Chapter 65: Terrifying

“Let go,” Si Nuo Sang said coldly.

“Can you not act like this?” Xuan Yuan Juesi looked at her, exasperated by her temper. This woman always managed to pull at his emotions.

“I said let go.” Si Nuo Sang turned her head, glaring at him with fury in her eyes. She looked truly angry. Xuan Yuan Juesi didn’t want to push things to the breaking point with her. He didn’t want their relationship to return to what it once was—distant, cold. Most of all, he didn’t want her to start a physical confrontation, so he released her hand of his own accord.

The moment Si Nuo Sang regained her freedom, she strode away for the exit. Xuan Yuan Juesi followed, wanting to look after her, but she quickly shook him off with a few deft moves.

Left with no choice, Xuan Yuan Juesi returned, instructing Yuan Qianlü and the others to help search for Si Nuo Sang.

Si Nuo Sang wandered along the bustling street, her heart in turmoil. She knew Xuan Yuan Juesi didn’t love Qin Li. What she couldn’t accept was that, even though it was clearly Qin Li’s doing, he wore an expression of disbelief. It infuriated her to no end, and she couldn’t understand why she felt this way. She should have been calm, should have acted as though nothing had happened. But she simply couldn’t. The knot in her heart refused to loosen.

“Nuo Sang.” Suddenly, someone called out to her. She stopped in her tracks and turned around—only to find herself pulled into an embrace. By reflex, she struck out with her palm.

“Ow! Are you trying to kill me? It took me ages to find you,” Ye Xuan exclaimed, looking at her. When she saw it was Ye Xuan, Si Nuo Sang hurried over.

“I swear I didn’t mean it. I thought you were some thug, so I just reacted. Are you okay? Oh no, I hit you near your wound, didn’t I? It must hurt. I’m so sorry, Ye Xuan.”

She apologized repeatedly.

“It’s fine, I won’t die! By the way, what are you doing here? Where’s Xuan Yuan Juesi?” he asked, glancing warily around.

“I ditched him!” Si Nuo Sang replied, her tone utterly unconcerned. The more indifferent she acted, the more it showed she cared.

“Really? You think you can really shake him off?” Ye Xuan shook his head with a wry smile.

“You never left, did you?” Si Nuo Sang changed the subject, looking at him. Ye Xuan shook his head.

“Of course not. I couldn’t just leave like that. Nothing happened between you two, right?”

Ye Xuan looked at Si Nuo Sang, asking carefully.

Si Nuo Sang shook her head and said, “What could he do to me? He’s just infuriating. Enough about him—mentioning him puts me in a bad mood. Let’s go have a drink.”

She pulled Ye Xuan along, the two of them strolling down the street, unconcerned about being seen. Perhaps she was doing it on purpose—she wanted Xuan Yuan Juesi to see it. If he could keep his precious Miss Qin Li in mind, then she would go out drinking with Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan didn’t mind. He wasn’t afraid of Xuan Yuan Juesi in the slightest and was determined not to let himself be caught this time.

They found a small tavern, ordered several flasks of wine, and took them out of the city.

“The desert is so magnificent,” Si Nuo Sang remarked.

“It is. At sunset, it’s especially breathtaking,” Ye Xuan agreed, recalling the last time he’d seen the beautiful scene and wishing to see it once more.

They spread out a cloth on the sand, set the wine and food on top, and chatted idly as they drank.

Si Nuo Sang drank with Ye Xuan under the desert sky, talking until she finally fell asleep right there, utterly without her guard up around him.

It was almost laughable—she was a police officer, after all. Perhaps it was because Ye Xuan had treated her so well on the journey.

Ye Xuan knew it was dangerous here, so he intended to wake her and go back together. But it seemed someone else had already come for her. Xuan Yuan Juesi walked over and, catching Ye Xuan’s eye, motioned for him to step aside.

He didn’t want to wake Si Nuo Sang, not truly—he simply didn’t want her to see him arguing with Ye Xuan and end up hating him even more.

So Ye Xuan followed Xuan Yuan Juesi a short distance away. In an instant, Xuan Yuan Juesi grabbed him by the collar.

“I told you to leave. Do you not understand human speech?” Xuan Yuan Juesi was furious—why were these two together again? If the guards hadn’t reported to him, he might never have known.

“I understand human speech, but are you sure what you’re speaking qualifies?” Ye Xuan retorted, striking out with his palm. Xuan Yuan Juesi had no choice but to let go, or else that blow would have landed squarely on him.

Freed, Ye Xuan stepped back a few paces and smoothed out his rumpled clothes with a flourish.

“You have a death wish!” Xuan Yuan Juesi clenched his fists, glaring at Ye Xuan, who dared to provoke him on his own turf. Did he really think Xuan Yuan Juesi wouldn’t make a move against him?

“Your Highness, that’s not the right way to put it. No one wants to die. Besides, shouldn’t everything be up to Si Nuo Sang? She can choose whom she wants to be with. It’s not as if you two are married. What right do you have to meddle in her affairs?”

Ye Xuan would not back down. At first, his motives had been unclear, but now his care for Si Nuo Sang was sincere—and he would not let go.

“If I have no right, what right do you have?” Xuan Yuan Juesi was nearly ready to draw his sword, finding Ye Xuan unbearably arrogant and self-righteous.

“I’m her friend,” Ye Xuan replied, meeting Xuan Yuan Juesi’s gaze. As long as Si Nuo Sang considered him a friend, he would not back down.

“Friend? Do you truly not know what Si Nuo Sang and I are to each other? It may be nameless, but it is real,” Xuan Yuan Juesi said with a wicked grin, determined to make it clear that Si Nuo Sang was already his woman.

“So what? That doesn’t concern me. If two people truly love each other, that’s what matters.”

Xuan Yuan Juesi laughed coldly. “Are you joking? Do you really think Si Nuo Sang could fall for you?”

“Perhaps it’s possible,” Ye Xuan replied.

“Ha! You think I know nothing? Ye Xuan, your connection to Qin Li—you really believe I’m unaware?”

“What do you mean?” Ye Xuan stared at Xuan Yuan Juesi, suddenly realizing how dangerous this man was. He even knew about his involvement with Qin Li.

“My meaning should be clear. Do you know why Si Nuo Sang is angry? It’s because I protected Qin Li. But if she knew how close you and Qin Li are, do you think she’d still have any future with you? At that point, you wouldn’t even be friends.”

Xuan Yuan Juesi spoke as if he saw through everything, leaving Ye Xuan both shocked and deeply uneasy.

“Why do you protect Qin Li?” Ye Xuan asked directly, ignoring all else. But Xuan Yuan Juesi did not answer.

“Si Nuo Sang will be mine. She will never belong to anyone else. That’s all you need to understand.”