In the deep and dark abyss pool, Su Yuan had two-thirds of his body submerged in it. He needed the icy and bone-chilling pool water to suppress the restlessness in his heart.
The same iron chains as in the basement of the villa pierced through his shoulder blades, binding him tightly.
Blood continuously dripped from the wounds on his shoulder blades into the pool water. It was incredibly quiet in this small world, only filled with Su Yuan's suppressed and restrained gasps.
The image of Zhaozhao resolutely standing in front of others kept flashing in his mind, constantly stimulating what little rationality Su Yuan had left.
The inner demon in his heart roared and tempted, urging him to break free from the chains, give in to his selfish desires, and capture the person back, keeping her by his side so that she could never go anywhere.
She would stay with him for the rest of her life!
"Go quickly! What are you still waiting for? Waiting for her to finally wake up one day, see your true face clearly, realize that you're not as good as she says, and can't wait to escape from you?"
The inner demon whispered into Su Yuan's ear word by word. It was the most vicious thing born from the depths of Su Yuan's heart. It knew Su Yuan best and understood the weaknesses of this seemingly noble and upright man.
The inner demon, unwilling to be suppressed forever, tried to defeat Su Yuan in this way and take his place.
"Shut—up!" Su Yuan covered his head painfully, his eyes bloodshot. The pain caused by the invasion of sin tortured his nerves. His body and soul seemed no longer his own, about to be torn in half.
"Hehe... You're always so cowardly. You couldn't protect her a thousand years ago, and you can't keep her now. Since you don't have the ability no matter what you do, why not hand her over to me?"
The demon whispered in his ear. Su Yuan was in so much pain that he couldn't hear clearly. He vaguely caught a few words, but his cold and fierce gaze seemed to fall on nothing.
What a thousand years ago? What couldn't protect...
What on earth was this dirty thing born from his heart talking about? How much of what it said was credible?
Su Yuan couldn't tell or figure it out. It was as if there was a fog in front of him. Passing through this fog would reveal the truth, but he just couldn't seem to get out.
Suddenly, he remembered what Zhaozhao had said to him crying when she woke up from a dream.
She said someone wanted to kill her, that she shouldn't be alive, that someone had broken all her bones...
The look of her with tears in her eyes, looking wronged and pitiful, was still vivid in his mind. Every word she said was about her own pain.
But whether it was then or now, Su Yuan felt a sharp pain in his chest just listening. A violent impulse to crush that person to ashes welled up in him.
"Zhaozhao... My Zhaozhao..." A crystal - clear teardrop fell into the pool water, disappearing silently.
Su Yuan was crying.
As far as he could remember, he hadn't shed a single tear in all these years, but at this moment, he closed his eyes tightly and covered his face, sobbing.
The tears of this cold and superior man were the most sincere love for his beloved, the helpless love that dared not reach out.
What should he do? If he took a step forward, he might not be able to control himself and hurt her. If he took a step back, how could he be willing?
He originally thought that at most he just had to patiently wait for her to grow up, for her to truly understand love, and for her to make a choice.
But now, seeing her standing on the opposite side of him so firmly to protect others, Su Yuan finally understood that the scariest thing wasn't waiting, but that he had become selfish during this waiting. He simply couldn't let go.
The obsession had quietly taken root, and sooner or later, he would lose control, imprison her, and perform the most suffocating love.
But how could Su Yuan do such a thing? He was afraid that he would no longer see the lively sparkle in Zhaozhao's eyes, afraid that her innocence and liveliness would disappear, and finally they would hate each other for the rest of their lives.
If that was the case, whether he could get her love didn't seem that important anymore.
Anyway, in Su Yuan's heart, Zhaozhao would always come first. No one could compare with her, not even himself.
"Fool!" The inner demon sensed Su Yuan's thoughts and suddenly roared out of control, "I won't allow it! Who gave you the right to decide to give her up on your own? She should be mine for the rest of her life. Don't you even think about pushing her away!"
Su Yuan looked calm. The red in his eyes faded a little. He said word by word, "She will always belong to herself."
No one could imprison her, not even himself.
Su Yuan chose protection over possession.
If one day she was unhappy, then everything Su Yuan had done would be meaningless.
Maybe at first he was really angry about Zhaozhao's choice at that time, but how could he have any bottom - line when it came to Zhaozhao? It was just that although he was angry, it didn't mean he didn't love her anymore.
It was only at this moment, when he truly saw the viciousness hidden in his heart, that he finally understood that he couldn't love her.
"Su Yuan? Su Yuan..."
In the distance came the voice of the person he had been longing for. She had come looking for him.
Su Yuan was exhausted. He moved his fingers with difficulty, and the chains on his body disappeared. Without the restraint of the chains, due to his lack of strength, he fell into the water.
The sound at the entrance of the abyss cold pool got closer and closer. Zhaozhao came on her flying sword, the Taotie revealing its true form and following beside her.
"Su Yuan!" Zhaozhao's pupils shrank when she saw Su Yuan. Clearly, when she had probed with her divine sense, Su Yuan had been fine. What had happened now?!
She jumped off the sword and fell into the water, rushing towards Su Yuan.
Fortunately, although this was an abyss, there seemed to be something at the bottom. Zhaozhao stepped on it, and the water only reached her shoulders.
In her hurry, she didn't know how many mouthfuls of the pool water she had swallowed before she reached Su Yuan's side.
Looking at the wound on Su Yuan's shoulder, a feeling of heartache spread in her heart. At this moment, Zhaozhao didn't care about any status. Su Yuan's pale face reflected in her eyes, cutting into her heart like a knife.
She bit her index finger and dripped her blood onto Su Yuan's wound. The wound began to heal quickly.
"Su Yuan, don't be afraid. The pain will go away soon."
This small wound was actually nothing to Su Yuan, but the mental exhaustion made him look very weak.
He stared at Zhaozhao's worried expression, raised his cold hand and stroked her face, his eyes so focused and full of farewell.
"Su Yuan..." Zhaozhao had called Su Yuan's name many times since she came here. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly, trying to warm him with her body temperature.
In response to her calls, Su Yuan didn't say a word. He just propped himself up, seriously held Zhaozhao's face, and kissed those lips he had been longing for.
In the distance, the Taotie saw this scene, quickly covered its eyes with its two paws, and ran away.
Zhaozhao was stunned for a moment, but soon the strength of Su Yuan's arm around her waist didn't allow her to be distracted. She was forced to focus on this passionate kiss.
Su Yuan kissed her deeply and forcefully, prying open her lips and entwining with her tongue, with an overbearing and irresistible force, as if he wanted to melt her into his bones and blood.
"Zhaozhao..."
The lingering voice was extremely beautiful. Clearly, it should have been a pleasant moment, but Zhaozhao somehow heard a bit of bitterness in the way Su Yuan called her name. Her heart felt heavy...
She didn't know what to do. She just subconsciously wrapped her arms around Su Yuan's neck and obediently nestled herself into his arms.
She was kissed speechless, so she wanted to use this way to tell Su Yuan that she was here, always here.
But when the kiss ended, Su Yuan didn't hold her. He pushed her away.