"Shen Xizhou, didn't you once tell An Nuan not to appear before you? But now, you're constantly in her presence. What exactly do you want? What are your true intentions?"
Shen Xizhou's hands clenched tightly, yet he didn't make a move, because everything Nangong Jin was saying was the truth.
In reality, Shen Xizhou had regrets. He regretted how he had treated An Nuan back then. If he hadn't treated her that way, then all this wouldn't be happening now.
But since it had already happened, there was no turning back.
He remembered the beautiful days he had spent with An Nuan, but he was the one who had destroyed those wonderful times.
It was he, himself, who had gradually pushed An Nuan away, out of his life.
He had always thought that An Nuan would never leave his side.
But now? Everything had shattered all his hopes.
Nangong Jin hesitated. Shen Xizhou was right. He was the one who knew best An Nuan's deep affection for him. Even though he had done so much for her, even though An Nuan now belonged to him, he knew better than anyone that An Nuan's heart belonged to Shen Xizhou.
Yet, even knowing this, he still held onto the hope that with all his efforts, An Nuan's heart would eventually turn to him.
However, he was now uncertain. Shen Xizhou was no longer with Xu Ruowei, and Xu Ruowei was no longer around. Perhaps Shen Xizhou would slowly snatch An Nuan away from him.
These were things he didn't want, things he had always tried to prevent, but he knew clearly that he couldn't stop them.
Even knowing everything, he could only resign himself to fate.
But An Nuan was still by his side, and he still wanted to try.
Even if An Nuan could only stay by his side for a while, he would accept it.
Shen Xizhou wanted to snatch An Nuan away from him, but he would still fight.
If, in the end, An Nuan still chose Shen Xizhou, then he wouldn't say anything more.
Shen Xizhou was not worthy of An Nuan.
Shen Xizhou's gaze fell on An Nuan.
"Shen Xizhou, do you know what I went through when you tried to harm me back then?"
"If Nangong Jin hadn't been by my side, hadn't silently sacrificed for me, I wouldn't be who I am today."
"My life is owed to Nangong Jin."
"Shen Xizhou, you now so easily say these things, wanting me to return to your side. Do you think I would obediently comply?"
"Or do you think there is anything about you that is still worth my lingering affection?"
An Nuan looked at Shen Xizhou and said coldly, "When you and Xu Ruowei pushed me off the cliff, if Nangong Jin hadn't saved me, I would have lost my life."
"Now you say these things, don't you find it utterly ridiculous?"
Shen Xizhou trembled all over, his eyes filled with pain.
How could he forget that incident? To appease Xu Ruowei, he had agreed to treat An Nuan that way.
After he had acted, he had already regretted it. He had sent Yan Bai to find An Nuan, just to ensure she was alive.
But even so, when Yan Bai went down, he couldn't find An Nuan.
And at that time, he hadn't persisted further.
He remembered that when Yan Bai was investigating, he had uncovered some things, but Shen Xizhou hadn't believed any of it. At that time, he believed whatever Xu Ruowei said. Thinking back now, he really wanted to slap himself.
His heart ached so much he couldn't breathe.
He shook his head. An Nuan's current treatment of him seemed only natural.
A self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had brought all of this upon himself, and he couldn't blame anyone else.
"I know that anything I say now is useless, and no one will believe me."
"However, I still don't want to give up. I still want to try. Perhaps, with my own efforts, I can turn the situation around?"
"Shen Xizhou, it's impossible."
An Nuan said coldly.
She truly couldn't understand. She had made her intentions perfectly clear. Yet Shen Xizhou seemed not to have understood and persisted in his own ideas.
Shen Xizhou seemed to have forgotten how he treated her back then, when she knelt and begged him.
At that time, she was crying and pleading.
But what she received was endless humiliation, insults, and torment.
Back then, he only believed Xu Ruowei's words and didn't believe a single word of her explanations.
Now, he wanted her to forgive him. What made him think she would agree?
Nangong Jin gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Shen Xizhou, do you know that when you pushed An Nuan off the cliff, her life was almost lost?"
"And when she was in the hospital, the doctors issued many critical condition notices. It was I who persisted, who never gave up."
"All her suffering was caused by you, and now you so easily ask her to forgive you."
"Shen Xizhou, if all those things happened to you, could you remain calm and not hate? Could you forgive so easily?"
"Shen Xizhou, the grievances An Nuan suffered were all caused by you. Everyone has the right to criticize her, but you, you have no right."
Nangong Jin said coldly, "By what right do you think that just because you remember now and want An Nuan to forgive you, she must forgive you?"
Shen Xizhou's words, which were on the tip of his tongue, couldn't be spoken.
Yes, by what right? By what right did he expect forgiveness just because he asked?
What he had done back then was unforgivable by anyone.
He remembered how much he had hated An Nuan then, how he hadn't believed any of her words. Now, An Nuan equally had the right not to believe him.
After all, those words were so hurtful; he should know that better than anyone.
"Shen Xizhou, I heard what you said, your apology, but I will not believe your words, nor will I forgive you."
"As for your apology, it's of no use to me whatsoever."
"Please, leave my sight immediately, can you?"
Shen Xizhou's hands clenched tightly, his heart felt as if it were being crushed, making it impossible to breathe.
"An Nuan, even if you know I was deceived by Xu Ruowei, you still won't forgive me, will you?"
"I know I was prejudiced against you back then. But those..."
An Nuan glanced at Shen Xizhou and said coldly, "Mr. Shen, you've said these things before, and I'm tired of hearing them. Can you please stop?"