Chapter 216: Fragile

After all, it was New Year’s Eve. Everyone was full from the feast and ready to head outside the city to watch the fireworks.

But Jiang Xuening felt dazed.

She vaguely remembered Yan Lin and Shen Zhiyi coming to speak with her. She had responded as usual, her expression unchanged. Yet when she turned around, she realized she couldn’t recall a single word they had said. Only when the cold wind from the courtyard brushed against her face did she suddenly snap back to clarity.

The banquet had ended.

The others went to watch the fireworks.

She excused herself, claiming exhaustion, and walked alone down the corridor. But when she finally looked around, she realized this wasn’t the way back to her own room—it was the path leading to Xie Wei’s courtyard.

The festival lanterns glowed brilliantly in the outer courtyard, filling the space with festive warmth, but here, in the more secluded areas, the atmosphere was quiet and cold.

Bare tree branches stretched crookedly along the corridor’s edge.

The dim, yellow light cast her shadow at her feet, smudging it across the ground.

Jiang Xuening didn’t want to think about it. Yet Shen Zhiyi’s words from the banquet still echoed in her ears, refusing to fade, stirring up a restless unease within her.

Back then, in the palace…

Who knew her birthday?

Who had the power to command the imperial kitchen?

Who could send a bowl of noodles into Yangzhi Zhai without anyone noticing?

It wasn’t the most obvious person.

Then, the only one who had the ability but shouldn’t have had the reason to do so… became the only possible answer.

But how absurd was that?

She stood still in the corridor, her fingers trembling at her sides.

Memories from both her past and present lives flooded her mind—

One moment, it was Xie Jue’an smiling in the deep of the night within the forbidden palace, his voice drifting like a ghost: “Your Highness, mind yourself.”

The next, it was early summer in the Biyue Hall, where he had grabbed her in a rare moment of desperation, nearly pleading: “Jiang Xuening, don’t go.”

Then, in a flash, the world turned white with snow.

In a dark cave, his hands clamped around her throat, only for the scene to shift again—to Kunning Palace, where a golden hairpin fell from her head, slowly sinking into the pool of blood spreading across the floor…

That pain, that bone-deep cold—

It had never truly left her, not even after living another lifetime.

Jiang Xuening raised a hand and pressed it firmly against her neck.

It felt as if a sharp blade had already cut open her veins. If she didn’t hold it tightly, the blood would gush out—so much pain, so much pain.

Even the wounds Yan Lin had left on her in their past lives hadn’t fully faded.

How could she willingly throw herself into another abyss, another hellfire?

From the moment she was reborn, some things had already been branded into her soul.

She could never fully escape the past.

Without those experiences, she wouldn’t be the Jiang Xuening of today.

Even if everything that happened in the past life was her own doing, her own entrapment, in the end, it was still him who had forced her to death!

The chaotic memories continued to flicker—

Jiang Xuening bent forward, nearly doubling over from the pain. Her steps faltered as she stumbled back, trying to find her way to her room.

But after only two steps, another memory surfaced.

That day, Xie Wei had asked her—

Why was Shen Zhiyi worth her risking everything, going through fire and water?

She had answered: “His Highness has been very kind to me.”

And Xie Wei had looked at her, silent, watching her for a long time…

Her steps came to a halt.

The torment inside her overwhelmed her, swallowing her whole.

Yet, the more unbearable it became, the more a sudden determination rose within her.

Some things—

Were no longer what she wanted in this lifetime.

Even after two lifetimes, she was only twenty-seven years old. That was still a year younger than Xie Jue’an in this life.

And with her limited intelligence, how could she ever compare to his brilliance?

If things were not made clear and completely severed, the one to suffer in the end would still be herself.

Jiang Xuening stood in the cold silence for a while, slowly clenched her fingers, and forcibly suppressed the trembling that had climbed up her body. She then turned around again and walked toward the other end of the corridor.

Under the eaves, the shadows of the trees were sparse.

The swordsman Jian Shu, who usually stood guard outside Xie Wei’s door, was unexpectedly standing outside in the courtyard tonight, holding his sword. Seeing her figure, he was visibly startled. “Second Miss Ning?”

Jiang Xuening said, “I have something to discuss with Sir.”

Jian Shu was momentarily stunned. He instinctively wanted to say something, but after looking at her for a moment, he ultimately said nothing.

There was something indescribable in his gaze.

But Jiang Xuening had her mind occupied and did not dwell on it. Seeing that Jian Shu, though silent, did not stop her, she walked straight past him and stopped only when she reached the tightly closed door.

There was no light coming from inside—complete darkness.

Faintly, there seemed to be the sound of water.

She took a deep breath and lightly knocked on the door.

The water sound inside immediately stopped.

Jiang Xuening was momentarily bewildered but still said, “Sir Xie, this student has something to ask.”

Inside, there was no response, only complete silence.

She almost thought that the sound she had just heard was her own illusion and that Xie Wei had probably already gone to sleep.

But after a brief moment, there was a sudden splash of water—much more distinct than before.

The tightly closed door was quickly opened.

Xie Wei stepped out from the cold water, not even bothering to wipe the droplets from his body. He had only casually draped a dark cyan robe over himself, with most of his hair still wet. Water streamed down his face, neck, and Adam’s apple.

He was barefoot, standing directly on the ground.

His robe was loosely draped, with the front slightly open, revealing his defined chest. His lips were tightly pressed together, one hand resting on the doorframe, and his gaze fell upon her, evoking an almost breathtaking sense of danger.

There was no light in the room, only darkness. But outside, the lanterns along the corridor glowed.

Under the light, Jiang Xuening could see him clearly.

Only now did her mind react—Xie Wei had been bathing inside!

She immediately realized that the timing was inappropriate, quickly averted her gaze, and dared not look elsewhere. She lowered her eyes to her feet and swiftly said, “I was presumptuous. I will come back another day.”

After saying this, she turned to leave.

But Xie Wei suddenly grabbed her arm, holding her firmly in place, and said, “Are you really this afraid of me?”

Clearly, his entire body had been soaked in cold water, without a trace of warmth, yet the palm pressing against her arm was startlingly hot. Even through the soft silk of her sleeve, the heat was enough to make her tremble.

Jiang Xuening felt that something was wrong.

Forcing herself to remain calm, she said, “I merely had some unresolved doubts I wished to ask you about. But I had too much to drink at the banquet and got muddled, coming to disturb you at such a late hour. I hope Sir can forgive me.”

Hearing her maintain such a distant tone and catching the mention of “drinking” in her words, Xie Wei’s eye twitched slightly.

The frustration that had been simmering since he left the banquet earlier finally reached a breaking point. It surged up violently, and he suddenly exerted more force—pulling her straight into his arms and pressing his head down to kiss her.

His lips, chilled from the water, made Jiang Xuening shudder.

His damp embrace soaked her in the same cool moisture, yet the firm chest against her was burning hot.

His lips and tongue invaded.

Anger was hidden within.

He gave her no space to breathe, overwhelming her like a sudden storm, exuding a kind of unprecedented danger—far greater than when they had been trapped in a snowy mountain cave before!

Beyond his rage, there was an undercurrent of deep, trembling desire.

His tongue pried against her lips, then bit down on them, making her wince in pain.

She let out a soft gasp, and he seized the opening to invade deeper, forcing her to tilt her head back and endure a kiss so intense it nearly suffocated her.

By the time their lips finally parted, she barely had the strength to catch her breath.

Jiang Xuening saw that he was in no state to listen to reason and knew things were going south. She wanted to push him away, but he only gripped her tighter.

A cold sneer appeared on Xie Wei’s lips. “Now you’re afraid? Trying to run? Just a moment ago, you wouldn’t even look at me, yet you dared to bring me wine with such boldness?”

Jiang Xuening, panicked and completely confused, blurted out, “What wine?”

The more Xie Wei listened, the more stifled he felt. He could not be bothered to explain. Without another word, he dragged her, struggling, inside the room.

Jiang Xuening was furious. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face.

A crisp smack echoed through the dark night. She scolded coldly, “It’s the middle of the night—Sir, please conduct yourself with dignity!”

Xie Wei’s head tilted slightly from the force of the slap.

She turned, intending to escape.

However, his gaze darkened with an icy chill, and before she could reach the door, he had already seized both her wrists, twisted them behind her, and slammed the door shut with his other hand.

His damp body, like an immovable wall, trapped her in the narrow space between him and the door. He gazed down at her and said, “Conduct myself?”

The room instantly became even darker.

Only the faint glow from the corridor filtered through the window paper, casting a blurred light.

His silhouette appeared even more shadowy and indistinct.

Jiang Xuening opened her mouth to speak.

But Xie Wei’s hand had already slid up her slender waist. He lowered his head, his lips pressing against hers, his wandering fingers ice-cold, yet his voice murmured softly, “Jiang Xuening, even saints have tempers.”

Though he was bound by propriety, he was not free from the seven emotions and six desires shared by all.

It was only that he had always endured, restrained himself, unwilling to let wicked thoughts corrupt him.

Yet tonight, she had brought him that cup of wine, disturbing his once-clear mind. Even soaking in a tub of cold water had failed to suppress the fire within him. His temper was already flaring, and then she appeared before him again, provoking him. She barely spoke a few words before infuriating him to the point of heartache.

At this moment, how could he let her go?

Xie Wei had intended to punish her. But as he drew closer, feeling her soft warmth, it was as if oil had been poured onto fire—he found himself losing control instead.

Jiang Xuening’s body was too delicate.

Just a few touches from him had already drained her of most of her strength. She was flustered, aggrieved, and a deep, nameless fear crept up within her. A few muffled whimpers escaped from her lips, and tears slid from the corners of her eyes.

The warm teardrops landed on the fingers gripping her chin.

Xie Wei’s movements halted.

In that moment, it was impossible to say whether his emotions were more pity or anger. A part of him was about to relent and let her go. Yet the fire inside him had not subsided, and his frustration with her still lingered. He was unwilling to let her off so easily.

So he gritted his teeth, grasped her waist, and turned her around, pressing her face against the door. Holding her tightly in place, he leaned in, his lips trailing to the cool curve of her ear.

Jiang Xuening’s legs weakened, trembling slightly.

If not for him pinning her against the door, she probably wouldn’t have been able to stand at all, let alone move.

Xie Wei’s voice was hoarse and edged with restrained fury. He demanded, “Tell me then—what did you come to ask me?”

Jiang Xuening’s fingers weakly scratched at the carved window lattice. She could feel something burning against the small of her back and dared not move a muscle. Yet as her mind recalled her original purpose for coming here, she finally found her voice and said, “I wanted to ask Sir… to make me a bowl of noodles…”

The lips at her ear froze for a moment.

But in the next instant, they turned into a heated bite, stained with the taste of blood, landing on the white jade of her earlobe—harsher than before. A clear mark was left as he moved downward, his teeth grazing the slender curve of her neck.

“Even fools know when to play smart,” he muttered. “But it’s too late—those who should’ve died of anger are already gone.”

Jiang Xuening couldn’t see his expression—she could only hear his voice and feel one of his hands moving behind her with a rustling motion. At first, her mind was too muddled to notice, but as the breaths brushing against her skin gradually grew heavier, more erratic, she suddenly realized what was happening.

A loud buzz seemed to explode in her mind, leaving it completely blank.

In her daze, she had no sense of time passing.

Until, at a certain moment, he pressed down on her heavily, his forehead resting against the nape of her neck. With notable force, he bit the exposed ridge of her spine where her collar had been pulled back. At last, something within him seemed to be released, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

It was only then that she snapped out of her stupor, trembling as she called out, “Xie Ju’an!”

Yet Xie Wei had never done such a thing to anyone before. He knew his actions were improper, and as soon as he regained a sliver of clarity, he was overwhelmed with rage.

Before she could erupt in fury, he abruptly opened the door, pressed a hand against the back of her neck, and shoved her out. His voice was hoarse as he said, “Remember to change your clothes tomorrow.”

Then the door shut behind her.

Jiang Xuening, now standing outside the door, was utterly shocked.

She could not believe what Xie Wei had just done to her—nor could she believe that this was the so-called “sage” whom people revered.

Her clothes were disheveled, her legs weak. As she stood in the corridor, she reached behind to touch her skirt. The sensation beneath her fingers made her cheeks suddenly burn scarlet.

A surge of inescapable shame overwhelmed her, far surpassing even anger.

Standing outside the door, she had already forgotten why she had come in the first place. Unable to bear it any longer, she kicked the door hard and cursed, “How dare you! Despicable, shameless, vile!”

There was no movement from inside.

Xie Wei bent one leg and sat against the door frame, letting Jiang Xuening hurl her insults. After a while, he heard her stomp her foot. As if wary of making too much noise in the dead of night and being seen by others, she grit her teeth and spat out one last “Vile!” before her footsteps stumbled away in a frantic escape.

Lowering his head, he recalled his reckless actions just now.

He had held back so many times—yet in the end, he had failed to restrain himself.

A deep tremor shook his chest, and he let out a low, muffled laugh.

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