Chapter 120: Late at Night — The Emperor’s Apology
Everything Qin Buyao had done was simply to drag him down with her to die? Because she had long since grown despondent and wanted to die, she wanted to take him with her as well?
She helped Yan Moyu seize his throne, leaving him isolated and helpless—was all of that also to ensure that when he died, he would be utterly alone, with only her as his sole confidante in the underworld?
No… this… this was too absurd.
And yet, if it weren’t true, why did everything in the dream feel so real?
His mind replayed again and again the image of Qin Buyao before her death, and her gentle yet almost deranged words.
Yan Mohan coughed heavily twice, and with the coughing, blood came up again.
He sprang to his feet and staggered to the window.
Those eyes of his that were usually shrouded in gloom were now filled with bewilderment.
If everything in the dream was true, then what had he been doing these past few months? What had he been doing?
Suddenly, something occurred to him. His heart clenched, and another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
This morning—this very morning—he had bestowed upon Yaoyao a bowl of Sterilization Decoction.
…Sterilization Decoction.
She would never be able to become a mother for the rest of her life.
And he had even had Shadow One take her—seven nights in total.
“Heh… heh heh heh…” Yan Mohan suddenly let out a low laugh toward the window. As he laughed, it turned into loud, unrestrained laughter, so intense that tears streamed down his face.
He collapsed onto the floor, trying desperately to stop laughing, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t. Finally, he stuffed his fist into his mouth, his teeth biting down hard. The laughter slowly subsided—only to change in the next moment into painful, muffled sobbing.
—
In the Chimu Palace, Nan Xun, who had just bathed, changed clothes, and was about to go to sleep, was startled into jumping up by Little Eight’s scream.
“Ahhh! This is huge! Do you know what just happened? The big boss’s Malice Value dropped straight to 50! Ahhh! Is this a dream? How could it drop so much all at once? Wuwuwu… I’m so excited!”
Nan Xun: …
“Little Eight, did the Malice Value really drop to 50 in one go?” Nan Xun still found it hard to believe.
Little Eight burst into tears. “It’s true! I’m so happy! This is the biggest drop ever in history!”
Nan Xun froze for a moment, blinked, and said, “Looks like my dream-weaving spell worked. Yan Mohan believed what happened in the dream.”
Little Eight hurriedly asked, “So what kind of story did you even make up?”
Nan Xun snickered. “Ever since following you, Little Eight, I’ve seen quite a few lunatics. So this time, I simply molded Qin Buyao into a love-crazed lunatic as well. For a big boss whose Darkening Value is already at 85, the mindset of a lunatic should be easy for him to understand—and easy for him to believe.”
Little Eight: “…V-very good. Not bad.”
“The big boss is here! Wipe that thief-like grin off your face!” Little Eight suddenly changed tone and warned her quickly.
Nan Xun had just lain down on the bed when she heard the sound of a window being broken open.
Hearing the noise, Cui Huan rushed in and was about to engage the intruder—but when she saw who it was, she immediately withdrew quietly and even closed the door behind her.
Nan Xun put on an act as though she had just been awakened by the disturbance. Looking at the tall man standing by the window, all the grievance she had endured these past days surged up at once, and her eyes grew moist.
“Brother Han… is that you? I’m not dreaming, am I?” the woman murmured softly, afraid that if her voice were any louder, the dream would shatter.
Yan Han stepped forward and pulled her fiercely into his arms, pressing her hard, hard against his chest.
His body carried a heavy dampness, as though tinged with dew—he must have been outside for quite some time.
“Yaoyao…” His voice was low and suppressed, filled with pain.
“Brother Han, why haven’t you come to see me these past few days? I was so scared all by myself.” Nan Xun kept burrowing into his embrace.
Yan Han breathed heavily. “Yaoyao… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“So you know you neglected me? Since you’ve apologized, I’ll forgive you—but you’re not allowed to disappear for so long again.”
“Alright… alright…”
The two held each other like that the entire night. At first, Nan Xun forced herself to stay awake, joking and bantering with him, but eventually she couldn’t hold on anymore and fell asleep in his arms.
Yan Han carried the woman in his embrace to the window and studied her features in the moonlight.
Her sleeping face was serene. Her long, curled lashes rested obediently, covering those bright, dazzling eyes. She was thoroughly bad—those eyes always carried a sly, mischievous smile after teasing others—but now, with them gently closed, none of that could be seen. Her nose was small yet straight, and her slightly parted lips resembled a poppy flower, exuding a deadly allure.
Staring at her for too long, Yan Han felt an urge to bite down hard, to explore the even more tempting things hidden behind that small opening.
When he had been Yan Han, because of the revulsion in his heart, he had never deeply kissed her—at most, face to face, lips brushing lips, or her playful, dragonfly-like pecks.
After regaining his identity as Yan Mohan, he not only despised her but hated her. Before “favoring” her each day, he would almost savagely gnaw at her lips and body.
Marks still remained on her body—all left by his teeth, deep enough to draw blood.
At the thought of what had happened these past days, he wanted to stab himself to death. He had personally hurt the woman in his arms—such a good woman, ruined by his own hands. How could he have done something only a beast would do? He regretted it deeply.
Yan Han’s chest tightened. Another mouthful of blood surged up, but he swallowed it back with great difficulty.
Nan Xun had thought that when she woke up, the big boss would already be gone—after all, he had morning court to attend. To her surprise, she was still lying in Yan Han’s arms.
“You didn’t keep holding me in this position all night, did you?” Nan Xun looked incredulous.
“Yaoyao, my arm seems to be a bit numb,” Yan Han said.
Nan Xun burst out laughing. “You idiot—holding me like that all night, of course your arms and legs would go numb.”
Yan Han gazed at her deeply and said softly, “But I didn’t want to let go of you. I wanted to hold you a little longer.”
Little Eight suddenly chimed in, “Wow—how did the big boss suddenly switch to Deeply-Affectionate Mode overnight? Your story-editing skills are amazing!”
When Yan Han entered Deeply-Affectionate Mode, Nan Xun immediately switched to Full-On Teasing Mode. She leaned close to him, so close she was almost pressed against the silver mask. Then she reached out and gently traced his thin lips with her finger, smiling like a seductive spirit. “Hey, Yan Han—are you trying to seduce me?”
Yan Han stared at her intently, his low voice irresistibly sexy. “Did I succeed?”
Nan Xun’s slender finger lightly teased along his throat, making his Adam’s apple slide up and down. She smiled sweetly. “You did. Of course you did.”
Little Eight giggled. “You’re only daring to tease him like this because he can’t, you know. Good thing the big boss can’t—otherwise, heh heh, you little seductress would’ve been eaten alive long ago! So remember to thank me a few more times.”
