Chapter 110 It's really a mess, a tangled web...
Zhilan's eyes were so gentle, and Fu Jun's figure was clearly reflected in her captivating gaze, as if her eyes could only hold him.
Fu Jun was almost drowned by the pair of tender eyes that rarely showed any affection in front of him. He stood there for a moment, staring blankly at those captivating eyes, unable to look away.
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
My heart was pounding uncontrollably, so loudly that it seemed like everyone around me could hear it.
Zhilan saw that Fu Jun didn't say anything, but just stared blankly at her with a slightly flushed face. His originally clear and bright eyes were now somewhat dazed, and there was an indescribable sense of vulnerability in them, which made people want to pat his head.
She couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in her heart, and a sense of annoyance welled up within her. She knew that delicate and frail young men were usually timid by nature, so how could she have resisted the urge to tease him? This time, she had frightened him to the point that he didn't even dare to speak.
Thinking of this, she finally couldn't help but reach out and gently rub Fu Jun's forehead: "Don't be afraid, I won't really hurt you."
Fu Yun's breath hitched, and her heartbeat suddenly became deafening, as if it were about to leap out of her chest.
He lowered his eyes in a panic, turning his face away from Zhilan's touch. His gaze was unfocused, as if afraid that Zhilan would hear his heart pounding like a drum.
Fortunately, his years of social skills allowed him to barely maintain his composure, though his voice betrayed some unease: "You've misunderstood, I'm not afraid."
The more he avoided confronting Zhilan, the more it seemed like he was putting on a brave face, stubbornly refusing to show weakness.
"Oh?" Zhilan naturally didn't believe it.
He was clearly too scared to let her touch him, but he still pretended to be strong and acted as if nothing was wrong. He felt a pang of pity in his heart, and his whole heart softened. He gently comforted her again, saying, "Silly girl, you don't need to pretend to be strong in front of me. I'm too busy caring for you to hurt you."
Fu Yun was completely stunned, and her mind went blank for a moment.
What did Zhilan say? Was she expressing heartache?
What does her heartache refer to? Is it the kind of care she gives him like a younger brother, or the doting affection between a man and a woman?
His scalp tingled, his mind buzzed, and he didn't know how to react.
Until Zhilan spoke softly again, "Alright! I promise you, I'll do whatever you want from now on and won't let you worry, okay?"
Her tone was so doting that it made Fu Jun's already agitated mind even more unsettled. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but he couldn't control his chaotic emotions.
It felt as if a blazing fire was surging in his chest, burning and spreading to every corner of his body, almost turning his entire being into magma.
It was the burning emotion hidden deep within his heart, suddenly ripped out of the blood that nourished it. Without the protective shield of his heart, it could only rampage wildly in his chest, desperately trying to find an outlet to express the love that suddenly burst forth.
Fu Yun couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself: "It seems that Xiao Ba's words came true; he's really done for this time."
As a model young man of the 21st century, with his values and senses intact, he wasn't so oblivious as to not understand what it meant when his heart raced repeatedly for a woman.
What should he do? From beginning to end, his plan never included feelings, and he never imagined that one day he would be in such a difficult situation.
His feelings for the Empress erupted like a volcano, scorching his entire heart.
It was like a flood bursting through a dam, pouring out relentlessly, arriving so suddenly that it was impossible to resist.
Zhilan is like a piece of jade meticulously carved by Nuwa, radiant and incredibly resilient, making her impossible to ignore.
Perhaps it was simply because she, as a woman, was more outstanding than most men that he couldn't help but pay attention to her.
He deeply admired her for her concern for the world, her love for the people, and her selfless dedication to the matriarchal state, which left a unique mark on his heart.
In fact, from the moment they first met, she didn't hesitate to use herself as bait to venture into the heart of the enemy's lair, disregarding the danger, just so that the people could live and work in peace. In his eyes, she was different from him, a special existence.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so focused on helping her create a prosperous dynasty just to survive.
He doesn't need to put so much pressure on himself, does he? Since taking over the family business and becoming the CEO of the group, he has always handled business with his partners strictly by business rules and never let personal feelings interfere.
However, when he interacted with the Empress, he inexplicably broke this rule, which was contrary to his decisive and efficient style.
If he simply doesn't follow the same path of self-destruction as the original owner and focuses wholeheartedly on his career, he can successfully survive by changing the original owner's tragic fate.
Moreover, given his habits, treating people he must interact with as quest NPCs to reduce unnecessary trouble is the most common approach.
After all, he doesn't need to have close contact with the protagonist, nor does he need to befriend her sincerely. Once he succeeds in his business and realizes his own value, he can donate all his wealth to help her replenish the national treasury, and then he can perfectly disappear, keeping his merits and fame hidden.
Finally, they successfully completed the mission assigned by Xiaoba, left this matriarchal country, and returned to the familiar era of peace.
Leaving without a single worry, feeling completely at ease—isn't that the safest way?
In the end, however, he did not complete the task in a more concise way. Instead, he took the initiative to close the distance between the two of them and cooperated by explaining all the progress in great detail. What else could this be but having selfish motives and ulterior motives?
Because deep down, I really want more of her approval, don't I?
After all, he was just an ordinary man and couldn't seal his heart with cement. How could he not be moved by an outstanding woman like Zhilan, who was beyond description?
It's not difficult to recognize one's own heart; it seems to happen in the blink of an eye. Fu Yun really wanted to give Zhi Lan a different response.
What made him feel very embarrassed was that Zhilan always got their relationship backwards, making it seem like she was the one who sheltered him from the storm, while he was the little husband who needed to be protected under her wings.
In modern times, this behavior usually describes a man spoiling the woman he loves like a princess. But here, he's being pampered like a delicate little wife, leaving him unsure how to react.
"Ahem~" Fu Yun cleared her throat, took a few deep breaths, and managed to calm herself down and steady her mind.
He was about to tell Zhilan that it wasn't what she thought; he was a grown man, not so delicate as to expect others to always give in to him, and that they should communicate as they saw fit, when Xiao Ba's excited voice exploded in his mind:
[Wow! Congratulations! Has our stubborn CEO Fu finally seen the light?]
Fu Yun: "Don't make a fuss, be quiet. My mind is a complete mess right now, let me sort it out."
Hey! Now that you've realized your own feelings, a real man should take the initiative, roll up his sleeves, and charge forward!
Fu Yun: "..."
"Why are you in such a hurry? I need to think carefully about my words and be cautious."
[What's there to think about? Sincerity is the ultimate weapon. As long as you give it your all, you'll be invincible, win over the Empress, and reach the pinnacle of life.]
A system is just a system; it only knows one thing and does not understand the intricacies of human relationships.
Fu Yun suddenly felt a headache coming on; Xiao Ba and he were simply not on the same wavelength.
"Feelings aren't as simple as you think. Have you forgotten that we have to go back after completing our mission? Then why would I bother with the Empress?"
Why are you thinking so far ahead? Our primary goal is to complete the mission. A romantic relationship with the Empress will help you complete the mission faster, so why not?
Fu Yun: "..."
Anyway, once you get back alive, the characters and stories in the book will be irrelevant to you, so what difference does it make whether you provoke the Empress or not?
Fu Jun strongly disagreed: "Where did your values go? Did they go offline?"
[What are values? What values do I, a system, have to talk about? In short, just remember, once the mission is completed, all problems will be solved, the entire book will be reshuffled, and the world within the book will not collapse. Except for the erasure of Su Fuyun's existence, the other characters in the book will still follow their predetermined life paths. So, don't worry, it's the same whether you're there or not. Your departure will not affect the integrity of the entire book.]
Fu Yun asked, "In your system's eyes, are emotions just a kind of emotion with little value, which can be used as an auxiliary tool to advance the progress of tasks?"
[Otherwise what? It's just meant to make you happy or satisfied! What other purpose could it possibly serve?]
Fu Yun: "Forget it, ignorance is no excuse. Why should I tell you this when we're from the same system?"
Am I wrong?
Fu Yun: "Of course not. Do you know why so many people have committed suicide for love throughout history?"
[I don't know, maybe it's just ignorance?]
Fu Yun: "..." You may not agree, but there's no need to slander it, right?
He has believed in the existence of love since he was a child, because his parents are a model couple who have weathered storms together and made progress hand in hand.
He couldn't help but argue, "That's because love is the most sacred and beautiful thing in the world. Ordinary days will shine with love, and a stagnant life will become rich and colorful with love, and life will be full of infinite hope and surprises."
"Some people spend their entire lives chasing love, yet never find that special someone they'd give their life for, ultimately ending up with lifelong regret. The joy, satisfaction, or excitement you described are indeed just emotional feelings, easily replaceable by many things in this world. But true, pure emotion is the soul's refuge. Two strangers find solace in each other, growing from acquaintances to lovers, becoming inseparable, irreplaceable soulmates. On life's journey, through trials and tribulations, to have someone you love who loves you, accompanying you every step of the way, through life and death—isn't that the greatest blessing in life?"
"Do you know that those who betray sincerity will be struck by lightning and spend their lives in loneliness and misery?"
Okay! I was being superficial. So, what do you want to do now?
Fu Jun was also a little confused: "I don't know. As the ruler of a country, the Empress only cares about the prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people. Emotions are not a necessity for her, and it is impossible for her to fall in love with me easily. Otherwise, she would not be known as a ruthless and cold-faced emperor who is decisive and merciless."
What if she's just too busy with state affairs to have time for romance?
Fu Yun reacted much faster than she thought, blurting out, "That's even more impossible. Look at her, she often goes on incognito trips; she doesn't seem like someone who doesn't have time for romance. If she were really that easily swayed, wouldn't her harem be full of handsome men? What if she starts dating and then embarks on the grand undertaking of amassing a harem full of beauties? How am I supposed to cope with that?"
So you were worried about XiongJing?
Fu Jun asked, puzzled, "What does 'Xiong Jing' mean?"
It's about multiple men falling in love with the same woman and then using every means to compete for her affections.
Fu Yun felt a chill run down her spine and shivered inexplicably.
However, as a modern person, you should believe in your ability to charm women. Perhaps the Empress can't live without you, and no one else can catch her eye!
Fu Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief; these words gave him some psychological comfort.
"Actually, I have another concern."
Which point?
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