Chapter 111 [VIP] Shadow Guard (25)

Ye Qiuchen hid outside for a few days. When he returned to the yard, the house was empty and there was no one.

The quiet little courtyard was pitch black, as if no one had ever lived there. Even the orchid in the yard looked a little dull because no one had watered it for a long time.

Obviously... a few days ago, this was where they lived together. He thought they would continue living like this forever, and thought she had some feelings for him. The funny thing was that she never came to see him once. He was just wishful thinking after all.

But what can we do?

Even so, he couldn't help but worry about her.

Ye Qiu sat on the stone bench in the yard, looking towards the door again and again. His mood at the moment was as anxious and depressed as the air around him. It had gotten dark outside without him noticing. The dark sky was very low and it looked like it was going to rain.

Ye Qiuchen waited for a while, and when he felt the wind blowing across his cheeks, he could no longer sit still. No matter whether she had gone to Prince Pingnan's Palace or not, and no matter what had happened between her and Ying Shiqi, it was impossible for her not to come back so late.

Ye Qiuchen didn't think twice and just went in the direction of the Pingnan Palace. He walked for a long time. The path was winding and difficult to walk at night, not to mention that they lived near the suburbs.

However, Ye Qiuchen didn't care about these things. What he cared about was whether there were any women with similar figures to her along the way.

Suddenly, his eyes focused and he saw a very dishevelled woman sitting under a tree not far away, with disheveled hair covering her pale face. She seemed abandoned by everyone, helpless, sad and hopeless, with no light in her eyes.

"Yan, Yanyan?" Ye Qiuchen called out tentatively.

Because of the dim light, Ye Qiuchen couldn't see her face clearly for a while, but when he got closer, he was really pissed off by her. He felt anxious and distressed. He really didn't understand why she could torture herself into such a state when he had only been away for a day or two?

"Ye Nanyan, are you stupid? What are you doing now? Don't you know it's getting late and it's going to rain soon? Even if you don't want to see me, you shouldn't even look for a place to shelter from the rain. What are you doing now? Who are you torturing yourself for? Who else but me would care about you?"

Ye Qiuchen was really angry this time, angry that she didn't care about her body at all. He said ruthless words, but his hands did not stop at all. He almost subconsciously took off his outer coat and wrapped it around her.

Then he held her in his arms, and only then did he touch her wrists, realizing that she was cold all over, and her cuffs were still wet. Ye Qiuchen thought she had accidentally fallen into the river, so he subconsciously looked down, only to see that her palms were covered in bloodstains, some of which had even dried up and scabbed over.

Ye Qiuchen's expression changed instantly, his eyes darkened, especially when he saw the wound on her palm. He immediately pulled her hands up and checked them repeatedly, "What's wrong with your hand? Why is it bleeding for no reason? Who hurt you?"

After saying this, he realized that his tone was too harsh, so he moved more carefully and gently, fearing that he would hurt her with too much force.

When Nan Yan heard his voice, she seemed to come back to her senses. She slowly raised her head, her vision a little blurry, and looked at the anxious face of the man in front of her in a trance, but her eyes were drifting away, "You are right, except for you, there is indeed no one who will care about me, but... why you?"

These words also made Ye Qiuchen's body stiffen.

Ye Qiuchen's face turned a little pale.

He knew what she meant.

Nan Yan's voice was light, a little hoarse, and a little slow. "It would be great if it was him...but what can I do? He doesn't remember me. He has completely forgotten everything that happened between us. He also said...I was a liar..."

As she said this, tears silently fell again. The hot tears dripped onto the back of his hand, as if they burned into his heart. "He was obviously a liar. He promised to take care of me for my whole life and never bully me or make me sad. But in the end, he forgot about me so easily."

The corners of her mouth formed an expression uglier than crying.

Ye Qiuchen's gaze paused slightly. He had probably guessed that the outcome of her meeting with Ying Shiqi was not very good. Ye Qiuchen couldn't tell what his mood was at the moment.

After all, he is just an ordinary person, and he is somewhat fortunate in his heart. He is fortunate that Ying Shiqi has completely forgotten her.

In the past two days, he had someone check the identity of the Prince of Pingnan, and it matched up perfectly with the disappearance of Seventeen a year ago. The Prince of Pingnan, Zhao Shiqi, was the former shadow guard Seventeen, but he had forgotten it now, completely. He even had a new identity and a new fiancée...

But when he saw Nan Yan's painful and sad expression, he felt endless sadness and heartache in his heart. He hoped that she could forget him, wouldn't it be good to give up on him?

Why make yourself so sad?

Ye Qiuchen held her hand carefully, looked at her steadily, and repeated it seriously again, "Is it not possible for me? Can't I take care of you?"

"He's to blame for forgetting you. If you're unhappy, I can teach him a lesson right away, but why do you have to be with him? I've always been by your side, so why don't you ever look at me?"

After Ye Qiuchen finished speaking, he held her hands, as if this way he could hold her tightly, as if this way she could see that there was someone who was always by her side.

"Yan Yan..."

Noticing her body stiffening, Ye Qiuchen's voice gradually slowed down. He tried to soothe her emotions, his eyes filled with affection and tenderness.

"Can't you stay with me? I will treat you better than he does. Yanyan, please leave with me. I will take you away from here and live the life we ​​want, okay?"

Ye Qiuchen was even a little nervous. He had been rejected once, that time was when Ying Shiqi appeared. But now, it should be impossible for him and Shiqi to be together. Now was the time when she was the most vulnerable and needed someone's company the most. He knew that it was despicable for him to take advantage of the opportunity, but he really didn't want to miss this last chance again.

As long as she wanted, he could take her away immediately and live the life they wanted.

Nan Yan's eyes were filled with mist. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she met the pair of eyes full of expectation and pleading. Then, under the other party's eyes full of expectation, like a death row prisoner waiting for his final verdict, she mercilessly gave him another fatal blow, "I'm sorry."

Nan Yan still felt it was not enough, so she added, "I have never liked you!"

Ye Qiuchen's fingers were stiff, his expression was a little distorted for a moment, and an indescribable coldness continued to spread throughout his body.

Nan Yan's eyes gradually turned red. She turned her face away and slowly moved her eyes away to avoid meeting his gaze. Finally, she lowered her head and slowly pulled her hand out of his arms. "I know you treat me very well. Since the destruction of Qixia Villa, you have always been by my side, caring for me and taking care of me. I am very grateful for everything you have done for me, but that is only gratitude, not love. I already have someone I like in my heart, and there is no room for another person."

"I'm sorry, I was too selfish before. I thought I could forget him, but until he... reappeared, I realized that I could never forget him. Some people are irreplaceable after all."

...How cruel.

It was this one word of apology that completely destroyed all the luck and possibilities in his heart.

There was mist in Ye Qiuchen's eyes, and he could hardly hold back the bitterness in his nose. Only at this moment did he realize that her heart was really cruel, harder than stone, but she was only cruel to him.

He wouldn't even tell him a nice lie.

Why couldn't she share a little of her love for Seventeen with him? He didn't ask for much, just a little bit would be enough for him to love and protect her with all his strength, but why was she so stingy and unwilling to share even this little bit of love with him?

At this moment, Ye Qiuchen really felt a little hopeless.

He had worked so hard for so long, and when he thought he had finally impressed her, her casual words "I never liked you" completely plunged him into despair.

Did he owe her something in his previous life, so he had to repay her in this life?

Ye Qiuchen raised his hands to cover his eyes, his face turned pale, and suddenly he couldn't help laughing softly.

He laughed at how pathetic he was at the moment.

He tried every possible means and did every possible bad thing to win the favor of a girl, but after all he did, in the end he was still no match for a man who had already forgotten her.

After saying that, Nan Yan seemed to want to leave. After all, she had just rejected an emotionally unstable guy. Who knew if he would do something excessive to her the next moment? She had to maintain her character at the critical moment.

Nan Yan stood up shakily and took a few steps forward. Then she seemed to be unable to hold on any longer. Her knees went weak and her body suddenly fell forward uncontrollably, falling straight to the ground.

Ye Qiuchen just watched her helplessly. He had originally decided not to care about her life or death. He wanted her to suffer on her own and let her feel what would happen to her without his care.

But before the brain could figure out what to do next, the body had already reacted subconsciously, and the hands subconsciously reached out to hold the person in his arms.

Especially when he saw her face as pale as paper, Ye Qiu's despair and sadness disappeared in an instant, leaving only tension and concern in his eyes.

Some people are like this. She doesn't have to do anything. She even just needs to show a fragile and pitiful expression, which is enough to make him ignore everything.

Ye Qiuchen simply picked up the person and brought him back to the courtyard. Feeling her body temperature on the way, Ye Qiuchen suddenly realized that she might have a fever. She was shivering before, but now she was running a fever again.

Ye Qiuchen was really worried now. How could he not be worried? With her appearance, without his care, it would not be long before the grass on her grave grew and she would bully an honest man like him.

Ye Qiuchen held her in his arms and ran home quickly. He ran so long that a layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He finally got home before the rain fell and put her on the bed.

After finishing all these, he quickly went to clean her wound with hot water. Even though she was so sick, she still refused to let go of the broken jade pendant in her palm. Ye Qiuchen coaxed her for a long time before taking the jade pendant away and bandaged the wound.

Watching her face turn from pale to red, her breathing getting weaker and weaker, until she was a little unconscious, her hands tightly hugged his neck, and she was still mumbling Ying Shiqi's name, "Shiqi, don't go..."

She cried very sadly this time, silently, and her tears slid drop by drop into his neck. Ye Qiuchen could even feel the scalding temperature.

"You hold me..."

"Can you hug me? Seventeen, I'm so cold..."

Hearing that the other party was still calling out Ying Shiqi's name even in a coma, a feeling of despair gradually grew in Ye Qiuchen's heart. This despair was like a cancer attached to his bones, lingering in his chest so tightly that he almost couldn't breathe.

He really had no other choice. After taking a deep breath, a self-deprecating look appeared in his eyes. Then he held the person in his arms and coaxed him in a low voice.

"Well... I'll hold you, don't be afraid."

Nan Yan's eyes were tightly closed, her cheeks were red, only tears were still flowing, and her voice was intermittent, "How could you... not remember me? You said... you would protect me for the rest of my life, how could you hurt me?"

Ye Qiuchen looked at her sick and pitiful appearance and he really didn't know what to do with her. Maybe he was born to pay off his debts, so he could never get her favor.

He reached out his hand to brush away the hair stuck to her lips, and then soothed her in a hoarse voice, "I'll teach him a lesson for you, okay? Get well soon, and I'll take you to see him and help you get justice. This time, I'll really help you, okay?"

…

He was born a destitute, his parents' identities were unknown, and his only memory before entering the Shadow Guard Building was fighting with beggars for food. Later, his head was smashed and he was thrown into a mass grave. Fortunately, he did not die, but ended up in another dire straits. However, there was one good thing there, after entering the Shadow Guard Building, he could finally eat his fill.

As long as he grabbed enough, he would be able to survive.

In the past, he lived just to live, to fight for power, to kill people to get to the top, and to live a life of superiority. As long as he could survive, he would do anything. There was not a trace of warmth in his more than 20 years of career as a shadow guard.

He was worried every day about whether he could survive. No one cared about him, let alone his life or death. He was covered in wounds and stuck in the mud. He thought that this was the end of his life, just like all the predecessors in the Shadow Guard Building, who would either die under the swords of the enemies or die in the dark attic of the building that no one cared about.

But he happened to meet her. People have feelings, and he has feelings too. This dark and despicable shadow guard also longed to be loved and cherished. From the moment she tried her best to save him, he was destined to entangle her for the rest of her life.

He will never forget the scene when she came back to save him with red eyes and cried that day. She was so scared that her face turned pale and she couldn't hold the weapon steadily, but she never let go of his hand. She was so touching, as warm and dazzling as the sun. How could he not covet her?

But what’s the use of him coveting it?

He could never replace Ying Shiqi. In her mind, there would always be only one Ying Shiqi. His actions made her as miserable as he was.

He was like a mouse in a ditch, abandoned by everyone, secretly coveting the bright moon hanging in the night sky, longing to be saved, but in the end he was still alone hiding in a dark corner to fend for himself.

If it weren't for him, things wouldn't have turned out so bad, at least she and Ying Shiqi would have lived happily.

But...if he could do it all over again, he would probably still do it the same way, because...no one taught him, no one taught him that loving someone is not this way.

The most profound lesson he has learned in his life is that you have to fight and strive for things. If you don't fight for them, you will have nothing. So he fought for them without hesitation. However, love is not something he can get just by fighting for it. He has tried for so long, but it still doesn't work.

If...if he had become her shadow guard, then would he be the one she loved?

Ye Qiuchen pressed her face against the spot on his chest that hurt the most. He wanted to let go, but his heart seemed to be torn apart by something, making him struggle hard.

Finally, he let out a long breath.

Ye Qiuchen looked at the sleeping person in his arms and hugged her tighter and tighter, tears falling directly on her face, "I still...can't bear to let go, but if I see you in so much pain, I will find that I will be sadder than you, what should I do? What do you think I should do? Ying Shiqi only met you a few days earlier than me, why can't I make up for it even if I spend several years? He has everything now, why does he come to snatch you from me..."

…

Nan Yan was in a coma for a whole day and night, and did not wake up until the next day. When she woke up, her face was still pale, and she looked more haggard than before.

Ye Qiuchen opened the curtain and walked in from outside, and saw her lifeless appearance. Although he didn't know what exactly happened between her and Ying Shiqi that day, he knew that she must have been bullied.

Ye Qiuchen deliberately suppressed all his previous emotions. He brought the porridge to her mouth, but Nan Yan just turned her face away, saying nothing and refusing to eat a single bite. Ye Qiuchen felt helpless for a moment and sighed softly, "Why, are you going to be so desperate just because you were bullied and cried? If you don't recover from your illness, how can I accompany you to seek justice?"

Nan Yan's eyelashes trembled, but she still said nothing.

Ye Qiuchen reached out and touched her hair, and continued in a low voice, "You didn't even come back to me after being bullied by an amnesiac idiot. You are such a loser. Don't you have any other skills besides bullying me? Have you forgotten what I taught you? I am here, so what are you afraid of? If you like Seventeen, I will catch him and give him to you, no matter who he is."

"As long as you are willing to recover from your illness, I promise to bring him to see you. Are you satisfied with this?" At the end, his voice slowed down, filled with endless tenderness.