Chapter 17 [VIP] Melodramatic Immortal Romance

Chapter 17 [VIP] Melodramatic Immortal Romance

After uttering those words, Nanyan turned and left, traversing the long corridor. A painted red walkway led to a more secluded path, which she followed to the end, her gaze fixed on the person opposite her.

Under the bright moonlight.

Chu Liyue stood not far away, his dark eyes reflecting the figure he had longed for day and night.

Nanyan hesitated for a moment, then, gathering her composure, walked towards him.

Just as they were about to pass each other, unexpectedly, she stumbled, losing control of her step, her body swaying unsteadily.

Chu Liyue, who had his hands at his sides, instinctively raised one to skillfully wrap around her waist and steady her, "Be careful..."

Nanyan's body involuntarily shuddered.

This caused a slight pause in Chu Liyue's heart.

He made no further move, perhaps because his previous overstepping had frightened her, and he dared not do anything that might upset or scare her again.

Nanyan steadied herself by holding onto his arm, intending to push him away, but suddenly felt an overwhelming weariness surge through her body, as if she might faint uncontrollably the next moment.

Chu Liyue read her current weakness from her tightly pursed lips.

Especially her pale face, devoid of any color, made him regret his past actions towards her more than ever, lamenting that he had pushed her to this state.

All the current troubles were his doing; if only he hadn't acted foolishly, they wouldn't be in such a dilemma now.

He had tried to let go, but the mere thought of it made it hard for him to breathe.

Unable to let go or escape, he could only continue tormenting himself in this deadlock.

Nanyan's eyelashes trembled slightly as she composed herself and looked up at him, "I'm fine now."

Once Nanyan had steadied herself, she let go of his wrist.

After a moment of silence, she softly spoke, "You're right, he did have ulterior motives, so... you've known about this all along, haven't you?"

Chu Liyue paused, "I'm sorry..."

That was an admission.

Nan Yan shook her head, her expression unchanging, "There’s nothing to apologize for. You told me before, I was just too foolish to believe it."

Chu Liyue's fingers tightened.

Especially seeing her sad demeanor, his grip on her wrist involuntarily tightened, "If you're sad, I’ll confront him for you..."

Nan Yan immediately held his hand, understanding his concerns. "No, I'm not upset, I'm just... a bit reflective. It seems no matter how hard I try, I'm always the one easily abandoned in the end."

"I always thought that if I was sincere with others, they would be sincere with me. But things in this world don't always go as one wishes. Sincerity doesn't always beget sincerity. Isn't that right, Demon Lord?"

Nan Yan quietly raised her eyes to look at him.

The girl who used to smile so much now always looked sad and heartbroken in front of him.

Listening to her, Chu Liyue felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He gripped her hand, wanting to say it wasn't so, but when he tried to speak, he found he couldn't utter a word.

There was a long silence.

Finally, he took her hand and placed it over his chest, his voice hoarse as he spoke.

"It's not that..."

"This isn't your fault..."

He stood still, finally revealing the softest emotions of his heart to her, "Sincerity can indeed beget sincerity, but all this is due to a fool being too foolish..."

He had always been slow-witted, unable to say sweet words, only realizing his feelings after he had hurt her deeply.

"He was so foolish, unaware of his own folly, so confused that he couldn't even discern who he truly loved. He made many mistakes, and the biggest one was pushing the woman he loved into the arms of another man..."

"He trapped himself in his own web, deserved what he got. Even if he died a hundred times, it wouldn't erase the sins he committed. He loathes himself, but what can he do? This fool still underestimated his own feelings, and despite everything... he still doesn't want to let go..."

"I'm sorry..." Chu Liyue's grip on her fingers tightened, his gaze seeming reluctant to move away from her face, "I realize I have never told you, the one I love is you... It has always been just you, from the beginning to the end..."

Upon hearing his words, Nanyan lifted her head, her dark, glossy eyes staring at him, something seeming to fall from them, tear after tear dropping onto the back of his hand, warm and blending together.

It was too late. These words held no meaning for her now.

Chu Liyue didn't seem to expect this reaction, wondering why she was crying again.

He raised his hand, clumsily and carefully wiping her cheeks.

"Don't cry... I didn't tell you this to upset you, nor to pressure you. It's okay if you don't feel the same. I just wanted you to know my true feelings..."

"Please, stop crying..."

He seemed somewhat anxious about this.

Nanyan didn't speak, but her tears fell even harder after hearing his words, dripping through his fingers to the ground.

After a while, she suddenly asked, "Do you... like me?"

Chu Liyue hadn't expected her forgiveness, but upon hearing her question, he hurriedly nodded.

"Yes, I like you..."

It should be more than just liking.

Nanyan, with a light laugh, wiped the tears from her face and said to him, "Alright, then will you grant me a request?"

"What is it?"

"Release them, and I will marry you."

Chu Liyue's heart skipped a beat.

Just that one sentence brought a bittersweet ache to his heart. He understood her intention – she still couldn't trust him, so she thought of using herself as a bargaining chip, exchanging her own freedom for the release of the two.

Did she really... fall for Ye Qingsang? To go to such lengths for him?

His beloved pleading for another man was agonizing, but ultimately he agreed, unable to refuse her, "Yes... I agree. But it's not a trade; it's a request from you, which I will fulfill."

Hearing this, Nanyan's eyelashes quivered slightly.

Her fingertips, held in his hand, rested against his chest, near his heart. There seemed to be something continually caressing her fingertips. She withdrew her fingers slightly, and Chu Liyue took out the hairpin from his chest.

Nanyan was slightly startled. This was...

He presented the hairpin to her, "Do you remember this hairpin?"

Of course, she remembered. It was the gift he had carefully chosen to give to his beloved during the Lantern Festival.

Seeing the recognition in her eyes, Chu Liyue gave a self-deprecating smile, "Actually, the day I saw this hairpin, I immediately thought of you. I was thinking how much you love wearing green dresses and how this jade hairpin would match you perfectly..."

Nanyan was momentarily taken aback, her gaze fixed on the jade hairpin.

Chu Liyue noticed her expression, paused, and then said, "You might not know, I also took the river lantern you released. I saw the words written on the slip inside it..."

He took out the previously hidden river lantern, which was bent and its petals somewhat torn, but had been carefully glued back together.

"Do you think there's still a chance for us to release river lanterns together? Is it too late for me to regret now?"

Listening to these words, tears again slid down Nanyan's cheeks, blurring her vision so she couldn't clearly see the expression of the man before her.

She simply couldn't believe that someone so cruel could fall for her. Deep down, she rejected this thought, wanting to stay far away from it...

She preferred to believe it was just his unwillingness to accept that the little plaything who always followed him could actually stop liking him, nothing but possessiveness.

Nanyan wiped her tears, her voice light and trembling, "Sir, you should know, possessiveness is not the same as liking. Are you sure you’re not just... acting this way because you can’t accept that I don’t like you anymore?"

Chu Liyue paused, then understood.

He knew she didn't believe him and acknowledged he deserved it, but being emotionally rejected by the one he loved felt like being plunged into icy, bone-chilling despair, freezing him to the core.

Unable to control it, his fingertips curled slightly, awkwardly shifting his gaze, "Please don't say that... I can distinguish my own feelings. I know my love for you now is not because of unwillingness to let go, but because I... can't bear to..."

Can't bear to let go of you, so I’d rather suffer than release your hand. But if you’re truly unhappy, I would still give up...

Despite his reluctance, he knew some things couldn’t be forced. He had already hurt her so much and couldn't make her cry again.

"I’m sorry..."

I've never properly apologized to you.

"Your doubt is understandable, given all the excessive things I’ve done to you..."

If only I had realized my feelings sooner.

If only those things hadn’t happened.

But alas, there are no 'ifs' in this world...

He smiled at her.

Unlike his usual cold mockery, the Demon Lord revealed a rare tender expression, his brows hinting at a sense of infatuation and longing.

His fingertips gently touched her brows and eyes, wiping away the tears at the corners, with utmost gentleness, "I've always been too selfish, stubbornly thinking that if I truly repented, you would forgive me..."

"But I was deluding myself. You're right, it's too late now, we can't go back to how we were."

He wanted to make it up to her.

Little did he know, letting go was the best choice.

"I never intended to marry He Nanwan. From the moment she fled our wedding, our fate ended. I mistakenly thought I liked her, but now I've fully understood my own feelings. You don’t need to marry me just to help her escape..."

"I won’t be marrying her, so..."

Pausing, Chu Liyue seemed somewhat reluctant, "Leave, leave Youdu. Go wherever you want, find the man... you like. As long as you're no longer sad, you can go anywhere."

Having said that, he finally let go of her hand.

His fingertips slowly parted from hers, curling as he withdrew his hand.

Nanyan seemed somewhat disbelieving of his words, her voice catching for a moment.

"What you’re saying... is it true?"

After a while, he chuckled softly with a "Hmm".

Yet, he turned his face away, unwilling to let her see his dejected expression, "It's true, but if you look at me with those pitiful eyes again, I might think you're reluctant to leave me."

In reality, as despicable as he was, he still couldn't fully give up hope even now.

He was gambling one last time, betting on her soft heart and the feelings she once had for him.

Hearing his words, Nanyan's eyes reddened again.

She bit her lip, having already decided not to be swayed, but despite her struggles, her emotions eventually got the better of her.

Nanyan's fingertips trembled as they caressed the flower bud on the hairpin, hesitant, reluctant... and finally, she carefully took the hairpin.

She slowly closed her eyes, tears falling one by one from the corners, as if resigning herself to fate.

She said, "If you really want to deceive me, then... keep deceiving me, okay?"

"I'm not as clever as you. I can't tell whether your words are true or false. Even though my reason tells me not to believe you, I... I can't help it. I can't help wanting to believe you one last time."

She paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up.

Her eyes, clear as water, gazed directly into his, revealing a faint glimmer of hope that pierced straight into his heart.

Chu Liyue suddenly realized, feeling as if the softest part of his heart was struck heavily, twisting it into a knot, filled with both heartache and pain, but ultimately turning into a deep longing that permeated his entire being.

He thought she would never forgive him in this lifetime, considering what he had done, even his death wouldn't be too much...

But in the end, she agreed. He had never been so nervous, so much so that he felt as if everything happening now was unreal.

"Not anymore..."

He hugged her tightly into his arms, as if clinging to a treasure regained, the embrace so firm she could hardly breathe, "That situation will never happen again. Don't think about things that won't happen. From now on, I won't fail you again."

This was the last time.

He had taken advantage of her soft heart and Ye Qingsang's indecisiveness, securing his last lifeline. From now on, he would take good care of her for the rest of their lives.

No one would take her away from him.

……

Meanwhile, Ye Qingsang silently watched her leave, standing motionless for a long while before realizing she had disappeared.

He felt as if he had made some mistakes.

Mistakes that he might regret for a lifetime.

Even now, her expression as she spoke earlier haunted him, rooting him to the spot, without even the courage to chase after her.

A sharp, tearing pain in his chest, accompanied by a dense panic and anxiety, swept over him like icy, bone-chilling waves, making it hard for him to breathe.

Ye Qingsang struggled to contain these feelings, convincing himself in his heart that she would understand. Once everything was settled, he would come to take her away, not leaving her to face Chu Liyue alone.

With this thought, he gradually calmed down.

During this time, He Nanwan had approached him to discuss the details of their elopement, but Ye Qingsang was often distracted, even absent-minded while talking to her.

"Senior brother, are you even listening to me?"

After calling his name several times with no response, He Nanwan reached out and grabbed his hand.

An unfamiliar warmth touched the back of his hand.

Instinctively, Ye Qingsang jerked his hand away.

He Nanwan was startled.

Hearing He Nanwan's voice tinged with confusion, Ye Qingsang suddenly came back to his senses, "Sorry... what did you just say?"

He didn't even realize he had just brushed her hand away.

He Nanwan looked at her slightly reddened hand, bewildered. Her senior brother had never treated her like this before, and suddenly, she felt an unsettling sense that he might leave her behind.

With a sense of unease, He Nanwan instinctively held his hand, "It's nothing, I'm just a bit worried. Senior brother, do you feel like... you might abandon me?"

Ye Qingsang looked at her anxious expression but remained silent.

Worried?

Did that mean... she was also worried, worried that he would leave her behind?

Seeing his silence, He Nanwan's lips turned pale as she continued, "If you really find this situation too difficult, then let's just... forget it. I'll find a way to leave here on my own."

After speaking, she stood up to leave.

For a moment, Ye Qingsang even thought about agreeing, but ultimately couldn't bear to let her go. He caught her sleeve gently, not holding tightly, just a light touch before letting go.

Looking up at her slightly forced expression, he calmly said, "It's not what you think. I'm worried about something else. I'll help you leave."