Chapter 23 “Don’t Talk to Others Anymore”

Chapter 23: "No More Talking to Others"

Xie Yan, in this moment, was a stranger to me, terrifyingly so. We had long since severed ties, vowing never to cross paths again. Yet, here he was, suddenly before me, not only biting my lips until they bled but also pinning my hands.

Lost and flustered, I could only struggle to free my wrists, my voice trembling as I pleaded, "Xie Yan, please let me go first."

He had no intention of releasing me. Like a cornered beast baring its fangs, his slender fingers traced my swollen lips. His cool mouth lingered on my neck, his voice low and hoarse, still laced with lingering anger. "Disappeared for nearly a month, only to spend the entire night talking to Jiang Qingling the moment you step out. Is she really that good?"

Only then did I realize that "Jiang Qingling" was the Minister's daughter—the very woman I had just apologized to.

Perhaps Xie Yan had misunderstood my relationship with his beloved. Possessiveness is natural when one is in love. It was understandable that he would be upset seeing me speak with the woman he cherished.

A strange bitterness welled within me as I patiently explained, "Your Highness, I was merely clarifying the events of that day with Miss Jiang, so she wouldn't misunderstand you. If Your Highness doubts me, you can ask Miss Jiang yourself."

Upon hearing my words, Xie Yan leaned closer, scrutinizing me. The heavy scent of alcohol on him was unpleasant, and I instinctively turned my head away.

My resistance only fueled his anger. He clamped down on my cheeks, twisting and kneading my face until I was on the verge of tears. Only then did he extend his tongue to lick the small mole at the corner of my eye.

He treated that tiny mole as if it were a rare treasure, licking and biting it. I struggled, but my efforts were easily subdued. I could only let him kiss me endlessly, on the verge of tears.

After what felt like an eternity of tormenting the mole, Xie Yan slowly moved his lips to mine, gently pecking the broken wound at the corner of my mouth. Then he whispered, "You are not allowed to speak to anyone else."

What an absurd demand!

I even began to question if this person was truly Xie Yan. The Xie Yan I knew would never forbid me from speaking to others. He had never truly cared for me, so why would he act so possessive now?

Suppressing the doubt in my heart, I looked at him. His face, bathed in moonlight, possessed an ethereal, almost otherworldly quality. His long, thick eyelashes fluttered in the moonlight like the wings of a butterfly poised for flight. His complexion was cold and pale, yet his ears were tinged with a faint blush.

Xie Yan must have been drunk. That was the only explanation for such a forceful and ridiculous joke. I couldn't dwell on the meaning behind his words, nor could I allow myself to succumb to them.

All I could do was force a weak smile and say, "I beg Your Highness to forgive my offense, but I cannot comply. In the future, I will inevitably marry and have children. As for Miss Jiang, I will have no further contact with her. Your Highness can rest assured."

Xie Yan had been listening quietly, occasionally nuzzling my cheek with a languid, aristocratic ease. But when he heard me utter the words "marry and have children," his eyelids suddenly flickered open.

His expression turned grim. Even the soft moonlight couldn't dispel the overwhelming murderous intent on his face. A chilling aura enveloped him, like a bloodthirsty Yama King.

"Marry and have children?" He almost snarled the words through gritted teeth, his brows furrowed tightly. His grip tightened, nearly crushing the bones in my hand.

Enduring the pain in my wrist, tears welled in my eyes, but I fought to keep them from falling. The pain made me gasp, and my voice trembled slightly. "Yes, Your Highness will marry and have children in the future, and so will I. Isn't that normal and fair?"

"Normal? Fair?" Xie Yan murmured my words, his expression still far from softened.

"Yes," I met his gaze fearlessly, speaking calmly yet firmly. "Your Highness can go boating with Miss Jiang, marry her, and have children with her. In the future, I too will find someone to spend my life with."

No sooner had I finished speaking than Xie Yan suddenly bit my neck, as if to tear it clean off. "Feng Jiuyue, what did you say to me before? How dare you go back on your word?"

I knew what he was referring to—the promise I had made to him that day, to always love him. Now, I was the one who had broken that vow, shattering his pride. That was why he was so furious, as if he wanted to tear a piece of flesh from me.

Enduring the pain in my neck, I sobbed but insisted, "I'm sorry, I've changed my mind."

Xie Yan finally lifted his head from my neck. Though his eyes blazed with fury, he suddenly smiled at me and said, "Feng Jiuyue, you once said that if I wanted to finish what we started that day, you would be willing, right?"

My entire body stiffened, my lips trembling. But he leisurely tugged at my belt, pressing his thin lips to my ear and murmuring, "You say you want to marry and have children in the future. How do you think your future wife would react if she knew you were touched by me today?"

Xie Yan wanted to destroy me. Because I had broken my promise to him, he would make me pay the price.

I was terrified, especially of my deformed body being exposed before him. I struggled desperately, but it was useless. Xie Yan effortlessly overpowered me.

My outer robe fell to the ground. Though it was still a summer night, fear covered me in goosebumps. I stared in horror at the dancing shadows of trees in the distance, as if trapped in a nightmare. The children's taunts—"monster, monster"—echoed in my ears, and I suddenly burst into loud sobs.

"I don't want to! I hate you! Even if you touch me, I won't like you anymore, especially if you're going to meet and marry someone else!"

My voice was sharp and hoarse, filled with despair. I trembled as I cried, like a branch bent under heavy winter snow.

At that moment, Xie Yan finally stopped. He suddenly pulled me into his embrace and began kissing my ears. I cried until my breathing became labored, my breath caught as if by an invisible hand. I gasped repeatedly but couldn't draw air.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Follow me, follow me. Breathe, breathe..."

Xie Yan kissed me while comforting me, waiting until my breathing steadied before dressing me again, carefully doing up my buttons.

But I raised my hand and slapped his pale, refined face hard. "Xie Yan, you're a bastard."

Xie Yan didn't retaliate, nor did he stop me from leaving.

I returned home with eyes red and swollen. My father was already waiting in my room. Seeing my state, he anxiously asked, "What's wrong? Were you bullied again? Who was it? Tell me."

"Something got in my eyes, Father. Why are you so worried?"

My voice was hoarse, and even I didn't believe my own words. But my father understood my embarrassment and didn't press further.

"Xiao Qiu, would you like to take a trip to Jiangnan for a while?"

"Father, why are you bringing this up so suddenly?"

A surge of confusion washed over me. "Are you coming with me?"

"You'll go to Jiangnan first to relax. Come back once you've had your fill of fun. I won't be going with you, but everything will be arranged for you. How does that sound?"

Though my father's tone was conversational, it was unexpectedly firm, leaving me no room for negotiation.

I guessed there must have been some political turmoil in the court, which was why he wanted to send me away. I initially didn't want to go, but remembering my unpleasant encounter with Xie Yan that day, I simply nodded and agreed.

After that night, I never saw Xie Yan again. Perhaps both of us were avoiding each other, so our paths never crossed. Sometimes, an apparently chance encounter isn't fate—it's because one party intentionally makes it happen.

I stopped paying attention to news about Xie Yan, but I couldn't completely erase his presence from my life.

While walking Little White, I overheard some aunties gossiping on the street. They said the Emperor intended to arrange a marriage between the Crown Prince and the Minister's daughter, but the usually courteous Crown Prince had refused. Humiliated publicly, the Emperor flew into a rage, had the Crown Prince beaten with a hundred strikes, and handed him over to the imperial physicians. To this day, no one knew whether the Crown Prince would survive.

At some point, I had loosened my grip on the leash. Little White bounded about playfully for a while before returning to rub against my pants, puzzled by the tears streaming down my face.

"A hundred strikes... How painful must that be?"