Chapter 40: Even If I Fall into the Abyss, Even If I’m Damned Beyond Redemption

Chapter 40: Even If I Fall into the Abyss, Even If I'm Damned for Eternity

He said nothing.

Pei Yuhuai suddenly let out a laugh: "I'm the damn heir of the Marquis's estate, and you think I'd give up all this luxury and privilege to elope with you? If you've lost your mind, go lose it somewhere else—don't have your meltdown in front of me."

He turned on his heel and walked away, but Ji Huaiyu reached out and blocked his path again: "You really won't?"

"I won't."

"Don't you have any feelings for me left at all?"

"None."

"Have you forgotten all the years we shared? Do you really want us to just part ways and be done with each other?"

Ji Huaiyu looked at him with a sorrowful, wounded expression, looking so pitiful, as if he'd shatter into pieces the moment Pei Yuhuai nodded.

Too bad the current Pei Yuhuai had long since run out of pity for him. Seeing him like this didn't tug at his heartstrings anymore.

He nodded without hesitation: "Yes."

Pei Yuhuai brushed right past him. Ji Huaiyu looked as though he'd been dealt a devastating blow, staring in stunned disbelief at Pei Yuhuai's back.

An inexplicable panic crept up from the soles of his feet to his heart.

"Pei Hang!"

Pei Yuhuai stopped in his tracks. This was the first time Ji Huaiyu had ever called him that—the first time he'd used his given name.

Back then.

He used to pester Ji Huaiyu, asking him: "Is Huaiyu your given name or your courtesy name? I—"

Ji Huaiyu would say: "It's both my given name and my courtesy name. I only have one name—Ji Huaiyu."

"Well, I'm different. I have a given name. Can you call me by it? My parents call me Heng'er. Can you call me that too?"

Every time, Ji Huaiyu would smile softly and placate him: "A name is just a label. It doesn't matter what you're called—what matters is how I feel about you."

His eyes were soft, and whenever he looked at him, there was always warmth and gentle refinement in his gaze. The naive young heir easily fell for his honeyed words.

But now.

This belated satisfaction just made him sick.

Seeing him stop, Ji Huaiyu thought he'd finally gotten through to him and rushed after him, overjoyed: "You still care about me, don't you?"

Pei Yuhuai had had enough. He turned around: "You're so damn annoying."

"Warning: The target's affection for Pei Yuhuai has plummeted sharply. It has now gone negative. This route has failed. Please switch strategies immediately. Please switch strategies immediately."

Ji Huaiyu's face went white.

"I'm being sincere. Why won't you believe me? What I did back then, what I said—none of it was what I really wanted. I had my reasons."

"Please, just trust me, okay? You don't know—while you were gone, I was going out of my mind, searching everywhere for you. I was so scared something had happened to you."

"Just trust me once. If you do, I'll do anything. I can't live without you, Pei Hang."

"Shut up!" Pei Yuhuai frowned deeply. "Get the hell out. If I see you again, even if you're the princess's consort, I'll beat you up without a second thought."

Pei Yuhuai's disgust was practically dripping off him.

He swept away.

This time, Ji Huaiyu didn't chase after him. His legs felt weak, like he might collapse at any moment, and he barely managed to hold himself up against the wall.

"Host, this route has completely failed. You can't complete the task by raising affection anymore. I suggest switching to the proposal from last time."

"Host, the following options are available. Please pick one ASAP."

"Host..."

"Shut up!!"

The buzzing in his head was driving him crazy.

Ji Huaiyu gasped for breath, his face dark and frightening, burning with anger and hatred—he couldn't tell if it was for the mission or for something else he couldn't put into words.

He looked up. Pei Yuhuai had already vanished around the corner.

"Pei Yuhuai, why won't you believe me? Why do you have zero feelings for me? Why? You used to be... not like this..."

In his daze, Ji Huaiyu caught a glimpse of a familiar figure heading in the same direction as Pei Yuhuai.

Who?

The figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.

It looked like... like National Master Lanhe.

Ji Huaiyu snapped to attention. He couldn't name the fear and worry rising in him, but after hesitating, he quietly followed anyway.

Meanwhile, Pei Yuhuai didn't notice anyone behind him. He scanned the area, trying to figure out where Qu Ying had taken Princess Ruoning.

"Where'd she go?"

He muttered to himself. He vaguely spotted one of Princess Ruoning's maids in his line of sight. Just as he was about to call out to her, someone slapped a hand over his mouth and yanked him behind the rockery.

"It's me."

A low, husky voice spoke right by his ear, sending a shiver straight to his heart.

Pei Yuhuai stopped struggling immediately. He let the man spin him around, his back pressed hard against the cold rockery.

"How did you—"

"Missed you." Lan He wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face in the crook of his neck, his breath hot. "Haven't seen you in days. Did you miss me?"

"???"

Pei Yuhuai looked around nervously.

He pushed Lan He away: "National Master, this is the Marquis's estate. Anyone could show up at any moment. Why... why did you follow me here?"

"I don't know. Maybe I just missed you, so I came."

"Huh?"

So this is how a National Preceptor acts?

"Hmm?"

"No, I mean... even so... you don't have to do this. I can't mess around like this anymore. Today is my elder brother's wedding day."

If anyone finds out, we're screwed.

Lan He let out a sneer: "It's been many days since we last met, Your Highness the Hereditary Prince. Is your poison about to flare up?"

"??"

Pei Yuhuai stared at him in shock: "Don't jinx me. Last time was a fluke—I was out of it, and that's the only reason you got one over on me. Otherwise, I'd be the one putting you in your place."

"Oh yeah? Wanna try it?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Really... ahem, let's drop this for now. Why are you here looking for me? I still have important matters to attend to. If you've got nothing else, get lost."

He had to go grab that fox Qu Ying by the tail.

Lan He wouldn't let go, dipping his head to bite his earlobe. Pei Yuhuai shuddered, his legs going weak until he could barely stand, and instinctively wrapped his arms around Lan He's neck.

"Your Highness's body is still so responsive..."

"You—shut up."

"Right here, what do you say?"

Pei Yuhuai's mind drifted back to that day.

When the drug first took effect, he had indeed been delirious, but later he'd come to his senses, yet he still sank into it, unable to pull himself away.

He wasn't the only one who'd tasted the sweetness—Lan He had too, and so had he.

Lan He caught his hesitation and slid a hand to his back, teasing him slowly, letting out a deliberate sigh in his ear.

"This humble monk has been busy running around lately, with no time to brew an antidote. It's been days, and I was truly worried Your Highness might be suffering from the drug's effects, so I came by out of concern..."

Pei Yuhuai's breath hitched, and he shoved him away: "You—get out. I really do have stuff to do."

Lan He wouldn't budge, his nose grazing his neck in a light nuzzle: "Isn't the drug about to kick in? There's still no cure. Your Highness, are you sure you want me to go?"

As he spoke, a string of prayer beads appeared in his hand out of nowhere, slowly rolling down to rest at the tailbone, teasing and toying with it.

A tingling, electric thrill shot straight up to his brain.