Even through the layers of clothing, Liwei could feel her nuzzling her face against his chest. Uncomfortable with her intimate proximity, he experienced a tingling sensation coursing through his body.
Glancing down at her face, he observed her thin, pink lips—moist and rosy. Unconsciously, he smacked his lips together in an attempt to moisten them, his throat feeling parched as he fixated on those inviting, moist lips. The unspoken tension lingered in the charged air between them.
Suddenly, realization struck him like a cold breeze – their relationship was merely an extended contract for the next six months, bound for separation afterward. Dwelling on these newfound feelings and ruining their carefully planned future seemed pointless.
The haunting knowledge lingered: once Xie Ming regained her lost memories, she would transform back into the woman who despised and loathed him to the core. The memories of their past, filled with fights and mutual animosity, loomed over him like a heavy cloud.
With a heavy heart, he decided it was wiser not to delve too deeply into thoughts about this transformed version of Xie Ming. His face darkened with the weight of this understanding, and he averted his gaze to the outside world, silently retreating from the complex emotions rippling inside him.
__
When the car halted in front of Jin Villa, the driver turned to inform Liwei about their arrival. However, before the driver could speak, Liwei raised his hand to signal silence.
Observing the peacefully sleeping Xie Ming in Liwei's embrace, the driver understood the situation. Silently, he got out of the car and opened the door for Jin Liwei. Liwei carefully stepped out, cradling Xie Ming in his arms, making sure not to disturb her slumber.
He could see the fatigue on her face, and instead of waking her, he chose to carry her inside. Upon entering Jin Villa, the servants in the living room looked at them in shock. Aware of their strained relationship, it was surprising to witness Liwei acting gently towards her.
Jin Liwei headed directly to the first floor, opening the door to Xie Ming's room while still carrying her. Once inside, he gently laid her on the bed, removing her shoes and covering her with a blanket.
Observing her serene and peaceful sleeping face, Liwei couldn't help but notice her enhanced beauty in slumber. 'She looks better when she's not speaking,' he mused, realizing the tranquility in her sleeping form.
Turning to leave for the office, he felt a sudden grip on his hand. Glancing down, he noticed her soft fingers holding on tightly. A smile played on his lips as he observed her pink lips and relaxed brows in her peaceful sleep. Carefully releasing her hand, he playfully tugged on her cheeks without disturbing her deep slumber.
Smiling, he left the room and, downstairs, instructed Butler to take care of her and administer her medicines on time. Butler cast him a peculiar look, noticing Liwei's newfound concern for Xie Ming.
Upon noticing the surprised look on Butler's face, Liwei awkwardly coughed and explained, "It's nothing. It's just that if she falls sick, we would have to deal with hospital bills, and nothing else." Butler, though surprised, didn't comment and offered a light smile.
With that, Liwei didn't bother to explain anything further and proceeded to his office and departed from the villa.
###
In the room, as Xie Ming slept, lines appeared on her forehead as she frowned in her sleep. Her hands trembled, and her lips quivered with grief and sorrow. It seemed like she was having a dream that caused her whole body to tremble with sorrow and pain. Sweat beads formed on her forehead, and her throat went dry, adding to the intensity of the distress evident in her dreams.
In her nightmare, she found herself at the center of the main palace hall, on the floor, crying and sobbing, vehemently denying any wrongdoing. She insisted that she hadn't done anything immoral. Glancing around, she noticed people giving her looks filled with disgust.
Xiao Li, the Consort favored by the Empress Dowager, stood by the side, wearing a sly smile as she observed Zhao Ming on the floor. While others remained oblivious to Xiao Li's expressions, Zhao Ming discerned the malicious delight in her eyes. The memory of Xiao Li's laughter, mocking her and making her life miserable, remained vivid in her mind.
Then she looked at the person whom she desperately wanted to believe her, Ji Cheng. But all she saw was disgust and hatred in his eyes. As she witnessed the coldness and uncertainty in his gaze, she began sobbing in reality. Tears streamed down from her eyes to her cheeks, and her body shivered as the haunting memories of past humiliation overwhelmed her. Suddenly, she sat up on the bed, jerking up from her nightmare.
Gasping for breath, she panted while trying to steady herself. Cold sweat covered her body, and as she sat up, a flood of painful memories from her past rushed into her mind. Desperate to escape those haunting thoughts, she wished to forget everything, as there was nothing good that she wanted to remember from her past.
However, the past memories, akin to a haunting nightmare, didn't spare her.
She reminisced about the time when she entered the palace through marriage, an unwelcome presence to many. Amid the viciousness and loneliness of the palace, there was one person who stood by her side – Ah Leng, her guard, and closest friend. The palace was a harsh environment, but Ah Leng listened to her grievances, shielding her from its cruelties.
He treated her like a younger sister, offering comfort and protection whenever she faced the disdain, hatred, and schemes of others. He became her sole source of solace in the palace. Even the man she followed to the palace after marriage, her husband, paid little to no attention to her.
After their marriage, Ji Cheng engaged in wars with other kingdoms, leaving her alone in the palace, subject to the Empress Dowager's berating. It was a challenging time for her, living in a foreign place away from her home.
Adapting to the strict palace lifestyle was challenging for her, but Ah Leng worked diligently to help her adjust. After the Old Emperor's death and when she gained the title of Empress, Ah Leng remained her sole confidant in the palace, second only to Lu Shi, her maid. He listened to her worries and grief, offering essential support to help her navigate the complexities of palace life. Their relationship was pure, akin to jade.
However, Xiao Li, Ji Cheng's consort and the beloved daughter-in-law of the Empress Dowager, couldn't bear to see her happy. Xiao Li plotted against her, poisoning Ji Cheng's mind with negative thoughts. She portrayed Zhao Ming, the Empress as dishonest and immoral, engaging in improper relationships with other men.
Xiao Li orchestrated scenes to make Ji Cheng suspicious of her, turning the Empress Dowager against her. In the palace, an Empress involved in immoral relationships is a crime punishable by death. However, to protect Ji Cheng's image and the royal family, the incident remained concealed within the palace walls.
Instead of facing the death penalty, she was spared, as Ji Cheng accused Ah Leng of rebellion and executed him. Zhao Ming didn't understand Ji Cheng's motives behind his actions of sparing her but punishing Ah Leng to death, but she knew he didn't believe her.
If he had believed her, he wouldn't have done that. He never talked to her after that incident and never even looked at her. She yearned to speak to him, to explain everything, but he never granted her that chance.
Although she didn't receive the death penalty, the humiliation she faced from Empress Dowager, other consorts, and Xiao Li proved more torturous than death itself. Xiao Li never confronted her directly but always schemed behind her back.
When Ji Cheng married and brought Xiao Li to the palace, she initially thought Xiao Li was an innocent and nice girl. However, she soon realized that Xiao Li had a different, hidden personality—selfish and greedy. Xiao Li could go to any lengths to achieve her goals. Zhao Ming recalled the insults and taunts the Empress Dowager had hurled at her, tarnishing her family's reputation because her background wasn't as royal and impressive as Xiao Li's.
Born as the daughter of a soldier known for his medicinal skills, Zhao Ming came into Ji Cheng's life due to her father's close relations with the old Emperor. She fell in love with Ji Cheng at first sight and vowed to give her all to the marriage. However, in return, she received only humiliation, pain, and ultimately, death.
As she revisited these painful memories, she unconsciously started sobbing, tears flowing freely. Reflecting on societal expectations, she wondered about the double standards imposed on women. 'If a man can marry multiple women and bring them home as consorts, it's considered normal. But when a woman talks to any man, ego comes in between,' she pondered, her misty eyes welled with tears.
'If they want a woman to be loyal to one man for her whole life, shouldn't the same be expected of a man?' As she touched her face and saw the wet tears on her fingers, a self-deprecating mutter escaped her lips, "Why are you crying? Don't you have self-respect?"