Chapter 217

Chapter 217. Just One Step Away

But Chu Feng had always been that impossibly handsome to begin with. That was probably one of the reasons Cailin had slowly been influenced by him without even realizing it.

After Chu Feng had brought Cailin back, she remembered every single thing he had done to protect her with perfect clarity.

Especially yesterday, when Chu Feng reached his hand toward her. Cailin had instinctively wanted to dodge, but his fingers had already landed on the tip of her nose, light and ticklish...

“What are you thinking about?”

Chu Feng had been so doting, so gentle.

Cailin’s face had turned red at once, and she had not dared look at him at all.

And yet, she had no choice but to admit that her heart had been quietly moved, as sweet as though she had tasted honey.

Especially when she recalled how Chu Feng had rebuked the officials in court for her sake that day.

Those ministers had knelt all across the floor, each and every one of them insisting that she was a demoness, saying that if she was not eliminated, the Great Chu Dynasty would perish. But Chu Feng had not listened in the slightest. Seated high upon the Dragon Throne, his expression indifferent, he had uttered only a single sentence.

“Whoever dares say one more word will have their nine clans exterminated!”

At that moment, she had stood behind the curtain, watching Chu Feng’s proud and solitary back, while an indescribable emotion surged up in her heart.

She knew how many people he had offended because of that one sentence, and how much pressure he had taken upon himself.

But she had said nothing.

She had only watched him silently.

Cailin’s heart was not made of stone. It was not as if she could not see how good Chu Feng had been to her.

She remembered the way he had pulled her into his arms in the Palace Chambers that day and said, “You are my woman.”

Even before that, when she had a nightmare and dreamt again of her father being killed, she had awakened with a scream. When Chu Feng heard her voice, not only had he not blamed her in the slightest, he had rushed in at once and pulled her tightly into his arms.

“Do not be afraid. I am here.”

Though it had only been a simple sentence, those gentle words had been like a calming pill, instantly putting Cailin’s heart at ease.

At that moment, Cailin had truly felt that perhaps she really could stay among the Human Race and live properly together with Chu Feng.

But what she had not expected was that events would develop so quickly and become so unpredictable.

Now, she could only leave without turning back.

Yet no matter how firm she was in her heart, Cailin’s steps grew slower and slower.

It was not because she was tired, nor because she had become annoyed. It was only because the moment she thought of those things, she found herself reluctant to leave.

Because Cailin realized that with every step she took, her longing for Chu Feng grew heavier.

Chu Feng had truly done exactly as he said he would. He had disregarded everything and desperately treated her well.

As she thought of it, Cailin suddenly felt her chest tighten. She came to an abrupt stop, bracing herself against the palace wall as she gasped for breath.

One hand pressed over her chest, she looked around at the surrounding walls, then looked in the direction of Chu Feng’s Palace Chambers.

At that moment, Cailin could not help but begin doubting once again whether this decision of hers was right or wrong.

The only thing she could truly feel was that she really could not bear to leave this place, this place she had so painstakingly come to accept, this place she had grown used to.

But this place could no longer keep her. If she did not leave now, the one who would continue to suffer would still be her.

Letting her tears trail down her face, Cailin helplessly drew in several deep breaths.

She had to go.

If she did not leave now, it would be too late.

The Cailin of this moment would rather bear everything alone than let Chu Feng be put in a difficult position because of her.

Cailin took a deep breath and forced herself to continue forward, but her steps felt as heavy as though thousands of jin had been poured into them, making every movement unbearably difficult.

At last, Cailin saw the palace gate right before her eyes.

Even in the darkness of night, by the light of the candles, the vermilion gate stood there in silence, like a boundary that could never be crossed, so striking that it could not be ignored.

When she saw that gate, Cailin almost wanted to laugh.

Back then, she had refused with all her might to step through that gate. But now, she found herself full of reluctance to walk out of it.

Inside the gate was the place she did not dare remain.

Outside the gate was the uncertainty of not knowing where she should go.

Fortunately, just as Cailin had imagined, the guards at the gate were also sleeping soundly at this late hour, their heads drooping slightly. After all, no one ever really passed through this palace gate so late at night, so it was only natural for these so-called guards to grow drowsy.

Cailin lightened her steps and pressed herself close to the wall, inching bit by bit toward the gate.

At that moment, her heart suddenly began pounding wildly, hanging in her throat. There were only a few steps left. As long as she could get out, all the troubles weighing on her heart could be resolved.

She saw the reflections of the bronze studs on the gate, one after another, like stars.

Silently, she counted her own steps in her heart.

One step, two steps, three steps, four steps...

She heard the sound of the night wind blowing through the cracks of the gate, rustling softly, as though even it were trying to persuade her to stay.

A moment ago, she had still been full of reluctance to leave this place. But now, as the palace gate drew nearer and nearer, Cailin caught the scent drifting in from beyond it—that was the scent of freedom, and also the scent of loneliness.

Three steps...

Her hands began to tremble, and she could feel both legs shaking.

One step...

With only a single step left, she would be able to leave the Imperial Palace completely.

She reached out her hand. Her slender five fingers looked especially blurred in the darkness, just about to touch that towering vermilion gate.

At that moment, even Cailin herself could not describe what she was feeling. Part of her could not bear to go, yet part of her was full of anticipation and hope for what lay outside.

However, the instant Cailin pushed that vermilion gate open by the slightest crack, a furious roar suddenly came from behind her.

It was the kind of roar that shook heaven and earth.

“Where do you think you are going?”

That voice exploded behind her without warning, carrying a sternness sharp enough to stir wind and clouds. Cailin’s heart lurched violently, as though a bomb had gone off inside her chest. Her heart started pounding madly, and the hand she had just stretched out suddenly snapped back.

Cailin’s whole body stiffened. Her blood seemed to freeze in an instant. She stood there rigidly, as though something had pinned her in place, not moving in the slightest.

Though the voice had been stern and angry, Cailin was far too familiar with it.

That familiarity had already been carved into her bones and melted into her blood. Even if he only gave the faintest hum, Cailin would still be able to recognize who it was at once.

“What is this? You were capable of making such a major decision on your own, and now you do not even dare turn around and look at me?”

It really was him.

At that moment, Cailin could not tell whether what she felt was shock or joy.

She had clearly done everything flawlessly and without making a sound, so how had he known?

And why had he arrived so precisely at this very critical moment?

Cailin stiffly turned around. In her eyes, which had been dim and lifeless just moments ago, light instantly surged forth, and her pupils began widening without end.

Under the moonlight, that familiar figure was striding swiftly toward her from the other end of the passage, carrying a decisive and overwhelming force, as though he meant to capture her alive on the spot.

It was Chu Feng!

She saw that Chu Feng was wearing only his inner robe, with a yellow cloak thrown over his shoulders. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his robes were still damp with the dew of the night. It was obvious that he had rushed here in great haste.

Chu Feng, who always cared so much about his outward appearance, was actually in such a hurried and disordered state at this moment. That alone was enough to show just how anxious he had been.