The outstretched hand froze in mid - air. Shen Zhou stared at Ye Xi in surprise.
His heart was filled with both sourness and anger. Unconsciously, he clenched his fist and retracted his hand. The loneliness in Shen Zhou's eyes was hard to hide.
"I admit that I really don't like the Prince of Yu'an," he said. "But Yingying, I definitely didn't do this."
"Don't call me Yingying!" Ye Xi angrily flicked her sleeve. "I'm no longer your Yingying. I'm Xi Niang now. I'm A Yuan's Xiaoxi!"
Thud!
An invisible boulder hit his heart heavily, as if his flesh and blood were flying everywhere. The pain made his face turn pale.
The hurt and grief in his eyes were overwhelming. Shen Zhou's throat tightened, and his tightly - clenched fist trembled involuntarily.
Ye Xi turned her head away heartlessly, avoiding Shen Zhou's sorrowful eyes.
"Forget it. Call me whatever you like. I'm here just to get the Wu'ai Fruit. Tell me, what do I have to do for you to give it to me?"
"I've already said I didn't do it. Why don't you believe me!?" Shen Zhou's eyes were red - rimmed. He was like a young beast that had just been driven out by its closest and most trusted family. "I said I don't have the Wu'ai Fruit, and I really don't! Aren't you good at divination? Then do it! Divine for me!"
The thick - callused palm clearly showed nail marks. It was stretched straight in front of Ye Xi, but there was a hint of pleading in it. He was pleading for her to believe him just a little bit, and for her not to avoid him like a snake or a scorpion.
Ye Xi turned to look at Shen Zhou and was momentarily speechless.
The air suddenly fell into silence. The two of them just stared at each other, each lost in their own thoughts.
The charcoal in the basin made a "pop" sound. Ye Xi moved a bit but finally didn't touch Shen Zhou.
"I see," she said, half - lowering her eyelids. Her long, fine eyelashes cast a shadow in her eyes. "Thank you, Young Master Shen. Please leave now."
Seeing that Ye Xi really wouldn't touch him at all, Shen Zhou closed his eyes in despair and dimly retracted his hand. But he didn't get up. Instead, he said, "Then what are you going to do next? Those who are infected with 'Shuai Hong' only have ten days."
"You don't need to worry about it, Young Master Shen," Ye Xi still kept him at a distance. "This is my business. It has nothing to do with you."
His heart was already numbed by the pain, but Shen Zhou laughed instead. "Indeed. After all, the one who's going to die... is Yi Yuan."
Ye Xi's heart ached. Without even looking at Shen Zhou, she got up and left.
"Do you know why I know about 'Shuai Hong'?" Shen Zhou raised his voice and spoke quickly. "I don't have the Wu'ai Fruit, but I know where to find it."
Ye Xi immediately stopped in her tracks.
Shen Zhou let out a self - deprecating laugh and slowly got up and approached Ye Xi. "Do you still remember the first time we met in the capital? In the package that the quarreling people were fighting over, there was an in - describable wooden box. Inside it was the 'Wu'ai Fruit'."
Ye Xi's eyes widened suddenly, and there was a flash of disbelief in them.
The medicine that could save Yi Yuan's life had actually passed her by so early...
Suddenly turning back to look at Shen Zhou, Ye Xi's long eyelashes trembled slightly. "Then... where is the Wu'ai Fruit?"
But Shen Zhou stopped talking.
He walked back to the table slowly, poured himself a cup of tea. He picked it up and sniffed it under his nose before saying, "But this matter has nothing to do with me."
This was obviously a petulant remark.
Ye Xi regretted having spoken so definitely just now. But the complicated relationship between a man and a woman was such that if she wasn't firm - hearted, who knew what kind of trouble would arise in the future.
Moreover, the Shen family and the Prince of Yu'an's Mansion were enemies. She and Shen Zhou could never stand on the same side.
But now, Yi Yuan's life was at stake. Anyway, she had to get the thing first.
Biting her lips, Ye Xi took a few steps forward and bowed respectfully to Shen Zhou. "I was rude. Please don't blame me, Young Master Shen. Please tell me where the Wu'ai Fruit is. You can just name your conditions."
"Do you really have to be so distant from me?" A sarcastic arc appeared on Shen Zhou's lips. "You'll agree to any condition? Then what if I want you?"
Ye Xi hung her head and didn't meet his eyes. "Young Master Shen, why are you deceiving yourself? The Shen family won't agree."
The self - mocking look on his face could no longer be hidden. Shen Zhou sneered. "Hehe... Yes, you're right. My life has never been in my own hands since I was born."
"In that case, why should I help you? It would be exactly what I want if Yi Yuan died."
Ye Xi didn't refute his words. She just paused for a moment and said in a low voice, "I was naive. Let's part ways here. I'll look for the Wu'ai Fruit myself."
After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the door.
Shen Zhou was extremely angry. He reached out and grabbed Ye Xi's wrist, squeezing it so hard that it hurt. "Why are you always like this? I met you first. Can't you be closer to me..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Ling Yan's long sword was already slashing over.
"Ling Yan!" Seeing that Shen Zhou still showed no sign of letting go, Ye Xi had to stop her quickly.
Ling Yan had to hold back her strength. The precious sword she slashed stopped only a hair's breadth from the back of Shen Zhou's hand. The sword energy was chilling, cutting a small wound on the back of his hand. Blood oozed out immediately.
"Young Master Shen," Ye Xi frowned slightly and looked at the wound. She reached out and gently pried open Shen Zhou's hand, which was bulging with veins due to the force and bleeding more seriously. "Our paths are different. How can we work together? Even though we were really good friends when we were young, now we've stood on opposite sides."
"Don't hold on to the past. I'm no longer the Yingying I used to be. I don't remember anything from my childhood. Why are you so persistent?"
A fine pain welled up in Shen Zhou's heart. He stubbornly pursed his lips, and the corners of his eyes turned redder and redder. "What if I don't?"
"Then you'll just be trapped by your own feelings." Ye Xi's face was very calm. There was neither a trace of anger nor a hint of pity. It seemed as if she was just calmly narrating something that had nothing to do with herself.
Shen Zhou turned his face away, not letting Ye Xi see the tear that slipped from the corner of his eye.
"I'll help you find the Wu'ai Fruit," he took a deep breath and suppressed the tremor in his voice. "The price is that you call me A Zhou and never be distant from me in the future."
After a pause, afraid that Ye Xi wouldn't agree, Shen Zhou softened his voice and even pleaded a little. "I don't need you to treat me as well as your closest relatives. I'll never try to get any confidential information from you."
"I just want you to face me normally and nicely. Don't reject my gifts, and don't avoid me everywhere."
This price was actually not much of a price.
Surprise flashed across Ye Xi's face. But she just couldn't say the words "A Zhou".
Although Shen Zhou was quite sure that Ye Xi would agree, he was still a little nervous deep down.
It wasn't until Ye Xi nodded slightly and negotiated, "Okay. But I think your family must be very reluctant to see you befriend me. For your sake, I'll still call you Young Master Shen in front of others, and I'll call you..."
Ye Xi paused. Her tongue stumbled a few times, and then she finally spat out the two words one by one. "A Zhou. Is that okay?"