She suddenly raised her head and stared in disbelief at the man she had once loved deeply—so deeply that love had eventually turned into hatred.
There was no anger or loathing in his eyes, only utter indifference.
He had not even looked at her!
He was truly this cold and ruthless!
She had once loved him with all her heart, yet he would not even give her the chance to stay by his side and work like a beast to atone for her sins!
In an instant, agonizing pain and despair engulfed her.
It hurt more than all the humiliation and beatings she had suffered before combined!
Her vision went black. Clutching her chest, she nearly fainted.
Seeing that Zhan Haoting’s attitude was so resolute, Constable Wang also felt helpless and had no choice but to change his wording. “In that case… we’ll set this aside for now. Once Cheng Yao returns, we’ll discuss how to deal with Feng Xianxian. Until then, Feng Xianxian is forbidden from approaching the camp of the Zhan family’s main household. She is to be kept under separate guard!”
…
The night grew deep, and the camp gradually fell silent. Only the crackling of the bonfires and the faint footsteps of the night guards remained.
Cheng Yao’s slender figure appeared soundlessly in the shadows at the edge of the camp, like an elf blending into the darkness.
The first person she looked for was Zhan Haoting.
He was leaning back there with his eyes closed. The glow of the bonfire cast shifting patches of light and shadow across his sharply defined profile, making him look especially lonely and exhausted.
Two constables were still dutifully guarding him, never leaving his side.
Cheng Yao was speechless. Was Constable Wang afraid she would abduct him, or something?
If she really wanted to take him, or if Zhan Haoting truly intended to become a fugitive, did he really think a few constables could stop them?
Ridiculous!
Cheng Yao grumbled inwardly, then let out a sigh.
She had been gone for two days. Zhan Haoting must have been terribly worried about her, and she had no idea whether his injuries had worsened.
Now that he was being watched so closely, she couldn’t appear in front of him…
After thinking it over, she entered her space once more. She found some paper and a brush and quickly drew several simple cartoons, then folded them into a stack. She prepared some medicine and labeled each packet, indicating whether it was for external application or oral use.
She even reluctantly filled half a small bottle with spiritual spring water, writing on the outside: Take one drop each time!
She also packed a large bundle of dried meat, worried that without her feeding him, he would not get enough nourishment.
Once everything was ready, she reappeared at the camp.
A moment later, Song Ze appeared beside her like a ghost.
Cheng Yao handed him the bundle and whispered, “Give this to Haoting. There’s medicine and food inside, and I’ve written instructions on everything. Tell him I’m safe and that he shouldn’t worry.”
Song Ze accepted the bundle and nodded.
Before he could say anything, Cheng Yao cast one last deep look at Zhan Haoting, then vanished from the spot.
Song Ze’s vision blurred, and she was gone.
He opened and closed his mouth.
He really wanted to chase after her and find out what kind of person Madam truly was…
But that was not something he had the right to investigate. He had to restrain himself.
Song Ze silently appeared beside Zhan Haochen and gave him a meaningful glance.
Zhan Haochen understood at once. He immediately stood and walked over to Zhan Haoting.
“Big Brother, do you need to relieve yourself?”
Zhan Haoting gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Everyone had to attend to their bodily needs. The two constables assigned to guard him followed several paces behind, maintaining a vigilant distance.
With Zhan Haoting on his back, Zhan Haochen slowly made his way behind a cluster of bushes near the outskirts of the camp.
Under the cover of night, Song Ze was already waiting there.
“Master, Madam returned for a moment and asked me to give this to you.”
Song Ze first handed Zhan Haoting the few cartoons, then passed the bundle to Zhan Haochen and said quietly, “Madam says she’s safe and that you shouldn’t worry.”
Yao’er… had come back!
She was safe!
She was still worried about his injuries!
The icy, silent lake of Zhan Haoting’s heart seemed to have been struck by a warm stone, sending ripples spreading across its surface.
An indescribable warmth and strength filled every inch of his body. Even the pain of his wounds seemed to lessen.
Zhan Haochen placed the bundle in the grass. After waiting for a while, he pretended to go relieve himself as well, retrieved the bundle, and returned to where he was staying. He left the food behind and brought the medicine over.
The brothers exchanged no further words, their understanding between them perfectly unspoken.
The two constables glanced over from time to time but noticed nothing unusual.
By the flickering, faint light of the bonfire, Zhan Haoting unfolded the few sheets of paper he had never seen before. Their texture was unlike anything familiar to him.
The scene that appeared before his eyes left him stunned.
It was not drawn in any style he recognized.
The figures had extremely simple lines, with round, chubby heads and bodies. Their hands and feet consisted of only a few short strokes. They looked adorably clumsy, even somewhat… childish.
And yet, their expressions and movements had been captured so vividly and masterfully that the drawings possessed an indescribable liveliness and humor.
The first picture showed a round, chubby little figure in a dress and hair ornaments. Anyone could tell it was Cheng Yao. She was tackling a slightly taller young man to the ground, his handsome features outlined with just a few strokes, while she puckered her equally round little lips and planted a kiss squarely on his cheek!
The little beauty’s eyes were drawn wide, filled with mischievous triumph and affection. The young man she had knocked down was clearly supposed to be him. His round, chubby face even bore two patches of blush, while his eyes held a trace of surprise and indulgence.
The entire picture was filled with lively affection and irresistibly amusing charm.
Zhan Haoting’s fingertips brushed lightly over the kiss. The corners of his cold lips curved upward in an exceedingly faint, yet undeniably genuine smile.
This girl… had actually chosen this way to comfort him.
He could almost see her sly, lively expression in his mind, and the gloom that had weighed upon his heart began to disperse.
However, the tender smile froze the instant he saw the second picture.
It was the same round, chubby little figure, but now she was inside a cage. Her hair was disheveled, her mouth opened wide, and tears poured down like beans. Her eyes were filled with grievance and longing.
Beside her were two crooked yet seemingly sob-choked words:
“I miss you.”
I miss you!
Those three words struck Zhan Haoting’s heart with the weight of a thousand measures.
He could almost see himself in that little figure—alone in the perilous Unfeeling Valley, pretending to remain calm as she maneuvered through danger, while deep inside, she struggled beneath her fear, grievances, and profound longing for him!
Zhan Haoting’s breathing abruptly quickened. His chest felt as though it were being torn apart, overwhelmed by heartache and helplessness with nowhere to go.
His woman was suffering somewhere beyond his sight, while he was trapped here, unable even to see her once!
A violent urge to kill surged into his heart, nearly overwhelming his reason!
What did it matter to bide his time? What did it matter to plan for the long term?
He wanted nothing more than to summon every hidden force at his disposal, flatten the Unfeeling Valley, tear Gu Wangchuan limb from limb, and snatch his Yao’er back!
His fists clenched tightly as he stared fixedly at the picture, as though he could bore straight through the cage with his gaze.
After forcing himself to calm down, he looked at the third picture.
In it, the little figure was creeping forward like a thief, hunched low and glancing furtively from side to side. Yet on her back was an enormous bundle, nearly as large as a small mountain. It was stuffed to bursting, and one could vaguely make out various medicinal herbs, little bottles, and even several glittering objects inside—perhaps gemstones, gold, or silver?
The little figure’s round eyes darted warily from side to side, while the corners of its mouth curled into a sly, triumphant grin. Its whole posture perfectly captured that of a little fox who had just gotten away with something and was ready to make a run for it.
Beside it were two slightly larger characters: “Be patient.”
Zhan Haoting: “…”
The fury and heartache surging inside him froze in an instant, quickly giving way to an exasperated, helpless amusement.
