Because I Cannot Hurt You

It was a painful duration of a whole fifteen minutes that was nothing but hell to Milo. Yunru's every punch and kicks accurately hit his vital spots that by the end of it, Milo couldn't even keep his eyes open. He didn't have the strength to even cry and beg him to stop. His face was bleeding and the bruises on his skin were turning purplish.

But Yunru still wasn't satisfied. The sight of Zizi's delicate face marred in red with Milo's slap was burned and imprinted in his mind. He was extremely angry not just at Milo but at himself too for not arriving in time. Zizi wouldn't have suffered so much if he had quickly caught Milo outside the venue itself.

Milo's breaths were ragged and he could hardly move.

Yunru clenched his fists but Chief Xu Hui stopped him this time. "That is enough, Soo Yunru. We cannot kill him or what would we answer to our higher-ups? He will get his due punishment by the law and you have beaten him enough.. Look at his state."

Yunru clenched his jaw. "It's still too little for a bastard who raises his hand against a woman!"

Bai Guiren and Sun Zihao nodded their heads.

"Indeed," he sighed. "But he will suffer that punishment too. Milo has to account for every one of his crimes now."

Yunru felt a soft sensation gently holding his hand. "Yunru…He is right. Let him go. This is more than enough. I don't want you to get in any trouble anymore."

Yunru stared down at her in silence. The rage in his eyes seemed to slowly dissipate.

The officers dumped Milo in the back of the police car. Sun Zihao smiled. "All's well that ends well. Milo is captured and Han Zizi is safe too. So is Head Yin. You did a great job, buddy," he patted Yunru's shoulder.

Bai Guiren chuckled. "He is the star of tonight. Anyway. Let's head back. We are all tired, especially you two. Let's have a nice long rest."

---

Back at the hotel, Zizi observed how quiet Yunru was for the whole ride back. He seemed to be in some daze.

He faintly smiled as he patted her head. "Go to sleep. Our flight back to Beijing is in the afternoon tomorrow. There is no hurry to wake up early in the morning."

He turned but Zizi quickly grabbed his wrist. "Wait!"

He stopped.

Zizi bit her lip and dragged him inside the room. She shut the door and then faced him, putting her hands on her waist. "Why are you not speaking anything?"

Yunru slightly stiffened.

"What do you mean? I am talking to you."

"But this doesn't feel right to me. You are not clearly looking at me. You are avoiding your gaze and you seem to be in some other thoughts. Tell me, what are you thinking?"

"It's nothing like that-"

Zizi glared at him, cutting off his words. "Don't lie. What is bothering you? Tell me the truth."

Yunru kept quiet for a long time. Zizi didn't pester him more either.

Slowly, he lowered his head and tiredly rested it on her shoulder. Zizi was taken aback.

"...I am sorry, Princess," he whispered in a soft voice as if he felt defeated.

Zizi blinked her eyes. "Why are you saying sorry? Idiot, you saved everybody tonight. You should feel proud."

"I do not. You got kidnapped and had to spend hours at Milo's place. I cannot imagine how scared you must have been. I was so close to catching him, but he took you away again...This time he even hit you," he felt his blood boiling in anger once again, "I failed to protect you. I can never forgive myself for this. I am really sorry, Princess…"

Zizi felt her eyes tear up. "You...you are an idiot."

He sadly chuckled. "I don't deny it."

"I don't mean it that way! You are stupid to think that it's your fault. Are you crazy to blame yourself? Milo's advantage was that we were in the car. You couldn't have stopped him. Plus...it's really my fault to begin with," she guiltily said, "I found him suspicious, so I followed him. But I should have immediately told you instead of following him…I-I made you worry unnecessarily."

Yunru slowly wrapped his arms around her and tightly hugged her. "Don't blame yourself, Princess. You are the real hero. Even in that unconscious state, you managed to leave a message for me. If not for that, I wouldn't have understood Milo's plan. But I was late in saving you-"

"Oof stop it already. If you had been late, I would have been dead already by falling off the cliff," she harrumphed. "Did you forget that it was you who pulled me up?"

Yunru froze. How could he forget that? Not that he saved her but how Zizi had stumbled off the cliff. If he had been a second late then…

The thought of seeing her bloody dead body at the bottom of the cliff made him shudder.

His breaths turned messy and ragged in panic.

Close...so close he was tonight to losing her forever.

When he saw her falling off, he saw his life flash in front of him. The first thought that crossed his mind was…

What am I supposed to do if I lose Zizi? How will I live without her? 

A life without Princess Han Zizi suddenly felt too nauseating to him. Dull, grey and lifeless…

Yunru hugged her hard. Zizi felt his warm tear drops plop on her shoulder.

"Zizi…"

She trembled. "H-hey, why are you crying?"

"Zizi…"

"En."

"You...you are really here right?" He gently squeezed her.

"Of course. I am right here. You are hugging me right now, isn't it?" She smiled.

Indeed. He was hugging her. Right at this moment, she was in his embrace. Her warmth made his anxious heart calm down.

His Princess was alive.

"Zizi... Don't leave me, okay? Please don't leave my side...You are really, really important to me."