Lingxi was sent flying, her wide eyes seeing Liu Donghuai rush forward like a madman.
The world suddenly fell silent, she could hear nothing but the image of him reaching out to her in her pupils.
Liu Donghuai liked her.
She knew that.
But she didn't know he would give his life for her.
She had never imagined that in this world, someone would give their life for her.
It was worth dying for.
What a pity, she hadn't told him that she probably liked him too.
A life-saving grace, a promise of marriage.
A vow of eternal love, a lifelong commitment.
If she could live, she definitely, definitely, would hold onto him tightly, and never let go of this pure and true man.
Her falling body suddenly stopped.
He had really caught her.
Something dripped onto her head.
Lingxi tilted her head up. Liu Donghuai had grabbed a wild jujube tree growing from the stone cliff with one hand, and her wrist with the other.
Blood was flowing from his mouth, dripping drop by drop.
The two of them hung suspended in mid-air, swaying precariously.
Su Yurou had already fallen. No sound was heard, which indicated how high the cliff was; falling meant being smashed to pieces.
"Lingxi, hold on tight!" Liu Donghuai gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his neck.
But Lingxi could already see the sharp thorns on the jujube tree piercing Liu Donghuai's hand, drawing blood, and the tree itself was starting to be pulled out by the roots under their combined weight.
"Let go! Let go, please, let go!"
"Don't move! Don't move! They will save us, Lingxi, don't move."
Indeed, figures were already moving above, and Fang Silin's shouts could be heard. If they could just hold on a little longer, they would be rescued.
But there was no time.
The small jujube tree was almost uprooted.
"Liu Donghuai, in the next life, I will find you sooner." Lingxi struggled to pry his hand loose.
"Not the next life, Lingxi. I like you. This life, I want to be with you, to live together, to die together."
He had finally said it, the feelings he had kept hidden in his heart for so long, he finally spoke them without reservation.
He gazed at Lingxi below with adoration.
Perhaps, the first time she stood before the prisoner's cart and said, "He didn't kill anyone," she had already become different to him.
She didn't know that in the secret chamber, as he was about to lose consciousness from exhaustion, he had thought: if they died together, would they meet again in the next life?
He knew the gap between them, and had been resisting it, but he couldn't resist the human heart.
The scent of lilac that night had been intoxicating, her graceful and serene appearance was like the sharpest axe, shattering the cage in his heart.
To pour out my heart, to end a lifetime of loneliness.
Lingxi had lost the ability to speak. Their eyes met, and the deep affection in his gaze drowned her like a vast ocean.
Even she, an invisible person in this world, was cared for by someone!
Liu Donghuai, in the next life, I will definitely find you first, and not get lost.
As she fell, she felt no fear. The wind on her face didn't hurt. Her eyes were filled with his devoted, unregretting gaze.
A dark figure descended gracefully, his flowing robes and flying hair were truly striking.
Imperial Sister was right, if he wore white, he would truly be a god descending, worshipped by all.
Alas, Third Brother?
The next moment, Third Brother grabbed their collars, one in each hand, and with a surge of immense power, flew straight up into the sky. The small plants on the cliff rushed past, and in the blink of an eye, they were on the cliff top.
Fang Silin was sadly staring blankly at the cliff edge, when suddenly his vision blurred, a cold wind blew, and several people appeared beside him.
"Dong, Donghuai? Princess?"
What was going on? How did they get up here?
"Third Brother! Why are you only arriving now!" Lingxi reacted and burst into tears.
Today had truly dried up all her tears. Her face felt dry and painful. She touched it and remembered her face was swollen.
Did Liu Donghuai say those words to this face just now?
"I went on a trip to the bandit's lair, it delayed me."
It was rare for Third Brother's tone to be less harsh. He had originally planned to deal with the bandits, then he wouldn't have to keep an eye on these two every day. Who would have thought there would still be a problem here!
If he had been a few steps later, they would have truly died.
He still felt a little embarrassed.
Seeing Lingxi not looking at him after coming up, Liu Donghuai felt a pang of bitterness and cupped his hands towards Third Brother, "Thank you, Black Dragon Great Hero, for saving us."
"My own brother-in-law, no thanks needed."
After speaking, Third Brother turned and vanished into the mountains with a swift movement.
Fang Silin watched with amazement.
There truly was such extraordinary martial arts in the world. He had been ignorant before. It seemed that what was said in storybooks couldn't be entirely dismissed.
Black Dragon Great Hero.
True to his name, a divine dragon, seen its head but not its tail!
He wondered if he could ask Donghuai for an introduction?
Liu Donghuai's heart trembled at Third Brother's words, and he couldn't help but look at Lingxi. She was covering her face, her head bowed.
"Does it hurt?"
He asked urgently, but it caused discomfort in his chest, and he coughed violently twice.
"What's wrong with you? Were you kicked in a vital spot?" Lingxi, regardless of whether she looked ugly or not, quickly supported him. "Your mouth is full of blood, Liu Donghuai, don't scare me."
"No, I bit my tongue. You, you don't be afraid."
And don't cry.
"Why are you so foolish? Knowing they wouldn't let me go, you still walked into a trap and got beaten."
"Their attention was on me, so they wouldn't bully you."
He was just a weak scholar, without Third Brother's abilities. He could only use this clumsy method to delay them until help arrived.
"You..."
Lingxi's tears flowed even more uncontrollably.
"Ahem!"
Fang Silin cleared his throat. If he didn't speak up now, Princess Lingxi would be so moved that she would pounce on him. As a gentleman praised since childhood, he felt it was best to avert his gaze, even though he really wanted to watch.
Liu Donghuai and Lingxi finally remembered their situation. Looking around, the other guards were gone. Only Fang Silin was left, facing a tree, his attempt to hide his gaze too obvious.
Liu Donghuai immediately felt guilty.
Brother Silin was the consort chosen for Lingxi by the Emperor, and he was also upright. Now, he himself...
Before he could express his apology, Lingxi spoke, "Fang Silin, as you have seen, I cannot marry you. I will explain to my Imperial Brother when we return, and I hope you can understand."
"I dare not, I dare not," Fang Silin quickly explained. "I should thank the Princess. I actually already have someone I admire, and I didn't know how to explain it to the Emperor. The Princess has saved my life."
"Brother Silin, are you serious?" Liu Donghuai was overjoyed.
"Of course, it's true. Because of this matter, she hasn't seen me for many days. When I go back this time, I will propose immediately, lest someone gets there first. Haha, Donghuai, I actually noticed when I first arrived in Donglin, the way you look at the Princess is full of sweetness!"
"Cough cough..." Liu Donghuai coughed again, his neck and face turning red.
Lingxi, who had been feeling a little shy, was now only filled with worry.
"Let's go down the mountain quickly."
Fang Silin shouted, "Someone come up and carry Lord Liu."