Chapter 298: Chapter 275: Ru Yi, am I not as good as him?
Shang Ruyi’s heartbeat also grew tense.
She was not unaware that the man in front of her wasn’t truly "Yang Suyi," nor was he an immaculate Immortal—he was Chu Yang, a Venerable Emperor who could flood the world with blood with a single rage!
Yet, because he habitually appeared with such a relaxed demeanor, and even had once humbled himself to admit wrong and apologize before her, Shang Ruyi hoped that her persistence this time might be permitted.
But, no.
The shadowy gaze in those slender phoenix eyes was something she had never faced before, and at this moment, she realized that perhaps she had never truly seen the true face of this Emperor.
Violently ruthless, he even disregarded all propriety.
Shang Ruyi instinctively wanted to step back, but as her body slightly moved backward, Chu Yang suddenly reached out and pinched her chin.
His fingers, even colder than hers, felt like an icy blade grazing her skin.
Shang Ruyi trembled violently, instinctively wanting to escape.
Yet Chu Yang’s fingers applied slight pressure, holding her chin without release. His perpetually handsome face now bore a trace of an unfamiliar ferocity, his eyes cold like a fierce beast overlooking its prey, as he uttered, word by word: "You, you with him—"
Shang Ruyi furrowed her brow.
Chu Yang didn’t finish his words, not because he couldn’t, but because he seemed fully engulfed by the emotions that enraged him, suppressed until now and finally erupting. His eyes nearly turned red, glaring at the increasingly pale-faced young woman before him, as if wishing to devour her.
"You actually with him—"
"..."
Even though his words still remained unfinished, Shang Ruyi understood something.
She took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly, "What does Your Majesty wish to say?"
"..."
"Shouldn’t Ruyi wait here for my husband? Or, shouldn’t I be concerned and loyal to my husband?"
"Concerned? Loyal?"
Chu Yang slowly repeated her words, each syllable seemed to be chewed and spat out with a bloody scent onto Shang Ruyi’s face. After a moment, he sneered, "Have you forgotten who caused you so much pain?"
"...!"
Again, Shang Ruyi’s heart sank.
It seemed she really had almost forgotten, though it was only a few months ago. Yet when Chu Yang brought it up again, it felt like a lifetime ago.
That was when they first met, amidst her distress and heartbreak over Yu Wenye’s relationship with Princess Xinyue, wandering senselessly in the cold rain until she was "accidentally" found by him on the roadside.
Then, he had even spent an entire afternoon with her, helping her unwind and enjoy the scenery. Although it didn’t soothe the torment in her heart, at least he provided some strength and warmth to cope with—looking back now, evidently, Chu Yang accompanying her was fully aware of why she was heartbroken and distressed.
Hence, he now found his own words laughable.
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and said, "I haven’t forgotten."
Chu Yang gritted his teeth, "Then you—"
"But,"
Before he could say anything, Shang Ruyi interrupted, speaking calmly, "All that is in the past."
"..."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern, but that matter is in the past."
"..."
"Ruyi is well now."
Chu Yang’s fingers started trembling, lightly at first, yet Shang Ruyi felt it clearly as if an unexpected cold wind had suddenly frozen him completely, the chill emanating from his fingertips piercing through her like sharp swords.
In this bone-chilling cold, Chu Yang’s breathing slowly softened.
But it seemed not softened, just—powerless.
He appeared drained of something, feebly gazing at Shang Ruyi. Moments before, he had looked down upon her like a fierce beast eyeing its prey, but now he appeared like a trapped beast, lamenting in helplessness.
Suddenly, he asked, "Ruyi, am I not better than him?"
"...!"
At the moment she heard those words, Shang Ruyi felt her heart nearly shattering with its unsteady beats!
What did he say?
He asked, am I not better than him?
This was an Emperor, a Venerable Emperor, asking her this?
Even if it might happen that an Emperor might ask, would he really? Would someone favored by heaven, exceedingly confident, question such a thing?!
Shang Ruyi could hardly believe her ears, but raising her head in his grasp, she met those slender phoenix eyes devoid of their menacing gaze, replaced by an almost childlike helpless confusion.
He appeared genuinely questioning, asking whether he truly wasn’t better than another.
For a moment, Shang Ruyi was stunned, forgetting to respond, even forgetting to react, while she stood rigidly watching Chu Yang. She then noticed flames gradually igniting in those phoenix eyes, the confusion being consumed by the sudden blaze, replaced by a frenzied and thrilled struggle in the red embers.
He suddenly smiled at her, stating, "No, I am not inferior to him!"
"..."
"None in this world are better than me, he is one, and everyone is another!"
Saying this, he lowered his gaze towards Shang Ruyi, his handsome face nearly pressed against hers, she could clearly feel his rapid and scorching breaths like countless burning coals consuming him from within, yet he relished in it, he smiled, "You’re blind!"
"..."
"You’ve all misjudged me, you, and everyone!"
After finishing these words, he slowly released Shang Ruyi, stood up and looked down at her once more, emphatically saying, "You’re blind!"
Shang Ruyi was speechless.
She knew she wasn’t blind, but it felt as if her eyes were painfully cut, and suddenly something scorching surged up.
She quivered, "Your Majesty..."
But at this time, Chu Yang seemed to hear nothing, looking around him, evidently in a finely carved and painted restaurant, seeming like one that could collapse any moment, or perhaps already is. He laughed a few times, then lowered his gaze towards Shang Ruyi and said, "You’re all blind."
With those words, he tore down the beaded curtain hanging at the door; only hearing the beads scattering on the ground, it felt as though something truly crumbled.
In the sound of collapse, he laughed heartily and walked out.
Shang Ruyi remained kneeling in place, watching his retreating figure for a long time, finally murmuring in a voice almost cold yet seemingly pained, "You’re not less than anyone."
"But you’re less than him!"