NCCnovel Chapter 541: I'll Take Care of You
Chapter 541: I'll Take Care of You
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came, and He Jinnian rushed into the house.
His expression was somewhat solemn. He breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw Fang Xiaoxiao wake up, but then his face showed difficulty again.
"Xiao Xiao, it's good that you're awake. But... I have some news, and I'm not sure if I should tell you." He Jinnian hesitated for a moment before speaking.
A sense of foreboding welled up in Fang Xiao's heart. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "Jin Nian, go ahead and tell me. I can handle it."
He Jinnian gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Crown Prince Pei Yan is preparing to marry the daughter of the Duke of Qing."
These words exploded in the room like a bombshell.
Fang Xiaoxiao felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted again.
Her hands gripped the sheets tightly, her knuckles turned white, and her face was drained of color.
Li Wan'er and Hongxiu were also stunned. For a moment, the room fell into a deathly silence, with only Fang Xiaoxiao's heavy breathing and Hongxiu's suppressed sobs.
Inside, dim light filtered through the mottled paper windowpanes, scattering sparsely across the floor, the flickering light and shadow seeming to sigh at the somber atmosphere.
In the corner, an oil lamp emitted a faint light, the flame flickering gently in the breeze.
Li Wan'er and Hongxiu looked at Fang Xiaoxiao with worried expressions, their eyes filled with concern and heartache, as if waiting for Fang Xiaoxiao's emotions to erupt.
After He Jinnian said those words, he saw Fang Xiaoxiao's face turn as pale as paper in an instant. He felt a sense of foreboding and realized that his words might have been too direct and hurt Fang Xiaoxiao's feelings.
He quickly took a step forward, his foot landing on the wooden floor with a soft creak.
His face was full of regret and anxiety as he explained quickly, "Xiao Xiao, don't take it too hard. I don't think Pei Yan could genuinely marry the Duke of Qing's daughter. Maybe it's just a political marriage forced by circumstances. He definitely still has feelings for you."
Li Wan'er quickly chimed in, grasping Fang Xiaoxiao's hand and saying anxiously, "Yes, Xiaoxiao. Pei Yan was so good to you before, how could he change so suddenly? There must be some hidden reason behind this, please don't be too sad."
Just then, a gust of cold wind slipped in through the window cracks, causing the oil lamp flame to flicker and the temperature inside the room to drop several degrees instantly.
Hongxiu sobbed as she wiped her tears with her sleeve, saying in a tearful voice, "Xiaoxiao, we're all here with you. No matter what happens, we won't let you face it alone."
However, Fang Xiaoxiao did not break down in tears or grieve as they had imagined.
She sat there quietly, her face expressionless, her eyes as calm as a bottomless lake, making it impossible to fathom her inner thoughts.
After a long while, Fang Xiaoxiao gently raised her head, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone, her tone calm and without a trace of emotion: "You don't need to comfort me anymore. Whether Pei Yan ultimately chooses the daughter of the Duke of Qing or not, it has nothing to do with me anymore. I did consider him the most important person in my life, but now... everything is in the past."
Her voice was soft, yet every word was clear, as if she were declaring a complete break with the past.
At this moment, the flame of the oil lamp flickered a few more times, making a "crackling" sound, as if it too was shocked by Fang Xiaoxiao's words.
Li Wan'er, Hongxiu, and He Jinnian were all stunned. Their eyes widened, their faces full of astonishment. They looked at each other, seemingly unable to believe their ears.
In their minds, Fang Xiaoxiao's feelings for Pei Yan were incredibly deep; how could she possibly let go so easily?
He Jinnian opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know how to start.
Li Wan'er was filled with disbelief. She stared intently at Fang Xiaoxiao, trying to find a trace of pretense on her face, but all she saw was calmness and determination.
Hongxiu's tears stopped at that moment. She stared blankly at Fang Xiaoxiao, her heart filled with doubt and confusion. Outside the window, the wind grew stronger, making the windowpanes rattle and bang, as if it too was roaring in response to these complex emotions.
Looking at their expressions, Fang Xiaoxiao felt a bitter smile well up in her heart, but she didn't offer any further explanation. She simply sat there quietly, as if everything around her was irrelevant to her.
Fang Xiaoxiao's overly cold demeanor caused He Jinnian, Li Wan'er, and Hongxiu to exchange bewildered glances, a strange sense of fear rising within them.
Her calm, unwavering gaze seemed to isolate her from the world around her, making the familiar Fang Xiaoxiao appear utterly unfamiliar at that moment.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and Ouyang Tuoba, Murong Changqing, Long Jinyan, and Zhou Wenjian rushed over.
Their expressions were grave, clearly indicating that they had heard about what had happened to Fang Xiaoxiao.
Outside the window, dark clouds had quietly gathered, blocking out the already weak sunlight and making the room even darker.
Occasionally, a few muffled claps of thunder would rumble from afar, like a heavy sigh of fate.
Ouyang Tuoba and Murong Changqing were the first to enter the house. Seeing that Fang Xiaoxiao was safe and sound, the two breathed a slight sigh of relief.
With a concerned expression, Ouyang Tuoba stepped forward and said, "Xiao Xiao, don't be too sad. It's Pei Yan's loss that he doesn't cherish you. You must not demean yourself because of him." Murong Changqing also chimed in, "Yes, Xiao Xiao, you are so good, you deserve someone better to love you."
However, they were secretly pleased.
Pei Yan's departure seemed like a perfect opportunity for them, finally allowing them to pursue Fang Xiaoxiao without any reservations and let her see their true feelings.
They exchanged a barely perceptible glance, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Fang Xiaoxiao listened to their words and a bitter smile rose in her heart.
Her thoughts drifted back to the past, to a sunny afternoon when she and Pei Yan strolled through the Imperial Garden.
Pei Yan gently took her hand and said tenderly, "Xiao Xiao, with you by my side, everything in this world has become beautiful."
At that time, his eyes were sincere, and his words were full of affection.
But now, those sweet words still seem to echo in my ears, yet the person has become so unfamiliar.
"They thought I would be heartbroken, but little did they know that my heart was already riddled with holes from countless disappointments."
Now, I don't want to be bound by emotions anymore, nor do I want to become their target.
He once made me believe so strongly in love, but reality dealt me a heavy blow. How can I easily trust others again? She maintained her indifferent expression and listened quietly.
Long Jinyan strode up to Fang Xiaoxiao, looked at her with unwavering eyes, and said in a loud and powerful voice, "Xiaoxiao, stop thinking about Pei Yan. From now on, I will take care of you. I will show you what true love is."