CHAPTER 689: CHAPTER 275: THE PERSON SONG YANQING LIKES IS YOU (FIVE UPDATES)

Song Yanqing looked at Xie Ruotong.

Slowly.

He shook his head.

"Song Yanqing, you really are, truly devoted!" Xie Ruotong said sarcastically.

Her sarcasm was tinged with anger.

Xiao Jinsen was clearly never going to make a comeback.

What on earth was he still holding on to for Xiao Jinsen?!

Just because once loyalty is chosen, it must be upheld for a lifetime?!

Must one choose death over surrender?!

Even if one suffers the greatest torment, not to betray?!

In the end, is such a person noble.

Or.

Foolish?!

Xie Ruotong suppressed her rage, speaking again, "Listen carefully, Song Yanqing, if you disclose the whereabouts of the Chu King, I will let you and Xie Ruilin go!"

She emphasized Xie Ruilin heavily.

"Chen King is not as cruel and cold-hearted as you think! As long as you tell me the whereabouts of the Chu King, I can plead with Chen King for you; you can redeem yourself and ensure that neither you nor Xie Ruilin will be killed," Xie Ruotong continued with patience, promising, "As for Xie Ruilin, her current state is painful enough for me. Being alive is more agonizing for her than death; killing her would be an act of mercy. There’s no need for me to do anything unnecessary."

Song Yanqing listened to Xie Ruotong’s words.

He knew that what Xie Ruotong was saying was true.

She would not, deceive him.

To be precise, she followed through with her word and would not deceive anyone.

But he still shook his head.

He said, "Go ahead, Xie Ruotong, and kill Xie Ruilin."

Xie Ruotong was taken aback.

She truly hadn’t expected Song Yanqing to say such a thing.

She was unwilling to betray Xiao Jinsen and would rather have herself killed than Xie Ruilin.

Is it because, he also believes that Xie Ruilin suffers more in living than in dying?!

So he wanted Xie Ruilin to die, to ease her suffering.

She said, "Song Yanqing, I have really given you a lot of chances already."

"I know," Song Yanqing nodded.

"It’s not worth it, to harm yourself and the person you love most for someone who doesn’t deserve your loyalty," Xie Ruotong stated bluntly.

But she wasn’t trying to persuade him.

She was merely stating a fact.

After all, she couldn’t persuade Song Yanqing.

She was just criticizing his stupidity.

"Entrusted by someone, be loyal to service, this is the education I received since I was a child." Song Yanqing gasped for air, trying to make his voice clear, even though it was very soft, "Having followed the Chu King, I must vow loyalty unto death, without betrayal. My faith, my ambitions, my life, do not allow me to commit an act of rebellion."

"So even if Xie Ruilin dies, it would be acceptable to you," Xie Ruotong said sarcastically.

"Even if, she dies," Song Yanqing confirmed.

Xie Ruotong laughed.

A faint smile.

Song Yanqing truly is a loyal minister of his generation.

If he had served a different master...

What a pity.

There’s no chance now.

Of course, Song Yanqing isn’t worthy of her sympathy.

No one sympathizes with their own enemy.

She turned and walked towards Xie Ruilin.

Xie Ruilin was half dead.

Perhaps she would die the next moment.

She said, "Xie Ruilin, Song Yanqing has forsaken you for so-called loyalty, filial piety, kindness, and righteousness. Do you find it sad?"

Xie Ruilin was in a daze.

She moved her body, but still had no reaction.

"The feelings Song Yanqing has for you, are just that," Xie Ruotong mocked.

In this moment, she felt.

Xie Ruilin was somewhat pitiable.

Of course, pity notwithstanding.

This does not change the fact that she will be merciful to her.

"Song Yanqing does not like me," Xie Ruilin uttered weakly.

She had no strength left.

The voice she managed to produce, too faint even for her own ears.

Xie Ruotong, probably didn’t hear it either.

She tried to raise her head.

He looked up at Xie Ruotong.

Xie Ruotong met her gaze with indifference.

Xie Ruilin uttered another sentence, "The person Song Yanqing likes is you."

Song Yanqing truly does not like her.

The person Song Yanqing likes is indeed Xie Ruotong.

All along, it was just her deceiving herself.

She thought that by deceiving Song Yanqing, by being his life-saving benefactor, she could gain Song Yanqing’s love.

But in the end,

Once Xie Ruotong appeared, everything she calculated and obtained from Song Yanqing evaporated like smoke.

Xie Ruotong furrowed her brows.

Even though Xie Ruilin’s voice was very soft,

She heard it clearly; heard Xie Ruilin saying that Song Yanqing doesn’t like her.

At this moment,

The words she struggled to say, she heard them loud and clear.

But she didn’t believe it.

After all, she knew all too well who Song Yanqing liked.

What Xie Ruilin is saying and doing right now is merely to save Song Yanqing.

Until this very last moment,

Song Yanqing had given up on Xie Ruilin.

And yet Xie Ruilin was still thinking of Song Yanqing.

Xie Ruotong said coldly, "Xie Ruilin, is Song Yanqing worth you going to such lengths?!"

Xie Ruilin looked at Xie Ruotong.

From Xie Ruotong’s words and tone, she could tell that Xie Ruotong didn’t believe her.

Did Xie Ruotong still think she was pleading for Song Yanqing?!

Yes? No!

It’s just that at the very brink of death, she suddenly saw a lot of things clearly.

She wanted to return the happiness that belonged to Song Yanqing, back to him.

She didn’t want Song Yanqing to bear the consequences for everything she had done.

Xie Ruotong returned to her chair.

Seemingly no longer wanting to engage with them.

She said, "Song Yanqing, I’ll give you time to think it over. Given Xie Ruilin’s current condition, she can last until tomorrow morning at most. Just tell me the whereabouts of Duke Chu, and I will send someone to rescue Xie Ruilin immediately."

Song Yanqing did not answer.

Without any response.

Xie Ruotong did not press Song Yanqing further.

She just sat there, waiting for Song Yanqing’s answer.

The interrogation room became completely quiet.

The blood from Xie Ruilin’s lower body kept dropping onto the floor, drop by drop, nonstop.

Until, drained of blood, she perished.

In the silence.

For an unknown length of time,

Xie Ruotong fell asleep with her eyes closed.

During this time, she hadn’t really rested well.

That night, she accompanied Duke Chen into the Imperial Palace, then she went to track down Xiao Jinsen’s whereabouts; even last night she didn’t personally come to torture Song Yanqing but didn’t sleep all night either, even leading the soldiers to search the city for Xiao Jinsen’s clues until dawn, coming up empty-handed, and then she remembered Song Yanqing.

And so, she came straight here.

At this moment,

She just fell asleep like that.

Her face showed fatigue, yet suddenly, it seemed so peaceful.

Song Yanqing just silently watched.

Watching as Xie Ruotong fell asleep, the man behind her took off his own coat and gently placed it over her.

Even the slightest movement startled Xie Ruotong awake.

She opened her eyes and glanced at Lin Qianyu.

"Did I wake you?" Lin Qianyu sounded apologetic.

Xie Ruotong shook her head and closed her eyes again.

After Lin Qianyu covered Xie Ruotong with the coat, he leaned close to her, letting her head rest on his chest.

Xie Ruotong knew it was Lin Qianyu beside her.

This time, she didn’t even open her eyes.

She fell asleep in Lin Qianyu’s arms again.

This intimate interaction between the two of them was all witnessed by Song Yanqing.

There seemed to be a moistness in Song Yanqing’s eyes,

And yet, there was none.

But he truly smiled, a smile of resignation.