She shoved him away and hurriedly withdrew her hand that had been held, Xie Wanqing looked towards the courtyard gate.

Panic-stricken.

Ji Chengfeng, who was pushed away without mercy, followed her gaze and looked over, his eyes slightly narrowed.

The eyes of two men met in the air for a moment.

In a flash, Xie Wanqing suddenly sprang up, whispered "Don’t come over" to the person beside her, and quickly walked towards the gate.

The courtyard was quite large, the distance not short.

As she walked closer and closer, Xie Wanqing’s steps became increasingly slow.

A torrent of emotions swept over her.

How did he find her?

How was it so coincidental, witnessing this scene?

What would he think?

Their first meeting after her feigned death, yet she was embracing another man.

They had been apart for five whole years.

Not five days, or five months.

Five years, he had transformed from a nineteen-year-old boy into an inscrutable Emperor who ruled the world.

...still a bloodthirsty Emperor who had slaughtered countless cities.

Thinking of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in her dreams, Xie Wanqing shuddered and abruptly stopped.

But by this time, she had already reached the gate, separated by only a mere ten feet from the man outside.

At such close distance, they could clearly see each other, enough for Xie Wanqing to see what the man in front of her had truly become. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Emaciated, gray-haired, with dark and inscrutable eyes. Even though it was the hour of day when the sun was at its zenith, he seemed to be standing in darkness.

Decayed, bleak.

Like an old man whose vitality had faded, devoid of life.

His eyes did not leave her for a second.

No thunderous rage, no spreading murderous intent.

Not even a ripple.

He just looked at her this way, his gaze could even be described as serene.

Xie Wanqing was taken aback, being looked at like this, she suddenly felt a sense of timidness as if near home.

The person before her seemed to have changed.

No longer the one she remembered, who wanted her back with no regard for dignity.

But heartache still conquered all, she pressed her lips together, "Lu Ziyuan, how did you become like this?"

The crisp female voice rang out, and the man before her seemed to awaken from a dream, coming to his senses.

His gaze moved away from her face, directly falling on the man in the courtyard behind her.

Eyes surging with dark currents.

Just one look, and Xie Wanqing was startled.

"Stop!" She rushed forward, encircled his waist, and urgently said, "Stop killing people."

The soft and gentle girl threw herself into his arms, a familiar fragrance flooded in, Lu Ziyuan blinked extremely slowly.

Then reached out, gathered her closer and tighter.

The force around her waist grew stronger and stronger, Xie Wanqing couldn’t help but cry out in pain.

Soft, warm, and could call out in pain...

"Wanwan..." He was extremely calm, "...you are so good."

Escaping from his side.

To share a life with another man.

When did they start colluding?

Five years.

They had been together for five whole years.

Lu Ziyuan’s breath trembled slightly, showing an expression that was a mix of crying and laughing, "Did I arrive at the wrong time?"

"It’s not what you think," Xie Wanqing’s heart tightened suddenly, she said urgently, "There’s nothing improper between him and me, don’t overthink."

Nothing improper...

His eyes filled with fierce energy, he grabbed her waist and pushed her against the courtyard wall, "What counts as improper?"

The servants cleaning the courtyard, along with Ji Chengfeng, were quietly taken away by the shadow guards he brought, their acupuncture points sealed and controlled.