C698 Close yet Worlds apart

Upon seeing the embroidery in Zhiwu's private chamber, Woo Zhengyang was delighted to find it was a likeness of himself. He realized that while he had been clueless, Zhiwu had harbored feelings for him all along.

Thinking about this, Zhengyang looked over at Zhiwu. He noticed her standing by a chaise lounge, her delicate fingers playing with the tassels at the top of the canopy, as if deep in thought.

"Zhengyang, was your joy at seeing me that day genuine?" Sensing his gaze, Zhiwu turned and asked softly.

"Of course it was real. These past few months, I've missed you so much. It wasn't until I saw you again that I realized how much I longed for you. I never want to be apart from you again," Zhengyang replied, slowly moving closer, hoping to embrace her.

To his surprise, Zhiwu gently shook her head, refusing his approach. Just as Zhengyang was taken aback, Zhiwu did something he never expected.

She slowly began to undo her clothing... One piece after another fell to the floor, and Zhengyang stood there, dumbfounded. First, he was stunned by her actions, and then he was captivated by the breathtaking sight before him.

Woo Zhengyang had seen women's bodies before—Bing'er, Li'er, Jing'er, Huo'er, and even many he didn't recognize. But back in the Ice Crystal Fire Hall, he never saw them as living, breathing people. They were always shielded by a layer of ice and fire, so while he saw them, he never felt much.

Now, though, Loong Zhiwu stood before him, her graceful form fully revealed, and Woo Zhengyang found himself forgetting to breathe. Her skin was like creamy white jade, glowing under the room's soft light. Every inch of her seemed meticulously crafted, stirring his heart yet leaving him hesitant to disrespect such beauty.

"Come here!" Loong Zhiwu's face was flushed with embarrassment, noticing Woo Zhengyang standing there, frozen and entranced. Her voice was a mix of shyness and urgency.

"Oh!" he responded. With a beauty commanding him, how could he refuse? Swallowing hard, he stepped forward, reaching out but hesitant to touch.

Instead, Loong Zhiwu threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest, too shy to look up again.

After holding her for a moment, Woo Zhengyang finally snapped back to reality. Silently chiding himself, he gently lifted her chin and kissed those lovely, blushing lips once more...

The soft couch shifted slightly, the sheer curtains danced lightly, and even the tassels at the top of the canopy swayed gently. Under Zhiwu's control, the glow in the room gradually dimmed, only to brighten again after a while. Over several hours, the light fluctuated countless times, and Woo Zhengyang found himself lost in a tender embrace repeatedly, until both he and Zhiwu were utterly exhausted and fell asleep in each other's arms.

When Woo Zhengyang opened his eyes again, he realized he was still lying on the soft couch, inhaling the lingering scent of Zhiwu. He smiled knowingly and reached out for his beloved.

No one? Had she already gotten up?

Feeling a bit disappointed, Woo Zhengyang opened his eyes fully. In the next moment, he sat up abruptly. He was indeed still on the couch, but it was no longer in Zhiwu's cozy room; instead, it had been moved to this cavernous space.

Something was definitely off.

Quickly slipping into his clothes, Woo Zhengyang hurried out of the cave. A striking figure stood dazed at the entrance.

"Zhiwu, you startled me!" Woo Zhengyang exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the figure and whispering softly in her ear.

"Zhiwu's gone!" The voice in his arms made Woo Zhengyang freeze. He wasn't holding Zhiwu, but Bing Yue!

"Left? Where did she go?" Woo Zhengyang was too preoccupied to care who he was holding. He quickly turned Bing Yue around and asked urgently.

"I don't know either. She left this letter for you." Bing Yue handed a letter to Woo Zhengyang and quietly turned her head away. Her ear and neck were flushed red on the side where Woo Zhengyang had just spoken to her.

Woo Zhengyang noticed this, surprised that the usually teasing Bing Yue could be so shy. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. He hastily opened the letter left downstairs at the Dragon Dance.

The letter was short, so short that Woo Zhengyang hesitated to read it, knowing it probably wouldn't contain the answers he sought. The message was cold, so cold that it was hard to connect it with the lively and mischievous Loong Zhiwu he knew.

"The bond is resolved, take care of yourself. Our past is like a fleeting dream, close yet worlds apart, never to meet again."

Twenty-four words. Woo Zhengyang read them over and over, tears filling his eyes, his heart turning to ash.

It turned out... everything was off from the start.

She had come back just to resolve a personal issue.

Everything she did was to weave a dream for Woo Zhengyang, only to then let the past fade away.

From that moment on, whether separated by great distances or standing side by side, even if they met, it would be as if they never crossed paths.

"So close, yet worlds apart, never to meet again!"

Woo Zhengyang silently repeated these words in his heart, feeling as if his body had turned to stone—no heartbeat, no breath, his energy ceased to flow, and his blood no longer circulated.

"Woo Zhengyang, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing something was off with Woo Zhengyang, Bing Yue set aside her shyness and approached him with concern.

Yet, Woo Zhengyang seemed oblivious to Bing Yue's words, standing there motionless.

"Woo Zhengyang, don't scare me..."

Bing Yue was terrified, her face pale with fear. She reached out to touch Woo Zhengyang but hesitated, as his current state was truly frightening.

Finally, Bing Yue's gaze fell on the letter in Woo Zhengyang's hand.

Without worrying about his consent, she took the letter from him.

After reading it, Bing Yue finally understood why Woo Zhengyang was acting this way.

"Foolish brother, are you heartbroken? Are you disheartened by Zhiwu's farewell?" Bing Yue whispered in Woo Zhengyang's ear.

Woo Zhengyang didn't respond, remaining as still as ever.

"Foolish brother, do you really believe in those ties of fate and past connections? If I'm not mistaken, Zhiwu gave herself to you, right? Do you really think any woman would do such a thing for some ridiculous notion of fate?"