Help! The Villainess Trapped in the Beast World's Drama!-Chapter 415 - 406: Where Is She?

The night was as dark as ink, and the candlelight flickered.

Shen Li, draped in a dark red robe lazily touching the ground, appeared more captivating than ever, accentuating his enchantingly handsome face. He leaned against a low table, holding a wine cup between his slender fingers, his narrow fox-like eyes slightly squinting, fixing his gaze on the brocade box in Qiu Yang’s hands, remaining silent for a long while.

It was hard to guess what he was thinking.

Qiu Yang knelt on the floor, the arms holding the brocade box trembling.

The hall was terrifyingly quiet, with only the increasingly strong aroma of wine permeating the air.

His knees had long since gone numb, yet he dared not move an inch, even suspecting whether Your Majesty was truly drunk. Could it be that he hadn’t heard him clearly?

Qiu Yang mustered the courage to look up.

In an instant, he met a pair of deep and abyss-like eyes, filled with emotions that seemed to be able to swallow a person whole, yet also carried an indescribable desolation.

Qiu Yang’s heart trembled, forcing himself to remain calm, "The Night Glow Monarch said... it’s a pity to throw them away, so I’m to return them to their owner."

He opened the brocade box.

The pair of red jade earrings lay quietly inside, searing his eyes like flames.

Shen Li’s face turned pale, the wine cup in his hand rolling to the ground, spilling wine, soaking his clothes, yet he seemed oblivious.

Qiu Yang pressed his forehead tightly to the floor, his breathing subdued, not daring to look at Your Majesty’s expression.

After a long time, a hoarse voice came from above,

"Did she... specifically ask you to deliver this?"

"Yes." Qiu Yang’s reply was so soft it was almost inaudible.

Shen Li closed his eyes, pressing his long fingers against his aching temples.

Waves of pain came from his heart, a buzzing noise in his ears. He stumbled to his feet, his vision blurring, almost collapsing.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" Qiu Yang hurriedly stepped forward to support him.

"No need to worry." Shen Li waved his hand, signaling him to step back.

Seeing Shen Li in such a state, Qiu Yang’s throat tightened, "I never expected... you knew what these earrings meant... how could you hand them over to an outsider like this."

He pushed the brocade box forward, "Your Majesty, you should keep them. Since others don’t want them, why be so fixated."

Shen Li stared at the glaring red, his eyes bloodshot.

In the end, he didn’t take it, only hoarsely asking, "Did she... leave any other words for you?"

Qiu Yang lowered his head, "No."

The grand hall was plunged into a moment of deadly silence and stillness, Shen Li’s heart tearing with pain, his vision swimming, his figure swaying.

"Your Majesty! You’re drunk, let me help you to bed to rest first!" Qiu Yang was anxiously flustered.

Yet Shen Li’s stubbornness was unspeakable, or perhaps disbelief, "After she went back, she didn’t mention me? Shouldn’t she hate me? Curse me? How could she... say nothing."

His last words seemed to suddenly lose strength, filled with confusion and helplessness.

Qiu Yang, seeing His Majesty in such anguish, didn’t know what to say, paused, yet still opened his mouth, "Perhaps it’s because the Night Glow Monarch heard the news of Your Majesty’s engagement, she’s completely let go, this is a good thing Your Majesty, at least she no longer hates you."

"Really?" Shen Li bitterly smiled, stroking the pair of blood jade earrings, his fingertips trembling, "I’d rather she hate me, at least it means she still cares, I have a chance to make amends."

Shen Li still remembered that on her birthday, when she received these gifts, the look of surprise and joy, as if it were the most precious treasure in the world, wishing to cherish it for life.

The gift that once brought her joy, has now become garbage to be cast away?

This was exactly his current standing in her heart.

Shen Li admitted he was selfish. That grand show back then, he just didn’t want Shen Tang to forget him.

He was destined not to be with her, but he genuinely loved her.

He wanted her to remember him forever!

If she no longer loved him, hate would do, at least hate lasts longer than love.

After a long silence, Shen Li hoarsely asked again, "After she found out I was getting engaged, what else did she say?"

Qiu Yang glanced cautiously at his expression, carefully saying, "She said, Your Majesty and Miss Wu Qing are a good match, wishing you a lifetime of happiness together."

Shen Li’s figure wobbled, after a long while wearily waved his hand, "You may go back."

Qiu Yang was full of reluctance, "Your Majesty, you still want to send me back to that female’s side? Don’t you know how she mistreats people, I truly realized my mistake, for old times’ sake—"

"A traitor should redeem himself through death."

Shen Li’s light words made Qiu Yang’s face turn ashen.

"From now on, she is your master." Shen Li turned to gaze out the window, his voice cold as ice, "No need to come back again."

Qiu Yang had no choice but to leave, dejected.

The night was deep, Shen Li lay on the bed, one hand under his head, the other clutching the earrings, unable to sleep.

Ever since that night, he had hardly had a restful sleep.

Whenever he closed his eyes, the image of Shen Tang tear-streaked face on that night, crying so heartbreakingly, surfaced in his mind.

He held the blood jade earrings up to his eyes, the coldness in his long fox-like eyes faded, revealing rare softness, along with a hint of longing and melancholy.

His thumb gently rubbed the jade stone, as if he could still feel her warmth from back then.

Unexpectedly, the pledge token he gifted himself was returned this way.

The female who once said she liked him, this time has truly let go, no longer holding any attachment to him.

It was he, with his own hands—

deceived her true heart,

hurt her irreparably,

pushed her far away.

She was showing him that she had severed all ties with him.

Realizing this, the tearing pain in Shen Li’s heart deepened. The result he had long desired, why was it when this day truly came, it caused him so much pain? As if a piece of flesh had been brutally carved out.

...

On the other hand, after waiting for a few days, Shen Tang received the report that Qiu Yang had returned the things.

Shen Tang no longer had to worry about this matter either.

"Now that you’re back, they’re digging holes for trees over there, go help." Shen Tang unceremoniously ordered.

Qiu Yang, seething with anger, could only work diligently. Even with the slave chip, he couldn’t truly serve his master, but since it was His Majesty’s command, he would treat it as executing His Majesty’s orders.

Just when he thought he would spend the rest of his life like this, a secret order arrived suddenly one deep night. Qiu Yang was shocked, secretly slipping out to the forest outskirts under the cover of darkness.

In the moonlight, a tall figure stood silently under the tree. The person was cloaked in a black and red cloak, almost blending into the night, like a ghost in the dark.

"Your Maj—" Qiu Yang hurriedly knelt, his words cut off abruptly.

Shen Li turned around, his long finger placed against his crimson lips, making a gesture for silence.

Qiu Yang immediately fell silent, lowering his voice, "Why has Your Majesty come personally?"

The night wind swept past, lifting a corner of the cloak, revealing that breathtakingly stunning face—sword-like eyebrows, liquid fox-like eyes, thin lips stained like rouge, almost enchantingly beautiful, seductive and boundless, who else could it be but Shen Li?

Shen Li remained silent.

Even he didn’t know why he had come.

Just wanted to see her once more.

Perhaps, there would not be another chance in the future.

"I’m not here for you today." Shen Li asked, "Where is she?"