So one is willing to add the reputation of arrogance and domineering to his already notorious reputation. The other is as clean as a blank sheet of paper, yet is willing to bear the infamy of ruthlessness for the sake of the other.
People didn't know the feelings between the two, but at this moment, as bloodshed swept across the scene, everyone had only one concept in their minds: rumors are not to be believed, Luo Zhiheng is not to be trifled with, and Mu Yunhe is not to be spoken to!
Mu Yunhe composed himself and finally turned his gaze back to Luo Zhiheng. All the emotions in his heart exploded instantly!
Her stunning mid-air calligraphy, the unimaginable power and talent, the heroic and decisive movements she displayed—all were captivating. The instant she landed behind the red ribbon and glanced back, his heart pounded erratically, as if it would leap from his chest!
I never knew she was so beautiful, so incredibly talented, and so captivating!
This woman is fighting for herself today, and even more so for him! Her physical attributes will no longer be questioned; she has indeed conquered everyone with her strength. What do doubts matter? She remains effortlessly captivating!
His feet moved uncontrollably toward her, slow and trembling with pain, yet every step he took was firm and composed! He stood up for her, he stepped forward for her, and he bravely stood in the sunlight for her. He abandoned the darkness; she was his light. He had no way back; only by tightly grasping this jewel, drawing sustenance from her life force, could he survive!
Luo Zhiheng, you always say that I am your life, that you can only live with me.
But do you know that from today onwards, you are also my life? Without you, I will perish just the same!
We are truly inseparable, so even in destruction, even in annihilation, you can only walk with me!
It felt as if countless sharp steel needles were piercing the soles of his feet, so painful, so sharp. Yet, a smile gradually appeared on his face, a smile of unparalleled elegance, a smile that was unmatched in the world!
The crowd, prostrate on the ground, respectfully parted as he passed by. The incomparably handsome man walked slowly before them, and those secretly observing him from afar were almost blinded by his unparalleled beauty. They had never seen such a beautiful man before. But the man's gaze was fixed solely on Luo Zhiheng.
His appearance dispelled the rumors! He not only restored Luo Zhiheng's reputation but also stood up for her and bolstered the atmosphere. It's not hard to imagine that the oppressive crowd would soon witness a gossip frenzy sweeping through the capital.
When he passed by that pool of blood and the dead heads, he walked over calmly and without hesitation, which shows that he was a ruthless person at heart!
Standing among the crowd below the arena, only a dozen steps away from the steps, the intense pain in his body made it impossible for him to go any further. But Mu Yunhe didn't want all his efforts to be in vain, nor did he want Luo Zhiheng to worry or be afraid, so he stood there gracefully, his gentle gaze filled with unparalleled affection and indulgence.
He said, "Ah Heng, have you had enough fun? Come over here, let's go home!"
Good heavens, with just that gentle, warm, and smiling remark, he possessed a power capable of drowning out all bloodshed and ruthlessness! This man, so perfect as to be intoxicating, must have captured the hearts of countless women!
Luo Zhiheng was moved and shocked. She knew that Mu Yunhe's body could not withstand such actions, and she also knew that Mu Yunhe did not want to be in the light of day and had never seen so many people before. However, he was willing to bravely stand up to protect her. This was the second time Mu Yunhe had protected her, and it still moved her to tears.
Luo Zhiheng, usually so composed, took a few stiff steps before practically sprinting towards Mu Yunhe. The steps receded rapidly beneath her feet, people quickly backed away in front of her, and the group of strange, imposing old men became nothing more than fleeting clouds. Her fiery red skirt billowed up with a whoosh, creating a romantic crimson wave.
Without any restraint, she rushed into Mu Yunhe's arms. The seventeen-year-old girl was mature, but in today's scene, everything Mu Yunhe said and did made this passionate and heroic girl willing to give her life for him!
Mu Yunhe was knocked back a step, but on her second step, the quick-thinking Luo Zhiheng caught her around the waist and steadied her. She looked up instantly, her bright eyes filled with lingering joy and unprepared worry and frustration.
Mu Yunhe's face seemed even paler, but a beautiful smile, unlike anything Luo Zhiheng had ever seen, curved his delicate lips. He held her in his arms, appearing intimate to outsiders, but Luo Zhiheng knew that he was about to give up! Her eyes instantly reddened!
"What a pity I couldn't walk up to you and hold your hand to take you home." Mu Yunhe murmured softly in her ear with a smile, his hoarse voice like a hook that could evoke the softest emotions in one's heart, each word warm and comforting: "Also, Aheng, I'm sorry, I... should have come sooner!"
Tears welled up uncontrollably in Luo Zhiheng's eyes. She quickly lowered her head, thinking she was avoiding his gaze, but little did she know that his eyes were already filled with panic because of those tears. She buried her face in his chest, the gold threads on his magnificent python robe scratching her soft skin, but they couldn't stop the torrent of tears in her eyes!
She's so useless. It was just one sentence, why did she have to cry?
Luo Zhiheng inwardly berated herself, but her emotions were stirred. Mu Yunhe's words had stirred up all her feelings. His apology came a little late, but his sincerity burned away all her resentment and bad mood. With the past behind them, they were still that happiest, hardworking young couple!
"Aheng?" Mu Yunhe called out to her, his breath unsteady.
Luo Zhiheng wiped away her tears, then looked up with red, slightly pitiful, and alluring eyes. She hugged Mu Yunhe's waist tightly, smiling as she said, "It's alright, I'll help you home. We're still together!"
A chilling pain instantly flashed across Mu Yunhe's eyes. His tall, imposing figure encircled her, a petite figure standing before him, as she held him tightly in her arms. In the sunlight, their embrace was quiet and warm, a sight that could melt anyone's heart. Their actions appeared intimately close, but what others didn't know was that Luo Zhiheng, enduring heartache and worry, supported him, while Mu Yunhe, suppressing pain and trembling, leaned on her. Only together could they continue on their journey!
The road was rugged and uneven, full of dangers and perils, but the two of them huddled together, supporting each other, and always managed to keep going!
Thousands of people watched them leave hand in hand, their figures gradually blurring in the warm sunlight.
At this moment, the result of the competition is no longer important. Luo Zhiheng no longer cares about fame and fortune. She has proven herself with her strength, and the world will know that Luo Zhiheng is no longer a good-for-nothing infatuated girl. That's enough.
Supporting Mu Yunhe, feeling his trembling, her palms gradually becoming warm with sweat, she knew that even a short distance had left him exhausted and struggling. Luo Zhiheng, her eyes red, struggled to support the clenched teeth of the man, gently whispering in his ear, "Don't worry, leave yourself to me. Rely on me. At worst, I'll carry you home!"
Mu Yunhe suddenly laughed, his facial muscles visibly trembling: "Wouldn't that be incredibly embarrassing? If you really carried me back today, how could I possibly support Aheng and protect him in the future?"
Even so, he still handed over more of his unbearable weight to Luo Zhiheng. In that instant, he realized that Luo Zhiheng was supporting him and maintaining his balance so that he wouldn't fall. His smile deepened, and he said to himself with a self-deprecating tone, "Don't worry, Aheng, I have to give you face. Even if I fall, it will only be in front of you!"
My weakness is only for you to see!
The older sister won the championship! The younger sister was so angry she almost vomited blood!
Updated: 2013-07-04 16:16:25 Word Count: 3457
Mu Yunhe was strong and stubborn. In the end, he got into the carriage with Luo Zhiheng's help. As soon as the curtain fell, his body fell down. Luo Zhiheng's pupils constricted and her face turned pale, but she was not weak. She held him firmly in her arms, and the two of them almost fell onto the soft couch.
"Mu Yun..." Her exclamation was covered by a cold, large hand, and before her was Mu Yunhe's pale face that terrified her.
He could still manage a soft chuckle: "Don't make a sound, someone might hear. I'm going to sleep for a bit..."
The weak and feeble voice faded from Luo Zhiheng's ears. He closed his eyes and collapsed completely onto Luo Zhiheng's lap, motionless.
Luo Zhiheng suppressed her terror and placed her hand under Mu Yunhe's nose. If it weren't for the faint scent still lingering in his breath, Luo Zhiheng feared she would have rushed out and killed him. She told Xiao Xizi to take everyone back to the palace immediately, and that someone else would handle the rest.
Everyone watched Luo Zhiheng and Mu Yunhe leave, and they were all still unable to come back to their senses for a long time, including Luo Ningshuang!
Luo Ningshuang sat there, her face deathly pale, her gaze fixed on the slowly departing carriage. She could only seem to see Mu Yunhe alighting from the carriage and walking to the arena. Everything Mu Yunhe had done today had shattered all her previous understanding.
Luo Zhiheng's performance today had already caught her off guard, even shocking and infuriating her. She firmly believed that all the public opinion and rumors would suppress Luo Zhiheng. But her calculations were wrong—no, it should be said that everything that entered her body was beyond her control.
She should have won this year's top talent competition; her winning piece was this very performance. In her past life, this piece was world-renowned. So why, in this life, at the same time, with the same piece, everything is the same, yet the result is this?
Luo Zhiheng's victory was a foregone conclusion. She was unwilling to admit it, but the judges' attitude was clear. No, she wouldn't lose, much less lose to that despicable Luo Zhiheng!
What was even more hateful and shocking to her was Mu Yunhe!
In her previous life, Mu Yunhe was clearly on the verge of death. She stayed by his side like that, but she never received a smile from him. She served him tea and water, but in the end, she was never able to get even half a step closer to him.
In Luo Ningshuang's mind, Mu Yunhe should be a cold and selfish person. Although he appears gentle and refined on the surface, he is extremely difficult to get along with at heart. He always rejects the people around him. Apart from Xiao Xizi, Mu Yunhe does not allow anyone to touch his living quarters.
Luo Ningshuang suffered terribly in her past life. Even until Mu Yunhe's death, she remained a virgin. Not only was she a virgin, she had never even slept with Mu Yunhe, and could only huddle on the soft couch beside him, filled with resentment. Part of her resentment and bitterness stemmed from Mu Yunhe, and another part from Luo Zhiheng!
Therefore, she was determined to make Luo Zhiheng experience the bitterness of being neglected and ignored in this lifetime. Luo Zhiheng became Mu Yunhe's wife, and she thought it would be the beginning of Luo Zhiheng's lifelong misery. She thought Luo Zhiheng would follow her own path, perhaps even more tragically than in her previous life! Because Luo Zhiheng's personality was too fiery and direct, easily offending people and absolutely unwilling to suffer any loss. 15882608
But why did the reality completely overturn her imagination and past understanding?!
Mu Yunhe was perfectly fine! Shouldn't he be dying by now? He even stood up for Luo Zhiheng, and not just once! What she found most unbelievable was that Mu Yunhe had even hugged Luo Zhiheng!
How could the unapproachable Mu Yunhe tolerate Luo Zhiheng's contact?! Is it really because their fates are different that everything has to be different? Is Luo Zhiheng truly a lucky person?!
Luo Ningshuang was unwilling to accept this and almost crushed the zither table. She still clearly remembered that in her previous life, she was harassed by the hateful Consort Li. Whenever Mu Yunhe was in a bad situation, Consort Li would immediately come and beat her up and then find various excuses to punish her. Kneeling under the sun was the lightest punishment. In just a few months of marriage, she lived as if she were in hell.
Back then, Mu Yunhe, let alone the way he protects Luo Zhiheng now, never uttered a single kind word for her.
People really can't be compared, because comparison reveals differences, differences lead to competition, competition turns into jealousy, and finally into hatred! Hatred so intense it almost burns away reason!
Why is it that all the goodness, all the care and pity, belongs to Luo Zhiheng? In her past life, she accepted her fate and ended up with nowhere to turn. In this life, she doesn't accept her fate, and things have been going smoothly, except for her unchangeable biased father. She even managed to change Luo Zhiheng's fate out of anger and resentment. She thought things would continue to go smoothly for her. But when exactly did everything start to turn in Luo Zhiheng's favor again?
Mu Yunhe once belonged to her! Mu Yunhe's beauty was once exclusively hers! But she never received any glory or respect because of it. So why did everything change when it happened to Luo Zhiheng?
Fate is so unfair! Once Luo Zhiheng is the one who went through this, as long as she performs even slightly well or is even slightly outstanding, she will be showered with praise and rewards. Instantly, all the bad and flawed aspects of the nude photos can be ignored.
No matter how much or how well Luo Ningshuang does, she will immediately lose all her luster and turn into dust because Luo Zhiheng is in front of her!
"Ugh!" Luo Ningshuang suddenly groaned. The powerful resentment and anger caused her chest to feel heavy. As she groaned, she felt her vision go black and her breathing became rapid. She felt like she was about to suffocate, which caused her great pain. She had no choice but to take off her veil. Her face was pale and she had a fake weakness that she was used to. She looked extremely pitiful.
Finally, someone noticed her, but everyone fell silent this time because Luo Ning Shuang was truly inferior to Luo Zhi Heng this time!
"Announce the results," the emperor said again, without even glancing at Luo Ningshuang.
The results were supposed to be announced by the chief judge, but the chief judge was now slumped there, her face ashen. She had just lost the chief judge's seat that she had worked her whole life to earn; it would be strange if she wasn't desperate.
The deputy judge announced in a deep voice: "In this final, Luo Zhiheng's performance was absolutely brilliant, making her a well-deserved champion. The champion of the 103rd Mu Dynasty First Talent Competition—Luo Zhiheng!"
This first place is well-deserved! Absolutely deserved!
The entire arena erupted in cheers. Regardless of anything else, they only cared about the performance; Luo Zhiheng's performance was indeed amazing and stunning.
However, many people still feel sorry for Luo Ningshuang. If it weren't for Luo Zhiheng's sudden emergence as a dark horse, Luo Ningshuang would have won the championship for ten consecutive years and created a legend!
Some astute individuals realized that if Luo Zhiheng had consistently displayed exceptional talent, Luo Ningshuang might have become wary, making Luo Zhiheng's victory uncertain. Consequently, some were immediately astonished by Luo Zhiheng's meticulous and far-sighted thinking. This tactic of deceiving the enemy was truly masterful!
"Hahaha, this competition is quite fair." General Murong laughed heartily.
"The competition is over, let's go back and discuss where that treasure should end up." The emperor spoke, and a group of frail old people slowly boarded the carriage and drove away amidst the astonished and uncertain gazes of the crowd.
Luo Ningshuang didn't say a word. She held her breath, got off the stage and into the carriage. She couldn't hold back her breath any longer. With a "pfft," she sprayed a mouthful of bright red liquid onto the carriage curtain, shocking everyone present!
He touched the bright red liquid on his lips in disbelief; it was so hot, like the blood of the man Mu Yunhe had just ordered to be killed!
Luo Ningshuang slumped in her seat, her eyes devoid of the calculating and strategic brilliance. She was utterly dejected, her face pale and sickly, utterly bewildered. How could she have lost? How could she have been defeated by Luo Zhiheng? How could she have…vomited blood?
Oh, she vomited blood! She was driven to vomit blood by that slut Luo Zhiheng—no, she was driven to vomit blood by that adulterous couple Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiheng! Those two despicable bastards!
"Heh heh... Luo Zhiheng, you're something else! I'll make sure you die a horrible death!" Luo Ningshuang gritted her teeth, her face contorted in anger.
She collapsed there, utterly exhausted. Hatred had driven her mad, but when she closed her eyes, all she could see in her mind was Mu Yunhe's image. This was only the second time she had seen him in the sunlight, a mere handful across both her lifetimes. He was still so handsome and captivating, still so unattainable. And still so… oblivious to her presence!
A slight pang of pain shot through her heart. This man should have been hers, the man who had once belonged to her. No, she couldn't think like that. This man was someone she didn't want, someone she had abandoned. But then she suddenly realized she couldn't bear to see Mu Yunhe treat Luo Zhiheng well, not even a little bit! (Yun Jianbai also...)
Jealousy and hatred were like a huge whirlpool in Luo Ningshuang's heart, growing bigger and bigger, and more and more dangerous!
The intense talent competition, which lasted for several days, also came to a successful conclusion today. The outcome of the competition was beyond imagination but absolutely wonderful.
However, the biggest favorite was only Luo Zhiheng, and later there was also Mu Yunhe who suddenly appeared! 146.
Years later, when people talk about the First Talent Competition in which Luo Zhiheng participated, they will still mention that in that competition, there was a woman who was both loved and hated, yet undeniably the First Talent! Although she was full of strange tricks, ruthless and wicked, in the years to come, the name Luo Zhiheng will become the most colorful and splendid chapter in the thick annals of history of the entire Mu Dynasty!
The term "prodigy" also came to the fore when Luo Zhiheng's unexpected and stunning victory in this competition amazed everyone!
Second update! There's an extra chapter today! You guys are so awesome! Hua Sha needs to work even harder too! Still asking for recommendation votes, comments, and monthly tickets! Let's push for the new book's monthly ticket ranking! Vote now if you can, and save your tickets for Hua Sha until the end of the month! Love you all! *mwah*
151 Ah Heng went off-topic! I'm so sad! (Bonus chapter for 13,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-07-04 18:04:23 Word Count: 3432