CHAPTER 277 (1/2)
This undoubtedly crushed Houqing’s tight nerves.
He walked over with a blank expression and hugged the wounded Xie Xi, eyes full of pain.
It was as if Xie Xi wasn’t the one injured but himself. It was as if the wounds were on Xie Xi but on his heart.
He carefully held Xie Xi, the fear in his heart like a giant root under a big tree, tangling around his entire body.
Why… was this person always hurt? Why… couldn’t he protect this person? Why, why…
The questions, blame and powerlessness glued together, almost collapsing his spirit.
He healed Xie Xi day and night without sleep. He didn’t dare to blink, as if a moment of darkness would cause him to lose this person forever.
No, he must never lose Xie Xi.
Once Xie Xi woke up, he saw the pale and tired Houqing who seemed like he hadn’t been sleeping for days.
Xie Xi complained about this person’s nonsense but he still felt bad for Houqing. “You…”
Houqing touched his hand, tested Xie’s forehead with the back of his head before speaking in a near begging voice. “Please don’t leave.”
He was humble to the extreme, as if standing on the edge of a cliff and eager for a last way to live.
Xie Xi frowned and asked in a weak voice, “Houqing, what do you want?”
“I only want you.”
Xie XI sneered. “What you want is the throne under me.”
Houqing suddenly looked up. “No, everything I do is for you.”’
This was probably the funniest thing Xie Xi had ever heard. “For me?”
Making him a figurehead, putting him under house arrest and letting him suffer humiliation, this was all for him?
Xie Xi was cold. “If you still care about our previous relationship even a little bit, let me go.”
Houqing trembled and asked, “Where will you go?”
Xie Xi was expressionless. “A place without you.”
Hearing these words, the mud in Houqing’s heart started churning.
His fear and uneasiness reached the extreme. His eyes became red and his face was as pale as a demon who couldn’t see the sun. He declared, “You aren’t going anywhere.”
He imprisoned Xie Xi. He no longer let Xie Xi see anyone, no longer let him leave the room and even chained him up.
Xie Xi thoroughly exploded. “You are mad!”
Houqing whispered nervously, “You don’t know how scared I have been all these years. You don’t know how scared I was every time you went to the battlefield. You don’t know that every time I saw the dead soldiers, I would think they have your face. You don’t know… you don’t know…”
His words reminded Xie Xi’s voice of the memories and his voice softened, “Those things are all gone.”
Houqing stared at him, the smile making people’s back cold. “I thought it was over. I thought that once you ascended to the throne and became the world’s most noble person, you wouldn’t be in danger again. However, I was wrong… I was wrong…”
Xie Xi frowned. “No one is completely safe.”
“No…” Houqing shook his head, the white hair looking cold and making him seem paler and sickly. “Too many people want to hurt you. The more I look, the more afraid I am. The more I can’t find them, the more they are like ants. There are too many to be killed. Why… why do they hurt you…”
The words made Xie Xi tense. “What have you done?!” The empire was just established and everything was on the right track. If killing was used to suppress the rebels then it would end everything!
The kingdom they worked hard to build was to bring peace and happiness to the people, not to use dictatorship to exert terror and suffering!
Houqing didn’t seem to hear his voice as he kissed the back of Xie Xi’s hand. “Be obedient, Brother Xie. Stay with me, okay? No matter what you want, I will support you in everything.”
Xie Xi blew up. “Houqing! What the fuck is wrong with you!”
Houqing kissed his lips, making him speechless. Then Xie Xi bit the tip of his tongue. Houqing’s mouth overflowed with blood but he smiled like it wasn’t painful. “Please rest. Your wounds haven’t completely recovered.”
Xie Xi smelt something and then fell asleep.
It wasn’t only Xie Xi who couldn’t leave this room. Houqing didn’t go out and abandoned everything. He no longer cared about political matters and only stared at Xie Xi.
He couldn’t trust anyone. The guards were all rubbish and couldn’t protect Xie Xi. No one could protect Xie Xi apart from him. He would protect this person with life and soul, not letting Xie Xi suffer any damage.
Once Xie Xi’s injuries healed, Xie Xi couldn’t stand it anymore.
He didn’t know the man in front of him. This was obviously the little white tiger he saved but Houqing was already a stranger. Xie Xi started a hunger strike and didn’t eat or drink to resist Houqing.
Houqing asked him, “Isn’t it appetizing? Tell me what you want to eat.”
Xie Xi stared at him. “Let me go.”
Houqing’s thin lips trembled. “It is dangerous, really dangerous.”
Xie Xi sneered. “Houqing, this is enough. What do you fucking take me as? I’m not a flower in a greenhouse. I lived in a swamp and walked over mountains while you were still being chased by beasts!”
Houqing was silent.