Chapter 401: I Will Bear the Consequences
Xu Ruoxue's night was full of ups and downs. She went to the Ji family Villa, carefully and painstakingly opened the safe, and stole incriminating evidence from the Ji family. Suddenly, she encountered Shen Anyu, instinctively attacked, and was directly suppressed by a single move, scaring Xu Ruoxue so much that cold sweat poured out, leaving her drenched.
The poisoned dart that followed almost made her heart stop.
A breath of frigid air had filled her lungs, the metallic tang of death on her tongue. But just as the shadow of the afterlife crept over her, Shen Anyu had moved. He had shielded her with his own body, a wall of flesh and bone against the lethal projectile. The memory was a searing brand on her mind, a debt she could never repay.
Later, pressed against him as he guided her chaotic Qi and blood, Xu Ruoxue had felt a shyness so intense it was almost painful. Her skin burned where it touched his, the fabric of his suit a thin, inadequate barrier against the radiating heat of his body. The aloof and proud Xu Ruoxue, a phantom of the underworld known for her icy demeanor, had never been so intimate with a man. Not even with the leader of the Blood Skull, the Asura Demon King Chu Yun, had she shared such a moment. She had never even held his hand.
But Shen Anyu was her savior. So, she had endured the mortifying blush that crept up her neck, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She gritted her teeth, focusing on the flow of energy, and broke away the instant she felt her condition stabilize, desperate to reclaim her personal space.
Then came the Ji family birthday banquet—a dizzying kaleidoscope of violence and betrayal. Chu Yun arrived, a specter of vengeance delivering a funeral bell. He was followed by assassins in Blood Skull masks, their guns spitting fire, cutting down Ji Jiacheng, Ji Baduan, and the rest of the Ji family like wheat before a scythe. And amidst it all, the formidable General Instructor An Zhiyue of the Yanxia Phoenix Special Forces had made her move, her power a evident force in the blood-soaked hall.
The sheer velocity of events had left Xu Ruoxue reeling, her mind struggling to keep pace. Her last coherent memory was of Shen Anyu's calm voice, his dark eyes holding a strangely gentle light. He had promised to help her regulate her breathing, to treat the deep-seated injuries accumulated from years of brutal training and life-or-death combat. Then, a pleasant drowsiness had washed over her, and she had drifted away into a vague, formless sleep.
Between the hazy realms of sleep and wakefulness, a familiar male scent filled her senses—sandalwood and something uniquely his own, a fragrance she had unwillingly memorized from their two intense embraces earlier that night. It was Shen Anyu. It was the Young Master.
Her subconscious mind, freed from its usual icy restraints, began to weave a tapestry of embarrassing sensations. She felt as if she were stepping onto a cloud, weightless and adrift, then plunging into the warm, relentless tides of a vast ocean, rising and falling with a rhythm that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
'Xu Ruoxue, how could you have such a dream? Shameless!'
She silently berated her own mind, a hot flush of humiliation washing over her even in her semi-conscious state. To have such a sensual, vivid dream… and for Shen Anyu to be the object of it? It was unthinkable.
True, Shen Anyu's appearance was flawless, perfectly aligning with every aesthetic ideal she had ever unconsciously held. He was handsome to a fault, with a presence that commanded attention without effort. And he had saved her life. These facts had planted a seed of a good impression, but Xu Ruoxue was a woman of glacial emotions, slow to warm and quick to retreat.
Even Chu Yun, who had pursued her with dogged determination for two years, using every overt and covert tactic he could devise, had made zero progress. He hadn't even breached the outer walls of her fortress of solitude. Of course, Chu Yun was undeterred; he had already sworn that after avenging his past on the Ji family, he would dedicate his entire life to pursuing and cherishing her.
Her own sister, Xu Ruoshui, had once teased her, laughing that Xu Ruoxue might be destined to remain unmarried forever. And until tonight, Xu Ruoxue had never even entertained the possibility of a dream like this.
Waking from the throes of the sensual fantasy, Xu Ruoxue felt her cheeks burning with a feverish heat.
No… wait. It wasn't just her cheeks.
A searing warmth radiated from her entire body, an oppressive, living heat that was not her own. Her eyes snapped open. The dream-like haze shattered into a million pieces. Adrenaline, cold and sharp, shot through her veins. She whipped her head around, her movements stiff with dread.
Behind her, lying so close that their bodies were flush against each other, was Shen Anyu.
Her delicate face, usually a mask of cold indifference, contorted in shock. Her almond-shaped eyes widened into perfect circles of horror and disbelief. A choked gasp escaped her lips.
"Shen Anyu, what are you doing?"
"You," Shen Anyu replied, a faint, almost lazy smile gracing his lips as he saw the beauty awaken. His voice was a low, husky murmur, devoid of any guilt or surprise.
At this moment, Xu Ruoxue's heart wasn't filled with anger or resentment. Those emotions were still catching up. Right now, there was only a vast, empty canyon of confusion and bewilderment.
Her mind was a blank slate.
'Why? Why would Shen Anyu do this to me? Why does he show no shame? Why does he act as if this is the most natural thing in the world?'
Was the righteous hero who had shielded her from a poisoned dart just a few hours ago a complete fabrication? A mask? How could he take advantage of someone in their moment of vulnerability? The disparity between the man who had saved her and the man now in her bed was so jarring it felt like a physical blow.
Just as the initial shock subsided and a storm of vengeful fury began to brew, Xu Ruoxue's beautiful eyes turned sharp as daggers. Her body tensed, every muscle fiber coiling, preparing to fight him to the death.
But before she could unleash her killing intent, she heard Shen Anyu's light, almost conversational laugh in her ear.
"Xu Ruoxue, my dear, guess who I met tonight?"
His words were so bizarre, so out of place, that they momentarily short-circuited her rage. He continued, his tone warm and intimate.
"I met your sister, Xu Ruoshui. If I hadn't seen photos of you two and recognized her immediately, Ruoshui would have been in grave danger."
He had mistaken her for her sister. The thought was absurd.
"Ruoshui actually disguised herself and infiltrated the Modu Ji family, intending to steal evidence of their crimes."
His voice was a gentle, melodic hum, weaving a story that was terrifyingly close to the truth.
"Fortunately, I recognized her and followed her. Otherwise, she would have been killed by the poisoned dart when she opened the Ji family's safe." He paused, his voice softening further, becoming impossibly tender. "My wife, Ruo Shui, you must reward me handsomely for this."
'My wife… Ruo Shui??'
The words struck Xu Ruoxue like a bolt of lightning. Her desperate, murderous movements instantly froze. Her mind, which had been a raging inferno seconds ago, was now a vortex of chaos and confusion.
The 'wife' Shen Anyu spoke of… Ruo Shui… could it be her sister, Xu Ruoshui?
Suddenly, it all clicked into place with a horrifying, sickening clarity. That was it. That had to be it. No wonder he had risked his life, using his own body to block the poisoned dart for her.
Xu Ruoxue had been wrestling with that question for hours. Why would Shen Anyu, the revered Young Master of the Yanxia Shen Family, a man of such prominent status and power, risk everything to save a mere assassin like her?
It wasn't for her at all. It was for her sister. Shen Anyu was Xu Ruoshui's man.
But then… what was happening right now? Did he mistake her for someone else? How could he possibly be mistaken? Was he drunk? Her mind was a tangled mess of questions and impossibilities, and in her turmoil, she failed to notice the fleeting, triumphant smile that flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes.
Shen Anyu had to physically suppress a bark of laughter. He schooled his features, continuing his masterful performance.
"My wife, Ruo Shui, there's another matter concerning Ruoxue's life and fate that I must tell you!"
Xu Ruoxue, who had been about to pull away, was immediately startled by his grave tone. Her life and fate?
Seeing her reaction, Shen Anyu rejoiced internally, but on the surface, his expression grew incredibly solemn.
"Ruoxue… she actually joined the notoriously bloody Blood Skull Mercenary Group and served as a high-ranking member, the head of the intelligence hall."
Each word was a hammer blow against her composure. He knew. He knew everything.
"If this matter were to be exposed," he continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "Ruoxue would be sentenced to at least twenty years in prison!"
"Fortunately, my Aunt An Zhiyue was present tonight. To protect Ruoxue, I… I made a decision against my conscience. I begged my aunt not to arrest her, to let her go."
At this point, Shen Anyu stopped his actions. He looked up at the ceiling, his handsome face etched with profound solemnity. He let out a deep, sorrowful sigh that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand years.
"The Yanxia Shen Family has a millennium of renown, always upholding righteousness and integrity. For over twenty years, I, Shen Anyu, have never forgotten the teachings of my father and grandfather: 'Do not fail to do good, however small; do not do evil, however small.'"
His voice was laced with a heart-wrenching remorse.
"But tonight, to protect Ruoxue, I bent the law for personal gain. I betrayed everything my family stands for."
He paused, letting the gravity of his confession sink in.
"When we offer sacrifices to our ancestors, I will surely kneel before their ancestral tablets and beg for their forgiveness."
"But I do not regret it," he declared, his voice firming with conviction. "Because Ruoxue is your dearest sister, Ruo Shui. She is an important member of our family, my future sister-in-law. I cannot bear to see her arrested and imprisoned for twenty years."
He turned his gaze back towards her, his eyes seemingly filled with noble sacrifice and unwavering devotion.
"The mistakes Ruoxue made, I, Shen Anyu, will bear them myself!"
The four words, 'I will bear them myself,' were forceful and resounding!
These words, these four words, echoed in Xu Ruoxue's mind.
She was stunned!
Completely stunned!
At this moment, looking at the solemn and deeply sighing Shen Anyu, Xu Ruoxue didn't even pay attention to Shen Anyu's current actions. Instead, her almond eyes widened, and she looked at Shen Anyu with shock and disbelief. Her heart was in utter turmoil! She never expected that Shen Anyu was so deeply devoted to her sister, Xu Ruoshui, even loving everything connected to her. For her, his future sister-in-law, he actually violated the thousand-year-old family rules of the Yanxia Shen Family, went against the teachings of his father and grandfather, and defied the justice and conscience in his heart. He still wanted to protect her and keep her safe. Looking at Shen Anyu's solemn and remorseful expression, his heartbroken appearance, Xu Ruoxue suddenly felt envious of her sister, Xu Ruoshui. Her future brother-in-law's character and sense of responsibility were truly admirable.
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