His Demoness

33 ⚔️ A Broken Heart

On the final night, Xiaoyu curled up into a ball and laid on the cold ground. 

Memories of Zhijian, his younger brother and Jinlong shuffled through her mind. Their time spent together was her happiest moment in a very long time; eating meals together, chatting and exploring the town. Her odious reputation should have repulsed them, but they gradually treated her like she was a normal girl.

As her eyes fluttered close, she allowed her nightmares to swallow her whole.

When she fell asleep, her subconsciousness reached out to her sleeping soulmate. Calling out his name and pulling him into her mind.

Just like how she wanted it, he came.

A blood moon hung high in the sky, basking the world below in a subtle, red glow. The scene in her dream was the same as always – the grass field on the Demoness Island, except that this time, it wasn't littered with dead bodies.

It was just the both of them.

Even with her back facing him, she knew that he was there. Watching her silently, just like how he always did.

She turned to face him slowly. When their gazes met, her heart skipped a beat.

Her eyes were riveted on him, memorising his appearance for the last time. The grey colour of his eyes, the shape of his handsome face, his masculine and distinct features – everything. Deep down in her heart, she knew that he was going to slip through her fingers forever and she would never get another chance to see him again.

He searched her face in concern and she couldn't imagine what sort of expression she was wearing now.

"What's wrong?" Zhijian took a step closer to her. He definitely knew that something was wrong. "Are you hurt?"

Xiaoyu shook her head, which only deepened the frown on his face.

"Then what's wrong?"

Instead of answering him, she turned her back against him and walked off, knowing full well that he would follow her. Leading the way, she wanted to show him her home on this island – a small, humble hut. It was the place where she felt most at ease, until the Jiang clan intruded on her space.

When they arrived, she simply gazed at the cloudless night sky and moon. Footsteps shuffled behind her and she could feel Zhijian standing a few feet away from her.

"What happened earlier?" he finally asked. "Was Liqing speaking the truth? Or did someone else harm her but she pushed the blame onto you instead? Tell me honestly."

The mention of Liqing's name bristled her indignantly, but she kept her expression calm and neutral. Reaching for Zhijian's hand, she wrote on his palm.

"Will you believe everything I say?" Xiaoyu asked him.

She wasn't just referring to the matter about how his cousin got hurt. She was talking about the massacre that happened twenty years ago between her and the Jiang clan. Zhijian believed that she might be innocent, but did he truly believe her? Even when he didn't witness the events himself?

"I-I..."

Seeing the mixture of confusion and speechlessness crossed his face, she knew he didn't have the answer to her question; he was torn between who was right and wrong.

Perhaps Leader Xu was right after all. She shouldn't be confusing Zhijian any more than she should.

It was just his bad luck that she was his soulmate. He was too good for her.