Chapter 72.1: Alone Under the Cliff 2

Jing Wan felt that across from her wasn't a person, but an actual wild beast. Those teeth seemingly really sank deep into the blood veins. She didn't dare to move again; her body froze. Her entire heart was about to jump into her throat.

Perhaps sensing that Jing Wan had calmed down, Li Hong Yuan also slowly let go of her. Afterwards, he extended his tongue and licked her wound. It clearly was a bit salty and carried an iron taste, yet he seemingly felt it was incomparably delicious. As he licked he also sucked on her wound, to the extent that Jing Wan even heard his swallowing sound. "Wan Wan, you're mine, mine, don't try to leave me. Else, even to the ends of the earth, I will have you brought back, then entirely swallowed into my stomach."

Although his voice wasn't especially clear, but this time, Jing Wan had heard his every word very clearly.

Right now, is it still not too late to regret? She'd saved him out of kindness. She definitely didn't want to throw herself in. She felt she was even more unlucky than the farmer in 'The Farmer and the Viper'[1]. At least, that snake attacked indiscriminately. And her? She was completely suffering in place of someone else alright?!

That's right. No matter how many times Li Hong Yuan calls out 'Wan Wan', and no matter how familiar Jing Wan was with this address normally, in this moment, she didn't have the least bit of empathy, and didn't want to have any empathy either. She called out countless times inside her heart to that person with the same name as her to 'quickly come drag your family's out of control wild beast with super strong desires back and tie him up', don't let him come out and harm others.

Wait until someday in the future, when Jing Wan learns that the 'Wan Wan' he spoke of was precisely her, don't know what kind of expression she will make then.

Should she have this wild beast tied up or not? If she ties him up, he will only bring disaster to herself. If she doesn't tie him up, then he'll bring disaster to others......and herself!

Li Hong Yuan's situation wasn't good right now after all, so as the strength in his hands relaxed, he immediately appeared somewhat powerless. His entire body unsuspectingly rested on top of Jing Wan's body. Just, the words 'Wan Wan' still continuously spilt from his mouth, like sleep talk.

Li Hong Yuan didn't respond for quite a while. Jing Wan assumed that he'd passed out again. "Wan Wan...." These two words suddenly sounded by her ears again. At first, Jing Wan didn't think much of it, but as she listened on, Jing Wan felt as if she was about to cringe to death.

Jing Wan attempted to push him away. Afterwards, a certain person, like having received an enormous shock, slowly lifted his head again. He opened his eyes and fixedly stared at Jing Wan, "Wan Wan wants to leave me that much?" His palm also slid across her waist, unconsciously pulling on her clothes, as if it could rip into pieces with a bit of strength.

"I don't!" Jing Wan quickly and anxiously denied. And her hand grabbed the hand placed at her waist. If her own clothes gets damaged by him, then she would have no choice but to risk her life to try to escape from his side. Because of his injuries, he wasn't wearing clothes. This was definitely a completely different matter from a man and woman alone with torn clothes. With the former, she could still somehow stand on the grounds of a virtuous cause. But with the latter, her innocence would be thoroughly gone. Her fate would be destined to be only one: after returning, be lifted into Jin Wang Manor in a small sedan, and from then on out, be cut off from the rest of the world. That was something she was absolutely unwilling to see happen. "Just, it's a bit uncomfortable being crushed by you like this." Jing Wan soothingly patted him.

Li Hong Yuan furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment, seemingly just registering what she'd just said. "As long as you obediently stay at my side, I can indulge you in whatever you want." Li Hong Yuan said, as he embraced Jing Wan's waist and flipped over again, letting her lay at his side. Yet his arms, from beginning to end, never let go.

Soon after, Jing Wan noticed that his injuries, because of the movements just now, were bleeding again.

"You have a fever right now, let me wipe your body. Also, your injuries, I need to help you take care of them again. Let me go first, alright?"

Li Hong Yuan, who's once again closed his eyes, was like he didn't hear anything, so naturally he didn't respond.

Jing Wan had no other choice. She thought for a moment, hardened her head, and leaned close to his ear, softly comforting him, promising him that she would definitely not leave.

Li Hong Yuan who originally was still quiet instead lightly shook his head left and right, his brows tightly furrowed, seemingly trapped in a dream, and his arms also unconsciously tightened even tighter.

After Jing Wan had just gotten over the dangers to her neck, her waist was now met with a crisis. It was about to break alright! She really should have looked at her fortune before going out today, perhaps on there would have said to refrain from traveling. She contemplated whether or not, after the matter, to go find the main culprit that had caused them to come to White Dragon Temple today.

Li Hong Yuan, because of Jing Wan's words, recalled his memories. In his past life, Jing Wan had also saved him once. The difference between that time and now was that that time, he actually was close to death. If not for Jing Wan, he was certain that he would've already lost his life. Where would there still be the matters afterwards. And more importantly, during that time, he was precisely in the most painful turning point of his life, carrying doubt towards anyone and anything in his surrounding. Jing Wan knew his situation, and further knew that not saving him was more beneficial to her than saving him. But she still chose to save him without hesitation. She herself was also experiencing hardship at the time, and was currently facing an even bigger storm. However, she not only didn't collapse under the pressure, but instead became even more durable. She tolerated his bad temper, wholeheartedly taking care of him. Day after day, despite her practically never saying anything when he's awake, and her face seemingly never carrying a smile, you could still see her forever straightened back.

Li Hong Yuan didn't know starting from when did he no longer spoke harshly towards her, no longer smashed the bowls of medicine she brought, and began ponder in silence, his eyes beginning to follow her figure. Actually, before this, he'd already noticed this woman, and even quite admired her inside. Her unyielding, her courage, her toughness, and her capabilities, how many men could even come close? And when his line of sight could no longer leave her, he knew he wanted her. But, this woman had already long became another's wife, she didn't belong to him!

He no longer abandoned himself to despair. So what if everyone in the world all betrays him, there would always still be a person that would treat him sincerely. She'd done everything she could to save him, so he also needed to be worthy of her sincerity, right? From that moment on, Li Hong Yuan truly changed. He wanted to sit upon the throne, and he wanted this woman.

It can be said that without Jing Wan, then perhaps there wouldn't be the Emperor Li Hong Yuan that had cut a bloody path out from despair, becoming the final winner.

Unfortunately, there was a saying in this world called 'too late'. Before he could possess the highest power to protect her in time, she'd already perished.

That's why, when he was able to start his life over again, the throne was no longer the most important to him. What he wanted the most was to have her. Afterwards, protect her, and hold on to her smiling face. Watch over that reserved warmth and candidness of hers. Even he isn't allowed to hurt a single finger of hers. Of course, aside from the injuries caused under certain special circumstances.

His meticulous schemes, scheming for the throne and seizing power, were all merely for the sake of letting her stand at the highest position, so that no one can threaten her place.

Jing Wan has never experienced it before herself, so she forever won't know that her heart was actually the most tender. Even if right now she was suffering under Li Hong Yuan, while comforting him, she also got rid of distracting thoughts, using up all her patience. That was her most unique tenderness. How many people could refuse, especially when at one's most fragile moments?

Despite knowing full well that this life was already not the same anymore, Li Hong Yuan was still trapped in the dreams of his past life, unable to free himself. Because she was someone else's wife, she rejected him. Even if he'd used despicable means to possess her, she still escaped from him. Then afterwards, when he wasn't able to obtain the highest power in time, she thoroughly left him, and even to a place forever far beyond his reach. That's why he only wanted tightly hold her right now. Regardless if it's she herself, or anyone else, all can't make her leave him.......

Regardless of what kind of feelings Jing Wan had, she still couldn't vent her anger at someone who was unconscious from severe injuries. She could only hold back her temper and tell him over and over again that she won't leave him.......

Li Hong Yuan finally woke up once again. Opening his eyes, he looked to Jing Wan, tenderly and gently, and full of fondness, "Wan Wan...."

His gaze at that moment made Jing Wan's heartbeat uncontrollably speed up. Furthermore, it felt strangely familiar to her, and in addition to his voice........

Jing Wan immediately stiffened, suddenly recalling that strange spring dream[2] from last night. The man that had turned clouds and made rain[3] with her, the only thing she remembered exceptionally clearly about was that pair of eyes. Yet it just had to almost completely overlay with Jin Qinwang's at this moment.

Jing Wan had the impulse to facepalm. Could it be that last night's dream was actually a kind of foretelling, foretelling her misfortunes today? But why didn't it indicate anything else, for instance, falling off a cliff and whatnot?

Some things, once crawled out from your memories, to want to have it pressed back down again, the difficulty will have increased by tenfolds. Especially now, when one is in a situation that vaguely makes one daydream. Getting stared at by him like this, in addition to those embarrassing images endlessly surfacing in her mind, Jing Wan strangely felt her face reddening and her heart pulsing. She awkwardly and somewhat embarrassingly averted her gaze.

Li Hong Yuan reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to face himself. Just when Jing Wan felt that he was going to kiss her again, he instead said, "Wan Wan has never voluntarily kissed me before." Tapping his somewhat chapped lips, "Kiss me once, and I'll let you go."

Even if Jing Wan had a good temper, she still couldn't help but want to kick him to death. If not for the fact that from beginning to end, she's never had any interactions with him, and his attitude was too natural and too casual, Jing Wan would've thought that he was actually calling for her, purposefully teasing her, and not having mistaken her for someone else.

Li Hong Yuan closed his eyes again, his attitude very clear. Forget it if you're not willing, but also don't expect him to let go.

Jing Wan angrily lifted her hand and punched him, coincidently landing on his ruptured wound. Li Hong Yuan made a stuffy grunt.

Jing Wan hurriedly expressed her apologies. But when a certain person seized the opportunity to demand a kiss again, that bit of guilt was immediately thrown out the window. In fact, she even punched him twice more, just she subconsciously lightened her strength.

If the mountain doesn't come to me, then I'll just go to it! Li Hong Yuan hooked the back of Jing Wan's head and fiercely kissed her, having the inside of her mouth thoroughly swept through, before releasing her, letting her go free.

Jing Wan immediately rolled away, even disregarding her image and jumping up, fiercely wiping her mouth once.

Seeing such a lively Jing Wan, Li Hong Yuan suddenly smiled, and in an inaudible low voice, spat out two word: 'Really nice.'

[1] The Farmer and the Viper - This is referring to the Aesop fable where a farmer saves a snake freezing in the snow, but gets bitten by it when the snake is revived by the warmth in his bosom. The farmer asks the snake why, and the snake goes 'I'm a snake'. Then the farmer dies realizing it was his own fault for saving a snake. Think in the Chinese version of the story I read the moral was 'don't be so eager to help strangers, because you might get betrayed.' Or something along the lines or 'don't be so trusting to strangers'. The actual moral in the original version was teaching people how 'kindness to evil is met with betrayal'.

[2] Spring Dream - euphemism for erotic dream

[3] Euphemism for love making