Chapter 47 Dependence [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Her Exclusive Embrace.
Wei Jingshan was now possessed by his inner demons, and he almost lost control, uttering words he hadn't spoken in over two years.
Despite Wei Jingshan's words, Liu Shiyu showed no fear or unease. She was not a fragile rabbit like Liu Qinglan, easily faltered; she was a tiger. Having walked on thin ice for so many years, how could she be easily intimidated by this vicious wolf before her?
Liu Shiyu calmly stared at the bulging veins between his eyebrows and his bloodshot eyes.
Suddenly, he let out a contemptuous laugh.
"My lord, have you gone mad?"
"I belong to no one. I do not belong to Shao Yuan, nor to the Tang family, and certainly not to you. I belong only to myself."
Liu Shiyu yanked her wrist, which was being gripped tightly by Wei Jingshan, and said calmly, "Wei Jingshan, I will not run away."
"I'd like to see what you can do. Will you destroy me? Or kill me?"
"I'll wait and see."
Liu Shiyu had maintained a distant relationship with him for so many years, but the balance was finally broken. She knew that she and Wei Jingshan would eventually have a falling out. But she never expected that when the moment actually came, she would feel relieved. She no longer needed to deal with things with such anxiety as before.
"You'll find out soon enough." Wei Jingshan calmed down, releasing Liu Shiyu as if victory was assured. The anger in his eyes gradually dissipated in the wind.
He lowered his eyes and called out again, "Your Highness."
"There's still ten days left. You have no other choice. Everything will be settled by then."
Wei Jingshan left after uttering a vague remark. Liu Shiyu looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Explain yourself clearly. What do you mean by that?" But she did not receive an answer from Wei Jingshan.
In fact, he wouldn't answer her questions. It seems everything will only become clear in ten days.
The sound of galloping hooves echoed past, and Wei Jingshan rode away into the distance.
Liu Shiyu gripped the cotton curtain tightly, remaining silent indignant. Seeing this, Lian Yue asked, "Your Highness, what should we do?"
"Return to the manor." Liu Shiyu angrily boarded the carriage, and Lian Yue responded with clasped hands.
The carriage set off, slowly heading south of the city.
The wind and snow returned, blowing the curtains at the window and reaching Liu Shiyu's empty eyes. She turned her gaze to the window, only to see that all the Nanjing she remembered was shrouded in a vast expanse of white.
She suddenly spoke up: "Stop the car."
"Your Highness, we haven't arrived at the Princess's residence yet," Lian Yue replied, puzzled.
Liu Shiyu, however, resolutely ordered him to stop the horse, and Lian Yue had no choice but to rein it in. After the carriage came to a stop, Liu Shiyu lifted the curtain and stepped out. Looking at the swirling snow before her, she said in a deep voice, "You go back first. I want to take a walk alone."
Looking at the empty street and the snow falling freely, Lian Yue couldn't help but say with some concern, "How can Your Highness manage alone? Let me accompany you."
"I told you to go back first." Liu Shiyu's tone was indifferent, but her attitude was very firm.
Lian Yue stopped arguing with her. Helpless, she took out a bone flute from her sleeve and placed it in Liu Shiyu's palm, saying softly, "Then keep this safe. If you encounter danger, blow the bone flute. I will return to the manor to wait for you."
Liu Shiyu clenched the hand holding the bone flute, glanced at Lian Yue beside him, and said nothing more.
She stepped off the carriage.
For months, they rode past on horseback, leaving only two tracks in their wake.
Liu Shiyu pulled her fox fur coat over her shoulders and gazed towards the direction of Wanshe Palace. Her eyes were more lost than the swirling snow. She walked on, leaving her footprints in the snow.
Was she truly not afraid during her confrontation with Wei Jingshan?
Liu Shiyu couldn't find the answer, but she was certain that her greatest fear was that Wei Jingshan would then target Xu Luchuan. She would bear the consequences herself; she would never allow Wei Jingshan to drag Xu Luchuan into it. If that day ever came, Liu Shiyu thought she would rather die with him than let Xu Luchuan suffer even a little.
The air around Liu Shiyu's eyebrows grew cold, and even the breath he exhaled at this moment was bitterly cold.
She walked for a long time on the main road of Jinling, dragging her fur robe, until even the delicate silk flower in her hair was stained white by the wind and snow. Suddenly, an oil-paper umbrella covered the top of her hair.
Liu Shiyu turned her head, her bright eyes meeting hers with tenderness.
Xu Luchuan, holding an umbrella, smiled as he looked at her nose, which was red from the cold, and asked softly, "While I was away, with whom will you grow old together?"
Looking at Xu Luchuan before her, Liu Shiyu gradually shed her hard armor, becoming increasingly aggrieved. Xu Luchuan looked back at the indistinct wind and snow in her eyes, as if he understood something.
He felt he should embrace her right now, but not in such an open place.
Xu Luchuan could only suppress his tenderness and stuffed the only paper umbrella into Liu Shiyu's hand, saying, "Take it."
Before Liu Shiyu could react, Xu Luchuan carefully tucked the osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root he had bought into his pocket, deliberately walked in the opposite direction from Liu Shiyu, and whispered, "Remember to come home early." Then he hurriedly walked away.
When Liu Shiyu came to her senses and looked back, all that remained on the desolate street were a few gusts of wind whistling in her ears.
But she still softly replied, "Okay."
As they resumed their journey, Liu Shiyu quickened her pace without realizing it. Xu Luchuan did the same on another street leading to the Princess's residence. The two walked through the outskirts of Jinling City, together seeking the last vestiges of warmth in this cold winter.
The princess's residence was nearby, and Liu Shiyu, about to drop her paper umbrella outside the gate, couldn't wait to rush inside.
Feng Rong, who had been waiting behind the door since being notified months in advance, saw Liu Shiyu rushing past her and couldn't help but ask loudly, "Your Highness, why are you running so fast?"
"I've prepared this ginseng and shiitake mushroom chicken soup for you. Wouldn't you like to have a sip to warm yourself up...?"
Feng Rong's voice grew fainter as Liu Shiyu ran away. Looking back at the still steaming ginseng chicken soup, Feng Rong smacked her lips and said, "Alright, take the soup to the kitchen to simmer. We'll talk about it when His Highness wants some."
The maidservants behind him withdrew after receiving the order, and Feng Rong, standing behind the door, shook her head and followed them out.
Liu Shiyu walked through the front hall and passed through the central courtyard, but did not stop as usual.
She ran all the way, even losing her fur robe in the process. Her thin dress fluttered in the wind, and Liu Shiyu finally found Xu Luchuan, who was also rushing towards her, at the end of the covered walkway.
In this tranquil princess's residence, they no longer needed to suppress their heartbeats or avoid each other's gazes.
Liu Shiyu ran straight into Xu Luchuan's open arms, and they embraced.
Liu Shiyu finally stopped feeling lost; this was a sense of peace that belonged only to her.
Xu Luchuan rested his chin on the top of her head and gently stroked her back. He didn't know why Liu Shiyu was sad or heartbroken. But as long as Liu Shiyu didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't ask or inquire. He thought he could just soothe her sorrow.
"It's only been half an hour since we parted, does Your Highness already miss me so much?" Xu Luchuan teased, rubbing her thin shoulder.
"Um."
Liu Shiyu snuggled into Xu Luchuan's arms, as quiet as a lost wildcat.
Xu Luchuan was somewhat taken aback by her sudden display of coquettishness. However, the smile he couldn't suppress betrayed him.
He liked her dependence on him.
After an unknown amount of time, Liu Shiyu seemed to have been healed by Xu Luchuan. She peeked out from his embrace.
"Little Green, didn't you leave with them? How come we ran into each other on the street?"
Xu Luchuan explained, "I said goodbye to them as soon as I left. I met you on my way back after buying osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root. The oil-paper umbrella was given to me by Xia Xubin and the others."
"Osmanthus-scented glutinous rice lotus root?" Hearing Xu Luchuan say this, Liu Shiyu could indeed smell the fragrance of osmanthus. "Where?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Luchuan subconsciously shifted his gaze to the two people's close embrace, and Liu Shiyu followed suit.
When they looked up again, the two of them were staring at each other in astonishment.
[Author's Note]
I have an appointment today, so I'll just post a short update. Hehe, wishing everyone a happy new year in advance!
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