Chapter 154: A Restless Heart

Just as Aunt Fu was about to leave, Si Nuosang called out to stop her.

"Wait."

"Is there anything else?"

Aunt Fu asked softly, and Si Nuosang quickly explained, saying, "Well, he just fell asleep. I think breakfast should be sent over a bit later! I'm not hungry right now either."

Judging by the weather, it was probably around six o'clock.

"Then when do you think it should be brought over?"

Aunt Fu asked carefully. Si Nuosang thought for a moment and said, "In about three hours!"

"Very well."

Aunt Fu nodded, bid farewell to Si Nuosang, and returned to her own room. Meanwhile, Si Nuosang sat upon a stone, gazing up at the sky. The sky had not yet truly brightened, and the sun seemed still to hide behind the clouds.

When the sunlight finally broke through, it should grow a bit warmer. This side faced the sun, which was perhaps why there was no ice here. The other side of the mountain was completely cut off from the sunlight and was even colder than the mountain peak.

Quietly enjoying a tranquil morning, Kunlun was indeed a wonderful place. Aside from the chill, it was simply as beautiful as a fairyland.

No wonder rumors in the outside world said that Kunlun was a wonderland. And she was truly fortunate to have come here, where people lived together in harmony and exceptional amity.

Living a stable, peaceful, and happy life, free from the pursuit of power and the discontent of desire.

In short, this was a place of peace. Calming her mind, she pondered many things. Was Cang truly Wen Shuan? Was it her own misjudgment, or was the other party deliberately deceiving her?

If she could use a device to travel back to ancient times, Wen Shuan could certainly do the same. Given Wen Shuan's power and wealth, accomplishing such a feat would be a very simple matter.

Yet why had he known Xuanyuan Juesi several years ago? At that time, Wen Shuan was still staying with people from her own world.

Thus, this was completely impossible. Although they were not together every single day, it was impossible for him to have vanished without her noticing.

Perhaps she was simply overthinking—Si Nuosang was forced to think this way. If Cang was truly just Cang, then matters would be easy to resolve.

Yet Si Nuosang always had a habit of expecting the worst; if Cang were indeed Wen Shuan, then what on earth did all of this mean?

Time passed bit by bit. When Xuanyuan Juesi woke up and found Si Nuosang gone, he ran out in a panic. Only when he discovered her sitting outside did his heart finally settle.

He had feared that Si Nuosang had fled from this place, though in truth, she could not leave at all. It was simply that Xuanyuan Juesi could not help but worry so.

Aunt Fu also brought the food over, and the two of them sat opposite each other at the table. Not a single word was spoken as they simply ate in silence.

Yet the atmosphere lacked even a trace of awkwardness; perhaps this was the most harmonious way for them to coexist.

No quarreling, no flying into tempers—just sitting quietly, or gazing silently at one another.

After finishing his meal, Xuanyuan Juesi deliberately walked outside to give Aunt Fu some instructions. Aunt Fu nodded and said, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, this old woman will properly arrange the Princess Consort's living and traveling needs."

"There is no need for such formality, but thank you, Aunt Fu. There are certain things I find inconvenient to discuss with her directly."

Because Si Nuosang simply refused to listen to him, the two of them now ignited like gunpowder whenever they spoke. Minor exchanges led to bickering, while major ones resulted in physical blows.

Yesterday, he had nearly killed Si Nuosang. At the mere thought, his hands trembled—if he had truly killed Si Nuosang, he himself would not have survived either.

Xuanyuan Juesi ascended the mountain to find Cang.

Cang was currently listening to music as several female zither players plucked the strings.

"Such fine spirits, enjoying music at this early hour."

"You may listen as well; these sounds can calm your restless heart. Your mind is in turmoil right now."

"Are you truly so formidable that you can even hear the state of my heart?"

Xuanyuan Juesi smiled helplessly. Indeed, what Cang said was true; his heart was naturally in turmoil.

"I merely perceive it."

Cang looked at Xuanyuan Juesi, whose every thought was written plainly across his face.

Right now, he had no intention of even putting up a disguise. "Before you, I feel I can perhaps be a bit more relaxed and free. I can simply be myself without concealing my true emotions. Indeed, I am deeply troubled right now because Si Nuosang believes you are Wen Shuan."

"Rest assured, time will prove everything."

"Indeed, time will prove everything—it will prove that you are not Wen Shuan at all."

"You seem to harbor immense hostility toward Wen Shuan." Cang closed his eyes, continuing to listen to the zither while speaking to him.

Xuanyuan Juesi nodded and said, "I want to kill him; that is precisely how I feel right now."

"Relax. What could killing him possibly change? It will not change Si Nuosang. What you must do is make Si Nuosang forget Wen Shuan."

"I fear that is hardly possible. Her heart has always been occupied by that same man. In the past, I might have managed to ignore it, but now that she has made this crystal clear to me, I doubt I can ever pretend that this matter does not exist."

Thinking back to the past, he had always felt the presence of another person lingering within Si Nuosang's eyes. He had assumed that by never mentioning it or speaking of it, she would eventually forget. Yet now it seemed that only made her remember that person all the more deeply.

"I am truly sorry that my face bears such a striking resemblance to Wen Shuan's. Without meaning to, I have created an obstacle. Do you need me to wear a mask?"

To Cang's suggestion, Xuanyuan Juesi shook his head.

"No, there is no need. Stay just as you are. I must force her to face reality. Sooner or later, we must reach this step. My resembling him may well be a good thing after all."

In Xuanyuan Juesi's heart, perhaps this would allow Si Nuosang to let go of her feelings for Wen Shuan all the sooner. A thorn deeply embedded in the heart had to be pulled out.

Though it would hurt, leaving it unextracted would only cause it to fester, bringing ever-increasing agony until it could never heal at all.

"I understand your meaning, but things do not always unfold as one wishes."

Cang looked thoughtfully at Xuanyuan Juesi, who heavily lowered his head.

"Yet I have no other choice. Having you wear a mask would merely be self-deception, and I would feel deeply apologetic to put you through that."

"I care little for such things, but there is one matter that deeply concerns me."

"What matter?"

"I fear Si Nuosang will no longer come up here and will instead flee as far away as possible. If she does that, she still will not have faced her demons, making it entirely meaningless whether I wear a mask or not. Whenever she looks at me, she carries both hatred and love!"

The moment he heard the word "love," Xuanyuan Juesi's heart tightened.

"You aren't going to fall in love with her, are you?"

"Hahaha, are you joking?"

Cang laughed with a hint of awkwardness, wondering where Xuanyuan Juesi's mind had wandered.

"I am entirely serious. Give me your assurance that you will not fall in love with her."

Because the two of them looked so alike, if Cang were to fall for her and compete with him, he would stand not a single chance of winning.

"What on earth are you thinking? But since you require an assurance, I shall give it to you. I, Cang, will never fall in love with Si Nuosang."