Chapter 103 [VIP] Shadow Guard (17)

Ye Qiuchen hummed a light "hmm". Seeing that she had finally recovered a little, he did not say anything to refute her. However, his eyes dimmed slightly. He did not want to hear her discuss these annoying things anymore, so he changed the subject directly.

"Yanyan, you've been unconscious for a long time. You must be hungry when you wake up. I'll go to the kitchen and get you something to eat."

He smiled at her as he spoke, trying to stop her from dwelling too much on the past. He hoped that she could get over it as soon as possible and continue to live.

Nan Yan looked up at him after hearing the voice, and seemed to have just noticed the person standing next to her. Seeing his dark eyes and haggard face, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed and guilty, and subconsciously asked, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. How is your injury...?"

Ye Qiuchen smiled sincerely this time, and touched her head affectionately with his palm, his eyes full of gentle smiles.

"Don't worry. I'm a man and I'm a martial artist. These minor injuries won't be a problem for me. Okay, you take a rest first. I'll go to the kitchen and get you something to eat. You'll be fine soon."

He didn't give Nan Yan a chance to refuse, he opened the beaded curtain and went to the outer room.

Ye Qiuchen's movements were indeed very quick. In just a moment, he brought a bowl of steaming white porridge and a few light side dishes. He then carefully mixed it with a spoon, scooped up a small spoonful, and carefully brought it to her mouth.

But Nan Yan had no intention of eating at the moment. Her heart and eyes were all on the pearl hairpin, which she had been holding in her hand against her chest. Finally, she could not help herself and turned to look at Ye Qiuchen beside her, looking at him expectantly.

"Can you... take me to the place where Seventeen disappeared? I want to go there to see if there are any other traces. Is that okay?"

Ye Qiuchen was silent for a long time before he said, "You are still sick and there are shadow guards out there who want to take you back. I will take you to see the doctor when things are calmer outside."

Nan Yan sat up straight subconsciously, her eyes starting to moisten again, "No, I can't wait any longer, I have to go to the place where he disappeared, otherwise if time passes, there won't be any trace left. Ye Qiuchen, can you help me?"

There was a strong pleading look in her eyes.

Ye Qiuchen looked at her bloodless lips and suddenly felt a little bitter and sad. After taking a deep breath, he suppressed the discomfort in his heart and whispered, "Okay, I can take you there, but you have to eat your meal and drink your medicine honestly before I take you there."

Ye Qiuchen knew that today's situation was his own choice, because only by fighting and competing could he get what he wanted, and he had no regrets!

He also did not regret killing Ying Shiqi with his own hands.

Otherwise, he would never have the chance to be so close to her and take care of her in his life.

From now on, he would completely eliminate Ying Shiqi from her life. He didn't believe that a person who was dead and completely missing could remain in her heart for how long, and he didn't believe that he could not compete with a dead man like him.

So it doesn't matter if she feels a little sad or upset for him now. As time goes by, she will forget it one day.

After hearing what he said, Nan Yan nodded almost subconsciously, with a grateful smile on her face, "I understand, I will eat well, I will listen to you and work hard to recover, and I will never let you worry..."

As she spoke, she impatiently lowered her head to bite the spoon he handed her. In her panic, she moved too quickly and accidentally bit her tongue, covering her chest and coughing.

Ye Qiuchen was really helpless now, but he couldn't blame Nan Yan for her pale face. He could only sigh softly, then sit on the bed and pat her back, trying to comfort her, "Don't be like this, okay?"

"I said I would take you there, and I will, but before that, you must take good care of yourself. You should know what kind of personality I have. If you continue to make me worry like this, it will be difficult for me to agree to your request."

After Ye Qiuchen finished speaking, he looked at her steadily again.

Nan Yan's body seemed to stiffen for a moment, and her eyelashes trembled slightly. Her originally tense mood seemed to slowly calm down under his gaze. She glanced at him, obviously thinking of what happened before. She bit her lip, and was a little afraid to ignore her body like this. She began to drink the porridge in small sips with his fingers.

After she finished eating half a bowl of rice and rested for a while, her complexion finally regained some color. Seeing her look full of expectation but not daring to urge her, Ye Qiuchen didn't say much. He bent down to help her put on her shoes, and took out a plain white cloak from the cupboard, wrapping her completely. Her face was also covered tightly. After making sure there was nothing wrong, he took her out.

He knew that Nan Yan would not give up. She would definitely have to see with her own eyes the place where Ying Shiqi disappeared before she would completely give up, so he had already made all the arrangements.

So when Nan Yan really went to the cliff and saw how bottomless the cliff was, her heart sank for a moment. She looked at the cliff with a pale face, and looking down was an abyss of dozens of feet. The terrain below was rugged and uneven. Even a normal person with high martial arts skills could not be guaranteed to survive after falling down, not to mention Seventeen who was seriously injured. After falling into this abyss, was there really a chance of survival?

In other words, Ying Shiqi's death was actually doomed. No one could fall from such a high cliff and remain intact, not to mention that he was hit by such a sword.

Nan Yan seemed to have anticipated this outcome. She walked forward in disbelief, seeing the knife marks carved on the gravel on the edge of the cliff and some dried blood on the ground. He had bled so much that the soil had turned deep red. At this height, even Nan Yan couldn't convince herself, not to mention that Seventeen could come back alive...

Tears came almost instantly.

Without waiting for Ye Qiuchen to react, she rushed directly to the edge of the cliff.

If Ye Qiuchen had not been paying attention to her expression, when he noticed that her expression was not right, he would have rushed over and pulled her back immediately, and held her in his arms at an extremely fast speed. He did not let go even though the wound on his shoulder was hurting, for fear that she would fall down accidentally.

Seeing the man in his arms still crying and struggling,

"Let go, let me go, I want to find Seventeen..."

This was the first time Ye Qiuchen got really angry at this person. Her eyes were heavy, and her hands around her waist were almost breaking her waist. She scolded him fiercely, "Are you crazy? You dare to rush forward on such a high cliff? What do you think of your life? Do you really want to die?"

Ye Qiuchen was panting, looking frightening, and violently twisted her body, "Ye Nanyan, have you forgotten what you promised me?"

When he looked down and saw her face full of tears, he could not help but feel a sharp pain in his heart. This damn Ying Shiqi! He was so restless even in death. Thinking that her body could not bear any more blows recently, in order to prevent her from being overly frightened, he could only suppress his anger and scolded in a low voice, "I didn't bring you here to let you commit suicide. Have you forgotten what I said? Ying Shiqi is just missing, which does not prove... that he must be dead. If you jump, you will never see him again in this life. Is this the result you want? There is still a chance if you live, right? Do you want no one in the world to remember him anymore?"

These words seemed to move Nan Yan. Nan Yan raised her head, staring blankly at Ye Qiuchen in front of her, tears flowing silently. Finally, she couldn't help but threw herself into his arms, clutching his clothes tightly and burst into tears.

Ye Qiuchen didn't say anything else, he just patted her back to comfort her. He knew that she must have an outlet to vent. Only by venting all the pent-up emotions in her heart could her body truly get better.

Afterwards, Ye Qiuchen brought her back to the courtyard. Nan Yan didn't know how he did it, but the shadow guards who had been searching for them in the town were no longer following them, and their lives seemed to have returned to normal.

…

Ye Qiuchen took good care of her, and she became more energetic day by day. He no longer scared her like before, but he would restrain her occasionally and not let her go out. However, there was no other way because it was indeed more dangerous outside.

The people from Qixia Villa have not given up on capturing her.

Ye Qiuchen's ability to clean up the mess is indeed better than Ying Shiqi's. He has even trained some of his own people in the film studio over the years, so the information he receives is more accurate than before.

After some time, Nan Yan's health finally improved a lot. Although she would still secretly cry while looking at the pearl hairpin in her hand at night, she no longer immersed herself in the grief of the past all day long.

He looks much more energetic.

She would smile at him occasionally, with light brows and plain face, without any makeup. Perhaps she had just had a serious illness, and there was still a hint of weakness lingering between her eyebrows and eyes.

But it doesn't matter. As long as she takes good care of herself, her body will fully recover one day. Just like Ying Shiqi, he will also die completely from her heart one day.

Ye Qiuchen was sure of this, especially the next day, when he heard Nan Yan was going to cook a dinner for the two of them in person to express her gratitude for his care during this time, he was really happy in his heart, happier than ever before.

這讓他覺得自己這段時間的努力都是有效果的，雖然只是感激，但她終究會意識到永遠陪在她身邊的人只有他而已。

得知這個消息時，葉秋沉是真的松了一口氣，臉上多了幾分笑容，往日堆積在心頭的陰郁酸楚也在這一瞬間消失殆盡了。

葉秋沉原本是真的很高興，一種從未有過的滿足在胸腔裏蔓延，讓他一整天都有些控制不住上翹的嘴角。

他原本還擔心她的身體沒有痊愈完全，親自下廚容易操勞過度，不如由他代替就行了，她只要在旁幫個忙就好了，只要是她的心意，無論是不是她親手做的，他都不在意的，他在意的從頭到尾就只有她而已。

可直到她端着一碗加了料的骨頭湯遞到他面前的時候。

葉秋沉身體驟然僵冷。

目光微滞了一下，眼睫微垂着，視線落到了眼前的那碗乳白色的冒着熱氣的濃湯，嘴角不自覺地勾起了一道嘲諷的笑。

她大概還不知道，他們這些影衛從小到大也不知到底經歷過了多少種的毒藥、蒙汗藥的抵抗訓練，憑這種藥性劣質的迷/藥，她也想迷暈他嗎？

葉秋沉無意識地攥緊了桌底下的手指，眼底幽深一片，眼神愈發晦澀難懂，他是真的不明白，她對他下藥到底是為了什麽？

難道他對她還不夠好嗎？

還是有人在背後威脅了她？

直到此刻，葉秋沉還是不肯相信，她真的想要他的命，要置他于死地？難道她之前對着他笑，說什麽感激他，全都是假的嗎？

葉秋沉突然擡眸，面無表情地盯着眼前的人，他也沒有戳穿她，只是這麽看着。

而南嫣神情也明顯有些緊張，大概是第一次做這種事情，眼睛躲躲閃閃的，不太敢跟他對視，連指尖被燙紅了也沒意識到。

反倒是葉秋沉先忍不住了，他臉上的笑容也不知何時收斂了，眉頭皺着，直接從她手裏接過湯碗“砰”的一聲放到桌上。

然後拉着她的手仔細檢查了一番，開始訓斥着，“你是傻了嗎？有什麽事情不知道找我幫忙嗎？剛出鍋的熱湯也不知道拿塊布墊着，手都燙紅了也沒知覺嗎？不疼嗎？”

他說着，下意識地又吹了兩下那被燙紅的地方，而南嫣則是有些不自在地抽回了手，又将碗往他面前推了推，“我沒事的，就是有點紅而已，待會就能好了，那個……這個湯是我特意為你熬的，你之前受的傷那麽重，還要一直照顧我，這些剛好可以給你補補身子，你趕快……趁熱、喝了吧。”

話說到最後，聲音明顯有些磕磕絆絆，甚至連頭也不擡了，眼睫輕顫着，根本不敢看他一眼。

葉秋沉面無表情地望着她，沉默了好一會兒才突然輕笑了聲，意味有些不明，“你怎麽突然變得這麽緊張了，是擔心這湯的味道不好，我會嫌棄你的手藝嗎？”

南嫣愣了一瞬，随後下意識點頭。

聲音幹巴巴的有些緊張，“是、是啊，我是第一次下廚，所以有些擔心你會不喜歡。”

說完，連放置在膝蓋上的手也無意識地攥緊了。

葉秋沉看她緊張的樣子，心底突然覺得嘲諷至極，他嘴角露出笑意，然後說道，“那你絕對不用擔心了，因為只要是嫣嫣親手送過來的東西，哪怕裏頭放了毒藥，屬下也會喝的一幹二淨。”

他話剛說完，便端起桌上的碗大口喝了起來。

而南嫣則是動作一頓，随後整個身體都有些僵住了，一不小心就打翻了桌上的筷子，然後擡眸，目光怔怔望着眼前的人。

等到葉秋沉把那碗湯全部喝完之後，空碗“啪”地一聲放到了桌上，目光頓時變得冰冷起來，他嘴角露出冷嘲笑意，“怎麽樣，我喝完了，是不是很奇怪我為什麽沒有被你迷暈過去？真是抱歉啊，四小姐難道不知道影衛都是做過藥物訓練的嗎？下次想要迷暈屬下的話，記得要選藥性強一些的。”

她當然知道了，否則也不會選了藥性最差的一種了。

而葉秋沉話鋒突然一轉，

“不過話又說回來了……”

他一把抓住對面已經被吓得臉色蒼白的南嫣，用力拽到眼前，然後面無表情地盯着，眼神也愈發變得陰森晦暗，

“你就這麽恨我嗎？恨不得我死，所以要在湯裏下藥，想要毒死我？”

南嫣眼裏迅速彌漫了一層水霧。

她眼中有愧疚可也有固執。

随後轉過身用力擦了一把臉頰上的眼淚，眼中神情愈發堅定，既然湯裏被放的東西已經被發現了，她索性也就不抵賴了，“是，你說的沒錯，我是在湯裏放了迷藥，可我只是想知道一些事情的真相。”

葉秋沉一怔，力道忽然松了些。

“真相？你想知道什麽真相？”

其實他心底隐約猜到她要問的是什麽事情的真相，但他真的沒想到她會用這種手段，居然對他下毒。

難道影十七在她心中就這麽重要嗎？

而南嫣眼淚更是瞬間落下，她直接從懷中掏出那把匕首抵着他胸口，情緒愈發激動起來，“是你騙我！”

“你明明說過要帶十七回來見我的，可是為什麽？為什麽那天活下來的只有你？而十七卻屍骨無存！葉秋沉，你告訴我真相，到底是不是你殺了他？”

葉秋沉抓着她手腕的力道驟然一松。

似乎沒想到她會說出這樣的話，更沒想到她那柄匕首是對着他心口的。

他低頭看了一眼，再擡頭時，眼中突然露出嘲諷至極的神情，“所以在你眼裏，那天該死的人應該是我對不對？”

南嫣嘴唇輕顫着，她想說自己不是這個意思，可看到對方眼裏的神情，那句話竟無論如何都說不出口了。

“在你眼裏我就是這樣的人是嗎？”

葉秋沉看她眼神中的驚疑不定，突然冷笑一聲，接着反客為主，一把抓住了她手中的匕首，緊緊抵着自己的胸口，一步一步朝她逼近，

“葉南嫣，你可真狠，對着我拔刀相向，你是想殺了我，好給你的小情郎陪葬是嗎？”

“我、我只是……”

南嫣被他吓得臉色蒼白，雙瞳含淚，手中的匕首更是一動也不敢動，生怕真的傷到對方，她其實根本沒有證據證明是他殺了十七，給他下藥也只是為了試探一下而已。

可如今面對這樣情緒激動的葉秋沉，她仿佛真的覺得自己做錯了，好像自己真的冤枉他了。

而葉秋沉還在不依不饒，他眼裏滿是嘲諷跟漠然，“你們這群主子又何曾真正在意過我們這些奴才的感情，在你眼中，只有影十七對你才是真心喜歡，其他人的感情全都是廉價的。”

“就因為我喜歡你，所以你可以毫無顧忌地踐踏、貶低我的感情。”

“可倘若不是我，你知道自己現在會是什麽樣嗎？” 葉秋沉直勾勾盯着她，嘴角勾起一抹冰冷笑意，“你早被那些影衛帶回去了。”

“你會嫁給那個将軍家的病秧子獨子，你知道他玩弄女人的那些手段嗎？你知道他會怎麽對待你嗎？那個病秧子身體不行，但是欺負女人卻很有一手，所有你能想到的最惡劣的事情都會發生在你身上！”

“你知道嗎？只要我把你送回去，莊主就不會計較我失職的事情，我為你們倆背叛了影樓跟莊主，可你呢，你就是這樣對我的？”

聽到這話，南嫣臉色頓時更加蒼白了。

她似乎想到了這段時間他為她盡心盡力做的那些事情，只為了讓她心情好些，每日都會哄着她，陪着她，給她講這附近發生的有趣的事情……

還會給她捉小動物，絞盡腦汁地哄她開心，怕她胃口不好，所以每日下廚給她做菜調養身體，他對她真的很好。

好到南嫣只要一想起那些事情，握着匕首的手就開始忍不住顫抖了。

而葉秋沉還在步步緊逼，他明顯是想一次性解決她所有的懷疑，讓她從此以後再也不敢提起這事。

“你想殺了我給你的心上人陪葬是嗎？”

葉秋沉察覺到她表情的松動，目光一冷，握着她的手掌力道陡然加重，匕首猛地刺進胸前一寸，血液瞬間洇濕胸口的衣裳。

他悶哼一聲，痛得臉色蒼白，眼睛卻還死死盯着對面的南嫣，

“好啊，那你幹脆就殺了我！”

而南嫣這下是真的被吓到了。

尤其是看到血液順着刀尖冒了出來，她幾乎是下意識地松了手，匕首“哐當”一聲落到地上。

眼淚也是瞬間就流出來了。

她用力捂緊葉秋沉胸前的傷口，搖着頭，哭得有些不能自已，聲音裏也滿是愧疚，“對不起，對不起，我不是故意的，我從來沒有想過要傷你的……”

“是我錯了，我不該懷疑你的……”