Chapter 40: A hollow heart
The moonlight filtering in from the window bounced off in a stream of silver when it hit the tears running down Ru Yi’s cheeks.
All that echoed in her head were Shen Lieyin’s cruel words.
No one wanted her.
She was useless.
Ru Yi sniffed.
How many times had she been told that while growing up? Whether it was her original world or this fictional word, the truth remained—she was worthless to everyone around her.
This was the night she was supposed to meet Han Shuying.
At first, Ru Yi hadn’t thought much about it because she had no intention of taking up the offer. To play into Han Shuying’s plan would be giving her ammunition she could use against the triplets.
Ru Yi wiped furiously at her cheeks, hating her emotions for betraying her. She’d sympathized with the triplets at first, making the mistake of thinking they were kind even for saving her. Two times.
But Lieyin had been an abrupt reminder that they’d only saved her because it was convenient. And claws bared at her or not—they were still wolves at their very core.
She’d been the stupid one for thinking that they’d treat her any differently.
Ru Yi had remained cooped up in Yexue’s room alone. The third triplet hadn’t bothered to return even though she’d looked at Ru Yi with desperate eyes before leaving with her sisters.
Shen Yexue liked her? That was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever been accused of. It didn’t even make sense since Princess Lin Yuexin was the one Yexue really liked.
And was that about seduction?
None of the triplets were even her type. She’d rather go for someone warm and kind, someone that wasn’t a part of the imperial court.
A normal villager would do, someone who would be on the same social status as her. That way she’d never have to worry about being less than what her partner deserved.
"There’s no need to sit here feeling sorry for yourself," Ru Yi muttered to herself, standing up. She dusted her skirt, Han Shuying’s offer calling to her.
"What more do I have to lose?" The wolves were going to devour her either way. She was starting to regret not leaving the palace that night.
In the end she never even got to say anything about how she felt to Lin Yuexin. She pulled at the strands of her hair like the pain on her scalp would distract her from the turmoil going on in her heart.
Ru Yi looked out the window. It was already pitch dark.
Would Han Shuying really be at the East gate waiting for her?
Ru Yi didn’t have the luxury of worrying about the triplets or anyone other than herself. But she had to move fast, Shen Yexue could come back any moment.
If this was considered betrayal, then let it be known in history that the wolves of the Eastern palace were the first to turn their backs at her.
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Shen Yexue’s cloak was wrapped tightly around Ru Yi as she stepped into the cold night. She quickly ducked, pressing herself into a wall when a group of maids walked by.
She waited until their chatter was carried away by the wind before stepping out from the dark. After what seemed like a minute, she went the way the maids had gone and managed to slip out of the back door.
"Hey! Who’s that over there?" a deep feminine voice called out, but Ru Yi wasn’t about to stand there and get caught.
With every step she could muster, Ru Yi ran into the night, as fast as her legs could carry her. She bumped into a few people outside the residence, but they paid her no mind.
She only slowed down when she inched towards the west gate like Han Shuying had instructed.
From the distance she could see a figure standing there, dressed exactly like Ru Yi was—in the cloak.
"Han Shuying?" she took a couple cautious steps forwards when a hand suddenly grabbed her from behind.
A palm was slammed over her mouth to keep her from screaming.
"Not so subtle, are you?"
There was warmth on the shell of her ear, Han Shuying’s voice was a little raspy.
"Can’t you get my attention like a normal person?" Ru Yi muttered, struggling in her hold. Her shoulders sagged in relief when Han Shuying pushed her away and she could finally breathe.
"You’re late."
Ru Yi spun to face her. "You should be thankful I showed up at all."
Han Shuying’s face was blank as always. The short strands of her the hood of her cloak hadn’t covered made her expression look smug.
"Stop acting like you’re doing me a favor."
Ru Yi’s gaze darted around. "You said you were going to help me leave," she looked at the gate that was only a short distance. "How’re you going to do that?"
Han Shuying tilted her head, the twinkle in them giving her a boyish daze. "Before we proceed..."
Ru Yi gulped, bracing herself for the worst.
"...do you trust me?" Han Shuying finished.
Ru Yi scoffed, "there’s no way you and trust can be in the same sentence. Whatever we’re doing, we need to be fast before the triplets realize I’m gone."
There was a change in Han Shuying’s expression to show she heard what Ru Yi said.
"Do you trust me?" she repeated instead, the tension between them threatening to snap in two.
"How can I trust you when I don’t even know you?" Ru Yi asked, then backtracked when Han Shuying raised a brow. "It’s not like I have a choice right now, so maybe I can trust you?"
Warning bells were going off in Ru Yi’s head when Han Shuying took a step towards her. She took one back.
"I can hear you from over here very well," Ru Yi said in a panicked voice.
"Stay still," Han Shuying said, but it was more like a whisper into the cold night. "You said it yourself, you trust me."
Han Shuying came to a stop beside her, and before Ru Yi could tell what her next move was—Han Shuying’s hand shot out, two fingers, firm and exact.
It struck the base of Ru Yi’s neck, at the side where pulse and nerve lay closest to the surface. The motion was so swift that Ru Yi’s body already went slack before she realized what was happening.
Han Shuying caught her body before it could hit the ground, a rare smile on her face. "Good girl."
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Shen Yexue could hear her sisters talk but she made no attempt to add to the conversation. Only the thoughts of a certain brown eyed girl blanketed her mind.
She couldn’t get those scared eyes out of her mind.
"Hey," Lieyin tapped her shoulder, "where is your mind drifting off to?"
"Nothing," Yexue answered in a haste, eyes dropping to the floor. "Now that you have everything figured out," she addressed Qingyue, "what do you intend to do with the maid?"
Lieyin narrowed her eyes, "I thought you said you didn’t like her."
Shen Yexue’s answer was quick. "I don’t."
"Then why are you concerned?" Qingyue asked, "is there something you’re not telling us?"
Yexue shook her head. She couldn’t possibly tell her sisters that sleeping with Ru Yi helped her nightmares.
Because then, they’d find out she lied about not remembering what happened the day their mother died.
"I promise everything is fine. I just want to make sure all grounds are covered in this great plan of yours."
Shen Qingyue knew she was lying. They’d all grown up together with her being the most observant of the three. She knew Yexue couldn’t maintain eye contact when she was lying.
"Yexue..." she started in a patronizing voice. "You know you can tell us whatever is bothering you. Is this about the lover’s bane powder?"
"I told you it wasn’t lover’s bane!" Yexue was growing agitated and she didn’t know why. "There’s no way in hell I have real feelings for her, you’re properly mistaken."
Qingyue frowned. "I’m very much sure of what I’m saying, but if you want to be in denial that’s fine too."
Denial?
They were the ones being in denial?
"You’ve still not said what you’re going to do with Ru Yi after all this?" She knew how fierce the rest of the group could be.
"Kill her?" Lieyin said, "I mean it has been clear from the beginning she’s not going to make it."
Yexue gulped but said nothing.
"We’ll convince Zhao Chen to leave with her, then have our men ambush them once they reach the border. That way we get rid of the Empress and her leach of a son. There’ll be nothing else standing in our way."
Shen Qingyue had the plan down to the smallest bit.
"Can’t you spare the maid?" Even the words were foreign to Yexue’s own ears. "Technically, she did nothing wrong in all of this."
Lieyin looked at Yexue like she was seeing a stranger in her place. "I’ll be damned if I let that girl see another daylight once she leaves this palace."
