"Xiao Man, I miss you so much." Nan Gong Yu said with deep emotion. The separation was not long, but for him, every day apart felt like an eternity.
"Your Highness the Prince of Qin, please exercise restraint." Xiao Man said coldly, "In Blue Moon, a man who harasses a woman is seeking his own death."
Nan Gong Yu reached out and snatched the brush from Xiao Man's hand. Xiao Man couldn't help but frown, "Nan Gong Yu, what are you doing?"
"I just want to talk to you properly." Nan Gong Yu threw the brush in his hand into a nearby brush pot. "But from the moment I appeared until now, you haven't even looked me in the eye."
Xiao Man's expression was cold, and her beautiful eyes were full of impatience, as if she greatly disliked seeing Nan Gong Yu.
Nan Gong Yu leaned forward, approaching Xiao Man, "Your face is flushed."
Xiao Man let out a cold laugh, "Have you had enough fun?"
Nan Gong Yu propped his chin on one hand, looking at Xiao Man, "That's a question I should be asking you, have you had enough fun?"
Xiao Man narrowed her eyes slightly and suddenly attacked, aiming directly for Nan Gong Yu's eyes. Nan Gong Yu caught Xiao Man's hand and pulled her forward. The memorial papers on the desk scattered all over the floor, and Xiao Man was dragged forward, directly falling onto Nan Gong Yu.
Nan Gong Yu chuckled softly, "It's been a while, it seems you miss me too. You couldn't wait to throw yourself into my arms the moment we met."
Xiao Man pushed herself up, wanting to get away, but was pushed back into Nan Gong Yu's embrace by him, "Don't move, let me hold you."
"Nan Gong Yu, that's enough!"
"Not enough, far from enough." Nan Gong Yu tightened his embrace. "Xiao Man, I didn't kill your father. This was all a trick. You have to believe me."
Xiao Man remained silent, but no longer struggled.
"Your father had already inhaled the scent of the Ten-Mile Fragrance. When I arrived, the person I fought was agile and extremely skilled. I was also blinded by the incense ash. The opponent deliberately provoked me, then used your father as a shield. When I realized something was wrong, I retracted my strength midway. I was the one who was severely injured. Your father, at most, suffered internal injuries. It's impossible for his chest bones to have been shattered by me."
Xiao Man was still silent. There were too many suspicious points surrounding her father's death; she was well aware of this. Moreover, many of her weaknesses were exposed. She could no longer passively endure attacks and had to choose to take the initiative.
"Xiao Man, I didn't deliberately abandon your father and leave at that time. It was because I suffered a backlash and had no strength left to protect myself. Moreover, at the time, I thought your father had plotted against me, and I fled to avoid a direct confrontation with him. I didn't abandon him. Afterwards, when I realized something was amiss and sent people back, your father... had already been murdered."
Without hearing Xiao Man's reply, Nan Gong Yu felt uncertain, but Xiao Man no longer struggling gave him some peace of mind. "The Imperial Advisor is already on his way back to Blue Moon. You must be extremely careful."
"I know."
"Also, hide your weaknesses well." Although Nan Gong Yu didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Wen Mo Han had become Xiao Man's weakness in the outside world. "The Imperial Advisor is most skilled at exploiting others' weaknesses."
"I know."
"Wen Mo Han doesn't know martial arts. While the Wen family's hidden guards are not bad, they are simply no match for the Imperial Advisor's men. You should arrange for more people to protect him."
"He's not a burden." Xiao Man frowned. Although Wen Mo Han didn't know martial arts, he was never a burden, at least not her burden.
Nan Gong Yu's body stiffened, and panic spread within him. The thing he feared most was Xiao Man falling in love with Wen Mo Han. If that happened, he would lose her forever.
"Xiao Man, don't leave me." Nan Gong Yu embraced Xiao Man, pleading, "Give me some time, and I will definitely prove to you that I am not the murderer of your father."
Xiao Man remained silent, struggling to sit up, "I don't want to mention past events anymore."
Nan Gong Yu propped himself up with his elbows on the ground, "This is unfair to me. You know very well that I was framed, that I was wronged, yet you allow others to accuse me, even joining them in accusing me. This is unfair!"
"Where is there any fairness in this world?"
"Even when sentencing someone to death, one should be given a chance to plead their case, shouldn't they?" Nan Gong Yu insisted, "Moreover, you believe me, don't you?"
"You're overthinking things!"
"If you didn't believe me, I would have died at the spring hunt long ago." Nan Gong Yu grabbed Xiao Man's hand and pressed it against his chest. "I was stabbed here twice, both times in the same spot. Both times, it almost cost me my life, yet both times a sliver of survival was left for me. Xiao Man, stop deceiving yourself. Admit it, you have feelings for me."
Xiao Man didn't want to argue with Nan Gong Yu. Just as she was about to get up, Nan Gong Yu pulled her, and she fell back into his embrace again. Nan Gong Yu let out a muffled groan, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his lips. A flicker of shock crossed Xiao Man's eyes, and she instinctively reached out to feel Nan Gong Yu's pulse, not noticing the triumphant glint in his eyes.
"How did you get injured..." Nan Gong Yu pushed himself up and kissed Xiao Man's lips. Their lips met, carrying a faint taste of blood, yet Nan Gong Yu felt a sense of peace. She still cared about him.
Just then, the door of the room was pushed open. Wen Mo Han stood at the doorway with a late-night snack in his hands. However, the smile on his face shattered into pieces the moment he saw the scene in the room. The tray slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground. The small ceramic bowl instantly shattered into pieces, and the freshly boiled bird's nest soup spilled all over the floor, still emitting wisps of steam.
Wen Mo Han stood at the door, looking somewhat helpless, as if he shouldn't have been there. After a moment, he quickly turned and left. Xiao Man was startled, pushed Nan Gong Yu away, and was about to chase after him.
Nan Gong Yu grabbed Xiao Man's arm, "Don't chase him. He should have known the truth by now."
Xiao Man took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and said, "You did that on purpose!"
"You love me, not him. Why give him false hope?"
Xiao Man fiercely pulled Nan Gong Yu's hand away and chased out.
Wen Mo Han ran back to his room and closed the door. He had never expected Nan Gong Yu to arrive so soon. What made him feel even more regretful was Xiao Man's attitude towards him.
Knocking sounded from outside the door: "Mo Han, are you there?"
Wen Mo Han immediately turned around, wanting to open the door. He reached for the handle, then withdrew his hand. He wanted to hear Xiao Man's explanation, but he was afraid to hear it. He slumped against the door, his body slowly sliding down until he was sitting on the floor. He thought he could accept the fact that Xiao Man didn't love him, and as long as he could stay by her side and see her every day, that would be enough.
But he was also greedy. At first, he only wanted to see her every day. Later, he wanted to stay by her side. And now, he desired more, not just her presence, but also her heart.
Wen Mo Han buried his head between his knees and wept silently. He realized he couldn't accept the fact that Xiao Man didn't love him. He had originally thought that if Nan Gong Yu stayed away from Xiao Man, he could win her heart. But with Nan Gong Yu's appearance, all his efforts became a joke.