After spending several nights together in the Heavenly Dynasty, Su Zhan found himself growing increasingly fond of Skye. In the beginning, his interest in her was practical-he hoped to use her as a way to get into S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course, her beautiful figure and charm were appealing, and he appreciated her as a woman, his attraction instinctive and natural. But as time passed, Su Zhan realized his feelings for her were becoming genuine and deep.
He was certain Skye felt the same way. Yet, despite the growing affection between them, neither had clarified their relationship, and there had been no real breakthrough. At this stage, it was just mutual fondness-a sweet period of vague ambiguity, where everything was possible, but nothing was certain.
As the saying goes, happy times are always fleeting. The car-Skye's van-was finally repaired.
Once her van was fixed, there was no longer any reason for Skye to continue living with Su Zhan, and it seemed inevitable that they might soon have to part ways. Su Zhan began to wonder whether he should reveal his true identity to her. Skye was a hacker, a member of the Rising Tide organization-a group that, while not strictly criminal, was certainly not "clean" in the eyes of the authorities. She had never revealed her own story, clearly out of caution or concern. Su Zhan could also sense that Skye was curious about him, and he didn't believe for a moment that she hadn't tried to investigate him.
However, Skye never brought it up and always pretended not to know. So, Su Zhan wanted to know whether Skye simply wanted to enjoy this beautiful interlude, or if she was truly serious about their connection. Most importantly, Su Zhan realized he had fallen for Skye and didn't want to let her go.
Suddenly, with a soft "Bang!" the bedroom door swung open, and Skye stepped out, carrying her belongings. It was obvious she was preparing to leave.
Su Zhan looked at Skye, noticing the hesitation and reluctance written all over her face.
"Are you… leaving?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with both sadness and hope.
"Yes, the car is fixed, and I can't stay here forever. Besides, I have other things to do, so…" Skye's voice trailed off. She herself couldn't quite understand how she could have fallen for someone in just a few days.
But she knew her feelings were real, and she couldn't believe she was about to leave Su Zhan so soon. For someone who had always been alone, it was never easy to become attached or reluctant to leave another person. But once it happened, it was impossible to forget.
"Before you go, there's something very important I need to say. It might sound ridiculous and unexpected, but I must make it clear!" Su Zhan said with sudden seriousness, his eyes never leaving hers.
Skye put down her things and walked over to sit beside Su Zhan.
"I told you before that it's true-I've never been in love. Maybe I do seem a bit like a playboy, and I can't help but notice beautiful women, but that's just a man's instinct, not true feelings. But after these few days with you, I realized I genuinely like you! So, Skye, will you be my girlfriend?" Su Zhan looked at Skye, his gaze earnest and unwavering.
The sudden confession made Skye incredibly happy-she hadn't expected Su Zhan to feel the same way. But…
"Su Zhan, actually… I like you just as much. But I'm sorry, I can't be with you, because I…" Skye's face twisted with pain. She was a hacker, someone who specialized in fighting against the government and S.H.I.E.L.D. Although she guessed Su Zhan's identity wasn't simple, she didn't want to involve him in her complicated world.
What's more, she had her own purpose! She had provoked S.H.I.E.L.D. deliberately, hoping to attract their attention so she could join them and investigate her own background-to find out who her parents were.
"I know you have your concerns, and so do I. I've been hesitating to tell you these past few days. My identity is actually very special. I'm from China, but my memory is incomplete. I've lost a lot of memories. I'm like a helpless child who came here, not knowing what to do. Until I met you, life suddenly had meaning! I know you might mind this…"
"No…" Skye interrupted Su Zhan, her eyes wide with surprise. She hadn't expected him to reveal his secrets, let alone that he'd lost his memory. She could imagine how helpless and lonely it must feel to be alone and without memories in a strange world.
"I don't mind. Even though I don't know what happened to you, trust me-I'll help you find out!" Skye said seriously, her voice filled with sincerity.
"The past is just the past. I don't care about that. What I look forward to is the future-and I hope you'll be in it!" Su Zhan took Skye's hand, looking at her with hope and longing.
Although Su Zhan felt a little guilty about making up the story of memory loss, it was the most appropriate explanation he could offer. How else could he possibly explain the truth? That he was a time traveler? That he had come to this world to become a king? Even if Skye liked him, such a revelation would be hard for her to accept. Besides, Su Zhan also needed Skye's abilities-not her Inhuman powers, but her hacking skills. In the future, he would need to work independently and build his own team. Skye's talents would be invaluable.
"Actually, I have a secret too. I'm a hacker-a very skilled one. I recently joined a group called 'Rising Tide.' Because of that, there could be a lot of trouble in the future. I'm afraid of dragging you into it!" Skye admitted, her voice trembling slightly.
Su Zhan smiled gently. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. And as for trouble, maybe… I'll be the one dragging you into it. After all,… S.H.I.E.L.D. is already watching me."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is watching you?" Skye asked nervously, her concern for him plain to see.
Su Zhan nodded. "Yes, I met Black Widow before I met you. She followed me for a while, but probably didn't find anything, so she left."
"Why?" Skye pressed, her curiosity and worry mingling.
"Maybe because of my special abilities," Su Zhan replied calmly, his tone both mysterious and reassuring.