Chapter 1.10 Shen Qi
In a room shrouded in darkness, only the pale glow of the moon spilled through, casting its light on two figures locked in a tight embrace—a woman and a man. They were none other than Shen Qi and Mu Xuan.
After an hour of silence, Mu Xuan finally loosened his hold, only to be startled when he saw Shen Qi crying once more.
"Don't cry... why are you crying again?" Mu Xuan asked softly, uncertain of what to do. All he could manage was to gently wipe away her tears.
"This is all your fault, all your fault!" Shen Qi whined childishly, though her eyes sparkled with mischief as she basked in his attention.
"All right, it's my fault, it's all my fault. Happy now?" Mu Xuan relented.
Shen Qi gave a small nod.
"Then stop crying already—your makeup is all ruined," he teased, his lips curving into a rare smile.
Shen Qi let out a laugh, the sound light and sweet.
He never changes...
"Shen'er, I know I've been hurting you all this time. Because of my persistence, I didn't realize how much pain I caused, or maybe I did, but I chose to ignore it, afraid you'd slip away from my embrace."
Mu Xuan paused, his gaze locking with hers.
"That's why I've decided to let you go. I'll set you free. I won't force my love on you any longer, I—?!"
"What? You're giving up? After all this time chasing me, you're just going to give up like that? You jerk!"
Shen Qi's voice trembled with anger as she struck his chest with her fists.
Mu Xuan stared at her in shock.
"Take responsibility for what you did, bastard!" she cried, her punches raining down without pause.
"W‑What do you mean?"
Mu Xuan stammered, flustered, his heart pounding.
If this is a dream, then don't let me wake up...
"What do I mean?! I mean exactly what I said! If you think I'll let you go just like that, then think again. I, Shen Qi—what's mine is mine, and I'll never give it to anyone else! Understood?!"
Before he could respond, Shen Qi seized him and pressed her lips to his in a fierce, passionate kiss.
The sudden warmth jolted Mu Xuan from his trance. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her closer, as if he could never let her go again.
Shen Qi's fingers tangled in his hair, holding him fast as she deepened the kiss. Her defiance, her anger, her longing—all of it poured into that single moment, leaving Mu Xuan breathless and undone.
Mu Xuan returned her kiss with equal fervor, holding her as though he would never let go. Their breaths grew ragged, hearts pounding in unison, until at last they pulled apart, foreheads resting together as they tried to steady themselves.
A sweet smile lingered on their lips, their eyes brimming with love.
"Is this all real?" Mu Xuan whispered, disbelief trembling in his voice. For so long, this had only been a dream, never reality.
Shen Qi laughed softly at his silliness and leaned in to brush her lips against his once more.
"It's not a dream. This is real," she reassured him.
"This... this is really not a dream! Shen'er, my Shen'er loves me too!"
Mu Xuan's laughter was unrestrained, joyous, as he pressed light kisses across her face, unable to contain his happiness.
"Hehe... you can stop now," Shen Qi teased, cheeks flushed. "I already told you—it's not a dream."
"Shen'er, my Shen'er... I still can't believe this isn't a dream. Just moments ago, I was ready to give everything up, but now, how could I possibly let you go, when I finally have you in my arms?" Mu Xuan whispered, his hand gently caressing her face.
His eyes, filled with love, met hers, and in them she saw the same devotion reflected back.
"Shen'er, I love you. I truly do."
"I love you too, Mu Xuan."
Shen Qi's voice carried the same weight and sincerity as his, her words wrapping around him like a vow.
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"So what now?" Shen Qi asked as she played with Mu Xuan's locks.
The two of them were peacefully lying on her bed, hugging each other. Mu Xuan kissed her hair once in a while and caressed it, while Shen Qi kept playing with his locks, looking amused.
"How about we tell the others and then maybe get married... as soon as possible." Mu Xuan immediately added the last words.
"Marry? Hmph, do you think I'll marry you just like that?"
Shen Qi playfully smiled as she looked up at Mu Xuan, who also looked down at her, their eyes meeting.
"Then what does my Shen'er want?"
Mu Xuan devilishly smiled and gently held her chin, pulling her closer to him. Their faces were only inches apart, one move away from a kiss.
"Hm? Shen Qi does not want anything. All Shen Qi wants is your heart."
Shen Qi looked at him seriously.
"Is that all? But Shen'er already had my heart from the start, so Shen Qi does not need to worry anymore."
Mu Xuan leaned in for a kiss, but Shen Qi stopped him with a finger.
Mu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"Do I, Shen Qi, really have your heart?" Shen Qi asked, her voice laced with doubt.
She knew Mu Xuan had once loved the original Shen Qi, and jealousy gnawed at her whenever she thought about it.
What she needed to know now was whether the man before her loved her—the present Shen Qi—or only the shadow of who she used to be.
"How can this prince prove his love to you then? Tell me, and I will do it. Even if I must cross mountains of swords or seas of fire, as long as it proves my love to you, I will not hesitate."
Mu Xuan's tone was solemn as he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the finger she had used to stop his lips.
"You don't need to cross mountains of swords or seas of fire to prove your love."
Shen Qi smiled softly.
"All I want to know is this—who do you love the most? The old Shen Qi... or me, the Shen Qi standing before you now?"
Her question left even someone of Mu Xuan's caliber speechless. For a moment, he could only laugh in disbelief.
"Shen'er, are you joking?" he asked, but when he saw her expression darken, he realized she was deadly serious.
"I'm not joking. Not even a little,"
Shen Qi's gaze was unwavering, her tone firm as steel
"Answer me honestly—who do you love more? The old Shen Qi... or me?"
Mu Xuan could not help but sigh helplessly at being put into such a difficult position. Yet he knew there was no escaping it, he had to answer, and his answer had to satisfy his princess.
"Alright."
Mu Xuan began slowly, his voice heavy with sincerity.
"I admit that the first time I told you I loved you, five years ago, it was nothing more than confusion. I mistook familial affection for something deeper. Who could blame me? You were the first person to truly care for me despite how different I was. You didn't laugh when you saw my white hair. You didn't recoil when you looked into my eyes, eyes as red as blood, eyes that made others tremble with fear. You were the only one who gave me warmth when the world despised my existence. The only one who truly cared. That's why I was confused. But by the time I realized it was only familial love... I had already lost you—the one person who mattered most."
Sadness clouded his ruby eyes as he looked at her.
Shen Qi's heart trembled.
She had never realized how much this man, who loved her so deeply, had suffered. She had never known that to him, she was like a piece of drifting wood in a vast ocean, his saving grace, his lifeline.
"When I left all those years ago, I did it for both our sakes. I knew you hated me, so I left. I thought that by leaving, everything would end, that my feelings would fade. But the moment I saw you again that night in the garden, my frozen heart came alive. It beat for you once more. And in that instant, I knew I had fallen in love with you again, harder, deeper, stronger than before. I couldn't help it. You were like an angel sent from heaven, meant for me to love."
His voice softened, but his gaze burned with unwavering devotion.
"So my answer is this: I love not the old Shen Qi, but you. Only you."
Shen Qi could not help but be moved by Mu Xuan's heartfelt confession. At last, she was certain, this man had loved her, and only her, from the very first moment they met.
He had never lied when he vowed that his heart would belong to her alone. Even if countless lifetimes were to pass, his love would remain unchanged, unwavering—his heart forever hers, and hers alone.