Сhаpter 305: Тhe Fire Моth Раrtу 37
"Whаt?" Shen Du's eхpression darkened, а fliсker оf shadоw раssing thrоugh his puрils. "Sау thаt аgain?"
Jing Lin fеlt a chill run down thе bаck оf his neck. Hе clasрed his hands аnd bоwеd first in ароlоgy. "This subоrdinаte dеsеrvеs deаth for fаiling tо protесt Mаdam."
"Enough with thе nonsense. Whеrе is shе now?"
Jing Lin lоoked up аnd роinted nоt fаr bеhind Shеn Du. Shеn Du immеdiatеlу turned tо loоk. On the mаin streеt, Zhu Yаn wаs running ovеr, раnting hеavily, oсcasionally lifting hеr sleeve tо wipe thе sweаt frоm her tеmples. Her red lips were slightly parted, and her small face was flushed, having clearly run all the way here.
Shen Du's heart instantly tightened with displeasure. He gave Jing Lin a sharp knock on the head and growled fiercely, "I'll deal with you later. Guard this place for me."
With that, he ran down the steps to meet Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan truly hadn't expected Jing Lin to disregard the guard's orders, abandon the critically ill Pan Chi, and come to deliver a message to Shen Du—and so quickly at that. It wasn't until she bumped headfirst into a solid wall of flesh and smelled a familiar scent that she panicked.
Shen Du wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Seeing her rubbing her nose, eyes red, head bowed, and not daring to look up, his heart softened by three parts. The reprimand he had prepared died in his throat, and he simply glared at her dark hair in silence.
Zhu Yan's panic lasted only a moment. Soon, she remembered Pan Chi's body covered in white threads, and courage surged within her. She raised her head and glared at Shen Du, her face full of displeasure. "Shen Du, let go of me."
Well, now she wasn't even calling him "husband," but addressing him directly by name.
Shen Du's face darkened. "Where are you going, Madam?"
"I..."
Zhu Yan's courage drained faster than the waters of the Yellow River. Seeing that she couldn't hide it, she simply voiced her thoughts.
"We can wait, but Pan Chi can't. Please let me go."
Seeing her so stubborn, Shen Du nearly fainted from anger. After several deep breaths, he barely managed to control his emotions and refrained from lashing out on the spot.
As Zhu Yan saw that he refused to let go, she began to struggle.
Shen Du gritted his teeth, each word deliberate. "Do you know that going out there is a death sentence?"
Did Zhu Yan not know? She knew very well. But between watching Pan Chi die and going to her own death, she resolutely chose the latter.
Seeing her stubborn silence, Shen Du said no more. He swept her up into his arms, holding her against his waist.
On the street, patrolling officers and soldiers, Inner Guards on the city walls, and scattered groups of citizens all turned to stare at the sight.
"You—put me down!"
"I need to save Pan Chi. There's no time—he's dying."
"I'll go as a hostage in exchange for the antidote."
"Waaah..."
Zhu Yan kicked and hit Shen Du, overwhelmed by the thought of Pan Chi's impending death, shouting and crying hysterically.
Shen Du endured it all, quickening his pace as he walked forward. Only after returning to the room did he finally set Zhu Yan down.
As soon as she steadied herself, Zhu Yan pounded on Shen Du's chest, her gaze fierce, and shouted at him, "Pan Chi's condition is critical. If he doesn't get the antidote soon, he will die."
Thinking of how such a vibrant person would soon lose his life, Zhu Yan began to cry.
Shen Du's heart ached, but more than that, he felt a wave of self-doubt. When would Zhu Yan ever cry like this for him?
"He's like this entirely because of me. If he dies before my eyes, how could my conscience ever be at peace?" Zhu Yan grew agitated, her voice nearly cracking.
Pulling Zhu Yan into his arms and holding her tightly, Shen Du felt a complex mix of emotions, bitter and indescribable.
He forced himself not to lose his temper, but his tone still carried a heavy note of anger. "Do you know that if you go out there, it will only lead to your death?""At worst, it's just death. So what?" Zhu Yan said through tear-filled, blurred eyes.
Shen Du's heart, as strong as black iron, felt drenched in ice water. He said hoarsely, "You would throw your life away for Pan Chi?"
Zhu Yan choked back a sob, "If he dies, I cannot escape blame. I can only repay life with life."
Another arrow pierced his heart, sharp and painful. Shen Du forced himself to endure it, his hands trembling uncontrollably as he cupped Zhu Yan's face. His eyes, deep as a misty abyss, blazed with fury as he roared at her:
"Is Pan Chi's life a life, but the lives of the Zhu family are not? Your master's life is not a life? The lives of millions of people in Yingzhou are not lives?"
If you die for Pan Chi, then what about me? Am I to be left alone to live?
Zhu Yan's lips parted slightly as she stared blankly at Shen Du's furious expression, too frightened to speak.
Shen Du felt a pang of regret. He reached out to wipe Zhu Yan's tears, but she dodged his hand. Darkness clouded his gaze, and his heart bled.
As they looked at each other, Zhu Yan recalled all the emotions that had passed between her and Shen Du during this time, and that day when Shen Du, driven to fury, had made his rough confession.
She knew Shen Du was not one to speak sweet words lightly, nor was he a womanizer. Those words he had spoken must have held some sincerity.
But today, she did not want to place her personal feelings above Pan Chi's life.
If not for her, he would not be in such a state.
Since it was because of her, then she must save him.
Shaking her head to cast aside all reluctance, Zhu Yan stood on tiptoe, clinging to Shen Du's shoulders, and gazed into his eyes, wanting to remember him.
"This time is different," her voice trembled slightly, but she steadied herself and found her voice again, "A life is at stake. Moreover, Pan Chi ended up like this because of me. Even if I have to exchange my life for his, it doesn't matter."
Each word of this carefully considered statement struck Shen Du's heart like a blow, each syllable dripping with blood.
He was momentarily stunned. Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Yan immediately took a step forward.
But he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
Looking at the face before her, Zhu Yan pressed her lips together, not daring to say another word, afraid she might change her mind.
"Have you forgotten you are Madam Shen?" Shen Du pulled her close with a fierce tug, looking down at her, and declared resolutely, "You are a woman of the Shen family. Your life is not yours to do with as you please. It is for me to decide."
Zhu Yan smiled. Shen Du had always been this domineering, always using her status as Madam Shen to pressure her. In the past, she would have been displeased, feeling Shen Du was too overbearing. But now, hearing this imperious declaration, she felt an inexplicable sweetness in her heart.
Shen Du was acknowledging her identity as Madam Shen.
Zhu Yan untied a bronze whistle from her waist and pressed it into Shen Du's palm.
The whistle was carved with intricate patterns, and inside was engraved the unique mark of the Shen residence.
Opening his palm, Shen Du looked at Zhu Yan with thinly veiled anger in his eyes.
"If I can return alive, then my life is yours to command." Their hands still rested together. "What I owe you—if I cannot repay it in this lifetime, then in the next, alright?"
As her words fell, Zhu Yan withdrew her hand from Shen Du's grasp. Shen Du tried to hold on, but Zhu Yan's hand slipped away like honey, elusive as fate's own threads.
The bronze whistle lay in his palm, clutched tightly by Shen Du.
Zhu Yan turned and ran, tears blurring her vision. She had said all this; surely Shen Du would not stop her now.
No matter what, she had to try.Shen Du suddenly reached out, pulling her into his embrace from behind. Anger and tenderness surged in his heart, all converging into this small copper whistle.
This woman, she truly wore on one's heart.
"Can't this matter be left to me?" His voice was low, pressed against Zhu Yan's neck, filled with helplessness. "Can't it be left to your husband? Can't you trust your husband?"
Zhu Yan shook her head, struggling on her own. How could she be so selfish as to send Shen Du to his death?
But with her strength, she simply couldn't break free from Shen Du's embrace.
Fearing Zhu Yan might hurt herself in her struggle, Shen Du suddenly released his grip and let her go.
Once free, Zhu Yan rushed toward the door without a second thought, not daring to look back.
"Must you trade your own life for Pan Chi's?"
Zhu Yan stopped and turned to look at him.
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