“Ming Siran, do you know what you’re doing?” Zhou Shengsheng said sternly.
He stood by the bed, dressed in a wedding robe embroidered with dragons. The crown on his head glimmered under the candlelight.
Ming Siran, backlit, flashed a smile that sent shivers down Zhou Shengsheng’s spine.
“Is it because it’s our wedding day that you’ve stopped calling me ‘Your Majesty’ and started using my name?” He lowered his gaze to Zhou Shengsheng, reaching out a finger from his sleeve to brush aside a strand of her hair that had fallen in front of her.
Zhou Shengsheng leaned back, the chains binding her clinking softly, which seemed to amuse the man before her as he narrowed his eyes in delight.
“Shengsheng, let’s be together forever, okay?” With that, he leaned in closer.
The bed was small, and no matter how Zhou Shengsheng tried to evade him, she was eventually pinned beneath Ming Siran.
“You’ll regret this, Ming Siran,” Zhou Shengsheng glared at him fiercely.
He chuckled softly, “Shengsheng, your voice is trembling.”
With one hand, he pulled aside the red silk canopy and slowly leaned down.
Zhou Shengsheng’s limbs were already weak, and now she was firmly trapped in Ming Siran’s grasp.
Was there really no way out?
She didn’t want this…
His lips touched her neck, the cool yet soft sensation making Zhou Shengsheng shudder violently.
Someone, please save her…
Hearing her silent plea, Ming Siran’s eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.
Was she truly so unwilling?
Ignoring the ache in his heart, he steeled himself.
No matter how much she resisted, she would be his.
Just as Zhou Shengsheng felt despair creeping in, a clear, melodious bird call echoed from above.
Suddenly, the man who had been relentlessly claiming her stopped and collapsed onto her.
Zhou Shengsheng jolted awake, mustering all her strength to push the unconscious Ming Siran off her.
Tears streaming down her face, she looked at the bird hovering in the air, its expression one of disdain. She grabbed it and kissed it repeatedly, “Little Ji, I’ll never complain about your fussiness again! From now on, you’re my sworn brother, and I’ll treasure you like my own eyes!”
After struggling fruitlessly, Duan Niao resigned himself to her kisses.
He had long since grown numb to this…
Originally, he had been hiding in Zhou Shengsheng’s sleeve to escape the rain, but this clueless fool hadn’t even noticed she’d been drugged.
Flapping his wings, Duan Niao tapped her hand, and as she loosened her grip, he quickly flew to her head, meticulously grooming his feathers with a look of disdain.
Zhou Shengsheng, knowing his obsession with cleanliness, sniffled and turned to examine Ming Siran’s wound.
Earlier, Little Ji had scratched him with his claws, and Ming Siran had suddenly collapsed.
But now, as Zhou Shengsheng inspected his neck, she found no trace of a wound. She couldn’t help but wonder.
Could it be that Little Ji wasn’t just an ordinary bird, but some kind of mythical creature?
[Pang!] She called out, but there was no response.
Duan Niao, perched on her head, opened one eye and tapped her head with his foot.
“Don’t rush, I’ll be done soon,” Zhou Shengsheng muttered as she searched Ming Siran’s body.
“Found it!”
A small silver key appeared in her hand. She fumbled with the lock on the chains, and after several tries, a soft ‘click’ sounded, and the chains, warmed by her body heat, finally opened.
Without hesitation, she got off the bed, frowning as she removed the heavy phoenix crown from her head and held it in her hand.
It was indeed a phoenix crown…
At first, she frowned, but then a smile spread across her face.
Perfect, it could be melted down into gold bars, and the jade and emeralds could be sold for a good price.
Consider it Ming Siran’s compensation for the emotional distress he’d caused her.
Of course, for now, it had a more immediate use.
As a weapon.
She flung the door open and, without looking, swung the heavy phoenix crown at the person standing outside.
But she hit nothing but air.
The weight of the crown pulled her forward, nearly causing her to stumble.
Was there really no one guarding the door?
Zhou Shengsheng was stunned.
Had Ming Siran been too overconfident?
[Wuwuwu, Shengsheng!]
A small, round figure flew over, looking aggrieved.
Zhou Shengsheng’s face lit up, [Pang!]
[Where have you been!?]
She hugged Pang tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
[I don’t know, wuwuwu. After I woke up, I was locked outside and couldn’t get in.]
Zhou Shengsheng found this strange.
She had passed out because she was human, but Pang was a system, not a person. How could it have been affected too?
No, after this ordeal, she decided she couldn’t rely on Pang as a universal tool anymore.
Even Doraemon, who was always by his owner’s side, had been lost several times, let alone Pang, who was alive.
She’d have to carry some self-defense items with her from now on.
[Never mind that for now. I need to exchange for the memory-restoring medicine!]
Pang flew out of her hands, [Are you sure? Once his memories are restored, Ming Siran won’t be ‘Little Ming’ anymore.]
Zhou Shengsheng nodded, [I’d rather he try to kill me than have him take advantage of me. Besides, if he stays amnesiac, how will the plot progress?]
Pang nodded, and soon, a transparent syringe filled with green liquid appeared in Zhou Shengsheng’s hand.
Duan Niao, perched on her head, watched this unbelievable scene with an unreadable expression.
Without hesitation, she closed the door and walked back to the bed, looking down at Ming Siran, who lay there breathing steadily but with a slight frown.
She reached out and smoothed his brow, gazing at him for a long time.
Then, slowly, she inserted the needle into his skin.
Almost simultaneously, Ming Siran’s eyes flew open.
Zhou Shengsheng’s hand trembled in shock.
Feeling the sting in his neck, Ming Siran turned his head to look at her.
His deep, shadowy eyes fixed on Zhou Shengsheng’s face, and he smiled faintly, “Shengsheng, are you abandoning me?”
Zhou Shengsheng’s hand shook, but she said nothing, slowly pushing the liquid into him.
Ming Siran also fell silent, simply watching her.
When the last drop of liquid disappeared, his face contorted in pain, but he stubbornly reached for Zhou Shengsheng’s hand.
She placed her hand in his.
“Goodbye, Little Ming,” she whispered.
Hearing this farewell, a tear slid down Ming Siran’s cheek. His lips moved, but no words came out.
Slowly, his eyes closed.
Zhou Shengsheng, still in her red dress, knelt silently by the bed.
There would be no more Little Ming.
Only Ming Siran.
The night grew darker, with only the sound of insects and rustling leaves outside.
Zhou Shengsheng nodded off, exhausted.
Just as she was on the verge of sleep, there was a movement on the bed.
She looked up.
The man who had been unconscious suddenly propped himself up on one arm.
He pressed a hand to his forehead, frowning slightly, and his gaze fell directly on Zhou Shengsheng on the floor.
The faint glimmer of shame, anger, and regret in his eyes made her realize—
The supreme War Emperor of the Great Yong Kingdom, Ming Siran, had returned.
