As Han Yunxi fell towards the right, the bridge leaned crookedly after her. She hadn’t had a chance to set down her foot when the other side of the bridge arced into the air. Fortunately, she had quick reflexes and gripped the handhold with both hands while throwing her weight against it; otherwise, she’d step right through the planks at her feet and end up hanging in mid-air.
“Princess!” Ning Cheng shouted.
Long Feiye narrowly went to help her himself, but Han Yunxi squeezed her eyes shut and cried, “You’re not allowed to come! Otherwise, I’ll go back straight away! And I’ll never return!”
She didn’t say who she was warning with those words. Ning Cheng only a.s.sumed that the message was meant for him. His right hand formed into a tight fist as he forced himself to endure without saying a word, for fear of distracting the princess. Long Feiye a.s.sumed that the message was for him as well. He stopped releasing qi in preparation for steadying the bridge and let the energy dissipate silently before anyone found out.
Han Yunxi’s message was meant for both men. If Ning Cheng came to save her, then she wouldn’t be able to meet Long Feiye on her own after he created this chance for them both. If Long Feiye tried to help her, then it’d contradict his earlier actions and elicit Ning Cheng’s suspicion.
At this moment, she could only rely on herself.
Neither Long Feiye nor Ning Cheng dared to move as they fixated their eyes on her, their hearts racing with each step she took. Above the abyss and below the moon, silence reigned over all. Han Yunxi’s lonely yet unyielding form looked rather lonely between it all. After making sure neither man would take action, she silently exhaled and began to consider her surroundings.
When she tested a plank with her foot and found that it was safe, she tried her best to reach for the handhold on the left side of the bridge. Unfortunately, it was too far away for her to reach. Under these circ.u.mstances, she could either edge her way over carefully until she reached the rope, or take a gamble and try to get there in one step. Han Yunxi had always favored risk-taking, so she threw herself out and grabbed the left handrail in one swoop. At the same time, her foot moved to step on the left side of the bridge. Like this, she straightened up once again. Simultaneously, she realized her own coordination was better than she thought.
Both Long Feiye and Ning Cheng breathed out at the sight. But it was then that the wooden plank under Han Yunxi’s foot broke into two pieces, leaving her stepping on air!
“Ah…!” Han Yunxi cried out as she gripped the rope tight. Like this, she ended handing suspended from the bridge. Beneath her was the abyss, and around her howled wild winds. Han Yunxi’s dress and hair went flying wildly in the gale. She had hardly recovered from her fright when Ning Cheng came das.h.i.+ng towards her. Moments before he could grab her, the rope in Han Yunxi’s hands snapped!
“AhhHHH!”
Han Yunxi went plummeting into the canyon, taking Ning Cheng by surprise. But he was quick to change direction and give chase. However, he didn’t notice that another figure had beat him to the chase by dropping straight down.
Deep in the abyss, the lighting was dim and the vegetation luxurious as the wind whistled through the s.p.a.ce. Han Yunxi’s screams were soon swallowed up by the wind, while Ning Cheng’s own cries grew broken and muddled amidst the sound.
“Princess!” Ning Cheng could still see her figure falling as he fell after her, but it was soon swallowed up by the darkness.
“Princess! Princess!” he shouted like a madman, helpless and agitated. All he could do was keep going lower, and lower, and lower!
What else could he do but search for her endlessly in the abyss? Ning Cheng had no time to consider anything else. He used all his strength to chase after all, afraid that a second’s delay would lead to terrifying consequences.
As it turned out, Han Yunxi had long reached the bottom of the canyon. She didn’t tumble all the way down, but was carried down by another man: Long Feiye. When Ning Cheng was about to grab Han Yunxi, he had used a concealed weapon to snap the rope, making it seem as it she’d dropped by accident. His speed was at least twice as fast as Ning Cheng.
This had to be an accident. He had goaded Han Yunxi into crossing the bridge just so they could talk together in private. But since she’d met with a mishap, he’d never allow her to return to Ning Cheng’s side. At this moment he was holding her tightly enough to crush her into pieces. Han Yunxi was still recovering from her fright as her heart pounded in her chest. She gaped at Long Feiye as she slowly recovered. Although she had imagined being in his arms countless times, she still couldn’t help but stop and stare blankly at his face when her imagination turned into reality.
Long Feiye, long time no see!
On his side, Long Feiye simply held her close as if they were one body, staring dazedly back at the familiar figure in his arms.
“Princess! Princess!”
Ning Cheng’s heartrending cries woke up Long Feiye, who held Han Yunxi tighter and slipped away without a form. His figure blended into the darkness of the abyss as he left it behind. Han Yunxi hadn’t heard Ning Cheng’s voice at all. Long Feiye was her star of disaster: whenever he appeared, she would forget everything else.
Their surroundings were so dark that even moonlight couldn’t penetrate the blackness. Han Yunxi nestled close in Long Feiye’s embrace and decided to see nothing at all, if that was the case. She shut her eyes and plastered herself by his chest, listening to his strong, steady, familiar heartbeat. This was the truest proof that none of this was a dream. Subconsciously, her arm wound around his neck, afraid to lose him again.
Suddenly, Long Feiye stopped.
Han Yunxi roused herself from the sound of his heart to open her eyes. She saw that they had already circled past a mountain and left the canyon far behind them, thus leaving Ning Cheng in the dust. Before them was a hill and at its base stood Long Feiye’s carriage. Uncle Gao stared at them in astonishment, mirroring the expression of the various shadow guards around him. All of them were dead loyalists to Long Feiye, but had been ordered to wait here before the meeting instead of following him up the mountain. None of them expected the talks between His Highness and the West Qin princess would end with him carrying her back here.
The shadow guards didn’t dare to speak, but Uncle Gao couldn’t resist. “Master...this…”
“This crown prince and the West Qin princess have matters to discuss. All of you withdraw and guard the surroundings. No one is allowed to come close! Whatever happens, don’t disturb us!” Long Feiye said coldly.
In a flash, all of the shadow guards left. Uncle Gao’s face was full of doubts, but he too, jumped promptly off the carriage.
Matters to discuss?
These two don’t look like they’re here to talk at all. Can they keep talking at this rate?
“Master and the West Qin princess...still….still haven’t starting discussing yet?” Uncle Gao couldn’t resist asking another question.
Long Feiye’s gaze grew cold, silencing the man and his questions. He quickly escaped far away to stand guard with the rest of the retinue. Once everyone was gone, Han Yunxi exhaled in relief and grew more alert. She couldn’t help looking up at Long Feiye, who had just turned to look at her. His icy gaze only softened when it met Han Yunxi’s confused and timid ones.
Actually, she was a true star of disaster to him!
He carried her princess style as her arms encircled his neck, their eyes locked together in silence. Perhaps there were thousands of things to say and countless things to explain, but right now, nothing mattered but the person before each of them.
How long had she waited? Just for an answer, an explanation from him.
How long had he searched? Just for an answer, a decision from her.
Despite the silence, the feelings of their hearts were fermenting at this very moment. It quickly expanded to envelope their senses, their reason, threatening to overflow and drown them both!
Suddenly, Long Feiye leaned down and ferociously kissed her on the lips. The contact was like lightning striking flame on earth. Nothing could stop it after that as it banished the rationality from both sides. As Long Feiye plundered past Han Yunxi’s lips while kissing her madly, she returned his advances with equal fervor. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her and seemed ready to eat her lips whole, while she was dying to offer up all of herself to him.
The gentle yearning for one wanted to be replenished in one shot; the potent pining for one wanted to be endured in one shot!
The pa.s.sionate kiss only made the two of them more restless and enchanted with each other.
Only now did she realized how much she loved him. Even if she hadn’t explained anything yet, or asked any questions, she didn’t repel him at all. If she could, she’d fuse with him and never separate again.
Only now did he realize how much he loved her. Whether or not he could explain himself clearly, he was certain of one thing: he wanted her.
They kissed for so long that they ran out of air, but still didn’t want to let go. In the end, they managed to take in some oxygen while still keeping their lips touching. His heart was beating fast while she took rapid breaths. Yet they maintained their silence with only the sound of panting betraying their sensitive nerves. The pause only lasted for an instant before Long Feiye lost control and kissed her again. It was like a demand that could never be satisfied. Unlike her blus.h.i.+ng, restrained, self of the past, Han Yunxi gave her all back. Her only thought now was to yield to him, submit to him, allow him, let him, love him, and offer him herself.
Long Feiye continued his fervent kisses as he carried her towards the carriage. By the time they entered its familiar interior, Han Yunxi regained some of her senses. How many times had she accompanied him on long distance journeys in this very carriage and fallen asleep nestled in his arms? How many times had they gone out in this ride and she, always accidentally, provoked his wicked side? How many times had his actions here abruptly called her to a senses, blus.h.i.+ng and perplexed…
Once again, she came to her senses out of habit. But this time, Long Feiye didn’t stop.
As soon as he got on the carriage, it was to draw the curtains and bend down to trap her beneath his body. His dark, cold eyes stared at Han Yunxi like a panther eyeing its prey, ready to eat her until not even the bones were left…