Li Yedao’s footsteps paused.
“There’s nothing left for us to talk about.”
“Huh?!
No, wait!”
Elysia suddenly lunged forward.
She practically dropped to her knees and wrapped both arms around his leg, her voice breaking apart in her throat.
“Yedao, you can’t do this!”
“Eden knows she was wrong!
Please forgive her!”
“I’m seriously begging you!”
Li Yedao looked down at the person clinging to his leg.
He wanted to leave.
But he was afraid that moving too forcefully might hurt her.
So all he could do was remain where he was in silence.
“Firefly, can you go to the room on the far left and bring my things out?”
Firefly froze.
Her hands twisted nervously together.
“I…
I don’t know which things are yours.”
Li Yedao gave her a helpless look.
Then he turned toward Mebius, who had remained silent beside them.
“Aren’t you going to do something about this?”
Mebius’s expression was dark enough to drip water.
But she said nothing.
She merely turned her head away.
“Yedao!
Please!”
“Just come back and live here!”
“We’ll help you punish Eden!”
“This house really can’t be without you!”
By now, Elysia was crying so hard that tears had soaked all over Li Yedao’s trouser leg.
Her voice was hoarse and frantic.
Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought they were witnessing some tragic final farewell.
“Let go.”
Li Yedao tried moving his leg.
Elysia hugged it even tighter.
“I won’t!”
“You obviously care about each other so much!
Why can’t you just sit down and talk properly?!”
She raised her tear-streaked face.
Her lashes were clumped together from crying.
Yet her voice suddenly rose, carrying a stubbornness that refused to compromise.
“Promise me you’ll move back in, and then I’ll let go!”
Li Yedao said nothing.
He simply looked down at her calmly.
One second…
Two seconds…
“Elysia.
Let him go.”
Eden finally spoke.
“But—!”
Elysia whipped her head around toward Eden, scattering several drops of tears.
Mebius frowned faintly as well.
Her lips moved.
But in the end, she remained silent.
Eden gave Elysia a slight nod.
The movement was gentle, almost like calming a frightened cat.
Then she stood and looked toward Li Yedao.
Her voice had regained some steadiness.
“The key is with me.”
“Come with me.”
Li Yedao took a deep breath.
He held it in his chest for several seconds before slowly exhaling.
“…Alright.”
The two left the living room one after the other.
The oppressive atmosphere behind them didn’t ease in the slightest.
If anything, it felt even tighter than before.
Elysia remained kneeling on the floor in a daze.
Tears continued sliding silently down her face.
Her lips moved faintly, as though she were mumbling something no one could hear.
Mebius stared in the direction the two had disappeared, deep in thought.
“…Are you two okay?”
Firefly cautiously looked at the women left behind.
After carefully choosing her words for quite some time, she finally asked in a soft voice, “Why did Yedao become like this?”
Ever since entering this house, she had seen a completely unfamiliar side of Li Yedao.
The person she knew almost never got angry.
He smiled at everyone.
He could be annoyingly sharp-tongued at times, but he never took things too seriously.
Normally, he was like a warm light without any harsh edges.
But today, that light had withdrawn.
All that remained were awkwardness and silence.
Elysia wiped away her tears and forced a smile.
No matter how she tried, it looked painfully strained.
“Eden…
was far too possessive of Yedao.”
“He couldn’t stand it anymore, so he ran away from home.”
The moment she said that, Mebius and Firefly both looked at her.
Each wore a different degree of confusion.
Elysia sniffed and continued.
Her voice was calmer now, but every word sounded as though it had been dug out from memories buried far too deep.
“Yedao was twelve when Eden brought him home.”
“From that point onward, they were each other’s only family.”
“Eden never lacked money or status.”
“Anything Yedao wanted, she could give him.”
“But in return, she demanded that he stay by her side forever.”
“He wasn’t allowed to go anywhere.”
Firefly blinked.
Her voice was filled with genuine confusion.
“Isn’t that…
pretty normal?”
Elysia gave her a strange look.
“Eden wouldn’t allow Yedao to take even half a step outside the Golden Courtyard.”
“And she watched him constantly.”
“…I see.”
Mebius slowly leaned back against the sofa.
Her fingers unconsciously tapped against the armrest.
Now she finally understood how Eden and Li Yedao’s relationship had deteriorated beyond repair.
Their fundamental boundaries were completely incompatible.
Eden could never let go.
Li Yedao could never accept being locked in a cage.
That contradiction had existed from the very first day of their relationship.
Its explosion had only ever been a matter of time.
Mebius’s pupils suddenly contracted.
“Wait.”
She abruptly sat upright.
Her voice dropped sharply, and her words came faster and faster as she chased down a horrifying thought that had just formed.
“If Eden’s possessiveness is really that extreme…”
“Then why did she agree to let him leave today?”
Elysia froze.
Firefly froze too.
Right.
How could Eden possibly have agreed?
Unless…
“No!”
“My Yedao!”
Firefly was the first to spring off the sofa.
She bolted in the direction Li Yedao and Eden had gone.
Elysia and Mebius exchanged a glance.
Both saw the exact same answer in each other’s eyes.
They immediately ran after her.
…
…
At the end of the hallway, a door stood slightly ajar.
Li Yedao stood in the middle of the room, looking around at everything inside.
The ornaments on the desk.
The decorations hanging on the wall.
The book beside the bed.
Everything was exactly as it had been on the day he left.
The bedding had clearly been changed recently.
It was folded neatly.
But the scent clinging to it was complicated.
Not dust.
Several different fragrances layered over one another.
As if multiple people had repeatedly visited this room, each time leaving traces of themselves behind.
Li Yedao slowly packed things into his backpack.
Eden stood behind him, silently watching his back.
“You weren’t like this before.”
Her voice was very soft.
Li Yedao’s hands paused for a fraction of a second.
Then he continued packing without turning around.
Eden continued.
“Was our life back then really so bad?”
“Whatever you wanted, I could give you.”
“Anything.”
“All you had to do was stay with me forever.”
Li Yedao stopped moving.
He put down the book in his hand and turned toward her.
For the first time, his eyes turned cold.
“Eden.”
“You really are unbelievably condescending.”
“Even now, you still haven’t realized what you did wrong?”
“What did I do wrong?!”
Eden’s voice abruptly rose.
Her chest heaved violently.
Something suppressed for far too long churned inside those usually composed eyes.
“Everything I did was so we could stay together forever!”
“You were the only family I had!”
“What was wrong with that?!”
As she spoke, she suddenly laughed.
It was completely unlike her usual gentle smile.
There was something twisted in it.
The expression of someone who had been pushed all the way to the edge.
“Yedao…
sometimes I really wonder whether you even have a heart.”
“Were all those memories we shared before…
nothing but lies to you?”
Her voice dropped.
So low that it sounded almost like she was speaking only to herself.
Yet every word still reached Li Yedao clearly.
“How can you be this cruel?”
Li Yedao laughed too.
If there had still been the tiniest sliver of hope somewhere inside him before entering this room—
It was completely crushed now.
“Eden.”
“We simply want fundamentally different things.”
“There’s no point forcing this any further.”
“I’m leaving.”
He zipped the backpack shut, slung it over his shoulder, and turned toward the door.
He didn’t want the rest of the things he hadn’t packed.
He only wanted to leave as quickly as possible and find somewhere to clear his head.
As he passed Eden—
She grabbed his hand again.
This time, her grip was incredibly strong.
Strong enough that Li Yedao couldn’t move at all.
Eden’s eyes were calmer than they had ever been.
“Have you really thought this through?”
Li Yedao looked at her.
A layer of sadness appeared in his eyes.
“I don’t want to see you anymore.”
Eden fell silent for two seconds.
Then she smiled.
This time—
It was a sick, obsessive smile.
In the next instant, one hand shot out.
A piece of cloth pressed precisely over Li Yedao’s mouth and nose.
His pupils contracted sharply.
His body instinctively struggled.
But Eden moved far too quickly.
As though she had already rehearsed this countless times in her mind.
A strange odor flooded his nose and throat.
Li Yedao’s consciousness rapidly blurred.
His strength drained away like sand slipping through his fingers.
His eyelids grew heavier.
The last image frozen in his fading vision was the slight curve of Eden’s lips.
Eden caught his limp body.
She lowered her gaze toward the person who had finally gone quiet in her arms.
Her fingers gently brushed the loose strands of hair from his forehead.
Then traced over his brows.
His eyelashes.
And finally the corner of his lips.
Her touch was impossibly gentle.
Like she was caressing a precious treasure that had finally returned to her after being lost for years.
“This time…”
“I won’t let you run away again.”
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed)
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.)
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 170
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 135
Supernatural Multiverse 210
My Harem Is Indescribable 120
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115
Why did they assign me to Uma 100
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63
Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!
33 join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed) Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed) Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.) I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 170 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 135 Supernatural Multiverse 210 My Harem Is Indescribable 120 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed) What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115 Why did they assign me to Uma 100 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63 Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!
33