Xia Chuli was in excruciating pain all over. Blood gushed out from his torn skin, bringing with it a heart - wrenching agony that made him couldn't help but let out a miserable scream.
In a daze, he seemed to have returned to not long ago when Gu Mingde stood in front of him, holding a long whip, his face ferocious and blood - thirsty.
That lash hurt much more than he had imagined. When the whip landed, his vision went black. Immediately afterwards, a searing pain hit him where the whip had struck, wave after wave, piercing his heart.
He was surprised that in that instant, there was no plea for mercy or helplessness in his mind. In his head, besides Shen Qingfeng, there was only intense hatred left.
He hated Xia Yonglin, Qi Yan, and King Xia Jie. He hated everyone who had pushed him to this state.
The years of living in the cold palace left a mark in Xia Chuli's heart. That mark was so deep that no means could ever make up for it.
He had always known that as a prince, he couldn't escape this whirlpool. But he also knew that he had nothing. No real power, no military authority, no mother, and even King Xia Jie didn't like him.
For all these years, he had been low - key and cautious, only hoping to survive in this deep palace.
But reality gave him a heavy blow, beating him to a pulp.
Only then did he realize that where he had always thought there was a way out, there was only an abyss. So, when Shen Qingfeng said, "I will make you the King of Lixia", Xia Chuli didn't say anything.
He didn't covet that position, nor did he have high hopes of becoming the one above all. His goal had always been simple.
— To survive.
But it seemed that such a simple wish had been mercilessly shattered.
"Kill them."
It was that distant yet familiar voice again. Xia Chuli looked around in the darkness, but all he saw was a thick, sticky blackness with no glimmer of light.
That voice was like a snake and scorpion, dangerous and gloomy, seemingly coming from the deepest part of the darkness—
"If you want to survive, then kill them..."
The scene around him changed again.
Xia Chuli's pupils shrank. He let out a pained cry and curled up tightly in the corner of the dark and damp cell, his hands clutching his head.
"You have nothing—!"
I do. Xia Chuli thought. He tightly closed his eyes, buried his head in his knees, and frantically forced himself to search for Shen Qingfeng's back in his memory.
"But he likes your uncle, doesn't he?"
Xia Chuli shuddered violently.
Did Shen Qingfeng like Lu Yan?
Yes, he knew. Shen Qingfeng was no longer the Shen Qingfeng he used to be. It seemed that since Lu Yan entered Lige, Shen Qingfeng had changed. He became more distant and less fond of getting close to him.
It seemed that an invisible hand was slowly pulling Shen Qingfeng away from him.
Xia Chuli looked up fearfully. He seemed to see the hand that was holding Shen Qingfeng. Then, he looked up along the arm, the forearm, the upper arm, the shoulder...
He saw that mole under the eye.
... The mole that belonged to Lu Yan.
Xia Chuli was struck like by lightning. His body trembled involuntarily. He could feel those hands slowly approaching him. Then, Shen Qingfeng's figure disappeared, and Lu Yan's face got closer and closer. Those hands tightened around his neck and slowly contracted, squeezing the air out of his lungs.
He struggled, but his limbs felt as if they were filled with lead and he couldn't lift them at all. He could only watch in horror as Lu Yan's face slowly got closer to his own, showing a smug and contemptuous smile.
"Shen Qingfeng likes me." Lu Yan suddenly laughed, showing a mouthful of white teeth, his voice low.
No—!
He had nothing left! Only Shen Qingfeng! Only Shen Qingfeng!
Xia Chuli suddenly opened his eyes. He was gasping for breath, and cold sweat had unknowingly soaked his clothes all over.
He looked at the familiar carved bed above his head. The pain in his body suddenly hit him, driving away the last bit of his hazy consciousness.
"A Li?" A familiar voice suddenly came from beside his ear.
Xia Chuli suddenly turned his head and saw Shen Qingfeng sitting by the bed, looking anxious.
The dream and reality overlapped. Xia Chuli stared fixedly at Shen Qingfeng's face. His nose suddenly felt sour, and his eyes filled with tears instantly.
"So you're by my side... Qingfeng..."
Shen Qingfeng was stunned for a moment. He reached out his hand and touched Xia Chuli's forehead. His cold hand touched Xia Chuli's sweaty forehead. Xia Chuli's eyelashes trembled. He endured the sharp pain of the wound and reached out his hand to hold Shen Qingfeng's hand, bringing it to his lips and gently kissing it.
Tears fell into Shen Qingfeng's palm. Shen Qingfeng was startled and quickly asked, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Xia Chuli shook his head. He quietly felt the coldness from Shen Qingfeng's fingertips and softly asked, "Qingfeng, will you always be by my side?"
Shen Qingfeng pursed his lips.
How should he answer this question? In his previous life, Xia Chuli had also asked him this question. At that time, he had answered firmly because he knew that he was determined to rely on Xia Chuli for the rest of his life. But in this life?
Everything was different. He had met Lu Yan, and he liked Lu Yan. Even if he was determined to support Xia Chuli to the throne, what would he do after that?
Actually, Shen Qingfeng had thought about it. He might leave Lige, follow Lu Yan to the Northern Kingdom, and settle in the Northern Capital. Or maybe after Lu Yan abdicated, the two of them would roam the world and make the four seas their home.
But those were just his longings for the future. Although they were out of reach, Shen Qingfeng was sure that there was no Xia Chuli in his future.
He and Xia Chuli were like two vines. They had entangled and hurt each other, and finally were forcibly separated. They started to climb in two different directions and would never meet again.
"A Li... What's wrong with you?" Shen Qingfeng didn't know how to answer and could only avoid the topic, but Xia Chuli immediately understood.
He shook his head, signaling Shen Qingfeng to help him sit up.
He tightly grasped Shen Qingfeng's hand, so stubborn that it seemed he would never let go even until the end of time.
Xia Chuli knew that Shen Qingfeng liked Lu Yan, but for now, it was still him by his side, wasn't it?
Suddenly, a surge of resentment welled up in Xia Chuli's heart. He wanted revenge, wanted to bring down Xia Yonglin, and wanted to put Queen Qi under house arrest. He wanted to sit on that throne himself, wanted to make everyone in the world obey his orders. He wanted Xia Yonglin to suffer what he had suffered, and then exile Lu Yan to the Northern Kingdom so that he could never step into Lige again. In that case, would Shen Qingfeng be able to stay with him forever?
Xia Chuli looked at Shen Qingfeng, his eyes full of mixed emotions: "Qingfeng, don't leave me, okay?"
Shen Qingfeng was taken aback. He looked at Xia Chuli. For a moment, he suddenly felt that Xia Chuli seemed to have changed. But this change made Shen Qingfeng a little uneasy and also had a vaguely familiar feeling. He stared at Xia Chuli motionlessly, his heart pounding: "A Li...?"
Xia Chuli suddenly tightened his grip on Shen Qingfeng's hand and said, "Qingfeng, I like you."