Yun Rao headed straight for Mingyue Mountain, the traditional gathering place for the elite families where hunting, football games, and leisurely gatherings had long taken place. Surrounded by numerous pavilions and villa estates, the area was serene yet elegant. As Yun Rao walked toward the Mingyue Pool—nestled against the imperial pavilion—the ice sculptures and snow scenery were especially exquisite, with a flat, open landscape subtly interwoven with winding, meandering paths. Royal guards patrolled the outer grounds, making it ideal for a sudden departure. Yun Rao moved at a leisurely pace, and so did the people accompanying her. She didn’t mind. Simply enjoying the snowscape, she didn’t notice that the time agreed upon with Su Yan had passed, yet Su Yan remained nowhere in sight. The surroundings were as still and calm as ever, with no sign of movement. Yun Rao had thought perhaps he might have been delayed on the way, so she hadn't paid much attention. But after waiting for nearly two incense-burns without seeing him, her growing concern mounted—she feared something might have happened to him on the journey. Yet, lacking her own martial skills, she had no way of knowing where he was, and could only send Qu Xiao Man with the signal tube left by Su Yan to search for him at the branch offices of Ba Fang Building. She remained anxiously waiting in place, and thus waited all afternoon. "Qu Xiao-man gave a dismissive shrug," "In short, miss, you'd better not wait—he won't be coming tonight." "Why?" Yun Rao remained puzzled, pressing the question. But Qu Xiao-man was unwilling to elaborate, merely shaking her head, "Go on. Men always have more important matters than keeping promises to women." Her words were vague, and Yun Rao didn't fully grasp them, yet something in the tone seemed to make it clear. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself—so long as he was well, it didn't matter if he didn't come. After all, he hadn't owed her anything. He had risked everything to save her, and there had been someone who truly cared for her—wasn't that enough? With a sigh, she turned around, only to pause in surprise—when had he arrived? Dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, he stood beneath the tree, arms folded, his dark eyes quietly fixed on her. The depth of his gaze was as profound as the night itself, stretching endlessly into the horizon, as if he had been there for a long time—yet she had never noticed. When she looked at him, he slowly walked toward Qu Xiao-man glanced at the two of them and, with good judgment, stepped back. Her hand rested on his cold cheek, her long fingers gently brushing the strands of hair blown loose by the wind. "You waited for him all day," she said, with a certain certainty, calm yet carrying a quiet depth. "Why did you come?" Yun Rao asked softly. An Zi-yuan didn't answer—he only looked into her eyes. "Have you fallen in love with him?" His voice was low and steady. She paused, startled. Had she? She had never really thought about it. For all these years, he had been the only one who had always placed her life and safety above everything else. She simply knew that, with him by her side, she always felt warm. "You haven't fallen in love with him!" Her cool fingertips pressed firmly against her face, her thumb and fingers dragging heavily across her cheek, leaving a trail of cool dampness. That dampness made her hesitate. She instinctively raised her hand to touch it—had she begun to cry? She was stopped midway by his hand, which gently guided her jaw with long, smooth fingers before suddenly grasping and lifting it, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You haven't fallen in love with him!" he stared at her, softly repeating the words from earlier, though his fingers unconsciously pressed harder. She furrowed her brows slightly, her eyes slightly puzzled—his grip made her jaw ache subtly, and his dark eyes grew even deeper and more profound. "Yun Rao," he held her jaw firmly with a gentle pressure, his voice still clear and calm, yet subtly carrying a cold intensity that stirred her bewilderment, "tell me plainly—you haven't fallen in love with her!" She paused, her lips slightly pressed together, gazing at him silently. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her jaw—she instinctively wanted to lower her gaze—yet he swiftly lifted her chin again, bending his head down, his thin lips firmly sealing around her slightly chilled ones. The cool touch spread across her lips; she instinctively tried to pull away, but the back of her head was firmly held in the strength of his palm. His hands pressed with great force, firmly supporting her head, leaving her no chance to escape. The lips that covered hers were like flames mingled with ice, biting and sucking at her lips—sometimes even with a touch of cruelty. Yun Rao first stood still, then struggled desperately; yet he held her tighter, and as she struggled, his hands pressed her closer to his chest. The biting grew more violent, carrying a streak of blood and raw intensity, and she tasted the restrained fury beneath his fierce assault—seeming as though he intended to release his anger through this very torment of tongue and lip. Had it been because of Su Yan? Yun Rao paused momentarily in her grip of his garments, then, with a sudden resolve, reached back and embraced him tightly, even willingly wrapping her arms around his tongue, offering a hesitant, tender response to his kiss. Her initiative反而在安子渊眼中掠过一丝疑色—她从不曾如此主动回应他，即便两人情意浓烈之时，她也总是羞涩而被动的。如今的主动…… Yet Yun Rao didn’t give him time to reflect. With hands delicate and frail, she traced up along his waist, wrapping her arms around his head, her fingernails gently brushing against the smooth back of his neck without thought. She lifted her toes, eagerly meeting his kisses, her eyes like silk glowing with a mesmerizing allure. Her soft body lightly brushing against him, purposefully and subtly, stirring a flame within him. He glanced at her. As her fingernails nearly scraped his neck, he suddenly seized her fiercely, lifting her and carrying her into the nearest royal pavilion—right past the attendants who had come to bow—then used his light-footed skills to make his way directly to his master bedroom in the Eastern Garden. He kicked the door open and slammed it shut, carrying her with him as he kissed her, entwining himself with her until he reached the bed. He pushed her down onto it and settled himself atop her, his warm hands immediately covering her garments. He pulled her sash free, even before removing her clothes, his palms tearing her undergarments to shreds. His fingertips, glowing with heat, gently inserted themselves between her legs, moving in and out, lightly stroking and pulling along the delicate seam. Yun Rao unconsciously arched her back, familiar with the growing sensation spiraling through her lower abdomen, yet now so intense it nearly overwhelmed her, making her twist her waist to evade it. He, however, held firm against her thighs, his long fingers gently cradling the soft, yielding flesh, allowing it to tremble and dampen between his fingers. The familiar sensation accumulated beneath her, prompting her to emit soft murmurs, her body twisting more vigorously—yet this only intensified his fingers' movements. As he drove into her with firm, determined force, she reached her peak, like a fish pulled ashore, gasping heavily. Finally, he withdrew his hand, yet remained firmly pressed against her, the warm, solid pressure against her already soaked and overflowing region asserting itself with unwavering strength, making her feel his presence. His jade-like fingers lightly cupped her chin, compelling her to look into his eyes. "Yun Rao," he called her name, his voice hoarse. She gradually regained her composure from the earlier surge of exhilaration, then became acutely aware of the firm, warm pressure against her. The unfamiliar sensation made her blush and gasp in surprise; instinctively, she drew herself closer, trying to retreat. Yet he held her firmly, refusing her escape. His voice was hoarse, repeatedly murmuring her name in a soft, strained tone—within that low, resonant voice lay a sense of unfamiliar restraint and other emotions that she could not quite decipher. It left her momentarily stunned, gazing at him with growing awareness. The once-ethereal, unworldly young man, untouched by earthly affairs, now bore a gentle flush on his noble features, a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead, his hair slightly disheveled and trailing down. There was a palpable, damp sensuality about him. Familiar, yet strangely new—only in such moments did he reveal the captivating, human qualities of a mortal man. "Yun Rao," his voice was low and insistent, "do not leave!" As the words fell, he leaned forward, and she gasped softly. With a forceful, undeniable entry, he surged into her. He held her hand tightly, their fingers interlaced, pressing her firmly against his body, leaving her no room to resist. With a strong surge of his body, he grasped her waist, pulling back sharply, then driving in forcefully, pushing her body weakly toward the head of the bed, only to pull her back again with his firm grip on her waist, and drive in once more. Yun Rao began to feel overwhelmed; her held hand curled inward, trying to withdraw, even in her state of confusion and passion, she remembered that she needed to pull her hand back—yet he never gave her the chance. From beginning to end, their fingers remained tightly interlaced, until she could no longer bear it and fainted. Large droplets of sweat fell from his lowered hair strands, landing gently on her pale neck, and the scene settled into stillness. An Zi yuan lay down beside her, drawing her into his arms, resting her head on his chest, damp with sweat. He gently lifted her hand, which was slightly flushed where he had held it, and with his fingertips lightly tracing the neat, well-trimmed nails, he stared at the powder within the creases of her fingers—almost indistinguishable from the flesh itself. His grip on her hand tightened unconsciously. Reaching for the curtain beside her, he slowly twisted it into a small, pointed corner and gently wiped it across the spaces between her fingers. Yun Rao gently sat up, her hands circling his neck, her sensitive chest lightly brushing against his damp torso. She gazed into his eyes, asking, "An Zi Yuan, have you fallen in love with me?" He looked at her, but didn't answer—yet in her eyes, he found the answer. A soft smile played on her flawless features, captivating him. He was momentarily stunned. Before he could react, she had pressed her lips firmly against his, with a determined intensity. By the time he regained his composure, it was too late. A delicate medicinal scent spread across his taste buds, quickly filling his entire tongue. A storm of stillness surged in his calm black eyes. He swiftly grasped her shoulders, trying to push her away, but his arms soon lost strength. His body grew weak, the medicine taking effect swiftly and powerfully. He desperately tried to avoid the pill pressed against his tongue by her, yet she held firm. The pill had already been bitten through in her mouth and, as her tongue delivered it to his, it dissolved upon contact with moisture—so swiftly that he could not escape. The storm in his black eyes gradually settled, leaving only a deep ache and struggle, along with a relentless, devouring intensity. "Yun Rao, you're truly ruthless!" When her lips finally parted from his, he locked onto hers, speaking one word at a time—despite having grown utterly limp, his hand remained firmly clamped on her shoulder, his black gaze steady and fiercely fixed on her. He had a faint sense of what she was about to do, yet he could not summon the strength to move. Yun Rao had never seen him like this—shedding his usual calm, detached demeanor, now fiercely agitated and carrying an undercurrent of sharp determination. She gently pressed her lips together, lifted her head, and lightly traced his cheek with her fingertips, gazing into the slowly fading focus of his eyes, watching as that sharp intensity gradually softened, blurring into a hazy, dreamlike state, before finally whispering, "An Ziyuan, I'm sorry." He still held her firmly in place, every ounce of strength in his body devoted to resisting the medicine's effects, his arms tightly gripping her. She could feel the sharp, near-dislocating pain radiating through his arms. Yun Rao dared not move, only gently gazing into his eyes. "An Zi yuan, have you truly fallen in love with me, or do you merely think you have? I also wish to love you, yet I don't think I'll live much longer. And I'm afraid to love you—no matter when, I will always be the one you leave behind. Ten years ago, you did so; ten years later, you will too. I can understand that, but still, I ache." She lightly placed her hand upon the one on his shoulder, where veins stood out, gently caressing it. She didn't look at him, speaking calmly. "Since I lost my home at the age of ten, I've always been the one who was abandoned—abandoned by you, abandoned by Xiao Run. Though neither of you held any responsibility toward me, I still wish, when I can no longer hold on, that someone would willingly protect me." But he wasn't you. For all these years, only Su Yan had been willing to do this for me, and only he had truly done so. I've cherished the warmth he's given me. If I'm lucky enough to live, I believe I would follow him. All I ever wanted was to live like a normal person. As I spoke, I couldn't help but smile. "I know I'm dreaming. When I leave, thank you for having made me happy. I'm truly sorry for disrupting your life. If I could start over, perhaps if I remembered my past before I even reached out to you, I wouldn't have bothered you at all. If we meet again in a future life, I hope we never cross paths once more." Before I could finish, my vision blurred. I lifted my hand to touch my face—only to find it damp. I had to raise my head, pressing back the moisture in my eyes. The hand propped against the sheet was suddenly tightly grasped. She was slightly startled, lowering her gaze to meet his, and saw a growing intensity in his eyes—his body was fighting fiercely against the medication, pressing down on her hand until it nearly broke her wrist. Pain creased the corners of her brows, yet she couldn’t help but gently lift her lips, forming a smile and gazing steadily into his eyes. "Rest assured," she said, "the medicine contains a blend of forget-me-not herbs. Once you sleep well, you’ll wake up with no memory of Yun Rao at all. Isn’t that a blessing for you?" Without the memory of her, there would be no longing, no sorrow. The greater the smile bloomed on her lips, the thicker the mist before her grew, and tears rolled down, one after another, tracing paths across his flawless, porcelain face. "Forgive me!" she choked out, covering her mouth, then slowly lowered her head, gently kissing his lips. As she reached for the door, her back suddenly tightened, and his hands pressed hard against the back of her head, preventing her from leaving. "Yun... Rao, you—dare!" He struggled to speak, his voice fierce, his gaze fierce enough to seem to consume her. She had no doubt that if he were in good health, he would have already swallowed her whole. She could feel his arms trembling—he was holding on, fighting hard. She met his eyes. "An Zi Yuan, what is the point of this? For every inch you hold on, the medicine consumes you one inch more." "No... no... don't... go!" He pressed down on her head with all his strength, forcing out those words. She paused, a wan smile forming. "I'm sorry." Gently pulling his hands away, she let go, dressed herself, and turned to leave. "Thud!" As her fingertips touched the doorframe, a loud crash erupted behind her. She instinctively turned, her expression shifting to concern. An Zi Yuan stumbled and fell to the ground, trying to use the pain to regain his clarity. "Yun Rao, dare you step out and try!" He warned fiercely, tightening his grip with each word, his arm veins bulging prominently. She bit her lip, not moving forward, but murmured quietly, "An Zi yuan, rest well tonight. After tomorrow, your memory will never be as sharp as Yun Rao's." Then she opened the door, without hesitation. "Yun Rao..." An Zi yuan's urgent, angry roar came from behind, but she had already turned and walked away, not looking back.