“Mu Mu…”

“If you’re afraid your Ninth Imperial Uncle might be hurt, you may also remove me before he and I come to blows.”

“Mu Mu! How could I ever harm you?” Feng Jiu’er felt that she and the man before her had reached a complete impasse. She only wanted to tell him that he and the Ninth Imperial Uncle were brothers — that brothers must never turn against each other.

Yet she had forgotten — even before losing his memories, Mu Mu had held no particular affection for the Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Now that Mu Mu had lost his memories, even if she told him that man was his own kin, he still wouldn’t feel a single thread of connection to a Ninth Imperial Uncle who was, to him, a perfect stranger.

He had even forgotten Ye Luosha, who had raised him for years — how could he feel anything for a brother who was to him no different from an unknown face?

“Mu Mu, the Ninth Imperial Uncle and I…”

“I have said it. If you do not wish to see him hurt, you had best make the first move and remove me sooner rather than later. Otherwise, I will never again allow any man to lay claim to what is mine.”

“But I am not yours, Mu Mu…”

The Mu Mu lying on the bench suddenly sat upright and rose to his feet, walking toward her with a measured stride. The look in his eyes, the expression on his face — Feng Jiu’er’s heart plummeted. “Mu Mu, what are you doing?”

“You are the only woman who has ever seen my body. You will also be the last.” He crossed to the bedside, and suddenly reached out, gripping her by the shoulders.

“If you cannot make the decision yourself, then I will make it for you. Tonight — we marry!”

“Mu Mu, have you gone mad?!” Feng Jiu’er never in her wildest imaginings expected Mu Mu to do something like this.

His large palm bore down. Her palm instinctively began to gather her inner energy — but this was Mu Mu. He was still suffering from grave injuries. How could she push that strike out?

In just that one moment of hesitation, her body was pressed down onto the bed beneath him. His heavy frame bore down on top of her, and he raised a hand, about to tear her clothing.

“Mu Mu, stop this! Mu Mu, let’s talk this through!” Heavens above — she had already told him, as earnestly as she could, about herself and the Ninth Imperial Uncle. Why wouldn’t he listen at all?

A forced melon isn’t sweet — didn’t he understand even that much?

“Mu Mu, if you keep this up, don’t blame me for what I do next!” But that palm of hers simply could not be pushed out.

He had barely recovered from severe injuries. The wound might look healed on the surface, but inside it was far from mended.

If she struck him again, how was that any different from taking his life?

How could she take Mu Mu’s life? And besides — he had never truly intended to hurt her. It was simply that tonight she had provoked his fury and his eyes were clouded by it.

“Mu Mu, stop!” Feng Jiu’er was truly frantic — frantic to the point of near madness.

She couldn’t act against Mu Mu, yet Mu Mu had already torn open the front of her robe. He even lowered his head, pressing in toward her lips.

Jiu’er could only hurriedly twist to the side to dodge the kiss. His lips and teeth landed instead on her throat, biting down — not too hard, not too soft.

“Mm!” Feng Jiu’er dared not use her inner energy. She could only press against his shoulders, pushing with all her strength in an attempt to shove him away.

But his frame was as immovable as a mountain. Pushing him aside — how could she?

“Mu Mu, stop it!” She couldn’t act against him — was he truly going to harden his heart and bully her like this?

“Mu Mu, if you keep this up, how am I supposed to go on living? Do you want me to spend the rest of my life in misery?”

“Why would you live in misery? Is a lifetime of my care and protection not enough?”

“I don’t like you…”

“But you don’t dislike me either, Jiu’er. I can see that clearly.” He was no fool. If not for that so-called Ninth Imperial Uncle, Jiu’er’s heart would surely have fallen on him.

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip. She truly didn’t dislike him — and even more than that, if there had truly been no Ninth Imperial Uncle, if she had never met him and come to know him, she might genuinely have fallen for Mu Mu.

A man like Mu Mu — it wouldn’t be hard for a girl to fall in love with him.

But her heart already held the Ninth Imperial Uncle.

“Mu Mu…”

At last, he raised his head from the curve of her throat, his gaze falling downward to the aggrieved girl beneath him. His breath was still unsteady, yet when he saw the fear in the depths of her eyes, the flame inside him gradually quieted.

“Just now — I acted on impulse. But I do truly want you.” He had no wish to explain himself. He was simply telling her the truth.

“Even if your heart already belongs to another man, I will not let you leave my side. From this day forward, you are mine — belonging only to me.”

“Mu Mu, you can’t be so unreasonable!” Yet Feng Jiu’er also knew that this was truly not the moment for reasoned arguments.

What if it drove him into another surge of impulse — what could she do then?

Mu Mu’s large palm settled over her hand, drawing out a silver needle from between her fingers. He looked at Jiu’er again — there was some panic in her eyes, but also a thread of despair.

Even with Mu Mu still bearing the wounds of grave injury, his martial skill was leagues beyond anything she could match.

Mu Mu casually flung the silver needle to strike the cabinet beside them, then fixed his gaze on Feng Jiu’er’s watery eyes. His voice came low: “I have said it. If you do not want me, then take my life — remove me. Otherwise, I will not let go of you for as long as I live.”

Jiu’er truly felt a kind of powerlessness wash over her. She wanted to say something, but heard Mu Mu give a light cough, a thin thread of blood sliding from the corner of his lips.

“Mu Mu, you’ve aggravated your wound!” Jiu’er was startled. She wanted to sit up and check his pulse, but he had her wrists locked in his grip — she couldn’t even manage to sit.

“Mu Mu, I only want to check your injury. Let go of me first.”

“Since you don’t want me, why trouble yourself over whether I live or die?” Once Mu Mu’s small temper rose, it wasn’t so easily soothed.

Jiu’er was genuinely anxious. The more that man spoke, the thicker the thread of blood at the corner of his lips became.

She had poured out such enormous effort — everyone had — barely pulling him back from the gates of death. How could he treat his own life so carelessly now?

“About the future — let’s talk about that later, all right? Right now, let me look at your injury first.”

Mu Mu finally listened. After releasing a long breath, he lay down beside her.

His color was ashen. Tonight had clearly stirred his emotions, and though mercifully he had not mobilized his true inner energy, his injuries would certainly have worsened otherwise.

Feng Jiu’er checked his pulse, then pulled the covers up over him. “Stop letting yourself get angry and worked up at every turn. You’re not well right now — don’t keep pushing yourself.”

“Are you saying I’m not strong enough?” His eyes darkened.

Feng Jiu’er could only sigh. “No — you are very strong. But even the strongest people get hurt, and when you’re hurt, you should quietly let yourself heal.”

He seemed about to say something more, but Jiu’er said, “I’ve been caring for you, and I’ve barely been able to rest lately. Stop tormenting me, all right?”

If she told him it was bad for his body, he wouldn’t care. But if she made it about being bad for her — would that earn a little more consideration from him?

As it turned out, hearing this, Mu Mu immediately closed his mouth and said nothing further.

Jiu’er climbed down from the bed, but Mu Mu suddenly caught her hand. Jiu’er gave a start. “Mu Mu!”

Surely he hadn’t stirred up enough trouble yet?