118 Let her go.

The rain poured down relentlessly. Even in the height of summer, the water drenching Duan Nanyu chilled him to the bone. He stood motionless under the umbrella, eyes lowered to gaze upon Yun Xueyan kneeling on the ground, a deep ache spreading through his heart.

When Xiao Siyi had saved her, he had said she was barely clinging to life. If she had slipped away once more, even he would be powerless to save her. At that moment, his heart seemed to plunge into an icy abyss, frozen solid.

He no longer dared to provoke her; he agreed to all her demands.

She insisted on seeing her mother, kneeling without rising. He grew anxious, wanting to lift her up, but every time their eyes met—empty and distant—he could only let go.

She knelt all morning in silence. He could do nothing but watch her closely, holding the umbrella over her. The fear she instilled in him made him afraid to be too forceful.

“Yan’er, let’s go back. The dead cannot be brought back,” he said, offering the only comfort he could muster. Clumsy and awkward, he was incapable of soothing her pain with words.

The woman kneeling shook her head. Her frail, trembling silhouette sobbed softly, her faint voice drowned by the rain. She struggled to raise her voice, calling out, “Duan Nanyu...”

Just those three words. Nothing more.

He crouched down and gently grasped Yun Xueyan’s arm, so slender it seemed it might break with the slightest pressure. He held her carefully but dared not draw closer; his body was soaked and cold. “I’m here, Yan’er. I’m here. If you want to hit or yell, take it out on me. Please, don’t hurt yourself.”

At that moment, he would rather have her hate him, vent her pain on him, curse him with cruelty—anything but watch her torment herself like this.

“You must avenge my mother... avenge her,” she said calmly, clear-headed now, no longer able to waste energy resenting him. Hatred would do no good.

“I will. We will find out the truth. Let’s go back first, okay?” He swallowed his pain, voice trembling, “Let’s go back, Yan’er...”

Yun Xueyan shook her head and remained kneeling. That simple refusal stabbed Duan Nanyu’s heart like a knife, pain intensifying with every beat.

He was angry! He should have left her there alone. He should have ignored her self-inflicted torment. But he couldn’t. He despised himself for it.

Suddenly, his body was seized fiercely. A sharp pain tingled through his shoulder as Yun Xueyan clung to him, biting into him with desperation, her entire body trembling violently, fingers digging deep into his flesh through his clothes.

He knew she was unleashing her anguish, and he let her, holding the umbrella over them with one hand, his brow never furrowing.

When she finally released him, his shoulder was numb from the pain. Then her faint voice whispered, “Duan Nanyu, let me go.”

His whole body stiffened. He thought he must have misheard, but the words came again, mingled with sobs: “I’m really so tired. Please, just let me go.”

Her cries grew louder, breaking down into incoherent sobbing, crashing over the defenses of his heart like a violent storm. Let her go? Impossible! He could not.

“I beg you! Nanyu, please spare me. Staying by your side only brings endless pain. Why can’t you just let me go...” she pleaded weakly, questioning him. She had long anticipated his reaction, but still, she refused to give up.

He said nothing in response, trembling uncontrollably. His sharp eyes clouded darkly. Did she truly want to leave him? He lifted her onto his shoulder, shielding her with the umbrella, and headed toward the Xiao Prince’s mansion.

His voice fell into despair, heartbreak echoing in his ears, “Once you’ve recovered, I’ll let you go.” He yielded, he retreated, he... was utterly powerless.