The young man suddenly opened his eyes, filled with overwhelming murderous intent, enough to make anyone feel suffocated with just one glance.

Chuzheng raised her hand to cover his eyes, the boy’s eyelashes brushed against her palm like a fine brush, stirring ripples in her heart.

-

His face flushed, but his expression remained unchanged, which was somewhat unsettling to see.

"Had a nightmare?" Chuzheng asked softly.

The young man stared at her, "Why are you here?"

"Just came to check on you."

"..." Man Yue’s gaze shifted slightly, his rosy lips moved, "What did you do to me just now?"

"Nothing at all."

Man Yue frowned, returning to the previous question, "Why are you here?"

Didn’t he already ask that?

Why ask again!!

Chuzheng tidied up Man Yue’s messy clothes, "Man Yue, I like..."

The boy suddenly pushed her away, exploding without warning, "Get off, leave!"

Chuzheng, already leaning on the edge, was shoved directly off, nearly overturning nearby items.

Chuzheng: "..." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

I’m tempted to kill him!!

[Calm down, where’s your Good Person Card!] King’s Account advises Chuzheng.

Chuzheng suppressed her anger, stood up from the floor, straightened her clothes, and looked down at him, "Are you sure you want me to leave?"

"Leave." The boy gritted his teeth, the word squeezed out from between them.

Fine, I’ll leave!

Who cares to serve you!

Play by yourself then!!

Chuzheng turned and walked away, but hadn’t reached the door when her body was suddenly hit. The boy’s hand came up and held her tightly.

Chuzheng: "..."

"Didn’t you tell me to leave? What’s with hugging me now! Do you think I’ll forgive you just because?"

Angry!

The Good Person Card actually told me to leave!

Man Yue’s cheek pressed against her neck, his voice muffled, "Don’t... say you like me."

"What?"

"Don’t say you like me." Man Yue repeated, then unconsciously murmured, "I’m afraid."

Afraid?

Afraid of what?

Afraid she likes him? What kind of new reason is this?

Chuzheng was bewildered, "What are you afraid of?"

Chuzheng’s question received no answer.

She thought she wouldn’t get a reply, but then the boy’s voice sounded again.

"My brother... he always smiled and said he liked me, then... then..."

In blue robes, the elder boy held the hand of his younger brother, his face full of smiles, "Brother, can you help me retrieve that over there?"

The elder boy pointed at the basket floating in the center of the lake.

Young Man Yue shook his head fearfully, "Brother, I can’t."

The elder boy encouraged him with a smile, "Brother, your light skills are so good, you can definitely get it. Brother likes you best, you won’t let me down, right?"

Young Man Yue looked at the person in front of him, both fearful and scared.

This was his brother, the Eldest Young Master of the Man Family, Man Yi.

The genius praised by everyone, the pride in their father’s eyes.

Young Man Yue glanced at the basket far from the shore; he couldn’t do it...

"Hurry, or we won’t make it for lunch." Man Yi said with a smile, "Brother, you can do it."

Missing lunch... meant he wouldn’t eat until the next day.

Young Man Yue fearfully walked forward two steps, channeling his light skills, heading towards the center of the lake.

As he nearly reached the basket, his ankle suddenly felt tight, and he fell directly into the water.

Young Man Yue couldn’t swim, and after falling in, could only struggle to splash towards the surface.

"Help... Brother... save me..."

The smiling Man Yi stayed on the shore, looking on without any intent to save him.

Young Man Yue sinking into the water caught that chillingly terrifying smile.

-

He could still remember the suffocating feeling of the water rushing in; every time it accompanied his nightmares.

Chuzheng felt Man Yue’s embrace was too tight, making it hard to breathe.

"Man Yue?" Chuzheng called him, "Let go of me."

The boy abruptly let go of Chuzheng, stepped back two steps, and lowered his head standing there.

"Don’t... like me." He said softly before turning back to the bed, curling up and hugging himself.

Chuzheng: "..."

Just because you don’t want me to like you, I shouldn’t?

Doesn’t my dignity matter?

Chuzheng gritted her teeth and went over, pulling him up, "Man Yue, I like you..."

Man Yue’s body trembled, then began shaking uncontrollably.

Chuzheng pressed against him and continued speaking, "I don’t care what you’ve been through before, but you must remember, I’ll never hurt you, never."

"If you want to tell me who bullied you, I don’t mind helping you avenge. If you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you, but you can’t push me away, you’re mine, understand?"

Man Yue trembled more violently.

After a while, the boy’s tremors diminished, his chilling voice coming like from hell, "They are all dead."

"What?"

"They’re all dead." The boy’s voice was suppressed, "They died right in front of me."

Chuzheng realized he must be talking about the massacre of the Man Family.

He was really there at that time...

Chuzheng initially thought his state was because of the massacre.

But later revelations showed it clearly wasn’t; he felt nothing towards that massacre.

"Do you want revenge?"

"Revenge?" The boy’s tone was peculiar, his usually expressionless face showing a hint of a smile at that moment, "I already have."

The boy was originally handsome, and at that moment, smiling, he was stunning, yet... the smile appeared eerie no matter how you looked at it.

Chuzheng’s heart skipped a beat.

The boy’s smile flickered like an illusion; he snuggled closer into Chuzheng, closed his eyes, and forced himself to sleep.

Chuzheng listened to the boy’s shallow breathing, but her heart felt heavy.

The Man Mansion was gone, not a soul left, Chuzheng had someone investigate before but found nothing.

All that was known was that Man Yue was the second young master of the house, not particularly favored, and outsiders knew little about him.

Meanwhile, the Eldest Young Master Man Yi was widely acclaimed as a genius, rumored to have created martial techniques at a young age, likely to become a master of a generation.

The Man family’s youngest daughter was a beauty, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with many young talents wanting to marry her.

After the fall of the Man Mansion, details of the second young master were buried with the estate.

No!

Someone else knows.

The one the boy always keeps in mind—Yan Ya.

She’d have to find him soon to understand what really happened to Man Yue.

Chuzheng glanced down at the boy in her arms.

What a mess...

Why does everything have to be so difficult for me!!!

Chuzheng cuddled him, lying down, and whether unconsciously or deliberately, the boy snuggled in close, behaving very obediently.

Chuzheng: "..." Damn! This is too much pressure!