She did not know how much time had passed.
Gu Ying had a nightmare where someone forcefully pressed her down beneath him. She struggled but could not break free and could only cry as she was forced to oblige.
The hard wooden bed beneath her back hurt so much.
In a desolate wilderness, a dilapidated house, flickering lamplight, clothes in disarray.
Traces of that man were all over her body.
She wanted to open her eyes countless times to see what he looked like, but she could never clearly see his blurry, handsome face.
His breathing was heavy, his body moved quickly, his hot breath fell on her ear, burning her earlobe scalding hot.
She hurt, curling her body, her whole body hurt, hurting until she almost cried out.
Suddenly, a sensation of weightlessness and shock went through her body, and then she woke up from the shivering of her muscles.
She trembled as she opened her eyes, and was met with pitch black darkness into which she could not see her hand stretched out before her. It was deathly quiet around her, only the sound of water dripping onto stone, drip drip drip, striking fear into her heart.
Her clothes were drenched, her whole body cold, dizzy and disoriented. For a moment she thought she had died again, and was now in the underworld.
But the pain throughout her body, as if her bones had shattered, slowly brought clarity back to her mind.
She covered her aching left arm and felt the dampness soaked with the smell of iron rust. "Where is this place? Prince Zhao?"
"Prince Zhao, where are you?"
Her voice was dry and hoarse when she spoke, her throat sore and itchy. She coughed for a while, groping along the stone wall to try to get up and figure out what was going on here.
Before she could move, a tall figure holding a torch bent down and entered the cave, that beautiful face like jade, seemed especially clear and bright in the flickering firelight.
Light gradually returned to her eyes, and Gu Ying's uneasy heart finally found its footing.
She had never wished to see Zhao Changdu as much as she did in this moment... The fear, confusion, and helplessness in her heart all disappeared the instant she saw his handsome face, and her heart settled down steadily.
No matter what, having two people in this kind of place was a hundred times better than being alone.
"Prince Zhao..." A smile appeared on her face, her voice soft, "We're still alive, right?"
Zhao Changdu looked at the girl's tiny face, pale as paper as she pretended to be calm, and nodded, "Mm."
Hearing this affirmative murmur, Gu Ying heaved a long sigh of relief. As she relaxed, she noticed a faint smell of blood.
She turned her head and saw that Zhao Changdu's overcoat was currently laid beneath her. The right sleeve had been slashed open by a blade, revealing his sturdy arm muscles. Fresh blood seeped through his fair skin, it seemed he was injured.
Even so, he showed no sign of pain at all. He held piles of dead branches in his arms that he had found from somewhere. All he had left on was a long black-patterned robe. Even the pendant and jade ornament on his waist was gone, leaving him bare.
His hair was somewhat disheveled, a few strands of jet black hair hanging down by his temples. His flawless, beautiful face was also smeared with mud and blood.
Even so, he showed no hint of disgraceful messiness. On the contrary, his straight nose and deep eyes made him look even more elegant.
Gu Ying stared blankly, thinking this man was far too good-looking... She herself was probably too ugly to be seen now, right?
While she was spaced out, Zhao Changdu had swiftly started a fire, lighting up the entire cave. He also used the dead branches to erect a stand next to the fire.
After finishing this, he walked back to Gu Ying's side. "We fell down from above. Fortunately we landed on a big tree, otherwise we would have lost our lives."
"However, your martial arts foundation is lacking, your constitution frail. You also fainted, so with one hand holding my sword and the other holding you, I could not prevent you from getting hurt."
The man paused, then continued nonchalantly.
"I'm fine, no major wounds on my body. I haven't had time to check your injuries yet, how are you feeling?"
Listening to his sexy voice, Gu Ying felt her ears grow hot. She checked over her own body, "My left arm seems to be scraped and bleeding. My back and legs hurt too, probably just abrasions... A scalding pain, but no broken bones. It doesn't hinder me, I can endure it."
She was not being overdramatic. In this environment, she could not possibly let a grown man like Zhao Changdu undress her to examine her body.
The best method was to check herself thoroughly first, then report the situation to him.
He had many years of battlefield experience and knew more about treating injuries than her.
She didn't want to die here, nor become disabled. No matter what, she had to get out of here alive.
"Prince Zhao, I don't want to die." Gu Ying's lips were pale, her delicate brows furrowed in pain.
Zhao Changdu gave her a silent look. In the firelight, the girl's petite face was as pale as paper, yet her shining black eyes could not be ignored.
He lowered his head to check the wound on her arm, and said lightly, "I won't let you die."
Hearing this, Gu Ying relaxed a bit more. "You're injured too. Is it serious?"
"Just external, it's nothing."
Such a high cliff... Holding her as they fell, not knowing how they ended up at the bottom. She was quite big, not light. His arms were likely not as fine as they seemed.
As he tore her sleeve to treat her wound, Gu Ying's brows furrowed tighter in pain, her attention diverted.
"Go ahead and cry out if it hurts."
Gu Ying pressed her lips together, her entire body chilled to the bone. The situation now was so similar to when she was in the dilapidated temple in the past. Whenever it rained or snowed, the rain and snowflakes would flow down the broken roof tiles of the temple.
Her tattered clothes were always wet, cold, filthy and foul.
No one was willing to go near her, everyone detested her.
Thinking of this, a hint of self-mockery appeared between her brows. "Thank you, Prince Zhao. I can do it myself."
Zhao Changdu gazed at her steadily for a few moments. Seeing the girl's stubbornness, he did not offer his hand again.
Gu Ying moved closer to the fire, instantly wrapped in warmth.
She raised her hand to wipe the cold sweat from her brow. Glancing to the side, she saw Zhao Changdu had turned his back and was taking off his wet, cold clothes.
"...Prince Zhao, what are you doing?"
