Chapter 107 "You come when summoned and leave when dismissed..."
Before he could finish speaking, Cui Yao felt an indescribable chill instantly envelop him.
cold.
So cold that his teeth were grinding together, he took a slow, labored breath.
He felt a chill, but not the real feeling of being alive. Instead, a continuous, intense pain surged from his limbs and bones throughout his body.
Like a fine net wrapped around the heart and lungs, it pierces the skin and flesh with each breath, becoming heavier and heavier.
Difficulty breathing.
His chest heaved violently, yet he remained fixed on Ji Chengnin.
The taste of blood filled his mouth, but he was completely unaware of it.
impossible.
Impossible, impossible, impossible! The thoughts racing through his mind were enough to drive a person mad. Even though he and the Crown Prince had some unpleasantness before, that was in the past. Even if it hadn't happened, even if it hadn't... The young general's bloodshot eyes were still vivid in his mind as he tried his best to suppress the pain. "Cui Yao, is that your real name?"
"Whether it is true or not, whatever your predicament is, it is none of my business."
Ji Chengnin's voice still echoed in his ears. He suddenly realized that the memories he had been trying so hard to suppress, which he considered nightmares, were actually so clear.
Even if there wasn't one, Cui Yao frantically reached for the dagger at his waist. Even if there wasn't one, now, if he asked the Crown Prince to personally plunge the blade into his throat, wouldn't the Crown Prince be less angry?
She wouldn't say such cruel things to deceive him.
The cold, trembling fingers calmed down as they gripped the knife handle.
That way, the prince will calm down.
As if under a spell, he became even more determined in his mind.
Ji Chengning looked into his eyes, his gaze constantly overlapping with that of that day.
Despite her extreme fear, Cui Yao actually laughed.
Even in the dim candlelight, Ji Chengnin could still see that his face was unusually pale, without a trace of color.
The dim candlelight flickered, casting its light on the faces of those nearby, like the finest celadon porcelain.
And, just like cracked celadon, the corners of his lips turned up, pulling at the flesh around his mouth, revealing an extremely strange expression.
It was a smile.
He wanted to draw his sword and present it to Ji Chengnin.
But Ji Chengning seemed to see through his thoughts. He raised his hand, gently pressed a finger against the corner of Cui Yao's lips, and shook it lightly.
No.
It's trembling.
His rapid, disordered breathing spilled unmistakably onto the back of his hand, instantly causing small goosebumps to rise on that skin.
He watched Cui Yao's expression.
He relished Cui Yao's pain at that moment, finding it both pleasurable and painful.
He has never been a good person, and in matters of love, he is even more capricious and calculating.
He gently ran his fingers across Cui Yao's skin, and seeing that Cui Yao did not move, he turned his hand over and patted his face with the back of his hand.
As if waking from a deep dream, Cui Yao suddenly looked up.
Ji Chengning was about to withdraw his hand.
Immediately, I felt a chill on my wrist.
It was damp and cold.
Cui Yao's palm pressed tightly against his wrist, as if ice was melting from the warmth of his body, leaving it both damp and bone-chillingly cold.
The stab startled Ji Chengning.
But more than anything, I felt excited.
"lie."
He heard Cui Yao speak in a low voice.
Each word was spoken slowly and deliberately, almost shattered from the silence.
His movements were incredibly submissive; his cool cheeks rubbed against Ji Chengnin's hand in a pleading manner, while his hand remained in a restraining posture, firmly gripping Ji Chengnin's wrist in his palm.
Bone and flesh collided and crushed each other forcefully.
It hurts.
The excitement only increased.
It seemed that all the suppressed emotions had found an outlet, and the person in front of him was happy to accept all his actions, even the harm they caused.
What a wonderful taste!
How interesting is that?
Ji Chengning took a deep breath. He should be happy. At this moment, even if he wanted Cui Yao's life, Cui Yao would not hesitate to rip out her heart and would not have to worry about getting his hands covered in blood.
If you knew this would happen, why didn't you say so?
I refused to tell you before, and I will not tell you now. It is because I was fickle in the past, making it impossible for you to trust me. But after so many days and nights of being together, with our hearts in sync and our ears close, you know what kind of person I am. Why do you still refuse to tell me?
Am I really that untrustworthy to you?
Am I really so bad that I can't put your mind at ease?
A hint of ferocious bloodlust spread rapidly in his eyes. He met Cui Yao's gaze, completely unaware that his eyes were trembling almost terrifyingly.
Ji Chengning raised his lips.
Its scarlet, ferocious color resembled that of a monster that had just devoured human hearts.
One bite after another.
His lips were stained with blood.
He leaned closer, his voice as soft and tender as could be, "How could it be a lie? Lord Cui, or Lord Zhong, with your mysterious identity and vast influence, surely you could find out that the Emperor is going to bestow a marriage upon me?"
Before he could finish speaking...
That face suddenly loomed large before my eyes!
The pale-colored eyes shattered like ice.
Click.
She stared intently at him, her gentle and serene facade gone, revealing a frighteningly sinister gaze. Her emotions were churning intensely, yet she tried her best to suppress them, but the dark and turbulent feelings were impossible to hide.
It urgently needs to gush forth!
His gaze slid down from the tip of her nose, wandering all the way, and lingered particularly fondly on her neck.
In an instant, Ji Chengning felt a bone-chilling cold emanating from the spot where Cui Yao was staring at.
It looked like it could pounce on him at any moment and bite his throat.
My spine was tingling and numb.
The excitement only increased.
The same applies to pain.
Ji Chengning never knew that his cousin's beautiful face could also have such a chilling and oppressive aura.
He felt both love and pity for her, and reached out to touch her.
But he was grabbed!
His strength was astonishing; Ji Chengning couldn't even break free.
The chilling aura unique to Cui Yao filled her nostrils as her master approached.
"lie."
Cui Yao murmured.
Seemingly having shed all her fierceness, Cui Yao's voice carried a sticky, indistinct quality—it was a sob.
Approaching Ji Chengning with extreme pity and helplessness.
Her eyes were filled with utmost hope as she looked at him, waiting for him to tell her that none of it was true.
Cui Yao lowered her head. "Your Highness, you're lying to me, aren't you?"
It's fake.
He told himself that.
Of course it's fake. If it isn't, no, it can't be. But if the prince is being coerced, he... his gaze greedily swept over Ji Chengning's entire body, and he let the prince leave with him, hiding the prince so that no one could see him.
Of course it's fake!
The last syllable trembled.
So pitiful.
Ji Chengning thought.
Okay, so hypocritical.
If he hadn't seen the suppressed fire deep in Cui Yao's eyes, Ji Chengning would have truly believed that his cousin had reformed.
Not to mention, Cui Yao had one arm around his waist and the other tightly gripping his wrist. The grip wasn't strong, but it was extremely strange and cunning, and he couldn't break free even if he wanted to.
He pressed his earlobe close to Cui Yao's.
He turned his head abruptly, his rapid breath hitting Ji Chengnin's lips.
His eyes grew increasingly anxious, yet also increasingly filled with anticipation.
Watch Ji Chengning's lips open and close.
I want to hear him say, "Yes, it's fake."
But Ji Chengning just lowered his head with pity.
She whispered in his ear, "Ah Yao, you still haven't told me what betrothal gifts to choose."
Bang!
Cui Yao seemed to hear a loud crashing sound.
With a forceful pull, he yanked the person into his arms.
Another hand pressed down on the top of his head, forcing him to bury his head in the crook of his neck.
I don't want to hear it.
I don't want to watch it.
Yet, we have no choice but to listen and watch.
So they buried their heads in the sand, deceiving themselves and others.
"Then what am I?"
Her hair trembled slightly. "A toy for you to summon and dismiss at will?"
Now that you're tired of it, you can easily throw it away and then turn around and be in a long-lasting, loving relationship with someone else.
How could that be!
The sharp teeth pierced the soft flesh inside the mouth, and the smell of blood spread rapidly.
How could he allow such a thing to happen?
His breathing became increasingly rapid, but he tried his best to make his breathing so soft that it was almost inaudible.
He didn't want to miss any details of Ji Chengnin's answer.
But he dared not look Ji Chengnin in the eye.
Just fool me for a moment.
Even if it's just because they feel sorry for me, even if it's just because they want to get away.
"Swish—"
Clothes rub.
My heartbeat even stopped for a moment.
"Of course, it's not fake."
He heard Ji Chengning say.
In an instant, everything fell silent.
...
Dawn is breaking.
Huai De quietly entered the bedroom, intending to take away the clothes that the Crown Prince had taken off the day before.
He moved very lightly, tiptoeing inside.
The moment my fingers touched the clothes, I suddenly realized something was wrong.
He glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, and his body froze on the spot.
Shi, Shizi?
He turned around abruptly.
But behind the layers of curtains in the inner room, the person sitting on the edge of the bed could only be Ji Chengnin.
He was speechless.
The prince has been traveling for almost half a month, so why is he getting up so early on the second day?
And another thing, Huai De was even more astonished. Could the prince be holding a knife on his lap?
“Huai De”.
He heard Ji Chengning call him.
Whether it was thirst or something else, his voice was hoarse and rustling.
Huai De responded with an "Ah!", quickly poured a cup of tea, and then lifted the gauze curtain to go inside.
"Your Highness."
Ji Chengning gestured for him to put down the tea first, and then took a wiping cloth in his right hand and carefully wiped the blade.
This was a bloodstained knife. No matter how meticulously it was maintained, Ji Chengning's wiping cloth was still stained with varying shades of reddish-brown.
"Has my second uncle gotten up yet?"
Huai De said, "I'll go ask Second Master in his room now."
"Um."
Wrap the towel around your fingertips and let it wander among the intricate and ferocious animal patterns.
"Swish, swish."
Scrape off patches of dried blood.
Before long, Huai De strode in and said, “Your Highness, the servants in the Second Master’s room said that the Second Master did not return to the manor last night. The Second Master’s personal servant said that after leaving the government office, the Second Master went to play chess with a friend.”
"oh."
Ji Chengning thought.
The fact that his personal servant needed his second uncle to specifically remind him of his whereabouts clearly showed that he had already guessed that the uncle would ask.
But his hand never stopped wiping the knife.
Huaide stared at Ji Chengning in astonishment, thinking to himself that the young master had not even lost his temper after going out for a while. If it were in the past, he would have hurriedly inquired about the friend's name and come to the door, instead of sitting still like this.
The young man possessed a calm and composed demeanor.
But it wasn't the kind of stillness that brought peace to those who looked upon it; rather, it was a kind of awe-inspiring presence that made people afraid to utter a sound and could only hold their breath in concentration.
After leaving Ji Chengnin's bedroom, Huai De let out a deep breath.
Just as he was about to leave, Miss Cui's attendant arrived. She greeted him politely before saying softly, "My master said he has important matters to discuss with the young master." As she spoke, she took out a visiting card from her sleeve and said, "Please trouble Brother Huai De to pass this on."
White was taken aback.
Who invited the Crown Prince?
Miss Cui?
Miss Cui lives in the Ji residence, so why go to all this trouble and even send a formal visiting card?
He was full of doubts, but he still accepted the visiting card. "I understand. I will definitely deliver it to the young master." He paused, "How is your young lady's illness? If the young master knew that she had been ill for so long, he would be very worried."
Since the Crown Prince went to war, Miss Cui has been "ill" and bedridden, not seeing outsiders for several months.
The eunuch said, "The young lady was overjoyed to hear that the young master had returned, and her spirits have improved considerably."
After watching Cui Yao's eunuch leave, Huai De quickly entered the bedroom.
"Your Highness," he said, presenting the visiting card with both hands, "it was sent by Miss Cui."
Ji Chengnin paused in wiping the knife. "Just leave it there."
An extremely nonchalant tone.
"yes."
Huayde withdrew.
Ji Chengning wiped it for a long time, so long that he cleaned every trace of blood from the crevices of the knife handle.
He let go.
The dirty handkerchief floated lightly to the ground.
He opened the visiting card.
The format and grammar of this visiting card were so rigorous that they were almost unfamiliar.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he could already see Cui Yao carefully writing down each word after repeatedly considering his options.
He was invited to the Cui residence at 2:45 PM tonight for a chat.
His long, blood-stained fingers easily soiled the visiting card.
Despite having angered Cui Yao and driven her away last night, he was still able to remain calm and respectfully send me a formal invitation to visit him today.
Either Cui Yao's temper is almost saintly, or Ji Chengning's sullen laughter is a trap.
Cui Yao was certainly not a saint.
The snow-white paper was manipulated and played with by slender fingers.
go.
Why not go?
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