Chapter 99
Morning light filtered through the window curtains, casting a soft, warm glow on the bed.
Shi Mingyue was awakened by the faint warmth from her fingertips. She slowly opened her eyes, her vision still a little blurry from just waking up, but she immediately saw Yun Zhan lying by the bedside.
Yun Zhan rested his elbows on the edge of the bed, leaning slightly forward, his fingertips gleaming faintly as he carefully placed his hand on Shi Mingyue's wrist.
That was her unique healing spell, its force as light as a feather brushing against her skin.
Yun Zhan's gaze was incredibly focused, filled with tenderness, even the corners of his eyes were soft, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the body in front of him that needed to be cared for.
Shi Mingyue watched her quietly, even softening her breathing, but Yun Zhan was completely unaware, still immersed in the treatment. The faint light from her fingertips moved slowly toward Shi Mingyue's shoulders and neck with her movements.
"You're so thin... I'm so sorry."
Yun Zhan lowered his eyes, his eyes growing redder as he spoke.
Shi Mingyue's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and a hint of tenderness, which she herself did not realize, unconsciously appeared in her eyes. Her fingertips twitched slightly, wanting to touch Yun Zhan's hair, but she stopped just before she touched it.
Only then did Yun Zhan finally notice the commotion, and he looked up sharply, his eyes meeting Shi Mingyue's.
Upon seeing Shi Mingyue slightly open her eyes, Yun Zhan's focus was instantly replaced by surprise.
She immediately withdrew the faint light from her fingertips, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingertips, and gave a faint but genuine smile: "You're awake?"
Yun Zhan leaned forward, his tone full of concern: "Is there anything else that's bothering you? You drank so much yesterday, does it give you a headache?"
Shi Mingyue looked at the undisguised concern in her eyes, and her heart felt as if it had been gently bumped. A moment of emotion flashed across her eyes.
But the next second, she remembered that she hadn't completely forgiven Yun Zhan for leaving back then, and that tenderness was immediately suppressed.
She turned her head away, avoiding Yun Zhan's gaze, her voice barely audible, tinged with deliberate indifference: "It's alright..."
Despite her distant tone, Shi Mingyue's hand, which was under the blanket, subtly curled up. The warmth from Yun Zhan's fingertips and his gentle gaze, like a small pebble, stirred ripples in her heart that lingered for a long time.
As Shi Mingyue turned her face away, two soft coughs escaped her throat, breaking the brief silence.
She propped herself up on her arms and slowly sat up in bed. Her loose pajamas slipped off her shoulders, revealing a patch of fair skin. The area where Yun Zhan had treated her that morning still retained a faint warmth.
Upon seeing this, Yun Zhan immediately got up and walked to the wardrobe, took out a set of soft loungewear, and turned around with very light steps, afraid of disturbing the other person.
She walked to the bedside and first handed the top to Shi Mingyue. Seeing that Shi Mingyue did not resist, she gently helped her put her arm into the sleeve, her movements as gentle as if she were handling a fragile piece of porcelain.
After putting on his shirt, Yun Zhan knelt down beside the bed and reached out to help Shi Mingyue straighten her trouser legs.
The chain was still fastened to her ankle, the metal chain swaying gently with her movements, making a soft rustling sound.
Yun Zhan showed no impatience whatsoever. He simply and carefully moved the chain towards the edge of the bed to prevent it from getting tangled in Shi Mingyue's legs. Then, he patiently helped her pull up her pants and fasten her belt.
Throughout the entire process, Yun Zhan kept his eyes lowered, his long eyelashes concealing the emotions in his eyes, leaving only his gentle profile.
Her bound feet rested lightly on the floor, showing no intention of struggling. Every movement she made exuded obedience, like a completely tamed little animal. In front of Shi Mingyue, she had put away all her sharp edges, leaving only complete gentleness and obedience.
Shi Mingyue sat on the bed, her gaze fixed on Yun Zhan's busy figure.
Watching her patiently tidy the chains, and seeing her meticulous attention to detail, even repeatedly checking the tightness of her belt, the tension that had been building in my heart suddenly eased.
She had previously feared that Yun Zhan would leave again, that he would grow tired of the chains, and that he would be like a small animal trapped in a cage, desperately trying to escape.
To dissuade Yun Zhan from his advances, she deliberately maintained a cold demeanor and even threatened him...
Seeing Yun Zhan so compliant, a crack quietly appeared in her heart, and even her breathing became lighter than usual.
Shi Mingyue didn't speak, but just watched quietly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the hem of her clothes. The aloofness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable gentleness.
The moment of relief in Shi Mingyue's heart lasted only a moment before it was swallowed up by a deeper unease.
Yun Zhan's docile appearance was still vivid in her mind, but a thought suddenly popped into her head: what if all this obedience was fake?
What if she's only temporarily giving in, and is still secretly plotting how to escape?
The thought instantly gripped her heart like a vine, making her breath quicken, her chest rise and fall slightly, and even her fingertips begin to feel cold.
The gentleness in her eyes vanished quickly, replaced by a gloomy and repressed look. She stared intently at Yun Zhan's profile, as if trying to see through his docile appearance to his true thoughts.
Before Yun Zhan could adjust her belt, Shi Mingyue suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist.
The force was somewhat uncontrolled and urgent; her knuckles turned white from the exertion. She looked up at Yun Zhan, her eyes filled with complex emotions—fear and doubt.
"Don't you think these chains will trap you?"
Yun Zhan was taken aback by her sudden action and questioning, and a trace of fear flashed in her eyes. She thought that her compliance just now had put Shi Mingyue at ease, but she did not expect that it would still touch her unease.
But soon, she calmed herself down, gently grasped Shi Mingyue's hand in return, and looked at her with a firm gaze: "No."
She paused, her fingertips gently caressing Shi Mingyue's slightly cool palm, and added, "If it's you, it's okay, I'm willing to be trapped by it."
These words were like a pebble thrown into the chaotic lake of Shi Mingyue's heart.
Looking into Yun Zhan's eyes, where there was no pretense of sincerity, she gradually loosened her grip on his wrist and her breathing slowly calmed down, but the unease in her heart did not completely dissipate.
Her past experiences made her hesitant to believe how long this "willingness" could last.
Yun Zhan looked at the lingering unease in Shi Mingyue's eyes and sighed softly in his heart.
She slowly stood up, without letting go of Shi Mingyue's hand. Instead, she leaned down slightly, gently raised her other hand, and pulled Shi Mingyue's head into her arms.
The movements were as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure, and like the countless hugs the two had shared before their argument, carrying a familiar warmth and sense of security.
Her chin rested gently on the top of Shi Mingyue's head, and she could smell the faint fragrance in her hair: "Don't worry about me leaving, I'm right here."
He gently stroked Shi Mingyue's back with his fingers, as if soothing her still tense nerves: "If you're still not at ease... it's okay if you lock me up for the rest of your life."
These words made Shi Mingyue's tense body tremble slightly.
Before she could react, Yun Zhan continued, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible melancholy: "I stayed because of you. There's nothing left for me to cherish in this world."
Shi Mingyue nestled in Yun Zhan's arms, able to clearly feel his steady heartbeat. The sound of his heartbeat acted like a calming pill, gradually calming her chaotic heart.
But the grievances and fears of being abandoned in the past still lingered in her heart. She remained silent for a long time before gently sniffing, her voice muffled and deliberately forceful.
"...I haven't forgiven you yet, Yun Zhan."
“I won’t be comforted by your words and then lie to myself that you won’t leave.”
She raised her hand and gently pushed Yun Zhan's waist and abdomen, trying to create some distance, but her tone was no longer as gloomy as before: "Don't tell me these things... I won't believe you easily."
Even so, she didn't actually move her head away from Yun Zhan's embrace. Instead, she quietly leaned closer to the heat source, as if she was craving this long-lost warmth.
The two were still locked in a warm embrace when a soft knock came at the door, followed by the butler's respectful voice.
"Miss, breakfast has been served."
Shi Mingyue's body tensed instantly, as if some important moment had been interrupted.
She gently pulled away Yun Zhan's hand from around her waist, her movements carrying a hint of barely perceptible haste, and turned to walk quickly toward the door.
When she opened the door, she deliberately stood near the door frame, almost blocking the housekeeper's view into the room.
The butler, carrying a food tray, subconsciously wanted to peek inside. After all, Shi Mingyue had been coming here every night for the past few days, and there was another person's shadow in the room at night. He wondered if it was one of his fiancées who had woken up.
But as soon as his gaze passed over Shi Mingyue's shoulder, he met her suddenly cold eyes.
Shi Mingyue's brows were furrowed tightly, and her eyes held undisguised vigilance. Her gaze was like ice, which made the steward panic. He quickly lowered his head and dared not look around again.
In Shi Mingyue's eyes, anyone who tried to get close to Yun Zhan was like someone trying to steal her treasure. This obsession made her unable to tolerate even a casual glance from the housekeeper.
When she took the food plate, Shi Mingyue moved quickly and urgently, almost snatching it away. Before the butler could say another word, she slammed the door shut, shutting out all possible "threats".
She carried the food tray to the table, arranged the dishes one by one, and remained silent throughout, only occasionally glancing at Yun Zhan with the lingering wariness in her eyes.
Yun Zhan obediently walked to the table and sat down. He picked up his chopsticks, carefully took a small piece of green vegetable and put it in his mouth. He dared not speak easily, for fear of upsetting Shi Mingyue again.
The atmosphere at the dining table was so quiet that only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard.
Just when Yun Zhan thought the meal would remain silent, Shi Mingyue suddenly spoke up. Her voice was still calm, but without the previous harshness: "Eat some meat. You... have lost a lot of weight."
Before Yun Zhan could respond, she picked up the serving chopsticks, took a piece of stewed chicken that was tender, and put it into Yun Zhan's bowl.
The movements weren't particularly gentle, even carrying a hint of deliberate casualness, but the unconcealed concern in her eyes was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating gentle ripples between the two.
Yun Zhan looked at the chicken in his bowl and felt a warmth in his heart. He looked up at Shi Mingyue, only to see that she had already turned her face away and was pretending to focus on eating the rice in her bowl, but the tips of her ears were slightly red.
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