Chapter 174 There's no going back in the end.
The night was hazy, and a gentle breeze blew through the room. The candlelight flickered inside, illuminating the surroundings.
Chu Huaiyu sat quietly at the table, holding a pill in his hand. This pill was the "Soul Memory Pill" given to him by the reclusive master that day. According to him, this pill could awaken past memories sealed in the mind.
Chu Huaiyu lowered her eyes and stared for a long time before finally making up her mind. She raised her hand and put the pill into her mouth. As soon as the pill entered her throat, Chu Huaiyu got up and went to lie down by the bed.
Chu Huaiyu closed his eyes and concentrated, and in just a moment, a flood of chaotic memories rushed into his mind.
It was the fleeting glimpse he caught of Lu Zhaoxue at their first meeting, the shy and alluring demeanor of Lu Zhaoxue under the red candlelight, the lifelong affection he promised her when he was full of vigor, and the resolute way he later crushed Lu Zhaoxue's tenderness into ashes when he was blinded by power.
Those forgotten memories of the past surged through Chu Huaiyu's mind, causing his heart to clench with pain.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the night outside the window grew even darker. Chu Huaiyu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with weariness and melancholy.
Chu Huaiyu got up and walked out of the room with very light steps, stopping in front of the house next door, which was where Lu Zhaoxue and Chu Lingyang lived.
Chu Huaiyu stood in front of the door for a long time. The evening breeze blew up his clothes, carrying the chill of the night dew. He took a deep breath, gently pushed the door open, and slowly walked in.
Lu Zhaoxue was a light sleeper, so she naturally heard the slight noise. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, but she ultimately did not open her eyes and remained asleep.
Chu Huaiyu walked quietly to the bedside. The moonlight outside the window quietly shone on Lu Zhaoxue's face. Her eyebrows were gentle and her lips were small. She was still the same as when Chu Huaiyu first met her.
Chu Huaiyu stared at Lu Zhaoxue intently, his gaze gentle. As he looked, the corners of his lips couldn't help but turn up slightly, but before the smile could spread, it slowly faded away, and a very soft sigh dissipated into the air.
There's no going back. He and Lu Zhaoxue can never go back.
Chu Huaiyu spent his life striving and chasing after supreme power, believing that was his ultimate goal. But everything he truly wanted, he had already possessed long ago.
He had squandered all the happiness that was within his grasp, leaving only desolation and regret in his heart.
Chu Huaiyu felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, and a dull pain came in waves. Chu Huaiyu then turned her gaze to Chu Lingyang, who was standing next to Lu Zhaoxue.
The little girl was fast asleep, a sweet smile on her exquisitely beautiful face, with crumbs of pastry still clinging to the corner of her mouth. This was his beloved daughter, the treasure he held in the palm of his hand.
Chu Huaiyu's thoughts began to drift away.
The child he lost because of his mistake is a pain that will never fade in Chu Huaiyu's heart.
Therefore, Chu Huaiyu had always wanted to have another child with Lu Zhaoxue, so he was overjoyed when he learned that Lu Zhaoxue was pregnant.
Even though Chu Huaiyu belatedly realized that the child was not his biological offspring, his expectations for the child never diminished in the slightest, and he even placed high hopes on the child.
As for why Chu Huaiyu knew that Chu Lingyang wasn't his child, the reason is simple. No matter how well Lu Zhaoxue disguised herself, Chu Huaiyu knew her too well. If Lu Zhaoxue were carrying his child, she would never have allowed the child to be born safely.
At that moment, Chu Huaiyu actually hated himself for knowing Lu Zhaoxue so well, hated himself for seeing all the truths so clearly, making it impossible for him to even lie to him for a little longer.
But what could he do? Chu Huaiyu no longer wanted to hurt Lu Zhaoxue. He already owed Lu Zhaoxue too much, and he owed that unborn child too much. He couldn't bear to, and had no right to, hurt Lu Zhaoxue even a little bit more.
Therefore, Chu Huaiyu didn't dwell on it too much. Besides, he was almost stubbornly convinced that the child who failed to come into the world had transformed into Chu Lingyang and returned to his and Lu Zhaoxue's side.
Therefore, after Chu Lingyang was born, Chu Huaiyu made up his mind that he would present the best of everything in the world to this child.
Perhaps, treating Chu Lingyang even better is the best way Chu Huaiyu can think of to make amends.
As her thoughts returned, Chu Huaiyu raised her hand and gently traced Chu Lingyang's soft cheek in mid-air before slowly withdrawing her hand.
...
On the other side, when Chu Siheng led his army to conquer Chu Huaiyu's last city, the moon was already high in the sky.
Chu Siheng, clad in black armor, stood atop the towering city wall. When he stormed into the city, Chu Huaiyu was nowhere to be seen. Chu Siheng instantly understood what was happening.
"Pass down the order: conduct a full-scale manhunt for Chu Huaiyu!"
However, no sooner had the military order been given than a guard rushed over, his voice filled with barely concealed fear: "Your Majesty! Urgent report from the palace! The Empress and the Princess have been kidnapped by Chu Huaiyu!"
Chu Siheng was startled, his heart sinking. He turned around abruptly and said sternly, "Leave a detachment to guard the city, the rest of you come with me back to the capital immediately!"
The night was deep, and the sound of horses' hooves shattered the long silence. Chu Siheng took the lead and galloped into the distance, followed closely by tens of thousands of soldiers. Torches formed a winding fire dragon, illuminating half the sky.
Soon, Chu Siheng's men found Chu Huaiyu's hiding place.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com