Wu Yan was startled by his sudden embrace. She had thought he left and wouldn’t return, but unexpectedly—

She hesitated for a moment and asked, “Can you… not hold back anymore?”

Huo Chang’an was stunned, looking at the blush and embarrassment on her face. Despite such a dire situation, and though he was indeed struggling to endure, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Wu Yan saw him laugh and was instantly dazed. For a moment, the atmosphere softened, becoming rather subtle.

How long had it been since they had laughed like this together?

They could still laugh together, genuinely laugh.

She forgot to resist and just stared at him as if frozen. Seeing this look from her, Huo Chang’an’s body tensed as if about to explode. He lowered his head to kiss her, but just as his lips were about to touch hers, he suddenly stopped and briefly told her what he had seen.

Wu Yan’s heart raced with anxiety. “How is Huaisu? Your martial arts are good—let’s go out—”

Huo Chang’an quickly interrupted her, “No, the assassins came prepared, and you don’t know martial arts. I can’t leave you alone here. If we go over, in my current condition, I not only can’t perform at my best but would also need to protect you. We’d only add to their troubles. Lian Yu understands this, which is why he told us to secure ourselves first.”

“We just need to wait until dawn or reinforcements arrive, then everything will be manageable. I won’t let these shadowy ghosts get away. Huaisu, that little rascal… that troublesome girl has great luck. Lian Yu absolutely won’t let anything happen to her. Since you once liked Lian Yu, don’t you know his capabilities? He will protect his own woman. What we need to do now is protect ourselves in this forest.”

He looked at her deeply, analyzing the situation.

That low, slightly hoarse voice quickly calmed Wu Yan down.

Back then, her final decision to be with him was because he could make her feel secure.

Seeing the trust in her eyes, Huo Chang’an’s heart tightened. He held her close and said quietly, “The forest is extremely deep. Trying to pass through from this side would be difficult, but we can no longer return by the original path. Though the assassins’ target is probably Lian Yu or Li Huaisu, they might still search the forest for people. Come, let’s find a place to hide. When I was hunting earlier, I remember seeing a small hut built by hunters in the forest.”

Wu Yan nodded. “All right.”

The joy in Huo Chang’an’s heart seemed about to overflow. Under the lake’s reflection and mountain scenery, he felt every pore opening pleasantly. He lifted her up and used his lightness skills to go deeper into the forest.

Wu Yan hadn’t expected they would spend time together like this before her departure. In the secluded green wilderness, with occasional sounds of birds and beasts making it seem even more tranquil, the vast starry sky above was like an endless piece of cloth dyed with the purest ink wash. The starlight seemed within reach, accompanying them both so they would never be lonely.

He held her, moving forward quietly. His face was flushed and perspiration fell like rain, but his gaze was deep and resolute, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. It was as if they had never been separated, never been hurt.

He looked extremely happy.

Walking like this to eternity.

Her eyelashes lowered slightly, her eyes completely wet. Her firm resolve began to waver—was she doing the wrong thing?

“We’re here.”

By her ear, his voice contained laughter as he set her down.

It was a crudely built wooden hut, not large. It had been constructed by hunters for resting during forest hunts.

However, there was no lamplight inside at the moment.

“This humble couple is passing through and requests the master’s hospitality for one night. We will surely provide generous compensation.”

Huo Chang’an spoke aloud.

There was no response from inside. Huo Chang’an stepped forward and knocked on the door—still no response. It seemed no one was inside.

He turned back with a smile. “The master isn’t here. Let’s go in. We can leave some silver later…”

He suddenly stopped speaking, his smile disappearing. Wu Yan’s gaze was awkward, looking quite uncomfortable.

Seeming to understand her thoughts, he said quietly, “In my heart, you are my wife. I know you’re unwilling—I won’t say it again in the future.”

“Wait outside for a moment while I go in first to check.” He pushed hard, and the door opened with a creak.

Inside was pitch black. Huo Chang’an took out a fire starter from his chest, quickly lit it, then found a copper oil lamp in the room and lit that. He glanced around quickly and saw simple furnishings inside—a bed on the left side, a table and chair in the middle, and a stove on the right side. On the stove were some clean pots, bowls, and utensils that seemed unused for some time, covered with a bit of dust. Some hunting tools hung on the walls, sharpened and cleaned well, with no bloodstains.

Overall, it was fairly clean.

There was just a thin blanket on the bed that had turned somewhat yellow.

He frowned slightly, then went out to bring Wu Yan inside.

“You rest on the bed for the night. I’ll keep watch outside. Call me if anything happens.” He spoke gently, taking off his outer robe and handing it to her, his eyes full of apology. “In such a rush, I could only find this place. First cover yourself with this, then with the blanket. Make do for one night—I’ll take you away as soon as it’s light.”

The robe still carried his body warmth and faint fragrance. People of their noble status had their clothes specially maintained and scented.

“You’re not sleeping inside?”

Wu Yan used all her strength to suppress the trembling in her heart and asked softly.

“No!”

He said decisively, smiling bitterly as his gaze awkwardly moved downward. Wu Yan looked and her face instantly burned. Having removed his outer robe and wearing only an inner garment, his arousal was unmistakably obvious, like an unsheathed sword.

“In case I come in, you… keep this close.” He walked to the wall and took down an arrow, placing it on the bed, his gaze dark and hoarse as he fled outside again.

The wooden door slammed shut with a bang.

In her ears, his rough, deep voice seemed still to linger. Wu Yan clutched his shirt tightly, blew out the lamp on the table, bit her teeth, and lay on the bed, covering herself with his robe and pulling the thin blanket over that.

She forced herself to close her eyes and sleep, but tossing and turning, her mind filled with his deeply affectionate yet bitter gaze and his painful restraint—how could she possibly fall asleep?

The night grew deeper and more chill. Her eyes were wet with tears as she worried about Lian Yu and Su Zhen’s situation and even more about his condition outside—

Suddenly, a muffled groan came from outside. Her heart jumped, and a strong sense of unease arose.

She immediately got out of bed without hesitation and pushed the door open.

Outside, he seemed startled and immediately leaped several steps away, his back to her.

“Go inside!”

With his back to her, his voice was frighteningly hoarse, cold and hard, even carrying angry reproach.

“Let’s go inside together. I’m willing. Whether we can get the antidote, no one knows. I’m already dying—what does it matter? You still have a good life ahead. Consider it my repayment for all the affection you’ve shown me over the years. You deserve this one night…”

She clenched her hands, her voice very determined.

“Go back inside!”

From ahead, he seemed to force these two words through clenched teeth, as if she were now his mortal enemy!

But Wu Yan no longer cared about anything else. She quickly ran to him, but her gaze froze in the next instant!

His face was frighteningly red, but his lips were pale with tiny blisters from heat.

A dagger was embedded in his chest.

Crimson blood flowed steadily down his chest.

Staining his inner garment, quickly congealing in a circle by his boots.

Her gaze wavered, and she indeed saw from the hut’s doorway to where they stood, a trail of blood drops winding along, scattered here and there.

The dagger’s handle pattern—wasn’t that her dagger?!

When she left the Huo residence suddenly that day, she couldn’t take the scissors with her, so she later bought a dagger on the street to keep close.

Later, she used it to kill the assassin who tried to kill her and Lian Yue.

When had he retrieved the dagger?

Had he stabbed himself to resist his desires?

Her pain and anger instantly reached their peak as she shouted at him frantically, “Huo Chang’an, I’m willing! I’m willing! I said I was willing! Pull it out and treat your wound! Quickly! I know you carry the best wound medicine—take it out and use it!”

Veins bulged on his forehead, his eyes blood-red, showing greedy lust and extreme agitation, appearing extremely pained. At the same time, they were deep as mist, staring at her intently, so resolute.

“No.” He looked at her and slowly shook his head.

Wu Yan clenched her fists and rushed forward, reaching toward his chest—but even injured, Huo Chang’an’s strength was far greater than hers. She felt her whole body go numb and froze in place, completely unable to move.

“I apologize.” As he spoke, his fingers slipped away from her body.

“Why did you so easily touch Lian Yue that day, but refuse to touch me today?” she asked angrily. “Don’t you love me?”

“Wu Yan, listen to me. Your poison can definitely be cured. You’ll be like Huaisu—bitter first, then sweet, with long-lasting blessings. Lian Jie loves you, but if you’re still pure, he’ll treasure you even more. You’re different from Lian Yue.”

His tall body swayed slightly, but the agitation in his eyes began to soften in her tearful gaze.

Suddenly, the entire forest seemed completely silent. Everything suppressed in her heart collapsed!

Wu Yan looked at this man and asked word by word, “In your current condition, if assassins come, how will you protect me?”

Huo Chang’an reached out to touch her cheek and smiled proudly, “This small wound is nothing compared to what I’ve suffered on battlefields. Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to step over my corpse. Rest assured—I can hold out until Lian Yu’s reinforcements arrive.”

“But you’ll die. Huo Chang’an, when I go overseas to seek medicine, aren’t you planning to come with me? Weren’t you planning to secretly follow and protect me along the way?” she countered. “If you die, how can you come with me? How can you protect me?”

Huo Chang’an was stunned, then smiled indulgently, “You really did guess. Wu Yan, don’t worry—I’ll always protect you. You know my aspirations. I’ve never abandoned my military ambitions. Though I’ve been idle at home these years, I often go out to train my own Huo family army. They’re stationed at a place outside the capital. Though not numerous, they’re all elite. Even if I die today, they’re sufficient to ensure your safe journey. Accompanying you overseas was something I arranged long ago. It won’t change due to anyone or anything.”

“But if you’re gone, what’s the point of me seeking medicine? Chang’an,” Wu Yan heard his personal admission and tears streamed down her face. “I know—I’ve always known your wish is to return to battle with your brothers. In peaceful times, guard the prosperity of all lands; when war ignites, protect home and country. Even in death, you’d want to be wrapped in horse hide, dying on the battlefield, not beside a woman. Everyone knows my poison has virtually no chance of being cured. In my remaining lifetime, since I can’t accompany you across the borderlands like Lian Yue, all I can do is give you freedom. I already told Lian Jie—I asked him to help me with this favor, to let you…”

“Why are you still so foolish when I’m like this? You’ll die this way. I don’t want you to die—I only want you to live well. Even if I’m gone, live well…” She broke down crying, no longer able to hold back, tearing apart all the silence in this vast wilderness.

Huo Chang’an watched her cry herself hoarse, her eyes filled with desperate grief. He seemed stunned, standing motionless.

She wanted him to completely despair so that after time passed, even if she died, he would only be sad but would never follow her in death. Some wounds always heal with time, don’t they? No one necessarily ruins their whole life for someone who doesn’t love them deeply enough. Because it’s not worth it.

After a long while, he finally let out a long howl, pulled out the dagger from his body, quickly sealed several acupoints, ran to her side, unsealed her acupoints, and held her tightly in his arms.

Wu Yan was held so tightly she could barely breathe. Her wish had failed, but she knew that from now on, she would never be alone again. Whether living or dying, she hit him forcefully but feared touching his wound, so after one strike, she stopped.

Huo Chang’an’s chest seemed filled with all the starlight above, ready to explode. That happiness was like winning a great battle and returning triumphant—no, it was much happier than victory!

He lowered his head, his forehead touching hers. “Wu Yan, treat my wound.”

Wu Yan was already worried about his wound. Hearing this, she didn’t think of anything else and immediately nodded. He curled his lips in a smile, swept her up in his arms, and strode into the wooden hut.

Wu Yan and Huo Chang’an’s story has one more section before concluding.