amaotonovel Chapter 176 "I will never give up!"
Chapter 176 "I will never give up!"
Inside the Fourth Prince's mansion, all was as still as an abyss, as if time itself had frozen. On their wedding night, the red candles flickered, casting ambiguous shadows, but did little to enhance the romantic atmosphere.
Murong Che, dressed in magnificent robes, sat blankly on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on the red veil, as if frozen in place, hesitant to reach out and lift it. The surroundings were so quiet that the crackling of the candle wick could be heard, and the occasional breeze rustled the window paper, further emphasizing the tranquility of the room and his dazed state.
Xue Xiang sat upright on the wedding bed, her heart filled with anticipation and excitement at the prospect of spending the rest of her life with the prince.
She clutched her clothes tightly, her heart pounding like a deer's, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.
The flickering light of the red candle illuminated her slightly flushed cheeks, a mixture of shyness and barely suppressed joy.
However, time passed slowly, second by second, yet the prince made no move to lift the veil. Her previously relaxed brows furrowed slightly, her pearly teeth biting her lower lip, and she unconsciously pursed her lips. A flood of doubt surged within her, and she kept wondering: [What's going on? Why hasn't he lifted the veil yet? Humph, this veil isn't breathable at all, it's suffocating!]
Murong Che seemed to be in another world, his eyes vacant, his thoughts drifting away.
Xue Xiang was filled with anticipation, but could only sit awkwardly on the wedding bed. As time ticked by, she couldn't hold back any longer. She parted her lips slightly and called out in a sweet voice, "Your Highness, shouldn't you... lift the veil now?"
The soft call seemed to come from a distant place. Murong Che was startled for a moment before he came back to his senses as if waking from a dream. He turned his head slightly, glancing at Xue Xiang with a dazed look in his eyes. He slowly got up, absentmindedly replying, "Oh, oh..." As he responded, he mechanically walked to the bedside, reached out and picked up the scale rod, and slowly lifted the square red veil.
In an instant, Xue Xiang's stunningly beautiful face unfolded before him like a painting. Her cheeks were flushed, and she shyly turned her face away, her lips slightly upturned, revealing a gentle smile, just like a flower blooming in spring, delicate and charming.
However, Murong Che remained unmoved, simply turning away in silence, seemingly lost in deeper thought.
Xue Xiang raised her eyes and saw his expression. His already slightly furrowed brows furrowed even more, his face filled with disdain and helplessness. In that instant, she seemed to vaguely understand something, and a sense of loss welled up in her heart.
Murong Che paid no attention to Xue Xiang's captivating appearance, slowly turned around, and looked directly at the full moon hanging high in the sky outside the window.
The moonlight, like water, fell upon him, yet felt like a layer of cold frost. This full moon, which should have symbolized reunion, now appeared to him like a sharp knife, piercing straight into his heart.
Recalling those unspeakable past events, the helplessness of being swept along by fate, the already pent-up sorrow intensified under the silvery moonlight, like a tangled mess that tightened more and more, making it hard for him to breathe.
His brows were furrowed, like two mountains about to collapse, their deep furrows filled with endless worries.
Although Xue Xiang was burning with anger, she suppressed her emotions and forced a smile onto her face. She took light steps and slowly walked towards Murong Che, then gently embraced him from behind, her voice as soft as a spring breeze: "Your Highness, we are now husband and wife in name and in fact. You promised me that you would take responsibility for me!"
Murong Che trembled slightly, and after a long while, he turned his head with difficulty to look at her. He saw Xue Xiang leaning against him with a hopeful expression and her eyes full of longing.
He felt a sharp pain in his heart, and slowly turned his head to look at the cold, round moon, as if using all his strength to squeeze out a long sigh from the bottom of his heart.
Then, he slowly closed his eyes, and two lines of desperate and helpless tears silently slid down his cheeks, shimmering with broken light in the moonlight.
Xue Xiang's cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling, and she said softly, "Your Highness, it's late, and we should rest now." With that, she lowered her head shyly, a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth, a shy smile as lovely and charming as a peach blossom in spring.
Upon hearing this, Murong Che frowned, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes as he coldly glanced at her. Before he could speak, Xue Xiang eagerly stepped forward, her eyes full of anticipation. She gently placed her hands on Murong Che's sleeves and said sweetly, "Your Highness, let me help you undress. Such a beautiful occasion, we should..." Before she could finish, she couldn't help but chuckle, her laughter as clear and melodious as silver bells, echoing in the quiet room.
The moment Xue Xiang's slender fingers gently untied his sleeve, Murong Che reacted as if he had been electrocuted, instinctively taking several steps back. A look of terror flashed across his face, and his eyes were filled with bewilderment, as if he had seen something terrifying.
Xue Xiang was startled by his sudden action, her hands stopped abruptly, and she looked at Murong Che with a puzzled expression, softly calling out, "Your Highness?"
Murong Che panicked, his eyes darting around. He hurriedly made up an excuse, stammering, "Um... I feel a strange tightness in my chest, it's really uncomfortable, I need to go out for a walk to clear my head. You go to sleep first, don't wait for me!"
After saying that, he turned around impatiently, as if fleeing a flood or a ferocious beast, and strode hurriedly toward the door without looking back, as if something terrible was chasing him.
Xue Xiang watched Murong Che's hurried, fast-running figure, and a surge of anger welled up inside her. Her eyebrows furrowed, her almond-shaped eyes widened as if spitting fire, her teeth clenched, and she let out a cold snort, the sound squeezed out between her teeth as she muttered viciously to herself, "Murong Che, this is how you treat me on our wedding night? In the days to come, will you treat me like dirt under your feet, trampling on me at will? What is it about me, Xue Xiang, that you find so unacceptable!"
With that, she whirled around, slammed her hand on the table with a deafening crash, and the cups and saucers on the table trembled. Her chest heaved violently, her heart surging with resentment like a raging tide. "I will never give up! I'll show you what I'm capable of!"
Inside the Ninth Prince's residence, Lin Qianqian frowned slightly, pouted helplessly, and looked away, scolding, "Your Highness, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Murong Yi lazily rested his chin on his hand, his eyes filled with doting affection and a touch of wicked charm as he stared intently at her, slowly uttering a single word: "Yes~"
"Huh?" Lin Qianqian was taken aback. She subconsciously walked quickly to the dressing table, looked at herself carefully in the bronze mirror, but found nothing unusual. She then hurried back to Murong Yi's side, asking with a puzzled expression, "No, Your Highness, where is it?"
Murong Yi's lips curled slightly upwards, and with a sneer, she suddenly leaned closer to Lin Qianqian, her warm breath brushing against her face. Lin Qianqian was immediately flustered, her cheeks flushing bright red, and she nervously swallowed.
Murong Yi gazed at her with deep affection, his voice so gentle it could melt water: "Beautiful~"
"Pfft!" Lin Qianqian almost spat out a mouthful of blood, inwardly complaining: [Holy crap, what kind of cheesy pickup lines are you using on me? They're giving me goosebumps! Ugh, so cheesy!]
She squinted, gave Murong Yi an awkward chuckle, and muttered dryly, "Hehe~ Your Highness is quite the joker!"
Murong Yi said earnestly, "I'm not joking. The princess is indeed as beautiful as a fairy. All the beauty in this world pales in comparison to you."
Lin Qianqian's cheeks flushed even more from the barrage of compliments. Unable to bear it any longer, she quickly waved her hand and said coquettishly, "Your Highness, please stop. I'm so sleepy, I have to go to sleep." With that, she hurriedly climbed into bed, pulled the blanket over herself, lay down on her side, closed her eyes tightly, and pretended to be asleep.
With a gentle smile on her lips, Murong Yi walked slowly toward the bed with light steps.
He gently lifted his shirt, lay down beside Lin Qianqian, and skillfully pulled the blanket over her while covering himself. Then, as if instinctively, he reached out and naturally hugged Lin Qianqian tightly.
Lin Qianqian felt her body sink, followed by a warm breath. She instinctively gasped and her body trembled slightly uncontrollably.
This sudden intimate contact filled her with panic and shock, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. However, feeling Murong Yi's strong embrace and hearing his familiar scent around her nose, she inexplicably didn't push him away, but instead let him hold her tightly in his arms.
As time slowly passed, Lin Qianqian's tense body gradually relaxed. Murong Yi's embrace seemed to possess a magical power, gradually calming her restless heart. She turned her head slightly to look at Murong Yi, only to see his eyes closed, a faint smile on his lips, as if he were experiencing the beauty of this moment even in a dream.
Lin Qianqian smiled slightly, gently closed her eyes, and snuggled closer to Murong Yi.
The two nestled together, their breaths mingling, and drifted off to sleep. In the quiet night, moonlight streamed through the window, casting its glow upon their intertwined figures, as if draping their sweetness in a dreamlike veil.