AUBTN -Chapter 150 Guilt of the Two

In the end, Zhao Jieyu’s tragic life came to its conclusion amid the raging flames.

Yuyuan, Warm Pavilion.

The air was filled with the faint scent of calming incense mixed with the bitter smell of medicine.

“Ah—! My hand! Is my hand still there?!”

A shrill scream shattered the quiet of the early morning.

Lu Yan, who had been leaning against the bed after keeping watch all night, jolted awake. By reflex, his hand went to the hilt of his blade—only to see the girl on the bed, wrapped up like a rice dumpling, staring wide-eyed in terror as she tried to raise her right hand, which was completely wrapped in bandages.

“Don’t move!”

Lu Yan quickly pressed down on her shoulders to stop her thrashing. His usually cold voice carried a rare hint of panic.

“The imperial physician said your bone was dislocated. It was just set back in place—you can’t move it.”

Yu Qing grimaced in pain, baring her teeth as tears instantly welled up.

“Waaah… Lu Yan, you big pig trotter… why did you come so late… I thought I was going to die…”

Crying, she instinctively tried to reach for her money pouch.

“My five thousand taels of silver notes! My jade abacus! Are they still there? If they’re gone, I won’t live anymore—waaah…”

Seeing her still obsessed with money even now, Lu Yan felt both annoyed and amused. The suffocating anger that had been building in his chest all night strangely melted away.

He sighed, took a brocade pouch from his robes, and stuffed it into her uninjured left hand.

“They’re all here. The abacus broke—I’ll compensate you with a gold one later.”

Yu Qing’s crying stopped instantly.

She squeezed the pouch to check its weight, sniffled, and blinked her tear-clinging lashes.

【Gold? Pure gold? How much would that cost… This wave isn’t a loss—this is a huge profit…】

Hearing that familiar inner voice, the tight corners of Lu Yan’s mouth finally curved into a faint smile.

He reached out, somewhat clumsily wiping away the tears on her face. The rough pads of his fingers brushed across her delicate skin, sending a slight shiver through her.

“As long as you’re alive,” Lu Yan said softly, his voice hoarse and deep.

“If you want mountains of gold and silver, I’ll give them to you.”

Yu Qing froze.

A sweet warmth suddenly welled up in her heart. In a way, she had really turned misfortune into fortune this time.

Though… the way he was looking at her now…

Why did it seem a little like he wanted to eat her alive?

Compared to the chaos on Yu Qing’s side, the west wing room was so quiet it made one’s heart ache.

Shen Jue sat by the bedside.

His hand gently stroked Su Hewan’s pale cheek.

Su Hewan was struggling in a nightmare.

Her dream was filled with blood—Zhao Jieyu’s twisted smile—and the endless sensation of falling.

“Don’t… Shen Jue…”

She murmured unconsciously, her brows tightly furrowed.

“I’m here.”

Shen Jue immediately grasped her cold hand, pressing it against his cheek as he whispered soothingly again and again.

“Wanwan, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Feeling the familiar warmth and that faint scent, Su Hewan’s tense body gradually relaxed.

She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Shen Jue’s phoenix eyes, bloodshot with exhaustion.

The man who was usually the high-and-mighty, ruthless Chief of the Eastern Depot now looked haggard—almost like an ordinary mortal.

“Shen… Jue?”

Her throat was painfully dry; even speaking felt like tearing.

Shen Jue immediately picked up the bowl of medicine that had been kept warm beside the bed. Carefully scooping a spoonful, he blew on it to cool it before bringing it to her lips.

“Don’t talk yet. Drink the medicine first.”

Su Hewan obediently swallowed the bitter liquid. Her mind cleared slightly, and her reason returned in an instant.

“Is it over…?”

“Su Hewan.”

Shen Jue suddenly interrupted her.

Su Hewan froze, looking at him in confusion.

Shen Jue set down the bowl of medicine and leaned forward, closing the distance between them, his shadow enveloping her entirely.

He looked into her eyes, his own filled with pain. “It’s over. It’s all over now. It’s my fault—I failed to protect you.”

The guilt in Shen Jue’s heart made his eyes redden instantly.

No one knew what he had felt when he saw the courtyard full of corpses but could not find her anywhere.

At that moment, he truly wanted to destroy the world.

He had already experienced the devastation of losing his entire family once. He didn’t want to lose the family he had finally found again.

Su Hewan reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, softly comforting him.

“It’s okay. I knew you would come save me.”

Shen Jue’s heart trembled violently.

Those words broke through his defenses more than any love confession ever could.

The coldness in his eyes melted away, turning into a helpless sigh.

He lowered his head and hugged her tightly.

Their foreheads pressed together, the tips of their noses touching, their breaths intertwining.

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“If you were gone… what use would all this power be to me?”

Su Hewan froze.

She had read about Shen Jue’s life in the history books—a life filled with bloodshed and killing, a life that ended in lonely old age.

Yet now, the terrifying Chief Inspector from the books was trembling because of her.

“Okay,” she answered softly.

Shen Jue closed his eyes and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of her lips.

The summer breeze carried a hint of intimacy as it drifted into Wutong Courtyard.

“Open your mouth.”

Lu Yan held a bowl of bird’s nest porridge, lifting a silver spoon to Yu Qing’s lips.

Yu Qing’s right arm was wrapped in thick plaster and hung around her neck like a one-armed swordsman.

Even now, she still wasn’t used to being taken care of by Lu Yan.

“Um… Lord Lu, I can still use my left hand—”

“Open your mouth,” Lu Yan repeated, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Yu Qing could only obediently open her mouth.

“Ah—”

She swallowed the spoonful.

【Mmm… The bird’s nest is cooked perfectly. Soft and sweet. It’s just that the person feeding me is too fierce—it’s like he’s feeding a pig…】

“Cough!” Lu Yan’s hand trembled, and he almost dropped the spoon.

He took a deep breath and stared at her with a dark look. “Are you cursing me in your mind?”

He deliberately tried to scare her.

Yu Qing’s eyes widened instantly, and she covered her mouth with one hand.

【Holy crap! Does this guy have mind-reading powers?】

Lu Yan sighed helplessly, set down the bowl, and took a heavy object from his robe before placing it in her hand.

It was a small abacus made entirely of pure gold, exquisitely crafted. Each bead had been polished until it shone smoothly.

“This is the compensation I promised you,” Lu Yan said, turning his head away so he wouldn’t see her eyes instantly turn into coin shapes.

Yu Qing completely forgot about the pain in her arm. She grabbed the golden abacus, her eyes shining brightly.

“It’s real! It’s really pure gold!”

She was so excited her eyes turned teary. Looking up at Lu Yan, she suddenly felt that this usually cold man was practically radiating the light of a saint.

“Lu Yan, you’re amazing! You’re basically my second parent, my walking ATM, my—”

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Yan suddenly leaned forward. One hand braced against the edge of the bed, trapping her in his arms.

His unique, cool scent instantly surrounded her.

Yu Qing’s heartbeat skipped. She stammered, “Y-you… what are you doing? Even though you gave me the golden abacus, I’m not the kind of person who casually sells my looks…”

Lu Yan was so exasperated he laughed.

“Qingqing, I’m sorry. I failed to protect you. That’s why you got hurt this time. You have no idea how scared I was. I’m sorry.”

Lu Yan’s fear and guilt were completely sincere.

Yu Qing suddenly fell silent.