The gust of frigid wind made Xie Liuli feel as if her body had been frozen to the point she couldn’t move. Rooted in place, she couldn’t help but recall some things that she had said in the past.
“Benefactor, what’s your name? Where is your house? Do you have a wife?”
Now, I know where he stays; he is Prince Hao’s subordinate, so he stays in the Prince Hao Residence.
Feng Changqing also caught sight of her, and couldn’t help but stop in his tracks for a moment, allowing their eyes to meet. A moment later, he bowed. “Paying respects to the Commandery Princess.” His attitude was respectful and distant.
Our encounter back then was just a small episode in my life. Liuli, do you really need to be hung up over someone from the Prince Hao Residence? Even if he doesn’t have a wife, it’s still impossible for anything to exist between the two of us; it would be better for you to let go.
Suddenly, Xie Yun called from within the horse carriage. “Liuli, why are you still not boarding the horse carriage?”
Xie Liuli softly replied with an affirmative before waving her hand for Feng Changqing to rise. A moment later, she boarded the carriage without any hesitation.
After we part today, we can only treat each other as strangers even if we meet again. You and I are ultimately passers-by in each others’ lives.
With a bitter smile at the corners of her mouth, Xie Liuli’s expression had become calm by the time she settled inside the carriage.
The guard cracked the horsewhip, and the carriage soon faded into the distance.
Feng Changqing kept gazing in the direction that the carriage had left in.
Judging from her expression, it seems like she has already let things go. That’s rather good. After all, with her identity as the Commandery Princess, our statuses never matched in the first place. Now that she’s let it go, I can also be relieved.
Inside the carriage, Xie Liuli looked at Xie Yun’s hand. “Once we return to the residence, I’ll get someone to bandage your hand right away. You’re not allowed to hurt yourself in the future. Elder Brother, you’re not allowed to have anything happen to you.”
“Mmm, I understand, Liuli. I won’t get hurt again. However, don’t leave the residence during this period of time; just obediently stay in. Do you understand?”
Xie Liuli nodded, the rims of her eyes involuntarily reddening as a heavy weight settled in her heart. She didn’t know whether she was feeling this miserable because of her elder brother or because of the man whose name she didn’t even know.
“Liuli, don’t cry.” Xie Yun raised his hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes.
Xie Liuli couldn’t refrain herself from pouncing into his embrace. “Elder Brother, my heart hurts so much. Everyone says that you are a bad person, but I know that you’re kind at heart. When you followed Daddy to the mountains to hunt when we were young, you weren’t willing to kill any living beings, so you received a beating from Daddy when you came back.”
Xie Yun’s gaze was complicated as he gently patted his sister’s back. I don’t know how many people I have killed. I can no longer return to the past; I can only continue walking forward.
“Elder Brother, we must find Zhen Yu and exonerate you so that everyone can apologise.”
“Liuli, don’t interfere in this matter. I’ll settle it myself.”
Xie Liuli repeatedly nodded. “Elder Brother, I trust you. I’ll stay in my courtyard and stop interacting with the people from the Prince Hao Residence so that you don’t have to worry anymore. In the future, I’ll just let you make the decision for my marriage.”
She couldn’t bear to hurt her elder brother. I can’t lose my only family. That man is just a passer-by in my life. Even if my heart had moved for him, I should still let it go. But I’m afraid that my heart won’t ever be moved again in the future. Maybe I’ll have a marriage with no feelings involved at all, giving birth to children and living just like that for my entire lifetime.
“Liuli is obedient.” Xie Yun caressed her head and listened to her weeping in his embrace.
At this moment, he thought about Zhen Yu again. Pei Qianhao has already ordered people to start investigating, and even tailing me. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to visit Zhen Yu for this period of time.
