A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 407 You Want to Participate in the Talent Show?

It goes without saying who this "she" is.

Qiu Yang was utterly exasperated. Why was his Emperor so fixated on this foreign female? He looked her up and down, from every angle, and couldn't see anything good about her! He truly didn't know what kind of spell she had cast on His Majesty!
Qiu Yang's eyes were filled with complex emotions as he earnestly advised, "Your Majesty, don't forget what the High Priest said back then. You absolutely must not..."

Shen Li coldly interrupted, "I remember everything Master said. You only need to answer my question."

Having said all he could say, Qiu Yang dared not cause any more trouble and respectfully replied, "I've been very busy with government affairs lately, so the mistress is probably still awake at this hour. She should still be working in her study."

Shen Li nodded. "Don't tell anyone else that I came here tonight."

"My subordinate understands."

The night was thick, but the study was still brightly lit, shining especially in the darkness.

The bright moonlight shone through the window lattice, outlining that familiar figure.

She was writing furiously at her desk, sometimes resting her chin on her hand in drowsiness, sometimes rubbing her temples.

The warm yellow light enveloped her, making her look as beautiful as a painting, as dreamlike and unattainable.

Shen Li sat quietly on the roof, his gaze lingering on the scene.

In the past, Shen Li would have been unable to bear seeing her working so hard. He would have brought her hot tea, pushed open the door, hugged her from behind, gently massaged her shoulders, and teased her a bit before luring her back from the study.

Now, he can only be like a shadow that cannot see the light of day, peeking from afar through the eaves.

There was a wall between the two, invisible yet clearly distinct, an insurmountable barrier.

……

In the study room.

After Shen Tang finished reviewing the documents, he chatted with the system.

[Host, I have something funny to tell you: Lu Ke got a good beating from his brother tonight!]

"Lu Xiao said he wasn't coming back tonight, turns out he went home to beat up his brother. How could he be so brutal?" Shen Tang's lips twitched slightly. "Is he still holding a grudge about what happened a couple of days ago? Lu Xiao is such a refined and composed person, he wouldn't just resort to violence, would he?"

[You only said Lu Ke wanted to marry you, but you didn't mention drugging him. Who knew that when Lu Xiao went to question him tonight, this guy threw up! If it weren't for the fact that he's his second brother, he probably would have crippled his leg!]

"...People really can't stop themselves from being stupid." Shen Tang got up, stretched, and walked out of the study, intending to go back to rest.

The system suddenly alerted, "Host, Shen Li is here, watching you from the rooftop!"

Shen Tang paused, startled. Hadn't she broken off her relationship with this jerk? What was he doing here?
Climbing onto the roof to spy late at night, how terrifying!

Shen Li saw Shen Tang suddenly stop and look around warily. Her gaze paused slightly when it swept over them, but quickly looked away, continuing to walk into the house as if she hadn't noticed anything.

His eyes darkened, and he leaped down, landing steadily in front of her.

Shen Tang frowned and tried to step aside, but the other party forcefully blocked her way.

"Get out of the way." Her voice was as cold as ice.

"I came here specially to see you."

"Heh." Shen Tang sneered, "His Majesty the Emperor of the Yiyuan Empire trespassed into our country's territory in the middle of the night. I've already been lenient by not ordering you to be arrested. Now you want to break into a private residence?"

Her icy voice, thick with sarcasm, was like a sharp blade piercing his heart, causing a dull ache to rise within him. Shen Li wanted to raise his hand to touch her face, but he spoke haltingly, "Little Tang'er..."

Shen Tang quickly took a step back, interrupting him, "King Yiyuan, please be mindful of your manners. I've only met you a few times, and it makes me feel uncomfortable with you calling me that. Let's not try to get too close."

His hand froze in mid-air, slowly curling up, his voice growing even more somber, "You and I clearly—"

Shen Tang quickly interrupted him, "Your Majesty Jiuli knows very well that my beast husband Shen Li died in the volcano long ago, and I am not familiar with you. Please show some respect, Your Majesty."

Shen Lijun's face darkened slightly, his jawline tightened, and he could no longer utter a word.

After drinking the potion of forgetfulness, Shen Tang felt no sadness at all. Seeing Shen Li's angry expression, she even felt a little satisfied.

"What exactly do you want from me today?"

Shen Tang yawned, feeling sleepy, and didn't want to chat with him anymore. "By the way, I heard from Qiu Yang that you and your fiancée are getting engaged. Why did you come all this way in the middle of the night? You're not here to personally invite me to the wedding, are you?"

Shen Tang had only said it casually, but the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She exclaimed in surprise, "You actually made a special trip here? The king of the mighty Yiyuan Empire, you think too highly of me!"

Hearing her nonchalant tone, Shen Li felt even more bitter inside. He swallowed hard and whispered, "I wanted to apologize to you."

"Apologize? What's there to apologize for? I stopped pursuing this a long time ago. Actually, thinking about it, what you said makes sense. Treasures belong to the capable. It was my incompetence that prevented me from protecting the Earth Source Core. You don't need to apologize to me."

As she spoke, Shen Tang pushed him away and started to walk into the house.

Shen Li suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms!
Shen Tang was caught off guard and fell into his arms. The familiar cool fragrance filled her nose. Her back was pressed tightly against his chest, and she could even feel the man's rapid heartbeat and slightly trembling breath.

"I'm sorry..." His voice was urgent and fast, as if afraid she would run away, "I said too many harsh things that night, and I hurt you, Xiao Tang'er. You should understand that I didn't mean to argue with you, and I never intended to hurt you..."

Shen Tang forcefully broke free from his embrace, barely refraining from striking him, her voice as cold as ice, "Is His Majesty Yi Yuan so arrogant that he never learns his lesson? This time it's not on your territory! You'd better show me some respect! Even if you are stronger than me, within the territory of the Night Glow Empire, I have plenty of ways to deal with you."

"I just wanted to apologize." Shen Li's breathing was disordered. "Xiao Tang, I've been thinking about what happened that night these past few days. I said some really hurtful things, which made you so... sad."

He looked at her disgusted and cold expression, paused, and then spoke the last two words so softly they were almost inaudible.

“Just for these words? You didn’t need to come all this way. I stopped caring a long time ago and I don’t blame you,” she said. “I was wrong that day too. I was too impulsive and shouldn’t have hit you.”

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We’re even now.” Shen Tang turned and walked into the house, yawning as she spoke. “If Your Majesty only wanted to say this, then please leave. I’m sleepy, so I won’t see you off.”

The door slammed shut, separating the two.

Looking at her calm and aloof demeanor, Shen Li felt as if they were complete strangers who had just met. In fact, she made him feel even more lost than when she had been hysterical that night.

She had said she loved him back then, but months later, even her hatred had vanished.

It turns out that he was the only one who hadn't completely moved on.

Shen Li gave a bitter laugh, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides until his knuckles turned white.

With the pride of a king, he should have turned and left at that moment. But his feet seemed to have a mind of their own, following uncontrollably.

As soon as Shen Tang stepped into the room, she heard footsteps behind her again.

She whirled around, this time genuinely impatient. "What exactly do you want?!"

Shen Li picked up the sketchbook on the table. "I heard you're going to audition?"