Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 189

"You're my wife!!" Xu Lie roared frantically in my ear, his voice booming as if it were blasting out of my eardrums. I couldn't utter a sound, only painfully and laboriously trying to pry his hands off. He showed no mercy, only frantically increasing the pressure on my hands: "You shameless woman! How dare you let another man touch you! Do you think your husband is dead?!"

I think I'm going to die. I close my eyes, and I can vaguely see a silver-haired man standing alone on a vast land, aloof and lonely. I think, perhaps I really am going to die.

Chapter 39 Tearing Apart

"Ring ring—, ring ring—, ring ring—" The urgent ringing of the telephone was like a sharp knife, suddenly severing Xu Lie's hand from my neck.

Xu Lie jolted and released his grip, staring blankly at my tear-streaked face and the obvious marks on my neck, his face filled with desperate panic and helplessness. I, however, could no longer care about him; my hand loosened, and I slumped to the ground, coughing heavily.

My first thought after surviving the ordeal was: I was right, Xu Lie really almost strangled me. I found it funny to think that way, but as I laughed, I realized that tears were silently streaming down my face.

I vaguely heard Xu Lie walk over and answer the phone, saying wearily, "Don't bother me now."

After a few seconds of pause, Xu Lie suddenly roared, "I don't care if you're Xue'er or not, I told you not to bother me, did you hear me?!" He slammed the phone down hard, making a clanging sound that was sharp and piercing.

I struggled to my feet, feeling my whole body still trembling, and a burning pain slowly creeping into my throat.

With a loud bang, Xu Lie slammed his fist on the table, shattering the glass table on which the telephone sat. After a series of crashes, the telephone, along with the sharp shards of glass, fell to the ground. The receiver lay scattered to the side, and the faint dial tone could still be heard from its antique-style handset.

Blood dripped from the back of Xu Lie's hand, some falling to the ground, some onto the broken glass, reflecting into my eyes. Suddenly, I felt as if the whole world had turned blood red.

"Get out," Xu Lie murmured softly, a glistening liquid dripping from his hands along with the blood. Head bowed, Xu Lie leaned weakly against the sofa, and roared at the top of his lungs, "Get out!!"

It seemed as if it was driving me away with extreme hatred and loathing, yet its hoarse, low voice was soaked with scalding tears, leaving only sorrow, a sorrow that was painful to the extreme.

I wanted to say something, but when a rough, hoarse sound escaped my throat, I realized I really had nothing to say. I gave a bitter smile, and as I walked to the door, I heard Xu Lie's voice, as if his soul were being torn apart.

"I thought I could! I actually... I actually thought I could endure it!!" Xu Lie mumbled incoherently, then suddenly burst into laughter. The laughter was like that of a conscious person watching their flesh being peeled off, in so much pain they wanted to die immediately, yet unable to give up hope.

"Hahaha...Xu Lie! You're the biggest idiot in the world!!"

I had one foot already at the door, but that strained, manic laugh, that desperate self-mockery, prevented me from taking a second step. I felt as if my heart was being scraped by an extremely dull saw, bleeding and raw. It would have been better to just tear it in two.

I gritted my teeth, and drops of crimson blood fell onto the dark gray textbook cover, rolled a few times, and finally landed on the ground, forming a beautiful flower shape. Xu Lie's maniacal laughter echoed in my ears, indistinguishable from reality or lingering echoes.

I steeled myself and stepped out the door. The warm sunlight shone on my face, and a gentle breeze ruffled my fine hair. I raised my head to face the wind and the sun, only to find that my face was already covered in tears.

"Ouch! It hurts! It hurts... Zimo, couldn't you be a little gentler?!"

Zi Mo looked up at me and said coldly, "You still know pain?" Although his words were ruthless, he was still carefully treating the wound on my neck.

"What do you mean?" My hoarse voice finally came back to normal. "I'm human, of course I know pain."

Wrapped in thin gauze, I looked like a mummy in a plaster cast in the mirror. If Yihan saw me, he'd be terrified. Zimo's technique is terrible; I should have gone to the hospital.

Zi Mo put away the medical supplies and sat down silently to the side, his face gloomy and his eyes filled with unsettling emotions, as if he were deep in thought.

I sighed and said, "Zimo, don't even think about getting revenge on Xu Lie. Seriously, revenge is utterly pointless."

Zi Mo glanced at me sideways and laughed, "You've finally figured out the truth." He paused, then his expression turned serious, a hint of anger flashing across his handsome face. "Galan, remember this: you don't owe him anything! Don't always let him bully you!"

I nodded meekly, not daring to utter any comments like "Actually, you're just protecting your own" or "It's not certain who's bullying whom." No one knew better than me that if Zimo got serious, he could dig a hell for you to jump into without leaving a trace, and you'd still have to thank him afterwards.

Zi Mo suddenly said calmly, "Let's stay here tonight. You've already been carefully planning your moves on the Ishu Continent, so you don't have the energy to deal with that madman."

I was taken aback, somewhat at a loss for words: "But... if Mr. and Mrs. Xu ask..."

“Just say you’re going out with friends for a few days.” Zi Mo quickly interrupted me, giving me no room to hesitate. “Make a call tonight, and I’ll go with you to pack some clothes tomorrow. It’s settled.”

I remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "Okay."

Zi Mo suddenly lit a cigarette, holding it between his long, slender fingers, and quietly smoked it. After a long while, he said softly, "I've been a little worried these past few days, after all, we haven't been able to catch Shao Junyi. Originally, Xu Lie should have been able to protect you, but given his current condition..." Zi Mo paused, then said decisively, "In short, until you find a suitable body and Shao Junyi is brought to justice, you should stay here with me for now."

I was somewhat skeptical that Shao Junyi could make a comeback, but Zi Mo's worries must have their reasons. Besides, living here would be good for both me and Xu Lie. I forced a smile and nodded.

Zimo turned his head and gave me a deep look, then stood up: "You rest for a bit, I'll go ask for leave for you and bring back dinner while I'm at it."

I nodded weakly, leaned back on the sofa, and drifted off to sleep. Just as I was falling asleep, I suddenly heard a soft melody. It was familiar and touching, but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. I groped around and finally grabbed a hard metal object. Without thinking, I pressed a green button.

Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I heard a loud voice coming from the receiver: "Zimo! I did it! Did you hear me? I did it... I finally got to talk to him... I'm so happy! Zimo, thank you! Thank you so much!"

I was startled, as if a cool breeze had swept over me, bringing me back to my senses. That familiar voice left me speechless for a moment before I finally exclaimed, "Ah!"—"Wei Ye?!"

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly stunned, probably never expecting that after saying so much, the listener wasn't the person they were talking to.

I was wide awake now, and chuckled, "Wei Ye, tell me honestly, when did you and Zi Mo become so close?"

"Ah! Garan... Garan!" Wei Ye raised her voice in a panic, "I... I have something to do, I have to hang up now!"

Then she hung up. I placed my phone on my lap, stared at it, and chuckled to myself for a while before getting up to pour myself a cup of tea.

The moment I straightened up, it suddenly occurred to me that the ringtone I had just heard was the same tune that Zimo taught me to play on the battlefield in western Hunan.

In an instant, the joy vanished, leaving a heavy, unyielding feeling in my heart. A thousand years for a single moment, a thousand years for a single moment! Zi Mo, I hope you are happy. You must find your own happiness in this world.

Chapter 40 A Heart Full of Knots

"A few cries of the cuckoo announce the end of spring's beauty. Lamenting spring, I choose to pluck the last fallen petals. The rain is light, the wind is fierce, and the plums are green. The willows of Yongfeng, all day long, are deserted as their blossoms fly like snow. Do not pluck the last string, for the string can speak of deep sorrow. Heaven may not grow old, but love is hard to sever. My heart is like a double-stranded net, with a thousand knots within. The night has passed, and the lonely lamp by the east window is extinguished before dawn."

I stared at it blankly for a long time before finally writing the three characters "千秋岁" (May you live a thousand autumns) above the poem and putting down my pen. The characters that appeared on the paper were elegant and graceful, but they were noticeably weak, lacking the refined and proud spirit of yesteryear. Was it because I was not used to the new body, or because I had experienced too much and my temperament had become weak? Even my writing had lost its former vitality.

I sighed and was about to crumple up the paper and throw it away when I suddenly heard a familiar male voice sneer from not far away: "You think you can imitate the young master's handwriting?"

I looked up in surprise, the name "Qin Wu" almost slipping out. But his unfriendly expression and icy, sword-like eyes made it impossible for me to put on a friendly smile. I could only shrug, crumple the paper, and toss it on the ground.

Qin Wu walked up to me in a few steps, glaring at me sharply, and said coldly, "Don't be arrogant here just because of the Emperor's favor. You are at best a substitute, don't think you can replace... replace someone else's position."

Qin Wu looked into my eyes with hatred, sorrow, anger, and disappointment. Suddenly, the image of Qin Li's dejected expression, her hopes dashed, flashed before her eyes, and her heart felt a surge of warmth and tenderness. It turned out that on this continent of Yixiu, those who cared for me weren't just Yi Han and Yun Yan, but also many others like Qin Wu whom I had overlooked!