Chapter Twenty-Three: An Unforgettable Promise
But what no one noticed was something else—even if she pretended to be cold, she felt something strange when she was near him.
The Aura of Desire had affected her, just as it had affected every other girl around him, but her strong will made its effect slower. Nevertheless, she felt an inexplicable attraction toward him and couldn't fully understand why.
As for Su Mi, she started feeling jealous involuntarily. She didn't know why, but she wasn't happy with Gu Yue being near her brother. Ever since she arrived, his attention had been on her, and she didn't like that at all.
And so, a complicated relationship began between Su Ling, Su Mi, and Gu Yue, as the effect of the Aura of Desire worked in the shadows—slowly but steadily.
Time passed quickly—more than a year had gone by. During this time, Gu Yue had been staying at the Su Family's residence, and because of her presence there, her relationship with Su Ling and Su Mi had developed significantly.
Snow fell lightly, covering the ground with a soft white layer. The air was cold, but it was nothing compared to the frost sweeping through Gu Yue's heart.
In front of the Su Family's gate, Gu Yue stood in her blue robe embroidered with snow patterns, her silver hair swaying with the cold wind, while the Gu Family's carriage waited to take her away.
Su Ling, twelve years old, stood before her, his expression as calm as ever, but his eyes watched her intently. Beside him, ten-year-old Su Mi clutched the hem of his robe, looking at Gu Yue with an expression mixed between sadness and jealousy.
Gu Yue turned to them, then lifted her chin with feigned arrogance and averted her gaze, saying,
Gu Yue said sharply, "Hmph! Don't think I'll miss you or anything! I'm only returning to the clan to become stronger. When I come back, I'll be much stronger than you, Su Ling! So don't you dare forget me!"
Su Ling smiled faintly as he looked at her, then said calmly, "I won't forget you, Gu Yue. After all, you're my fiancée."
Her face instantly turned red, and she quickly turned her head away so he wouldn't see the blush on her cheeks. Her heart began pounding, but she pretended not to care. She knew she loved Su Ling, but she didn't want to admit it so easily.
As for Su Mi, she bit her lip,
Su Mi said coldly, "Is that so? Fine, come back whenever you want, but don't think you'll take my brother away from me so easily!"
Gu Yue shot her a challenging look,
Gu Yue said in a quiet voice, "We'll see about that…"
She turned, preparing to step into the carriage, but suddenly, without realizing it, she turned back toward Su Ling and quickly moved toward him. In a fleeting moment, she reached out and held his hand for a brief second before letting go immediately as if she had done nothing.
Gu Yue said, "Remember my words, you fool! When I return, I'll make you regret not asking me to stay!"
Su Ling replied in a calm tone, "So… you're leaving today."
Gu Yue scoffed, "Hah! Did you expect me to stay here forever?" She turned her face away quickly, hiding the slight blush on her cheeks.
Su Ling said, "Really?"
Gu Yue said, "I've been here for a long time already! It's only natural for me to return to my family!"
Su Mi frowned.
Su Mi said, "But… we've always been together, haven't we?"
Gu Yue glanced sideways at her, then quickly averted her gaze, avoiding eye contact.
Gu Yue said, "Hah! So what? It's not like I'll miss you or anything!"
Despite her harsh words, there was a faint tremor in her voice, as if she was trying to convince herself before convincing others.
Su Ling didn't say anything, but he continued looking at her in silence. He knew her well—he knew she was trying to hide her true feelings.
As the silence dragged on, Gu Yue grew irritated and lightly stomped her foot.
Gu Yue said, "What?! Do you think I'm going to cry or cling to you, saying, 'Don't leave me'?! I'm not a weak girl!"
Su Ling finally smiled.
Su Ling said, "I never said that."
That made her flush with either anger… or perhaps embarrassment. "W-Well, then don't look at me like that!"
Su Mi, who had been watching the exchange between them, frowned slightly, then clung to Su Ling's arm even more.
Su Mi said, "Heh, anyway, we'll be fine without you. Right, Brother?"
That made Gu Yue whip her head toward her, her blue eyes glowing as if she had taken an unexpected hit.
Gu Yue said, "Hah?! And what do you mean by that?! Do you think I'm just a nuisance or something you can get rid of?!"
Su Mi showed a small smile but didn't respond directly.
"Hmph!" Gu Yue turned her face arrogantly, but everyone noticed her clenched fists at her sides.
As the guards started loading her luggage into the carriage, Gu Yue slowly stepped closer to Su Ling, stopping directly in front of him. Her eyes stared at him sharply, but she couldn't hide the hesitation within them.
Then, suddenly, she lifted her hand and lightly hit his chest with a small fist.
Gu Yue said, "You… don't you dare forget me, understand?!"
Su Ling said, "I promise, my wife. And you too—don't you dare forget me. Even if I die, I will return to life and hunt you down if you dare to forget me!"
Gu Yue's voice rose slightly as she turned her face away, but her cheeks were lightly tinged with red as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. "Hmph! Don't think I'll miss you!"
Su Mi, who was never the type to hesitate in expressing her feelings, suddenly reached out and held Gu Yue's hand tightly.
Su Mi said in a soft voice, "Gu Yue, do you really have to leave now? Why don't you stay with us a little longer?"
Gu Yue said, "I…"
Gu Yue bit her lip for a moment before quickly masking her emotions in her usual way—raising her nose arrogantly.
Gu Yue said, "Don't be ridiculous. I have to return to my family and go to the clan to continue my training. I'm not weak like you—I must become stronger!"
But despite her haughty words, it was obvious she was hesitant to leave.
At that moment, Su Ling stepped forward, not giving her a chance to react before gently pulling her into his embrace and hugging her tightly.
Gu Yue said, "H-Huh?! What are you doing, you fool?!"
She tried to break free, but her body froze for a moment when she felt the warmth of his embrace surrounding her.
Then, before she could process it, she felt his lips lightly brush against her cheek. Her eyes widened, and a deep heat spread across her face.
It was as if an electric spark had jolted her entire body. She quickly retreated, raising her hands to cover her face, but the redness in her ears betrayed her flustered state.
Before Gu Yue could turn and leave—
Su Ling pulled her into his arms once again. This time, he lifted her chin, locked eyes with her, and kissed her lips passionately.
"Mmm…"
Then, before she could fully grasp the moment, she felt his lips on hers, making her eyes widen and her face burn even more. As their lips parted, her breath hitched.
He held her shoulders gently and whispered in her ear in a deep voice—
Su Ling whispered in a deep voice, "My fiancée, take care of yourself… I will miss you dearly, my beloved wife."
Gu Yue stammered, "I-Idiot! I don't need your words! T-There's no way I'll miss you!" Her voice trembled as she quickly turned around and jumped into the carriage, hiding behind its curtains. Her face was flushed red as she placed a finger on her lips, replaying the scene in her mind.
Without looking back, she disappeared into the carriage, but her heart continued to race wildly.
As the carriage began to move, Gu Yue left, but her voice—despite its attempt at strength—carried a trace of sorrow and longing.
No matter how bold his words were, she couldn't forget the feeling of his lips on hers. And only after she had gone far away did she realize—she hadn't responded to him.
Deep in her heart, she knew… this separation wouldn't last forever.
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To my dear readers,
I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for the delay in posting the recent chapters. I am a high school student, and right now we are in exam season, which makes it difficult for me to write.
(Number of words in this chapter: 1,433 words)
I know that writing is tiring and difficult, but reading is easy and enjoyable. Your support through ratings and comments will ignite my passion for writing, and I will work harder to entertain you even more.
I truly appreciate your continuous patience, and I promise that I will return stronger soon. Thank you for your understanding and loyalty. Your support means a lot to me, and I hope you will continue to stay with me on this literary journey, encouraging me to keep writing.
Best regards,
[Ss1000101]
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