476 Save Me (1/2)

And when ten seconds passed, he submerged her underwater again. His teeth clenched so tight, it could've shattered. Water splashed on the stone pavement of the bathhouse. He was wet from head to toe, much like her.

”It's okay, Sunshine,” he repeated after pulling her out again. She was seated on the floor, sobbing and choking.

”It hurts, please, make it stop!” she tried out, reaching for anything to hold onto.

”I know, Sunshine, I know,” Yu Zhen said. He gently patted the back of her head, and brought it close to his shoulders, forgetting about the count of ten. She grabbed onto him. Her tears, hot and infinite, practically burned his shoulders.

His soul was shredded to pieces by her wail. She begged for mercy. He was willing to give her the world, the kingdom, but not mercy this time. No, never mercy—no matter how much he wanted to.

Yu Zhen was left with no choice. He pushed her back into the water.

”Yu Zhen!” Li Xueyue screamed for him, but did not know he was directly in front of her.

No one else was in the bathhouse to witness one of the worst moments of her life.

”Yu Zhen, save me!” she cried out, fighting against his arm, her sharp claws digging into his skin.

Yu Zhen would rather go through a decade of war than to hear her desperate pleas. It shredded him to pieces. His chest burned with an unfamiliar pain. It ached for her, ached to pull her into his arms and reassure her the world.

Ice floated on the surface of the water. Even underwater, Li Xueyue was crying. He could see her eyes squeezed shut, and the bubbles that left her mouth.

Ten seconds later, he pulled her out again. Li Xueyue spat out the water and tried attacking him. Her arms, tiny and feeble shoved him away, but he held her close and whispered reassuring words into her ears.

For the brief ten count, he comforted her, like no other. She did not hear him.

”Chen-ge, Wen-ge, anyone, please!” Li Xueyue cried out, shrieking when he tried to push her head under the water again.

”Hush, it's alright,” Yu Zhen whispered.

Li Xueyue slapped his hand away, catching him by surprise. She finally had the strength to cause damage. Did that mean the aphrodisiac wore off?

”Sunshine?” Yu Zhen murmured, bending down to gently cup her face.

Her eyes were still glazed over. Her wet hair stuck to her forehead, and droplets of water trickled down her face. Despite the life that flashed before her eyes, her eyes still burned with lust and she yearned for one last night of passion.

”Yu Zhen… where are you?” she wept.

At the moment Li Xueyue needed his help the most, he could do nothing but hurt her.

”No more… please…” she begged whilst clutching onto his hands.

Yu Zhen felt something warm trickle down his fingertips. Her tears had never dried up.

”Please,” Li Xueyue whispered whilst sobbing over him.

Suddenly, she jolted. Almost as if horrified her that she was seeking salvation from a stranger, she pushed him away.

”Who are you?” she whispered, her eyes trembling.

Seizing her chance to escape when he was momentarily stunned, Li Xueyue waddled to the center of the pool, where his hands could no longer push her underwater.

”Sunshine—”