Chapter 290: Chapter 234: The 1st Woman
"You’re a woman?" It was only then that Ling Xiao finally processed what was happening. He stared, dumbfounded, at Song Mingyue’s bashful face, then rubbed his eyes hard. "Am I dreaming?"
Song Mingyue glanced at Ling Xiao shyly and said softly, "I thought we were going to die here. If you still didn’t know I was a woman by the time we died, wouldn’t that mean I’d have deceived you to the very end?"
"Song... uh, Ming Yue... I’d almost rather you were still deceiving me!" Ling Xiao said with a wry smile.
"Why?" Song Mingyue’s beautiful, slender eyes were as black as ink. She blinked, her long, thick lashes fluttering. "You... you don’t like me this way?"
"It’s just... a little hard to wrap my head around all at once." Ling Xiao couldn’t just come out and say it. ’You’re an unmarried young woman, and I’m a man in the prime of my life. Aren’t you uncomfortable being crammed in here with me?’ He could only change the subject. "That monster from the water didn’t follow us, did it?"
The atmosphere between them was charged with ambiguity. Song Mingyue had actually sensed it for a while now. She had developed a fondness for Ling Xiao—not from the start, but a budding affection that had grown as they got to know each other better.
Ling Xiao’s recent actions, in particular—shoving her aside to face the water monster alone—had moved her deeply. People have feelings, after all, and Ling Xiao’s bravery had undoubtedly seared a deep imprint on her heart.
"It did follow us." Song Mingyue sat there, trying to calm her racing heart. She looked outside and said softly, "It was probably stunned by the poison on my arrows, but I doubt it’s dead. How are you? Are your injuries serious?"
Ling Xiao shifted his body slightly, and fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Song Mingyue cried out in alarm, "Ling Xiao, you... are you okay? Don’t scare me!"
Ling Xiao managed a difficult smile. "It’s nothing. Just an external wound, that’s all!"
"What do you mean, an external wound? Your... your back!" Song Mingyue exclaimed, reaching out to feel his back. Her hand came away wet. She pulled it back, and tears began to stream down her face.
"Ling Xiao, do you see me as an outsider? You’re this badly hurt and you didn’t even tell me! I... in your eyes, was I better as a man than as a woman?" Song Mingyue was both angry and frantic. She spoke between sobs while frantically searching her Space Ring for healing medicine.
Her tone softened. Pursing her lips, she said gently, "Ling Xiao, you... don’t be angry with me. I didn’t mean it. Turn over, let me put some medicine on your wound, okay?"
Ling Xiao took two heavy breaths and said, "My entire spine... it’s been completely shattered. So, don’t bother with the medicine. Even if you use it, it won’t get better."
"What?!"
The shock brought fresh tears to Song Mingyue’s eyes. "Then what do we do? If your spine is completely shattered, then... then won’t you become a cripple?"
Ling Xiao tried to laugh, but just coughed twice. "Yeah," he said. "I’m going to be a cripple."
"And you’re laughing? You... are you heartless?!" Song Mingyue was exasperated with him. ’Is this man really not afraid of death? Oh, well. We’re in some unknown place underground, with no idea if we can even get out. If we die, we die. It wouldn’t be so bad... to die together.’
At this thought, the anxious look on Song Mingyue’s face softened. Ling Xiao asked, a little strangely, "What is it? You’re not afraid anymore?"
Song Mingyue gave Ling Xiao a radiant smile. The dim light of their surroundings seemed to brighten with her brilliant expression. "Afraid? Of course I’m afraid. But... to be able to die with the person you love, that’s a kind of happiness, isn’t it? And the best part is, here... there’s only you and me!" As she spoke, Song Mingyue cast all her inhibitions aside. She snuggled into Ling Xiao’s embrace, gently resting her head on his shoulder. One of her delicate hands rested on his waist, her body trembling slightly. She murmured, "It’s just a pity... that I never got to be your woman..." As she said this, her face flushed a deep crimson, like a cherry blossom.
Ling Xiao froze for a moment, his stiff body gradually relaxing. Tentatively, he placed a hand on Song Mingyue’s shoulder and turned her to face him. Her face was overcome with shyness, and she couldn’t meet his gaze. Ling Xiao said, "There’s no need for this. If you go on your own, I’m sure you can find a way out. Don’t forget, you still have your father. I can give you the method for Refining Elixirs, I can give you my Space Ring..."
Before Ling Xiao could finish, Song Mingyue covered his mouth with her delicate hand. A faint, sweet scent drifted into his nose.
"Don’t say any more, okay?" Song Mingyue said softly. "Ling Xiao, you have so many beautiful women around you. Who... who do you like the most?"
Ling Xiao hesitated. ’This is a hard question to answer! Especially to a woman who is determined to die with me. If I say it’s not her, it would be incredibly cruel. But if I say it *is* her... I feel like that would be a lie. I’ve been out in the world for two years now, but I’ve always been hopelessly passive when it comes to matters of the heart. It feels like besides Ye Zi, that little thief I "captured" and brought to my side, all the other women... well, not to mention the two Maids, Chunlan and Qiuyue. In a noble family, personal Maids are essentially future concubines.’
’Yisha loves me wholeheartedly, and she’s already lost so much for my sake. Even though I’ve always thought of her as a little sister, it’s obvious she sees me as her man. By all rights, I have no reason to ever let her down!’
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