted to move, but unfortunately all the major acupoints in her body were sealed tightly.
There was absolutely no solution, so she could only sigh inwardly.
It wasn't until her stomach started growling loudly from hunger that the person who had imprisoned her remembered to get her something to eat.
There used to be people living here, and some of the rice and grains were still intact. Shen Jinchen silently cooked a pot of porridge before leisurely walking to the bedside and releasing her acupoints.
"Phew! I'm suffocating, my legs are numb, can you rub them for me?"
Once she could speak, Cen Xi's first words were to express the numbness in her body. She had been holding a single position for an hour, and as soon as she got out of bed, she couldn't stand up and swayed forward.
Seeing that she was about to fall, Shen Jinchen reached out to support her, then carried her to the bed and massaged her legs.
During this time, he didn't say a word or even give Cen Xi a glance.
"I'm sorry! My choice has truly hurt people."
Feeling the coldness on his feet and seeing the other person's silent demeanor, Cen Xi knew that he was truly heartbroken.
Upon hearing this, Shen Jinchen's lips moved, but he remained silent, though his hands continued moving.
After Cen Xi was rubbed a few times, her legs were no longer so numb. She reached out and took the man's hand, pulled him up, and looked into his eyes.
Then suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and kissed his thin, sensual lips.
Shen Jinchen was initially somewhat indifferent, but eventually took the initiative, kissing Cen Xi's lips until they turned rosy red, before pulling her into a tight embrace and asking in a hoarse voice:
How can I make you stop thinking about leaving me?
"Were the things you said on the cliff a decision you've thought through?"
Cen Xi let him hold her, and softly sought the answer she wanted.
"Yes! It's a decision I've carefully considered. I can assure you, Shen Jinchen, that you are the only woman I will ever have in my life. If you have no children, we will adopt one. If the adopted child changes his/her surname later, it can only be said that the fate of the Great Qi Dynasty has run its course. Do you believe me?"
"If you don't believe me, wait until I ascend the throne and I will personally write an imperial edict. If I break my oath, you can bring this edict to me, and then you can leave. I... I will not stop you in the slightest."
Shen Jinchen released Cen Xi and looked into her eyes, his dark, ink-painted eyes filled with solemnity.
"Then it's settled. Since you've made your decision, and it's what I want, I'll give it back to you. I admit I'm a bit cold-hearted, but it's not that I don't love you. Perhaps, based on loving you, I love myself even more."
"This might be a personality issue, and I'm afraid I'll never be able to change it in my lifetime. Can you accept all of this?"
Cen Xi looked back at him and agreed, which also explained why she always wanted to leave.
She doesn't like to hide things; some things are better said directly.
"I believe you after such a frank response. Anyone can see that I don't hold much weight in your heart, and there's nothing I can do about it. Oh well, it was my own fault for asking for this anyway. I, Shen Jinchen, am willing to accept your indifference."
Shen Jinchen felt a tightness in his chest, but he was already content that Cen Xi was able to stay. He was afraid that if he forced others to stay, they would not be able to keep her.
"Nonsense, you still hold a lot in my heart. I told you before that I didn't want to be locked in a cage like the palace. Now that I agree to your ascension to the throne, it means that I am now willing to confine myself to you. Doesn't that show that I care about you?"
"Although I love myself, it doesn't mean I don't have you in my heart. If you weren't important to me, why would I be so troubled after leaving, not even realizing that my horse was about to fall off the cliff? Saying that you don't matter to me is a bit hurtful."
It's true that she often thinks about leaving him, but she strongly disagrees with the idea that Shen Jinchen doesn't hold a significant place in her heart. Perhaps that was true before, but now she's certain that the man in front of her has captured her heart.
"You said you fell off the cliff because you were heartbroken that I was leaving you?"
Shen Jinchen grabbed her, wanting a definite answer.
"I want to eat, I'm hungry."
Cen Xi didn't want to be affectionate with him; she hadn't eaten for two days. When she first decided to leave, she lost her appetite.
Now that the matter is resolved, she is extremely hungry.
"Hahaha... So you do care about me. If you do care, then why did you decide to leave me? Why didn't you come to see me, Engineer Huang?"
Shen Jinchen laughed loudly, clearly confirming that it wasn't just him being enthusiastic, but he still didn't understand why she would choose to leave if she cared.
Cen Xi didn't respond immediately. She walked to the table, drank several mouthfuls of porridge, and then slowly spoke:
“Shen Jinchen, I can’t have children. You didn’t say anything before, and it’s been more than twenty days since you came to see me. How can I be sure what you’re thinking? Even if I love you, I have my bottom line. I will never share you with another woman.”
"So I have no choice but to leave. And your previous anger was partly your fault, not entirely mine. So Shen Jinchen, don't act like I've let you down. This is the outcome of our game."
"you…!"
Shen Jinchen pointed at Cen Xi with a trembling finger, holding back for a long time without being able to utter a single word.
In the end, all he could do was angrily pick up a bowl of porridge next to Cen Xi and gulp it down.
Cen Xi seemed to be right; the current outcome was indeed the result of their power struggle.
Ultimately, it's because he cares more that he's afraid of losing it.
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