In the side wing room, Yun Mu had already sat up from the bedside.
The events of the past few days had made him somewhat accustomed to the sensation of waking from unconsciousness.
He lowered his eyes to the floor, and under the moonlight, he saw the dried bloodstain.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
He was certain—
Shangguan Ce was dead, and dead thoroughly.
“With this, Grandpa Xie Yi and the others should be safe, right?”
The only thing was, what he didn’t know now was that Xie Yi had already died.
He raised his hand and noticed the lingering trace of Qin Luoyi’s power still left in him.
Recalling the madness he had experienced at the time, his face involuntarily brightened with a hint of excitement.
“So this is what having power feels like?”
In his mind, three figures surfaced once again, only to be suppressed by loneliness and dampened excitement.
“Too bad I didn’t have this power back then, or else I could have protected Father, Mother, and Master properly.”
Enough of that—time to rest.
After all, he was going to die in two days; thinking about it now was pointless.
With that thought, he tilted his head back, intending to lie down, when a soft, gentle voice called from outside the door.
“Xiao Mu, are you asleep?”
Before he could answer, the door creaked open.
The girl tiptoed into the room.
Although she came to talk to him, she was afraid of waking him.
“Miss, I’m still awake.”
“Eh!”
Just as she reached the bedside, the girl, who had been concentrating on quiet steps, was startled by the sudden response.
She quickly covered her mouth, looked down at the boy, her eyes wide.
“X-Xiao Xiao Mu, you’re still not asleep?”
“Just woke up. I was planning to go back to sleep, but since you’re here, Miss…”
“Then have I disturbed your rest?”
Seeing the girl look a little nervous, Yun Mu chuckled lightly and sat up. He shook his head and gently explained, “Not at all. I’m not very tired, and if you came so late, it must be something important, right?”
He patted the blanket at the edge of the bed.
“Sit here and talk. Standing all the time isn’t very proper.”
Hearing this, although she didn’t quite understand what “proper” meant, the girl obediently sat down.
However… as the two drew closer, she inexplicably grew shy.
Ugh, a boy and girl alone together so late at night—and I was the one who came to find him first.
I hope he doesn’t think I’m not a proper young lady.
She instinctively clenched the edge of the blanket, and the words she wanted to say froze in her throat.
“Miss? Are you alright?”
“C-call me Qiuyue…”
The usual issue, but at this point, the boy didn’t care about so-called rules in his heart and changed how he addressed her.
“Then… Qiuyue, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing… just a bit nervous…”
“Nervous? Because you’re talking to me, or because… of what’s coming next?”
His words hit the core of her troubled heart.
She paused, looked up at him, and felt the fog in her mind lift in an instant.
Ah, so that’s it…
I thought I just didn’t know how to start a conversation with Xiao Mu in this situation, but really, I’m just afraid of facing this treatment.
…I thought I was mentally prepared, but it seems I overestimated my own courage.
Unconsciously, her two hands rose to her chest, trembling slightly.
Her cherry lips parted to say only a word or two.
“Xiao Mu…”
“It’s alright. Take your time. I’m here.”
Feeling the boy’s hand, unique to him, gently stroking her head, Shangguan Qiuyue’s nervousness gradually eased.
“Actually, I’m going to undergo the last treatment. Mother said if it’s successful, I will be completely healed…”
“Hmm, isn’t that a good thing? Why are you so nervous?”
“Of course it’s good, but it’s just an if… so… there’s still a chance I might die. I’ve long known I’d die young, but now that it’s actually happening, I still…”
Her voice began to tremble, and her breathing grew rapid.
Her hands clenched even tighter.
“Sorry, Xiao Mu… I originally just wanted to say some proper goodbye words… but…”
Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, but her hands were caught by those rough hands.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
Yun Mu pulled her into his embrace, gently stroking her back and soothing her with a soft voice.
“No need for goodbye words. Whatever you want to say, I already know. Besides… saying these things now is always bad luck, isn’t it?”
“Hmm…”
“So, say those words after you wake up. There’ll still be time then, right?”
“Hmm…”
Holding the softly sobbing girl, he said nothing more, simply maintaining the embrace until she slowly calmed down.
After a long while… they parted.
Shangguan Qiuyue left the boy’s arms, wiping the tears from her eyes on her clothes.
She raised her hand and made a pinky promise gesture, forcing a smile.
“Xiao Mu, let’s promise—if I survive, you’ll come with me to the academy to study, okay? We’ll train together, and then no one will dare bully you…”
Yun Mu hesitated for a moment before lifting his hand to link pinkies.
“Okay, I promise.”
“Pinky swear for a hundred years—no changing, or else…”
“Or else we’ll never meet again.”
“Eh? Change that, it’s unlucky.”
“It’s okay. We’ll meet again.”
Seeing his resolute expression, the girl said no more.
She lowered her hand and stepped back two paces.
“Well… I’ll go now, Xiao Mu. See you tomorrow?”
“See you tomorrow.”
Hearing this, she turned and headed for the door but stopped just before it, calling out loudly.
“We must meet, okay?”
“We definitely will.”
Then she left without looking back.
Watching the girl’s resolute figure, Yun Mu inexplicably let out a breath of relief.
But immediately, Shangguan Xunyi’s image—no, more precisely, those words from Sha Qianmo—surfaced in his mind, tightening his heart.
“Sister Xunyi…”
“Oh, just sent off one woman and you’re already muttering the names of others? I thought you were an honest guy, turns out you’re a flirt?”
“Princess Luoyi, eavesdropping isn’t the behavior of a Royal Clan member, is it?”
He turned toward the door, where Qin Luoyi was stretching as she walked in.
Without waiting for a reply, she immediately sat down where Shangguan Qiuyue had been and laid her head across his lap.
“What? Used my power to kill Shangguan Ce and now you’re turning your back on me?”
“Not at all. I just think eavesdropping isn’t a good habit.”
“Yeah, yeah… You’re the good kid, I’m the bad kid. Happy now?”
“I didn’t mean that…”
“Stop it. I don’t want to hear those annoying lectures,”
the girl raised her hand to cover his mouth, face serious.
“Got it?”
“Mm.”
Seeing the boy’s obedient look, Qin Luoyi instinctively patted his head.
“Xiao Yunzi, actually, this princess has some good news for you. Want to hear it?”
“Good news?”
“That’s right. Good news.”
“Uh… are you teasing me?”
“To tease you? Do you think I have time to tease you?”
“Although we don’t interact much, knowing your personality, I doubt you’d do something like that.”
“Oh? Are you saying I have a bad temper?”
“Not at all.”
(I’m saying the princess is a little crazy.)
The girl giggled twice, shifting her body toward him.
With a casual move, she grabbed his clothes and pulled him closer.
She lightly sniffed his scent—the faint, familiar Star Essence that belonged to her, mixed with his own scent, lingering at her nose and making her smile.
“Xiao Yunzi, remember? I said I want to make you mine.”
“I remember. But Princess, given your status, you should know I’m dying soon, right?”
“Dying soon? Who told you that? Lin Xizhi?”
“Mm…”
“But Lin Xizhi disappeared years ago, right? And you trust what she told you back then?”
The boy was slightly stunned.
He noticed her wording—“disappeared,” not “dead.”
“Yes. I always believed Master’s words. Given my status, after having my bones taken and eyes gouged out, I’m useless. Death is natural.”
“Given your status… then in your heart, what do you see yourself as?”
“I naturally am—”
Suddenly, Yun Mu froze.
The words he had almost spoken—“a mere servant”—stuck in his throat.
Over the years, he seemed to have accepted that identity.
He had unconsciously forgotten that he could still be the child of his parents, the disciple of his master…
“Don’t know how to answer? Then I’ll answer for you. Your identity will gain one more—that is, this princess’s person.”
With authoritative words, she gave him no chance to respond and pushed him onto the bed.
“Xiao Yunzi, Princess Qin Luoyi will tell you this straight—you will not die. I and that old man Lu Qi will save your life, but the price is… you will belong to me forever, and you… will not resist.”
Seeing Yun Mu wanting to question, she made a shushing gesture and used her Star Essence to make it difficult for him to speak.
“No need to ask why. This isn’t your choice. Once I’ve decided, even if my Father comes, it won’t matter.”
Leaning in to whisper, a drowsy sleep overtook Yun Mu’s body.
He hated fainting scenes like this, but at this moment, he had no strength to resist.
He could only weakly lift his arm, trying to push her away, but after barely touching her shoulder, he lost all strength.
“Don’t worry. When you wake, everything will be reborn… Even if you lose your eyes, this princess will treat you well… After all, your true value isn’t in these bones or eyes.”
The girl bent down, her red lips parted, gently biting the spot on his neck.
The Imprint of Shangguan Xunyi covering him was finally erased.
She then sat up, licking her lips.
Her eyes gleamed with a dark green glow.
***
Meanwhile, in the main courtyard’s main room,
Shangguan Qiuyue, who had just returned, was already fast asleep inside.
Shangguan Hongzhi and Lu Qi sat at the table sipping tea.
“Hongzhi, remember, within two days, all unrelated servants must be sent away.”
“Mm, I’ve already arranged it. They will leave the residence soon.”
“Good… After it’s over, the Prince will take Yun Mu away. You have no objections, right?”
“Of course not.”
“As for the fact that Qiuyue will lose her memory… do you really think that’s a good thing? I can’t guarantee when she’ll recover her memories. Do you really think it doesn’t matter?”
“I truly think so.”
“Alright, then prepare everything.”
“Understood. I’ll trouble you when the time comes.”