The room was deathly silent. The palace lantern in the corner burned quietly, occasionally emitting a faint crackling spark. Outside, it was pitch black, with the occasional chirping of summer cicadas drifting in through the slightly ajar window. Moonlight poured like water onto a sliver of the window frame. The night in Wupeng City was cool, the temperature pleasant, and everything was tranquil.
Those trained in martial arts possessed keen hearing, especially in such a quiet environment. Soon, the deliberately hushed voices of men outside gradually drifted in. The guards had cautiously gathered, speaking in rather vulgar tones about their master’s affairs:
“The young master usually seems so stern—who would’ve thought he’d be into this kind of thing?”
“Exactly! It was so loud, clothes thrown everywhere. What a wild scene!”
“That woman’s luck has turned, managing to latch onto our young master.”
“But her figure is really something—those long, pale legs…”
“Have you lost your mind? That’s the young master’s woman! Watch out or he’ll gouge out your dog eyes!”
“Ah, Brother Zhang is right. We must completely forget this, pretend we’re blind.”
“I’ve been in this mansion for years. Don’t be fooled by the young master’s milder temper now—back in the day, he was a truly brutal figure. Who in the household didn’t fear him? Listen to me, you won’t go wrong! But speaking of which, that little slave girl is quite a catch—that figure, that face… though… she seems somewhat familiar?”
“Every beauty in the world seems familiar to you.”
…
The men snickered softly twice, then fell silent, likely having moved farther away.
Inside the room, the two remained in their original positions, each gripping the other’s throat, their legs tightly entwined. Their eyes locked, swirling with complex emotions.
A sudden gust of wind blew in through the slightly open window, causing the red silk curtains over the large bed to flutter gently. Dozens of sheer drapes swayed in unison, drifting between them. The soft silk brushed against their eyes, and through the translucent curtains, each other’s features grew somewhat hazy.
Time flowed slowly. From far away, the night watchman’s drumbeats pierced the thick darkness, echoing through the vast estate. Like ripples from a boat gliding through river mists in the rainy cliffs of Jiangnan, the sound was slow yet resolute, lingering like a song, embodying the gentle, swaying essence unique to Biantang.
Their gazes, inch by inch, ultimately cooled.
From initial shock, embarrassment, anger, and hostility, they gradually softened into two pools of calm. It was as if a massive stone had been thrown into a lake—though it initially sent splashes soaring, gradually the stone sank, the water closing over it, submerging it bit by bit until only ripples remained, circling and drifting lightly, until all grew quiet again, as if nothing had ever happened.
With unspoken understanding, they simultaneously loosened their grip on each other’s throats, finger by finger, slowly pulling back.
Chu Qiao pulled up the silk quilt, holding it to her chest to cover her exposed skin. Her eyes remained fixed unblinkingly on the man opposite her. All emotion had been suppressed, leaving only intense wariness and caution.Indeed, this man was none other than the fourth young master of the Zhuge family, Zhuge Yue, who had just arrived in Wupeng City by land. Given his status, a minor city guard of Biantang naturally had to curry favor desperately.
The enraged man gradually calmed down. His eyes were dark, his eyebrows slanted sharply upward, and his gaze was cold, yet without any obvious hostility. He had returned to his usual demeanor—lazy yet tinged with a hint of sinister chill. Without any hesitation, the man stepped off the large bed, strode boldly to the center of the room, picked up the black-gold robe he had discarded earlier, and casually slipped it on. He loosely tied the belt at his waist, revealing a large expanse of his bronze chest.
Then, unexpectedly, he showed a rare act of kindness. After some deliberation, he picked up Chu Qiao’s thoroughly soaked outer robe, walked over to her, and held the dripping garment in one hand while extending the other flatly toward her. In a calm tone, he said, "Hand it over."
"Hand what over?" Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
Zhuge Yue lifted his eyelids slightly, giving her a sidelong glance as if to say she should stop playing dumb.
"Has Yan Xun fallen into such dire straits after fleeing back to his lair with those beggars from the Great Alliance Society that he’s forced you to resort to theft?"
"What did you say?" Chu Qiao’s eyes turned icy as she retorted angrily, "Watch your words!"
Zhuge Yue cast her a disdainful glance and said scornfully, "You’re already meat on the chopping block, yet you still dare to act so arrogantly."
Chu Qiao sat on the bed, her expression cold, but she refrained from responding. One careless move had cost her the entire game—tonight’s mission had been a complete failure. Her heart was filled with unbearable regret, and she couldn’t help but think that her luck had been unusually poor lately.
Though she was reluctant to admit it, the moment she saw Zhuge Yue’s face earlier, an indescribable sense of relief had surged within her. Perhaps falling into his hands was still better than falling into someone else’s.
At the very least, her head wouldn’t be chopped off immediately. She knew that the imperial capital had placed a bounty on her head, not on her as a person.
"Hand it over."
Zhuge Yue persisted, his tone unwavering.
"Hand what over?"
"Stop pretending with me!" The man snorted coldly, his gaze frigid. "It was you on the corridor earlier, wasn’t it? What did you steal from me? Do I need to spell it out for you?"
Chu Qiao suddenly understood but stubbornly insisted, "Who would care about your things? I just grabbed it casually and threw it away long ago. If you want it, send someone to dredge the lake in this corrupt official’s residence."
Zhuge Yue’s brows furrowed slightly, his eyes darkening. Chu Qiao met his gaze fearlessly, her eyes bright, stubborn, and filled with a calm resolve.
With a soft "thud," Zhuge Yue coldly tossed the dripping robe onto Chu Qiao’s face, then turned and walked to the door. As soon as he opened it, a guard hurried over. Zhuge Yue gave a few simple orders in a low voice—nothing complicated, just instructing someone to retrieve a jade pendant from the lake.
However, the guards’ faces instantly turned pale. The lake wasn’t large—a small boat could circle it in less than half an hour—but it was over four zhang deep. Searching for a tiny jade pendant in such a vast area…
One of the guards looked up with a pained expression and said hesitantly, "Young master, this…"A sudden "bang" sounded before the guard could finish speaking. Zhuge Yue abruptly reached out and slapped the guard's head hard, instantly making the guard see stars and forcing his head down involuntarily.
"Who allowed you to raise your head!"
The guard immediately nodded like pounding garlic, but stubbornly refused to lift his head again.
Chu Qiao, sitting on the bed, was slightly stunned upon hearing this. Since the door happened to face this ridiculously large bed, and at this moment, she hadn't put on her clothes yet.
The guard quickly retreated. Soon after, many torches lit up outside, with shouts and calls echoing. All the guards were roused from their deep sleep, along with the guards from City Defender Tian's residence, marching in a grand procession toward the Jade Lake in the back garden.
By the time Zhuge Yue turned back, Chu Qiao had already put on the completely soaked clothes. However, the garment was made of thin gauze, and now clung tightly to her body, as if she were wearing nothing, only adding a touch of alluring temptation.
Zhuge Yue looked at Chu Qiao and slowly furrowed his brows. Seeing his strange expression, Chu Qiao couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward.
Zhuge Yue walked straight to a row of wardrobes and casually opened one. Before Chu Qiao could cry out, with a "thud," a woman, bound tightly, fell out of the wardrobe and landed on the floor, right at Zhuge Yue's feet. Zhuge Yue reacted quickly, but in his haste, he clearly mistook the woman for an assassin hiding in the wardrobe. Thus, the fourth young master of the Zhuge family mercilessly kicked out. The poor slave girl, before even hitting the ground, took the blow and instantly flew backward like a ball, curling up into a shrimp-like shape. If her mouth hadn't been gagged, one could only imagine how loud her scream would have been.
Fortunately, Zhuge Yue didn't know the woman's background and didn't use full force. Seeing the seductive woman lying on the floor with most of her clothes stripped off, Zhuge Yue froze, his brows tightly furrowed as if he were thinking hard.
The woman, already like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, had been knocked unconscious for no reason, woken up locked in a wardrobe, and before she could even shout "assassin" upon being released, she was brutally kicked. Now, facing this clearly menacing man, her eyes rolled back, and she promptly fainted.
"Hey! Don't hurt her."
Zhuge Yue turned his head and saw clear embarrassment on Chu Qiao's face. He immediately understood. Since the slave girl in the room was Chu Qiao in disguise, the woman on the floor must be the one City Defender Tian had prepared for him.
Having figured it out, Zhuge Yue didn't even glance at the woman on the floor. He turned back, took a piece of clothing from the wardrobe, returned to Chu Qiao, and tossed the garment over. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he said lightly, "Xing'er, you're still as ruthless as ever!"
"Don't call me Xing'er!" Without removing the wet clothes underneath, Chu Qiao directly put on the clean outer robe, her tone cold as she spoke.But before the words had fully left her mouth, a furious snort suddenly sounded. Zhuge Yue instantly pounced like a fierce tiger, his robust body pressing Chu Qiao firmly beneath him. His legs clamped down on her long limbs like iron tongs, while one hand viciously gripped her chin. His expression was dark as he spoke in a sinister tone, "Then what should I call you? Jing Yue'er? Or something else? Chu Qiao?"
Zhuge Yue's face was shadowed with anger, his eyes swirling like a brewing storm. The pressure of his grip intensified as he spoke hoarsely, word by word, "What? Now that you've thrown your lot in with Yan Xun, you've even abandoned your ancestors? Changed your surname? Why not just take on the Yan name directly?"
Chu Qiao met his gaze coldly, her voice icy. "Let me go!"
"Let you go?" Zhuge Yue let out a cold laugh. "Where do you want to go? Did you come to Biantang for your old lover who's about to marry, or to take a detour to Yanbei? I never realized back then that our little Xing'er was such a devastating beauty, capable of toppling cities with a smile."
"Zhuge Yue, I'm warning you—let me go!"
"Warning?" The corner of Zhuge Yue's mouth lifted in a wicked smile, his eyes narrowing like a hawk's, cold and sharp. "Xing'er, is this the first day you've known me? Since when have I, Zhuge Yue, ever feared anyone's warnings?"
Without a second thought, Chu Qiao formed her fingers into claws and struck fiercely at Zhuge Yue's neck!
Zhuge Yue was just as swift, leaning back so that her grasping hand slid and caught his collar instead. His robe, loosely tied to begin with, was torn open, revealing a large portion of his bronzed, muscular chest. His fingers, which had been gripping her chin, slid downward, tracing her pale neck and delicate collarbone. He smirked provocatively, "What? So impatient? Did you go to such lengths to get close to me just to play the seductress on behalf of Yanbei?"
Chu Qiao's expression remained unchanged, but her eyes narrowed with a flicker of anger. In an instant, she freed one leg and aimed a vicious, swift kick at Zhuge Yue's groin—a move both ruthless and deadly.
But Zhuge Yue was no ordinary opponent. In a direct confrontation like this, he would never be at a disadvantage. With a push of his hands, he executed a backward somersault in midair. By the time he landed, Chu Qiao's move had already spent its force. Bracing himself on his hands, he closed in again, assuming the exact same position as before—pressed against her, face to face, close enough to feel each other's breath.
"Hmph!"
Chu Qiao snorted in fury, a flash of rage in her eyes. She twisted her hands and landed a punch on Zhuge Yue's shoulder.
Zhuge Yue shrugged his shoulder, effortlessly dispersing the force, and shifted sideways. Chu Qiao's body involuntarily followed his motion, spinning with him. In one swift movement, he wrapped an arm around her waist and flipped her inward. The silk quilts and blankets on the bed tangled around them as they rolled, tightly cocooning them both like a giant zongzi. Zhuge Yue pinned her hands with one of his and once again locked her legs with a scissor hold.
Chu Qiao struggled with all her might, but the more she moved, the tighter the blankets constricted them. Coupled with Zhuge Yue's superior strength, she soon lay exhausted on the bed, panting heavily. Seeing that struggle was futile, she even lifted her head, attempting to bite him.After a fierce struggle, Chu Qiao's clothes had been torn open, revealing large patches of snow-white skin. Her face was flushed crimson, and she glared fiercely at Zhuge Yue, her chest heaving with rage.
"Still not giving up?"
Chu Qiao, utterly enraged, cursed, "Bastard!"
Zhuge Yue lay atop Chu Qiao, listening to her ragged breaths and rapid heartbeat, his nostrils filled with the faint, delicate fragrance emanating from her. His expression suddenly softened, and a smug smile spread across his face as he slowly said, "Still want to fight?"
Chu Qiao pressed her lips tightly together. Over the years, she had rarely suffered such losses at the hands of others. Beneath her defiance, there was an indescribable panic. For some reason, at this moment, she only wanted to flee this place immediately and never lay eyes on this man again.
"Let me go!"
"Xing'er, you always say the same thing. Aren't you tired of it?"
The hem of Chu Qiao's robe fell open, exposing her two pale legs. Zhuge Yue's legs were tightly entwined with hers, and with their skin pressed so closely together, the atmosphere suddenly grew charged and subtle.
Chu Qiao glared venomously at Zhuge Yue, gritting her teeth as she hissed, "I really want to stab you twice!"
Zhuge Yue laughed heartily, his eyes gleaming with a wicked charm, his lips crimson, exuding an air of untamed recklessness. "Why not just punch me twice instead?" he said with a bright laugh.
"Hmph!" Chu Qiao turned her head away angrily, refusing to look at him again. She couldn't win in a fight, and she couldn't escape. Their skills were evenly matched—she might have a slight edge in experience, but in a prolonged battle, her stamina could never compare to a man's, especially with his large number of guards stationed outside. Her eyes reddened with fury as she spat, "Just kill me!"
Zhuge Yue smiled down at her. "Xing'er, you're not going to cry just because you can't beat me, are you? That doesn't seem like you.The tension eased, but their positions remained intensely ambiguous. Just then, the unconscious woman beneath the bed let out a short, sharp sound, clearly on the verge of waking.
Chu Qiao froze, but Zhuge Yue's expression shifted instantly. He released her hands, snatched up a brocade quilt, and tossed it through the air, covering the woman's face below!
However, the moment he let go, Chu Qiao let out a cold cry, pushed off with her feet, and slipped out from under the quilt like an eel. She knelt halfway on the bed, poised to leap down and flee!
Zhuge Yue sneered, the smile not yet reaching his eyes. In one swift motion, he flung out a thin brocade quilt, which coiled around Chu Qiao's ankle like a spirit snake. Caught off guard, Chu Qiao inwardly cursed her misfortune. An instant later, Zhuge Yue yanked hard, and she tumbled down, rolling into a tangled heap with him.
It all happened in the blink of an eye! With a tremendous crash, the entire bed frame—which supported countless gauze curtains and beaded strings—collapsed. A shower of red silk and gleaming Eastern pearls rained down, burying Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue deep beneath the wreckage!
The noise was deafening, audible even to those outside.
Only half the guards remained on duty; the other half had gone to the lake to retrieve the jade pendant.
A young guard cautiously asked the guard surnamed Zhang, "Brother Zhang, what was that sound inside?"
Zhang, who had been straining to listen, nodded slightly and replied mysteriously, "I'd say... it's probably the bed that collapsed.""The bed collapsed?" The young guard secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. "My god, so intense!"
Zhuge Yue was tangled in a pile of silk, struggling for quite some time before finally managing to crawl out. But the moment he emerged, his expression instantly changed.
He saw Chu Qiao half-kneeling before him, her expression cold and stern, her gaze icy. In her hand, she held a broken bedpost, one end sharp and pointed, now pressed firmly against Zhuge Yue's throat!
"Don't move!" the girl coldly commanded.
Zhuge Yue gave a faint smile, his eyes glancing at Chu Qiao's chest as he said indifferently, "Next time you do this to someone, make sure to dress properly first. Otherwise, you won't have any imposing presence."
"Enough nonsense! Let me go immediately!"
Zhuge Yue chuckled. "Xing'er, you've got it wrong. Right now, you're the one holding me hostage. How can you ask me to let you go?"
"Zhuge Yue, don't think I have no other options besides begging you. Even if I kill you, I still have a chance to break through the encirclement and escape. I just don't want to go that far. Though we have enmity between us, I don't want to kill you like this."
"What a pity," Zhuge Yue shrugged, completely unconcerned. "As long as I'm alive, I won't let you go."
Chu Qiao slowly narrowed her eyes. "Don't push me!"
"Don't push me either."
Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded from outside. Both of them froze simultaneously, recognizing from the chaotic steps that these weren't Zhuge Yue's guards.
In that moment when Chu Qiao was slightly distracted, Zhuge Yue suddenly shifted his body, attempting to evade the sharp weapon in Chu Qiao's hand.
But in that instant, Chu Qiao's alert eyes caught Zhuge Yue's movement. Almost instinctively, she thrust forward with the wooden spike in her hand, her movements fluid and without hesitation, as if she had practiced it countless times.
With a "thud," a crimson light instantly sprayed out. Chu Qiao's heart turned cold, her pupils instantly dilating. At the same time, City Guard Tian's respectful voice sounded from outside the door: "Young master, are you still awake?"
Zhuge Yue and Chu Qiao each sat at one corner of the large bed. A wooden spike, about the thickness of a thumb, was embedded in Zhuge Yue's shoulder. In the hands of an expert like Chu Qiao, it had completely pierced through Zhuge Yue's shoulder, blood gushing out and spreading across half the bed.
Everything had happened in an instant. The moment the wood pierced Zhuge Yue's body, Chu Qiao even saw his slightly parted lips. Under such intense pain, he would surely have cried out in agony. But at the same time, City Guard Tian stood steadily outside the door!
Tian Rucheng came from a military background. In his youth, he had followed his father to join Biantang's expeditionary army, fighting all the way into the heartland of Daxia. If not for encountering Yanbei's Lion Yanshicheng, Biantang might have replaced Daxia to become the master of the Hongchuan lands. Tian Rucheng's father had died in that battle, and the Tian family was demoted by the court for delaying military operations, their status greatly reduced. Now they could only barely hold onto a small city. His hatred for Yanbei was understandable.
At this moment, if Zhuge Yue made even the slightest unusual sound, Tian Rucheng would undoubtedly break down the door without hesitation. And once Chu Qiao fell into his hands, the outcome would need no further speculation!In that instant, Chu Qiao's first instinct was to reach for her calf. Under normal circumstances, she would always carry a dagger there. With her skills, she could absolutely kill an already injured person from such a distance. One slash across the throat would ensure he had no chance to cry out.
But she had forgotten—her dagger had been lost not long before on the corridor.
Almost simultaneously, Zhuge Yue noticed Chu Qiao's subconscious movement. His eyes narrowed slightly as he clearly understood one thing: she intended to kill him!
"Young master? Are you asleep?" Tian Rucheng continued calling out cautiously.
At this critical moment, Chu Qiao clearly heard Zhuge Yue's calm, unruffled voice asking: "Is that Lord Tian? What important matter brings you here so late at night?"
Chu Qiao's mind was instantly thrown into turmoil. She abruptly raised her head and froze at the sight of Zhuge Yue covered in blood.
"It's like this, I heard that the young master lost a very important item in the lake. The guards have been searching for half the night without success. I came to ask if you'd like me to dig a canal to drain the lake water - that would make the search easier."
Zhuge Yue took a deep breath, tightly clutching his heavily bleeding shoulder as he said in a low voice: "In that case, I thank Lord Tian for your kindness."
City Guard Tian chuckled: "It's my honor to be of service to the young master."
"If there's nothing else, please return to rest, my lord."
"Then I take my leave. May the young master sleep well."
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away, and peace returned outside.
Zhuge Yue let out a long sigh and leaned weakly against the bed. Then he gripped the exposed end of the wooden stake, clenched his teeth, and with a swift motion, forcefully pulled it out!
"Mm!"
Zhuge Yue's brows furrowed deeply, his face contorted, and he emitted a muffled groan of pain, though he still managed to suppress the volume.
Blood immediately gushed out in large spurts!
Chu Qiao was momentarily stunned, then suddenly rushed forward and pressed her hand over his gruesome wound!
The intense pain made Zhuge Yue's vision darken, nearly causing him to faint. Chu Qiao supported his shoulder and asked urgently: "How are you?"
Zhuge Yue's face was pale and bloodless. After a long moment, he slowly said: "I won't die just yet."
"Don't move, let me bandage you."
Chu Qiao stood up, quickly ran into the bathing room, and soon returned carrying a wooden bucket. She nimbly climbed onto the large bed and began efficiently cleaning Zhuge Yue's wound.
Zhuge Yue's voice was hoarse: "There are... many wood splinters inside that need to be picked out."
Chu Qiao paused, raised her head to look at Zhuge Yue's pale face, and slowly asked: "Can you endure it?"
Zhuge Yue neither confirmed nor denied: "How would I know without trying?"
Chu Qiao found a dagger in the room. There was wine on the table, which she used to sterilize the dagger over fire. She handed a towel to Zhuge Yue and said: "Bite on this, so you don't bite your tongue when it hurts."
Zhuge Yue took it but didn't use it, instead holding it in his uninjured hand.
Chu Qiao said nothing more and began focusing on treating his wound.
The wound caused by this wooden stake was more severe than one made by a dagger - not only was the opening larger and more jagged, with large chunks of flesh torn out, but it also contained numerous wood splinters embedded in the body. If not completely removed, they would surely fester inside.
Faced with such an injury, even Chu Qiao's hands couldn't help but tremble.
"Perhaps... perhaps we should call a doctor."
Chu Qiao raised her head and looked at Zhuge Yue, her eyes determined as she spoke.
She knew that once the doctor arrived, she would inevitably be exposed, and only death awaited her. However, perhaps she could seize an opportunity to escape during the commotion of the doctor's arrival - though this possibility was very slim.
Zhuge Yue snatched the dagger away, his expression dark: "If you can't do it, I'll do it myself."
With that, he prepared to cut out his own flesh."I'll do it! I'll do it!" Chu Qiao panicked, quickly snatching the dagger away, then looked up and gave him a deep glance.
Zhuge Yue half-closed his eyes, appearing completely detached, as if it had nothing to do with him. If not for his face being as pale as paper, Chu Qiao might have doubted whether he was the one injured at all.
Then, she took a deep breath and began treating Zhuge Yue's wounds.
Three hours later, the first light of dawn was breaking on the horizon. Chu Qiao's clothes were completely soaked through with cold sweat. She found the clothes she had changed out of earlier in the room, which contained the Trauma Medicine she always carried with her. After applying the medicine, she bandaged his wound with a clean white silk cloth, and everything was finally done.
Throughout the entire process, Zhuge Yue didn't make a single sound, and Chu Qiao didn't dare look up at him. When she finally raised her head to look, she saw that the man had already fallen unconscious, his forehead covered with large beads of sweat, his brows furrowed into a deep crease. The towel clenched in his hand was soaked with sweat, and his hair was wet as well, as if it had been dipped in water.
After tidying everything up, Chu Qiao helped him lie down on the bed, washed a cloth to wipe away the bloodstains and sweat from his body and face, then took a dry cotton cloth and gently dried his hair strand by strand.
In the distance, a rooster's crow pierced through the morning mist. Outside, everything was bright white, and servants came knocking at the door. Chu Qiao nervously feigned a hoarse voice, saying that Zhuge Yue hadn't woken up yet, which immediately drew soft, knowing chuckles from the young guards outside.
Well, after such intense activities all night, he'd probably sleep the entire day.
Since they were staying in Wupeng City for two days anyway, the guards instructed the maids from the city guard's residence not to disturb the young master... um... disturb the young master's rest, and to just deliver food at regular intervals.
Returning to the bedside, Zhuge Yue was still deep in sleep. Chu Qiao lowered her head, her face showing signs of fatigue as well. She gazed at this man, at his sharp eyebrows, his wicked eyes, his crimson lips, and that mouth that always spat cold, harsh words, gradually furrowing her own brows.
Her frown was so deep it seemed as if it would never smooth out.
"We are enemies," Chu Qiao murmured, not knowing whether she was saying it for Zhuge Yue to hear or for herself.
"Publicly, I am a traitorous slave, and you are a noble of the empire. Privately, you killed Lin Xi, you killed Zhi Xiang, you killed Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba, you killed many children of the Jing family. You made Yan Xun and me live like dogs in the capital for eight years. I also killed your grandfather, your servants, and betrayed the Zhuge family. Our conflicts are irreconcilable. You killing me is justified, and I killing you is righteous. There's no affection between us, no need to hold back. If you die, I live; if you live, I die. That's just... that's just how it should be..."
Just as she said, these words should have been perfectly righteous, without any logical flaws or moral improprieties. In the past, Chu Qiao had never wavered in this belief even slightly.
But for some reason, at this moment, her voice grew softer and softer, gradually becoming like the buzz of a mosquito, so faint even she could barely hear it.
Looking at the man's still-furrowed brows even in unconsciousness, she couldn't help but reach out and gently touch the wound on his shoulder.
"No matter what, I owe you a life." Chu Qiao said slowly, "Zhuge Yue, I'm sorry."The room was deathly silent. Outside the window, the morning sun rose, its warm rays filtering through the paper panes and casting mottled shadows.
Chu Qiao sat half-reclined on the floor, leaning over Zhuge Yue. Overwhelming exhaustion washed over her, and just like that, she fell into a deep sleep.
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