An Nuan looked at Nan Gongjin and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Are you starting to get scared now? Are you worried I'll forgive Shen Xizhou?"
Nan Gongjin's face was full of a silly smile, looking almost abnormal, as if his hidden thoughts had been discovered.
An Nuan looked at Nan Gongjin with a serious expression and said, "You don't need to worry. I won't go back on my word."
"Nan Gongjin, I haven't forgotten all the suffering I endured back then. Now, I will definitely not go back on my word."
"Besides, you've been so good to me. If I were to betray you, wouldn't I become an ungrateful person?"
Nan Gongjin couldn't smile at all as he listened to An Nuan's words.
Shen Xizhou watched An Nuan disappear from his sight, unable to do anything.
Nan Gongjin held An Nuan in his arms and said with heartache, "An Nuan, in the next life, let me meet you first, okay?"
"An Nuan, if I had met you earlier, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much."
"You wouldn't have been so sorrowful."
"An Nuan, I regret it. Why didn't I meet you sooner?"
"Actually, I should have stepped forward from the beginning, instead of waiting until after you'd been through so much to step forward."
"An Nuan, do you blame me? Blame me for appearing too late?"
"If I had appeared earlier, you would probably have been very happy."
Saying this, Nan Gongjin looked at An Nuan and didn't say another word.
An Nuan also noticed Nan Gongjin's emotions and actions. She reached out and gently patted his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Actually, I've never blamed you. In fact, I've always been grateful to you."
"Because of your timely appearance, I was spared from suffering."
"If you hadn't appeared, perhaps I would still be suffering now."
...
Half a year later.
"An Nuan, it's been a long time. You're actually still alive and well, and Nan Gongjin hasn't abandoned you yet. I thought that after these six months, you would have been cast aside by Nan Gongjin and returned to Shen Xizhou's embrace."
"But now it seems you're still with Nan Gongjin. And Shen Xizhou has been trying to win you back, but he hasn't succeeded."
"Heh, Shen Xizhou truly deserves it. That can only be said to be his just deserts."
"Shen Xizhou wants to have you but can't. That can only be said to be his retribution. It's not enough for him."
"He made my life difficult, so naturally, I won't make his life easy either."
"Thank you very much. You've caused Shen Xizhou daily agony."
"Please move aside. I don't think I have anything to say to you." An Nuan frowned, her entire demeanor conveying a strong sense of displeasure.
An Nuan even felt that there was no need for her to speak with Xu Ruowei.
Talking to Xu Ruowei was simply a waste of her time.
Xu Ruowei saw An Nuan's look of disgust and disdain, but she appeared completely unfazed. Instead, her smile grew wider as she said, "An Nuan, do you know why I, who disappeared for half a year, came to find you as soon as I reappeared?"
"An Nuan, I said before that I would return. I will repay every harm you've done to me."
"Xu Ruowei, this is all your own doing. You brought this upon yourself, which is why Shen Xizhou caused you trouble. If you really want revenge, then you should find Shen Xizhou, not me."
Xu Ruowei burst into loud laughter, a chilling sound that sent shivers down one's spine.
She pointed at An Nuan and said triumphantly, "An Nuan, no matter how Shen Xizhou treated me, it was all for you. Therefore, you are the one who should pay the price, not Shen Xizhou."
"Of course, I will make Shen Xizhou pay the price. But for now, I need to deal with you first. After all, Nan Gongjin is by your side, and it would be very difficult to harm you."
"Now that this rare opportunity has presented itself, I must cherish it."
An Nuan looked at Xu Ruowei and listened to her words. She felt that the person before her was simply being unreasonable.
"Xu Ruowei, get lost. Back then, I was soft-hearted and felt there was no need to say or do anything with someone like you, because in my opinion, it was a complete waste of time."
"However, if you keep coming to trouble me again and again, I won't let you off easily."
"Oh really?" Xu Ruowei said with a smile. "You won't let me off easily?"
"But in your current situation, doesn't it seem a bit ridiculous to say such things?"
Xu Ruowei stared at An Nuan, and seeing her happiness made her hate An Nuan even more. Gritting her teeth, she said, "An Nuan, my pain was caused by you. While I was suffering, you were so happy. Haven't you ever felt uneasy? Don't forget, it was you who turned me into this."
"However, now that heaven has given me this opportunity, I will definitely seize it tightly. And I will not give you any chance to survive."
An Nuan frowned upon hearing this, clearly unsettled.
However, no matter how Xu Ruowei humiliated An Nuan, An Nuan did not get angry at all. She continued to look at Xu Ruowei with a smile on her face.
Xu Ruowei thought for a moment, realizing that now was not the time to dwell on these matters. The priority was to deal with An Nuan so that she would have no worries in the future.
Xu Ruowei held a dagger in her hand, and it lunged directly at An Nuan. Fortunately, An Nuan dodged in time, and the fruit knife missed her.
An Nuan looked at Xu Ruowei, realizing this woman was determined to kill her. However, having already suffered once, she would not let herself be harmed again.
Just as An Nuan was about to retaliate, Nan Gongjin appeared. He kicked Xu Ruowei away with a single foot and looked at the person on the ground with contempt.
Nan Gongjin quickly turned his attention to An Nuan, asking with concern, "Nuan Nuan, are you alright? Did she hurt you?"
Seeing Nan Gongjin's reaction, if An Nuan said yes at this moment, Nan Gongjin would likely have acted decisively.
An Nuan shook her head. "I'm fine. She tried to attack me, but I dodged it. I'm alright."
Hearing An Nuan say she was fine, Nan Gongjin breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned his gaze back to Xu Ruowei. This person, he thought, could not be left alive.
This person had always been plotting against An Nuan. It was fortunate that he had arrived in time, preventing any unnecessary harm. But what if he had been late? What would he have found An Nuan to be like? He truly dared not imagine.
Nan Gongjin looked at An Nuan and said earnestly, "An Nuan, I've always wanted to deal with Xu Ruowei, but you always said no. But Nuan Nuan, today you've been hurt again because of Xu Ruowei. I really can't stand it anymore."
"This time, please allow me to disobey you."
"From now on, no matter what happens, I will obediently listen to you."
An Nuan: "..."
In fact, Nan Gongjin was handling this matter because of her. If anyone should be thanked, it should be her. Yet, Nan Gongjin took all the blame upon himself, showing no intention of blaming her.
An Nuan even wondered what good deeds she had done to earn such thoughtful consideration from Nan Gongjin.
Just as Nan Gongjin was about to act, Shen Xizhou appeared.
An Nuan's brow furrowed upon seeing Shen Xizhou. This was the first time she had seen him in half a year.
Looking at Shen Xizhou, he seemed completely different from before.
The Shen Xizhou of this moment no longer possessed his former spirit and vigor. He looked utterly haggard, his appearance even eliciting a sense of pity.
What had happened to Shen Xizhou in the past half-year remained unknown.