A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 406 Where is she?

The night was as dark as ink, and the candlelight flickered.

Shen Li, dressed in a long, dark red robe that trailed languidly on the ground, accentuated his captivatingly handsome face. He leaned against a low table, his long, slender fingers holding a wine cup, his narrow, fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze fixed on the brocade box in Qiu Yang's hand, remaining silent for a long time.

It's hard to guess what he's thinking.

Qiu Yang knelt on the ground, his arm holding the brocade box trembling.

The hall was eerily quiet, with only the increasingly strong aroma of wine permeating the air.

His knees were already numb, but he dared not move an inch, even wondering if His Majesty was really drunk? Or perhaps he hadn't heard him clearly?
Qiu Yang mustered his courage and looked up.

In an instant, he met a pair of deep, abyss-like eyes, where the surging emotions seemed capable of devouring a person, yet also contained a trace of indescribable desolation.

Qiu Yang's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm. "King Yehui said... it would be a pity to throw it away, and told me to return it to its rightful owner."

He opened the brocade box.

The pair of red jade earrings lying quietly in the box burned his eyes like flames.

Shen Li's face turned pale, and the wine cup in his hand rolled to the ground, spilling wine and wetting his clothes, but he seemed not to notice.

Qiu Yang pressed his forehead to the ground, even his breathing was extremely soft, and he didn't dare to look at His Majesty's expression.

After a long while, a hoarse voice finally came from above.

"She... specifically asked you to deliver this?"

"Yes." Qiu Yang's reply was so soft it was almost inaudible.

Shen Li closed his eyes briefly, pressing his slender fingers against his aching temples.

A sharp pain shot through his heart, and his ears rang. He staggered to his feet, his vision blurring, and he nearly collapsed.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" Qiu Yang hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.

"It's alright." Shen Li waved his hand, dismissing him.

Seeing Shen Li's appearance, Qiu Yang's throat tightened. "I never expected this... You know what these earrings mean... How could you just hand them over to an outsider like this?"

He pushed the brocade box forward again, "Your Majesty, please accept it. Since others don't want it, why hold a grudge?"

Shen Li stared intently at the glaring red, his eyes bloodshot.

In the end, she didn't take it, but asked in a hoarse voice, "Did she... ask you to deliver anything else?"

Qiu Yang lowered his head. "No."

A moment of deathly silence fell over the hall. Shen Li felt a tearing pain in his heart, his vision blurred, and he swayed.

"Your Majesty! You're drunk. Let me help you to bed to rest!" Qiu Yang said anxiously.

Shen Li, however, remained stubbornly unconvinced, or perhaps she simply couldn't believe it. "She didn't mention me at all after she went back? Shouldn't she hate me? Curse me? How could she... not say anything?"

His last words sounded like a sudden loss of strength, leaving him confused and helpless.

Seeing His Majesty in such pain, Qiu Yang didn't know what to say. After a pause, he finally spoke, "Perhaps the Queen of Ye Hui has finally let go of the news of Your Majesty's engagement. This is a good thing, Your Majesty. At least she doesn't hate you anymore."

"Is that so?" Shen Li smiled bitterly, stroking the pair of blood jade earrings, his fingertips trembling. "I would rather she hate me, at least it means she still cares, and I still have a chance to make amends."

Shen Li still remembers the day she received these gifts on her birthday. She was so happy and surprised, as if they were the most precious treasures in the world, and she wanted to cherish them for a lifetime.

Is this gift that once brought her joy now just trash that she's eager to throw away?

Isn't this his current status in her heart?

Shen Li admitted that he was selfish; he staged that performance because he didn't want Shen Tang to forget him.

He was destined not to be with her, but he truly loved her.

He wanted her to remember him forever!
If you no longer love, hate is fine too; at least hate lasts longer than love.

After a long silence, Shen Li asked in a hoarse voice, "What else did she say after she found out I was getting engaged?" Qiu Yang glanced at his expression and said cautiously, "She said that you and Miss Wu Qing are a perfect match, and she wishes you a long and happy marriage."

Shen Li swayed slightly, and after a long while, he wearily waved his hand, "Go back now."

Qiu Yang looked utterly unwilling. "Your Majesty, are you going to send me back to that woman? You have no idea how humiliating she is. I truly know I was wrong, but for the sake of our past relationship—"

"Those who betray should atone with their lives."

Shen Li's casual remark turned Qiu Yang's face ashen.

"From now on, she is your master." Shen Li turned to look out the window, his voice as cold as ice. "There's no need for you to come back."

Qiu Yang had no choice but to slink away.

As night deepened, Shen Li lay in bed, one hand behind his head, his right hand clutching the pair of earrings, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Since that night, he has hardly had a good night's sleep.

Whenever I close my eyes, I see the image of Shen Tang with tears streaming down her face before she left that night, crying so heartbrokenly and devastated.

He held the blood jade earring up to his eyes, and the coldness in his narrow fox eyes faded, revealing a rare softness, along with a trace of longing and sadness.

My fingertips gently caressed the jade, as if I could still feel its former warmth.

Unexpectedly, the token of love he had personally given her was returned.

The female who once confessed her love for him has truly let go this time and has no lingering feelings for him anymore.

He did it himself—

He deceived her true feelings.

It broke her heart.
Push her far away.

She was showing him that she was completely cutting ties with him.

Realizing this, Shen Li felt an even deeper tearing pain in his heart. This was the ending he had wanted, so why did he feel so heartbroken now that the day had actually come? It was as if a piece of his flesh had been ripped out.

……

On the other side, after waiting for a few days, Qiu Yang returned to report and returned the items.

Shen Tang no longer needs to worry about this matter.

"It's perfect that you're back. They need to dig holes and plant trees over there. Go help them out," Shen Tang ordered without any hesitation.

Qiu Yang was furious, but he could only work hard without complaint. Even with the slave chip, he would never be loyal to his master. However, it was His Majesty's decree, so he would just consider it as carrying out His Majesty's orders.

Just when he thought he would spend the rest of his life like this, he suddenly received a secret order late one night. Qiu Yang was shocked and took advantage of the quiet of the night to sneak out to the dense forest outside the city.

Under the moonlight, a tall, slender figure stood silently beneath a tree. The person wore a black and red cloak, almost blending into the night, like a ghost in the darkness.

"Your Majesty—" Qiu Yang hurriedly knelt down, but was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

Shen Li turned around, put her slender index finger to her lips, and made a shushing gesture.

Qiu Yang immediately fell silent, lowering his voice, "Why would His Majesty come in person?"

A night breeze swept by, lifting a corner of the cloak to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful face—sword-like eyebrows reaching the temples, fox-like eyes shimmering, thin lips as red as rouge, a beauty that was almost otherworldly, an allure beyond compare. Who else could it be but Shen Li?

Shen Li remained silent.

Even he himself didn't know why he came.

I just wanted to see her one more time.

Perhaps, we will never see each other again.

"I didn't come here to see you today," Shen Li asked. "Where is she?"

(End of this chapter)