This voice, this presence—Wanqing felt somewhat dazed, then slowly opened her eyes. In the flickering light before her stood a man clad in moon-white brocade robes.
Seeing Leng Mingye, she thought of their current relationship and how he had rejected Wu Qingyang’s words at the daytime banquet. For some reason, the fiery intensity and directness in his gaze tonight made her heartbeat quicken involuntarily.
Sitting up on the bed, she looked at him, forcing herself to remain calm as she asked,
“You—what are you doing here?”
“Can’t I come to see you? Second Miss Mu, my cousin?”
Her reaction puzzled him. He had expected at least a flicker of emotion—gratitude, perhaps even joy—but all he received was cool detachment. He couldn’t fathom what was going on in her mind.
Leng Mingye took a step forward, then sat down beside her on the bed.
“Leng Mingye, what are you doing? Since you’ve already called me ‘cousin,’ shouldn’t you, as my elder cousin, refrain from barging into my room in the middle of the night and shamelessly sitting on my bed? Aren’t you afraid of gossip?”
Though this man was undeniably exceptional—handsome, almost bewitching, exuding arrogance and dominance, the very image of a modern-day cold-hearted CEO—his presence unsettled her. Given their awkward familial ties and their previous unintended intimacy, Wanqing couldn’t help but recall their past indiscretions whenever she saw him.
She had thought that if he never appeared again, she could simply treat it as a wound from a dog bite, something that would fade with time. But now, here he was, showing up in the palace where she had just settled in.
Despite her exhaustion, she instinctively moved away as he approached, putting some distance between them. Seeing him still seated on her bed, she stood helplessly to the side and asked,
“I know our current situation is awkward, but you weren’t like this with me before. More importantly, after these days together and my own reflections, I’ve realized that you must mean something different to me. I like you. We’ve already been intimate—are you really going to reject me now?”
Her calm questioning made him recall all their past interactions—her willfulness, her boldness. Yet now, she shied away from him in fear. Unfazed by their familial ties, he openly confessed his feelings and challenged her in return.
“You—before, I didn’t know, so… But now, our relationship isn’t just awkward—if people found out, we’d be condemned by thousands. You may not care, but I don’t want to live under constant scorn. Don’t forget, we’re cousins, sharing the same surname, the same ancestors. How can you—”
Wanqing’s expression turned shocked. She had never spoken of this to anyone, not even Chunhong. Yet here he was, boldly declaring his feelings. If not for their current relationship, she might have actually considered him.
After all, beneath his cold, domineering exterior, he had always silently watched over her, appearing whenever she was in danger. But they were cousins—how could he take this seriously?
“The fearless Mu Wanqing is actually afraid? What if I told you I don’t care about names or bloodlines? Don’t you feel anything for me at all?”
Her rare display of fear and hesitation amused him. Despite his own conflicted feelings about their situation, he smirked and seized her hand, staring intently into her eyes.
“…This is immoral. We both have to forget the past. You’re drunk—let me go. What are you doing? Leng Mingye, if you keep laying hands on me, don’t blame me for being harsh.”
Though his sincerity was evident, and though she couldn’t deny the memories of his care, the reality of their blood ties made her stiffen. She glared coldly at him, struggling against his grip.
Instead of releasing her, he tightened his hold and, taking advantage of her struggle, wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning in. As his handsome face drew closer, she recalled their past recklessness and warned icily, a silver needle glinting between her fingers.
“Do you really despise my feelings this much?”
Effortlessly catching her wrist to stop the needle, he gazed at her with pained frustration.
“It’s not about despising—this is wrong. We can’t do this. Leng Mingye, please, stop.”
Her words struck a chord in his heart. Though he knew she wasn’t indifferent to him, the weight of their shared bloodline made her resistance inevitable.
Seeing her struggle futilely, he finally released her, his expression dark with sorrow.
“I know. But Qing’er, I can’t forget. If only we weren’t bound by family—but I can’t control my heart. Do you understand? I never expected to fall for you like this. Just… let me hold you for a moment. Just being able to watch you, to see you act willful and unrestrained—that’s enough for me.”
Her repeated warnings and the reality of their kinship tore at him. Though he knew they could never be, he couldn’t suppress his emotions.
Gazing at her with anguish, he slowly reached for her again. When she tensed, he pleaded silently, and when she didn’t resist, he pulled her into a desperate embrace.
“It’s fate. You have to forget me, and I must forget you. Otherwise, we’ll both be cursed. Now, go. Don’t come looking for me again. My life is peaceful now—please don’t disturb it.”
Nestled in his arms, she listened to his tormented whispers. She hadn’t realized the depth of his feelings, but their shared blood was an insurmountable barrier. Pushing him away, she met his devastated gaze and spoke coldly before turning her back, dismissing him.
“I… Ah.”
Her reaction told him that continuing like this would only hurt them both. But words failed him. Facing her turned back, a thousand unspoken thoughts condensed into a silent sigh before he turned and left, his heart heavy with loss.
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