CHAPTER 244: CHAPTER 231: YU WENYE, ACTUALLY GOT ON THE BED! _2

Just as she was almost about to lose control, wanting to turn around to question him, and further, to warn him—if it’s just a transaction, there’s no need to act like this all the time. This facade won’t deceive others, but it will deceive the softest heart.

But, just at that moment, the hand wrapped around her waist suddenly withdrew.

Shang Ruyi was stunned—

What is happening here?

Just as she was feeling a bit bewildered, the solid chest pressed against her back also pulled away. The person who had just laid down and wrapped her completely in his embrace got up and left.

...

Shang Ruyi was confused.

Yu Wenye, what was that for?

Did he just lay down to rest for a moment? But why did he have to lie behind her and reach out to hold her? Could it be that even when there was no third person present, and even she didn’t know, he still needed to put on an act?

Shang Ruyi was bewildered, only hearing the person behind her get up, feeling a chill immediately envelop her back as he left, making her whole back icy cold. That coldness even made her heartbeat pause for a moment; afterward, a hand lifted the blanket, carefully covering her, even tucking it gently under her neck.

Then, footsteps gradually faded away, the tent was lifted and then placed down.

Yu Wenye had left.

Shang Ruyi stiffly lay on the bed. It wasn’t until a long time passed that she slowly got up, looking at herself, seeing no trace left, yet feeling as if she had survived a life-and-death struggle. Her sweat-drenched clothes clung to her, and her heartbeat had still not calmed down by then.

The violent heartbeat not only sent waves of pain through her chest but also heated her whole body, a kind of restlessness that she couldn’t suppress no matter what, arising steadily with each thump, seeming to urge her towards something.

Shang Ruyi sat for a while, unable to calm herself, then sat on the edge of the bed to put on her shoes.

Her heart still pounded intensely.

She donned her clothes, slowly stood up.

Her heartbeat, if anything, was even more intense than before.

She took a deep breath, slowly walked to the tent entrance, lifted the flap, and the outside cold wind blew harshly against her face, as sharp as a knife. But the cold pain only stimulated her heartbeat even more, with the scorching breath making her sweat profusely, even emitting steaming white gas in such a cold wind.

She finally walked out of the tent, turned around, and headed towards the largest one nearby—the tent of the Great General.

Of course, there were personal soldiers guarding the area, but as soon as they saw her, who dared to stop her? Just as she reached the entrance, one of the soldiers even eagerly lifted the tent flap for her. Shang Ruyi walked in unimpeded.

This tent was naturally much larger than hers.

In the center of the tent stood a table, several rugs, obviously the assembly hall for discussing military affairs with the soldiers. There was also a wooden frame with a map of the area around Huangtu Ridge hanging on it, but none of this captured Shang Ruyi’s attention for long. She merely glanced at it before looking to the other side of the tent, where there was a simple bed, its thin blanket mostly trailing on the ground.

The person lying in the bed hadn’t even covered himself properly.

His face was flushed red, and even lying still, one could see that he was sweating profusely, as if a burning coal had been swallowed inside, making his whole being feel as if he were on fire, unable to calm down.

That scorching aura, Shang Ruyi somehow felt she could relate to it.

She took a deep breath and slowly walked over, just like a moment ago when Yu Wenye entered her tent and walked to her bedside.

Except, as she approached, she discovered the person on the bed had his eyes open.

He watched her enter, watched her walk to the bedside, yet didn’t move an inch. His deep, dark eyes held no light, yet seemed to have some emotion swirling in their depths, as if hoping for something.

The two of them, one lying down, one standing.

Silently facing each other like this.

Not knowing how much time passed, Shang Ruyi finally spoke, her voice so dry it seemed even scorched hoarse by that internal burning coal. She softly said, "Yu Wenye, I—I want to ask you a question now—"

"..."

He continued to lie there, still looking at her.

Shang Ruyi said, "If the answer to this question is—no, then you, you just pretend you didn’t hear it, pretend I never came. I will only ask this once."

The eyes of the person lying down suddenly twinkled.

Shang Ruyi stared intently at him, yet was silent for a long time, gathering every bit of her strength at this moment. When she finally spoke, even she couldn’t hear her own voice, only her own heartbeat, sounding one after another, like the tolling of the bell awaiting judgment—

"Is there any possibility for something real between us?"

"..."

"Is there any real feeling between us as a couple, apart from the transaction?"

After saying this, she fixed her gaze on his eyes.

However, Yu Wenye’s eyes showed no sign of change, and even the faint flicker of light from earlier seemed to be swallowed up by the abyss at this moment. He just stared at her coldly, as if devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

Was he using this attitude to answer?

At this moment, Shang Ruyi felt as though her entire body, even her soul, was plunged into an ice cave.

Had she once again brought humiliation upon herself...

She let out a bitter laugh, yet didn’t feel utterly disgraced. No matter what, getting an answer was better than her endless speculation, plunging in, then withdrawing, leaving herself bloodied.

She softly said, "I understand now."

"..."

"I’m sorry for disturbing you. I won’t—"

As she said this, she also felt these words were unnecessary, just nodding and turning to leave.

But just as she turned around, her wrist suddenly felt a weight.

A burning hand had grabbed her!