Love & Redemption
Chapter 186: Volume 4: Sudden Rift in the Chinese Dream, - 43: Riot (5)

Chapter 186: Volume 4: Sudden Rift in the Chinese Dream, Chapter 43: Riot (5)

Xuanji, startled by his shout, froze on the spot. She remembered what the Lover’s Curse was, and that half-crying, half-smiling mask. Only... "Wasn’t the mask broken? Wasn’t the Lover’s Curse lifted?" She turned around, flustered and panicked like a child who had done something wrong, asking desperately.

Liu Yihuan’s face was stern as he grabbed her sleeve, pulling her back several steps before saying, "The mask breaking has nothing to do with the Lover’s Curse! That thing is extremely venomous; it’ll flare up when he’s mentally unstable, like a chronic disease. It’s best you don’t go to him now, lest he dies by your hands!"

Xuanji turned pale with shock, exclaiming, "How could I kill him!"

Liu Yihuan pressed his lips together, saying nothing. He did not wish to blame the young girl too much; the pressure she was under was indeed great.

The Vice Palace Master chuckled softly, "You weren’t going to kill him with a sword, but with your heart."

"You’re talking nonsense!" Xuanji wasn’t so polite with him, her face covered with a frosty layer.

The Vice Palace Master responded, "How am I talking nonsense? Do you know what mutual love means? Do you know the Lover’s Curse only acts up when one is anxious about gains and losses? Who caused him to feel that way? Was it you? If you don’t love him, why not let go cleanly? The one entangled is not him; it’s you."

"I... I haven’t!" Xuanji nearly cried out in her anxiety, "How could I not like him? I really like Si Feng!" She couldn’t care less about preserving her dignity, confessing her feelings in front of several men.

The Vice Palace Master whispered softly, "Little Xuanji, liking and loving are two completely different things. You probably like a lot of people, right? Your father, your mother, your sisters, your senior brothers... You can like many people, but loving someone is different. In this world, you’ll only love one person."

Xuanji opened her mouth to argue but realized she could not find the words to do so.

Liu Yihuan had asked her the same question before: what exactly does Yu Sifeng mean to her heart? When compared to the other people she liked, who was the most important? She never understood the significance of this question; everyone was important to her, and she didn’t want to lose anyone.

But now, she was beginning to understand vaguely.

Yu Sifeng had said that there’s only one person for whom you’d willingly die. Compared to that person, nothing else matters, to live and die together—that’s what it’s about. You can feel heartbroken and grieve over many people, and might even have the thought of dying with them, but there’s only one person you’d follow to the end without hesitation. Because that person is more important than your own life, without her, the whole world might as well be dead.

Then, was Yu Sifeng really that important to her heart? She thought about it for a long time, her head covered in cold sweat, but could not come up with an answer. She had never truly lost him; she harbored this base thought: no matter what, he would always be with her, he would never leave, and with him by her side, she would never be alone.

She had never considered what she would become if he truly left. She took his love for granted, acting without restraint.

If her parents were to pass away, she would be deeply saddened. If Linglong Minyan left, she would be painfully lost. But it was okay; she still had Si Feng. He was the line she hid deepest within her, never to be crossed. She buried this thought so deep, she even deceived herself.

For his sake, she braved dangers, recklessly ventured to Li Ze Palace to save someone, not knowing how much of that was because she loved him. When he was so intimate with her, embracing and kissing her, how much of her response was genuine, she did not know.

She was so selfish; everything was for herself. She did not want to be alone; she was terrified of loneliness. As a child, being punished in Mingxia Cave, it felt like the whole world had abandoned her—she never wanted to experience that feeling again. Yu Sifeng’s tenderness was the only lifeline she clung to, and she would never let go.

Was that love?

Could that be love?!

Xuanji’s face was ashen, she stood there in a daze, her mind in complete disarray.

The Vice Palace Master spoke softly, "In fact, you don’t love him, so stop torturing him. It’s better for both of you if you let go sooner."

"I... I..." Xuanji murmured, suddenly overcome with a sense of grievance, tears slowly flowing down.

Yu Sifeng’s voice suddenly came through faintly; he was calling her, "Xuanji... is that Xuanji?"

Xuanji burst into tears, covering her face, nodding her head, and choking out, "It’s me... Si Feng, are you alright?"

Yu Sifeng, lying powerless in the Great Palace Master’s arms, pale-faced, gazed steadily into the distance at something indistinct. After a while, he spoke softly, "I’m sorry, I never told you the truth. It must have startled you."

Xuanji whispered back, "No... I’m just a bit surprised... Si Feng, it wasn’t on purpose that I let go of you... don’t be angry with me."

Yu Sifeng slowly shook his head: "I’m not angry... By the way, your parents, they weren’t hurt, were they?"

"No. They’re fine... Si Feng, come back with us, okay? I’ll definitely find a way to lift the Lover’s Curse for you, don’t worry."

Yu Sifeng fell silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Fuyu Island has become such a mess, how did you manage to escape? What would you have done if something unexpected had happened again?"

Xuanji replied anxiously, "I came to chase after you... Don’t change the subject! Si Feng! Even if you are a demon, that’s nothing great! I don’t care at all! Come back with us! If father and the others take issue with this, then we’ll just leave! The world is so vast, we can go anywhere! I really don’t care at all!"

Yu Sifeng turned his head and looked at her, his gaze as indifferent as mysterious water, causing Xuanji to involuntarily take a step back. He said softly, "We left, then what? Live with everyone forever? Always laughing and playing like this? This way, you’re not lonely, right?"

Xuanji felt as if struck by lightning out of a clear sky, her face instantly turning pale as she faltered, "Why... why are you saying... this..."

Yu Sifeng closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In fact, he had woken up a long time ago and heard the conversation between the Vice Palace Master and Xuanji very clearly. It was precisely because he heard it so clearly that he had long anticipated that Xuanji would never say she loved him. Her answer, he had known for a very long time, he just didn’t want to think about it.

He understood Xuanji too well, she didn’t understand love; she was like a child afraid of being alone, needing everyone to accompany her, only then could she feel at ease. He had always lied to her, and to himself. Now, he could no longer deceive anyone.

"Xuanji, I’m leaving," he said faintly, "I’m tired, I can’t keep playing childish games with you anymore. From now on, you’ll be on your own. Take good care of yourself and don’t make me worry, understand?"

Xuanji was trembling all over, her knees quivering as if they would give way at any moment, unable to support her body. She cried out in a pitiful voice, "You lied to me! You said we would always be together! You lied to me!"

Yu Sifeng said softly, "I did lie to you, I can’t hold on any longer. Xuanji, it’s time for you to grow up."

Xuanji stared blankly at him, then smiled vaguely and murmured, "You’re lying to me... Si Feng, you won’t leave."

Yu Sifeng shook his head, "No, I will leave."

"You’re lying! You clearly said... you said..." He had said that she was the only one in his eyes, and also said that even if she regretted, he would not leave. Were those all lies?

Yu Sifeng said gravely, "I said a lot, but now I can’t do it anymore. Xuanji, I love you, and I’ll always love you. But I no longer want to be with you."

The Great Palace Master was ecstatic, his voice trembling, "Good child! Good child! Well said! Come back to Lize Palace with your master! In time, you will forget all of this!"

Yu Sifeng let out a weary sigh, murmuring, "Master... your disciple has caused you a lot of trouble..."

The Great Palace Master couldn’t help but tear up, "It’s not troublesome... as long as you come back... my heart is truly filled with joy!"

He turned and walked away, not looking back. The Vice Palace Master looked at Xuanji for a while, and then also slowly walked away. Xuanji suddenly called out, "Si Feng! I’m begging you! Don’t go! Don’t... leave me!"

He seemed not to have heard her, no longer looking at her. The Great Palace Master soared into the air, quickly becoming a tiny black dot, no longer visible. The Vice Palace Master stood in the sky, looking down at Xuanji with a somewhat pitying expression, and after a long while, he said softly, "You’re both still young. Later, when you understand... it might not be impossible..."

He suddenly shook his head, sighed lightly, and flew away.

Xuanji gazed emptily at the empty sky, staggering a few steps forward, feeling as hollow inside as the desolate heavens above, utterly scooped out.

"You’re a liar... you lying bad guy..." she murmured, as large tears streamed down her pale cheeks, flowing down to her neck. Her eyes unblinking, she walked slowly, as if she had lost her soul.

Behind her, Liu Yihuan couldn’t bear it any longer and reached out to support her, saying gently, "Little Xuanji, are you all right? Ah... why are you both so stubborn, it’s worrying..."

Xuanji looked back in a daze, staring at him and whispered, "Brother Liu, he lied to me... he’s gone."

Liu Yihuan said softly, "He’s just not thinking straight right now, he’ll come back soon."

Xuanji said softly, "No, I know... he can’t take it anymore, he definitely won’t come back."

Seeing her like this, Liu Yihuan felt a chill in his heart and patted her shoulder, saying warmly, "Shall Brother Liu accompany you to snatch him back again?"

Xuanji shook her head and said softly, "This time he’s made up his mind, I can’t snatch him back... he’s made up his mind to abandon me..."

When she spoke the words "abandon me", a sharp pain suddenly pierced her heart, and her vision darkened; she could no longer stand and collapsed forward.(To be continued, if you would like to know what happens next, please visit www.qidian.com, for more Chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)