NCCnovel Chapter 540: You're torturing yourself like this
Chapter 540: You're torturing yourself like this
As dusk settled, the afterglow bathed the paths in the Imperial Garden in an orange-yellow hue.
Crown Prince Pei Yan paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, his mind filled with worries about court intrigues and the forced marriage. This political marriage weighed heavily on him, crushing his yearning for free love.
Just then, a series of light and hurried footsteps came from behind.
Pei Yan turned around and saw a woman in a moon-white brocade dress walking gracefully towards him. It was Mu Wanyun, the daughter of the Duke of Qing.
Her hair was styled in a high bun, with a kingfisher feather and pearl hairpin inserted diagonally among them, the swaying of the hair ornament further accentuating the affection in her eyes.
Mu Wanyun walked up to Pei Yan, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
She curtsied slightly, her voice soft, tinged with nervousness and shyness: "Your Highness, I've finally found you."
Pei Yan frowned slightly. He was completely resistant to this marriage and had no good feelings towards the woman who was about to become the Crown Princess.
But out of the Crown Prince's composure, he still politely nodded slightly, his tone distant: "Miss Mu, may I ask what business you have with me?"
Mu Wanyun, however, paid no attention to Pei Yan's indifference. Her gaze followed Pei Yan closely, as if everything else in the world had lost its color.
She stepped forward, her skirt swaying gently, her voice filled with undisguised joy: "Your Highness, Wanyun has heard that you enjoy horseback riding and archery. I happen to know a little bit about it myself, and I have always hoped to have the opportunity to practice with Your Highness."
Pei Yan felt helpless. He had no time for joking around, but he couldn't refuse directly, so he could only say perfunctorily, "Miss Mu is very kind, but I'm afraid I won't be able to find the time due to my busy schedule with government affairs."
Mu Wanyun, however, seemed not to have noticed Pei Yan's excuse. Her eyes shone even brighter as she excitedly said, "Your Highness is busy with many affairs of state, so you should also take care to rest."
Wan Yun thought that it would be good to keep His Highness company for a while to help him relax. "It would be a way to help His Highness relieve his fatigue." As she spoke, her cheeks flushed even more, and her eyes were full of anticipation.
Pei Yan was annoyed, but he couldn't show it, so he could only bite the bullet and reply, "I appreciate Miss Mu's kindness, but I'm simply too busy." With that, he prepared to take his leave.
Seeing this, Mu Wanyun hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please be sure to call Wanyun when you have time. Wanyun is always available."
She looked at Pei Yan with a firm and ardent gaze, "It is a blessing that Wan Yun is betrothed to Your Highness. Wan Yun will serve Your Highness wholeheartedly."
Pei Yan felt a chill run down her spine, feeling burdened by this intense and straightforward love.
He nodded perfunctorily and left in a hurry.
Mu Wanyun gazed at Pei Yan's retreating figure with infatuation, murmuring to herself, "Your Highness, Wanyun will definitely show you how good I am." She then gently touched her chest, where her heart pounded fiercely because of Pei Yan.
Then, filled with anticipation for the future, she slowly turned and disappeared into the twilight.
As dusk settled, it gradually spread, enveloping the entire world in a hazy veil.
Fang Xiaoxiao sat quietly by the window, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring blankly into the distance.
Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the earth, bathing everything in a warm hue, but this warmth could not reach the depths of Fang Xiaoxiao's heart.
In her mind, it was like a silent movie playing, constantly replaying every moment she spent with Pei Yan.
Once, they strolled through a garden full of blooming flowers. Pei Yan gently picked a delicate flower for her and tucked it into her hair, his eyes full of doting affection.
Once, they sat down for a long talk under the moonlight, sharing their thoughts and dreams, their laughter echoing in the quiet night sky;
Once, Pei Yan held her hand tightly, vowing to protect her for life and never be separated from her...
These memories are like sharp knives, piercing Fang Xiaoxiao's heart with deep pain.
Her eyes gradually welled up with tears, which flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks and dripped onto her skirt, leaving a dark stain.
"Pei Yan, how could you forget our vow so easily?" she murmured to herself, her voice filled with pain and despair.
Just then, a cool breeze suddenly swept by, ruffling her hair and drying the tears on her face.
Fang Xiaoxiao instinctively hugged herself, trying to draw some warmth from the wind, but all she got in return was a bone-chilling cold.
In a daze, a heartbreaking scene appeared before her eyes.
Pei Yan was holding a woman's shoulder, the two chatting and laughing intimately.
The woman was dressed in gorgeous clothes, with a beautiful face, and exuded elegance in every gesture.
Fang Xiaoxiao's heart clenched suddenly, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside her.
Suddenly, the woman softly mentioned Fang Xiaoxiao's name. Fang Xiaoxiao's heart jumped into her throat. She nervously pricked up her ears, wanting to hear Pei Yan's reply.
Pei Yan's expression instantly turned cold. He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a disdainful sneer, and said in an icy tone, "How could that be? I was just playing along with her. How could I, the Crown Prince, have any real feelings for a lowly woman?"
The moment Fang Xiaoxiao heard those words, everything went black before her eyes, as if her entire world had collapsed in that instant. Her body swayed, and she could no longer hold on, falling straight backward.
In the last moment before she lost consciousness, all she could think of was Pei Yan's cold expression and hurtful words. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and her world was plunged into complete darkness.
Fang Xiaoxiao slowly woke up, feeling dizzy and her eyelids as heavy as lead. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the worried faces of Li Wan'er and Hongxiu.
When Li Wan'er saw Fang Xiaoxiao wake up, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She quickly moved closer and asked anxiously, "Xiaoxiao, you're finally awake! Why were you sleeping on the floor? You scared us to death!"
Fang Xiaoxiao looked around and found herself lying on the floor inside the room, covered with a thin blanket.
She rubbed her throbbing temples, as memories of the previous night flooded back. Those moments with Pei Yan, and those agonizing fantasies, all felt so real, as if they had just happened.
She opened her mouth, her voice slightly hoarse: "Last night... I was probably too tired from staying up all night, and I fell asleep in a daze, and I accidentally fell to the ground." She tried to gloss over it with a light tone, but her eyes couldn't hide her loneliness.
Li Wan'er was not easily fooled. She frowned and said with a worried expression, "Xiao Xiao, don't be stubborn. We know you're suffering inside, but it breaks our hearts to see you torturing yourself like this."
Hongxiu, who was standing to the side, already had tears welling up in her eyes. Upon hearing Li Wan'er's words, she could no longer hold back and tears rolled down her cheeks.
She silently held Fang Xiaoxiao's hand without saying a word, but that silent comfort only made Fang Xiaoxiao feel worse.
Fang Xiaoxiao looked at her two good friends, feeling touched but also even more saddened.
She knew that her longing for Pei Yan had already penetrated to the bone, and it wasn't something she could just let go of.