The carriage swayed gently.

In the two-person compartment, Suzhen was unwilling to look at Li Zhaoting, silently staring at the carpet on the floor without making a sound.

The carriage was spacious and luxuriously decorated with exceptional opulence. Inside the compartment, tables, tea sets, food, and books were all readily available. The carpet was pure white as snow, made of the finest expensive material without a single stray fiber.

All of this seemed to remind Suzhen from the side what kind of person sat across from her.

Li Zhaoting’s gaze remained fixed on the top of her head, restrained yet contemplative. Her hands were covered in sweat, and from the corner of her eye, she nervously and cautiously observed in secret. Indeed, Li Zhaoting’s gaze grew increasingly dark and somber. Finally, the depths of his eyes gradually cracked open like an abyss. Before Suzhen could voice what was in her throat, he had already moved like lightning across the table, looming entirely over her.

She only had time to see the fluttering bright and dazzling hem of his robes.

“Don’t force me to hate you even more.”

The moment his fingers touched her chin, she slowly spoke.

His fingers were cold and sweaty, seemingly just like hers. Clearly, in this confrontation, he was the hunter.

“I thought you already hated me to the core. Turns out you can hate me even more. Then go ahead and hate.”

He leaned down and gripped her chin tightly, his nose almost touching hers, his breath carrying mockery as it struck her nostrils forcefully, one breath after another.

The fierce coldness in his eyes was like an approaching storm, overwhelming like mountains collapsing and seas overturning.

At this moment, what he wanted to do was both predictable and unpredictable.

Though sweat clearly beaded on Suzhen’s forehead, she showed no signs of panic. She simply raised her chin to look at him, her lips pressed tightly together.

The extremely cold indifference in her eyes made Li Zhaoting’s ears ring with a buzzing sound. Then he found himself unable to do anything, his hands and feet seeming to freeze. Clearly, he wanted to… kiss her.

He knew she hated him, but didn’t he hate her just as much?

She had given him the greatest humiliation of his life.

She had borne a daughter for another man while he remained completely in the dark.

Yet even though he hated her so much, he still loved her so deeply, was still attached to her, still wanted them to be together. Perhaps starting over, perhaps continuing to hate and entangle with each other would be fine too.

Actually, if he searched his heart honestly, didn’t he want to let her go? What was the point of continuing this entanglement? She could never love him again. A single act of letting go might earn him a trace of gratitude from her after all her pain and hatred, when they each went their separate ways to the ends of the earth. In their twenty years of friendship, there would finally be one time when she could be happy because he had done something for her, finally be happy because of him. But he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let go.

Childhood sweethearts’ affection, once it fermented, was truly terrifying. You didn’t just love this person; you were accustomed to her.

She wasn’t just your romantic love; she was also your friendship, your familial affection.

Without saying a word, he struck several pressure points on her body.

Suzhen’s entire body went limp, and she slumped to one side. He sat close beside her and pulled her into his embrace.

“I won’t hurt you. I won’t make you hate me anymore. Just let me hold you.”

He had sealed several of her major acupuncture points for movement, as well as her mute point.

She could no longer make a sound, only the mockery in her eyes grew even more intense. Li Zhaoting also seemed indifferent as he smiled with curved lips, desperately suppressing the churning, burning pain in his heart. His slender fingers buried themselves in her hair, gently caressing and combing through it.

In Suzhen’s heart, sometimes she hated him, sometimes she sighed.

In her daze, it seemed like they had returned to those years when, as long as he showed even a trace of sincerity, she would have stood in place and waited, remaining loyal until death.

Between them, originally, Lian Yu had nothing to do with it. Childhood sweethearts were the beginning of all love in the world.

The carriage traveled unobstructed into the imperial palace, straight to the outside of the great hall.

“Master, we’ve arrived.”

Si Lanfeng’s tentative, low voice came from outside the carriage.

Li Zhaoting slowly released her. Suzhen’s face was expressionless. He couldn’t help but give a cold laugh, reaching his hand toward her knees—but in the end, he patted her body instead. “What do you want to say?”

“Should I thank you for understanding me so well?” Suzhen’s mute point was released, and she could finally speak, though her tone was cold to the extreme.

Li Zhaoting only repeated: “What do you want to say?”

“I can walk myself. Please don’t touch me,” Suzhen said.

Li Zhaoting paused for a moment, then reached out to release her other acupuncture points. She was unwilling to accept any of his affection in front of others.

So be it.

Suzhen moved her slightly numb entire body and leaped down from the carriage.

“Your Majesty has finally returned. This consort has been waiting for you for—”

A voice filled with coquettish reproach drilled into her ears. She froze and looked over, and a beautiful woman’s face quickly crashed into view. The other party was obviously greatly shocked, her face turning deathly pale as she sharply inhaled: “You…”

“I don’t care if you’re human or ghost… Guards! Seize this woman of unknown origin!” Wei Wulei shouted sternly.

Several guards behind her immediately rushed forward.

Suzhen’s brows furrowed slightly, but she wasn’t panicked, calmly watching them.

“All of you, stand down.”

A low voice came from behind, carrying irresistible authority.

The guards were startled and immediately bowed their heads: “Yes.”

“Your Majesty, she—”

“She is a songstress that Chancellor Quan presented to me, from Swallow Lane.”

Wei Wulei stared at her with changing expressions, but Li Zhaoting interrupted first.

“This girl’s skills are exceptional. I am quite pleased with her, so I brought her back. Consort Wei need not be surprised.”

With a wave of clear, slightly warm breath approaching, he stood beside her, his body slightly tilted in front of hers in a thoroughly protective manner.

Wei Wulei was momentarily stunned, her eyes becoming even more unpredictable as she stared intensely. Whether she was wondering why this performing artist looked so similar to that dead person, or suspected she was that very person, at this time, Li Zhaoting timely spoke: “I am also tired. I’ll rest in the palace first and see Consort Wei later.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and began walking. Suzhen only had time to hear Wei Wulei’s teeth-gritting, suppressed “Yes.”

Returning to the inner courtyard, she reminded him: “Let go.”

Li Zhaoting gave a mocking laugh and released her.

Liang Song, who had followed them in from outside the hall, looked at her in surprise but dared not ask questions. He only suggested serving dinner with an obsequious smile. The eunuchs behind him began lighting lamps, brightening the candles in the hall. The sky outside had already darkened.

Li Zhaoting looked at her: “What would you like to eat?”

“Anything that can fill my stomach will do.” Suzhen’s body was somewhat unable to cope, so she found a chair to sit down.

Li Zhaoting knew he couldn’t get much more conversation from her, so he directly ordered some dishes. As Suzhen listened, they were all dishes she used to love eating. She hadn’t expected him to remember. From main courses to desserts, not one was missing.

After arrangements were made, Liang Song quickly withdrew, and Si Lanfeng tactfully closed the hall doors.

Li Zhaoting looked at her with unclear meaning, slowly sitting across from her.

“Am I just a performing artist in your heart?”

Li Zhaoting seemed not to have expected her to speak first. After a slight pause, he quickly replied, “Certainly not. It’s just that if you had that identity, they would surely scheme against you behind the scenes. This way, they can’t fathom your background, not knowing whether you’re the real person or just a woman who looks quite similar. For a time, they won’t dare act rashly.”

“When the overall situation is more stable, I’ll return your identity to you and let you stand beside me with your original status.”

“Of course, if you wish, I can announce it publicly right now. Though there will inevitably be storms and dangers, I will never let anyone harm you again!”

“Is it necessary? Does ‘anyone’ include you too?”

Before he could finish speaking, she interrupted him.

Li Zhaoting curved his lips in a smile and said no more. Yes, it wasn’t necessary. She was annoyed that he called her a performing artist, but she wouldn’t feel even a trace of joy about what he wanted to give her. It was just his one-sided passion, his wishful thinking.

After this mocking remark, she didn’t say much more, which was somewhat unexpected to him. He had thought she should be furious with him, creating a big scene. But aside from the initial shock and anger upon their meeting, she had quickly calmed down.

But this was probably just how she was.

He suddenly remembered the scene when he saw her at the Scholar’s Inn that year. By then, her family had already been destroyed, and though she still tried to please him as always, she didn’t mention much about her family affairs.

She used to love seeking his pity most, but thinking about it now, when facing truly serious matters, she never pitied herself or made a fuss.

And at that time, he seemed not to have asked much either.

His eye sockets suddenly grew slightly warm, and his hatred and anger toward her and Lian Yu, as well as their little baby, seemed to suddenly dissolve into his limbs and bones, leaving only inexpressible affection.

Yet he still didn’t voice the apology that came too late.

In this world, some apologies, once they’re late, no longer need to be spoken.

She lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the table. She seemed unable to see clearly, lost in thought about something—whether she was hating him, or missing Lian Yu, thinking about how to leave.

A strand of hair slipped down from her temple.

Her hair color was no longer what it once was—black hair turned white with evening, and her cheeks ultimately bore faint scars. But her eyes were black as gemstones, her face smooth and lustrous as pearl light, surprisingly beautiful.

He burned with anger at his earlier guess about her thoughts of Lian Yu, yet couldn’t help but be moved, his heart becoming restless with desire.

He wanted to gather up that strand of hair and tuck it behind her ear.

The thought made his heart slightly swell and ache.