Song Qingxian felt as if all the strength had been drained from her body as she followed Lu Nanzhan to the cage where Shuangye was kept.
A thick, bloody stench filled the air everywhere. Shuangye’s green eyes gleamed with an excited, sharp light as he let out a low, menacing growl.
Lu Nanzhan’s expression was cold and detached as he issued a command. “Throw him in.”
The bodyguards stepped forward at once to open the cage. Song Qingxian rushed over and stood in front of it, blocking the entrance.
“I said no. You can’t do this, Lu Nanzhan!”
His gaze turned icy. “Xianxian, move.”
“How can you be so cruel and heartless?”
Cruel and heartless? A faint, mocking smile curved Lu Nanzhan’s lips. “Xianxian, is this your first day knowing me?”
“Please… I’m begging you, please,” she said urgently.
Lu Nanzhan frowned slightly. Song Qingxian had always been proud and distant in front of him. Yet now she was begging for Fang Cheng?
His tone grew even colder. “What are you waiting for? Do you want me to do it myself?”
“Crazy man!”
Before she could react further, Lu Nanzhan pulled Song Qingxian into his arms. His voice was gentle and low. “Yes, I am crazy. So Xianxian, don’t try to challenge me. Otherwise, I don’t even know what I might do.”
His gentleness concealed a blade of danger. It was the kind of tenderness that only made Song Qingxian feel deeper fear.
The cage door was opened.
Fang Cheng was thrown inside.
Song Qingxian felt her legs weaken instantly, nausea surging violently in her stomach.
Shuangye’s eyes lit up with bloodlust and excitement as he slowly approached Fang Cheng.
Song Qingxian grabbed Lu Nanzhan’s clothes. “Azhan, let him out. Please, I’m begging you. For the sake of our child…”
Lu Nanzhan’s gaze turned even colder. “Xianxian, are you trying to threaten me with our child?”
At that moment, inside the cage, Shuangye tore into Fang Cheng’s thigh, ripping off a chunk of flesh.
“Azhan… don’t do this. I’ll be afraid of you. I’ll hate you,” Song Qingxian said, her voice trembling.
Lu Nanzhan’s dark eyes rippled slightly. His expression softened for a brief moment. He was afraid. Afraid that Song Qingxian would hate him.
The overwhelming bloodiness and terror hit Song Qingxian all at once. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably. A sudden cramp surged through her, and she felt a warm flow between her legs.
The next moment, her vision went completely blank, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
When Song Qingxian woke again, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. For a moment she was dazed. Had she died again? Or had she simply fainted?
Lu Nanzhan was sitting beside her. When he saw her open her eyes, he immediately grasped her hand.
“Xianxian, you’re awake.”
Song Qingxian sat up slowly. Lu Nanzhan placed a pillow behind her back to support her.
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have let you see that. I scared you,” he said, his eyes filled with guilt. How could he have let her witness something so bloody?
Song Qingxian felt emotionally exhausted. Now she finally understood the original Song Qingxian. Anyone forced to stay by this man’s side would want to run away.
She suddenly felt drained, both physically and mentally, as if she wanted nothing more than to escape everything. She did not want to be anyone’s savior.
Maybe she never should have come back at all. She had overestimated herself. What could she possibly do to save a man as twisted and obsessive as Lu Nanzhan?
Seeing her remain silent, Lu Nanzhan tightened his grip on her hand slightly. His voice carried a trace of vulnerability. “Xianxian, are you blaming me?”
After a pause, Song Qingxian cautiously asked, “Fang Cheng… he…”
He was probably gone. Even so, she still couldn’t give up hope. Maybe Lu Nanzhan hadn’t been that cruel in the end.
Lu Nanzhan’s expression darkened. “The first thing you say after waking up is to ask about him?”
Song Qingxian lowered her gaze in silence for a moment before looking back up slowly. “Azhan, I’m not concerned about him. I’m concerned about you.”
There was clear mockery in Lu Nanzhan’s eyes. The faint smile on his lips made him look almost heartbreaking. “Xianxian, the way you care about me is truly special.”
“…”
“Hmm?” He gave a soft hum, eyes fixed on her. “If I told you he’s dead, what would you do?”
Song Qingxian lowered her gaze so her expression could not be seen. After a long moment, she replied calmly, “Nothing.”
“Would you hate me?”
“No. To me, you are the most important person.” She paused slightly. “But I would hate myself. Everything that happened today is my fault.”
Lu Nanzhan’s heart pounded violently. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his eye. Xianxian said he was the most important.
But it disappeared almost instantly. He didn’t dare believe it.
“Xianxian, you’re lying to me again, aren’t you?”
Song Qingxian looked at him. This man was twisted, cruel, and bloodthirsty, yet in front of her, he revealed such caution and insecurity. He must have been deeply hurt before.
“Azhan, I’m not lying. I’ve hurt you many times before, but I won’t hurt you anymore in the future.”
Lu Nanzhan stared at her. She really seemed different.
She had never shown him such gentleness before. The old Song Qingxian was full of thorns. Every time he approached her, he left wounded.
And yet, he still couldn’t help but approach her, like a moth drawn to flame.
“Xianxian,” Lu Nanzhan called her name in a low voice.
Song Qingxian held his hand. “Azhan, I know you don’t believe me yet. I will prove it slowly. So…”
His deep eyes locked onto hers. “So what, Xianxian?”
“So can you open your heart just a little…” Don’t be so isolated and obsessive.
“Open my heart?” Lu Nanzhan’s voice was low and heavy. “Xianxian, I once placed my heart in front of you, but you didn’t even look at it. You even wanted to step on it.”
Song Qingxian felt her nose sting slightly. He spoke of such pain in a calm tone, as if he had long been used to it.
She suddenly wanted to hug this cold, ruthless, yet lonely and obsessive man.
She moved closer and gently embraced him. “Let’s try to get better together in the future, okay?”
Lu Nanzhan’s body stiffened noticeably. After a moment, he reacted and held her tightly.
“Okay! As long as you don’t leave me, Xianxian.”
Song Qingxian’s heart tightened painfully. Everything she had done was to one day return to her original life.
If that day came and she left, what would Lu Nanzhan become?
Just thinking about it made her chest ache.
“Xianxian,” Lu Nanzhan leaned close to her ear and said softly, almost pleadingly, “I didn’t kill Fang Cheng. He’s not dead.”