PNB Chapter 542: Feelings are not a gift
Chapter 542: Feelings are not a gift
His words carried an undeniable air of authority, as if declaring his determination to everyone.
Fang Xiaoxiao looked up at Long Jinyan, feeling somewhat helpless.
Her memory returned to that argument with Pei Yan, when Pei Yan angrily slammed the door and left, leaving her alone in the room crying.
She waited all night, hoping he would come back to comfort her, but in the end, all she received was endless disappointment.
"I know you all mean well, but feelings are not something to be given or forced. I don't want to accept other people's feelings just because Pei Yan left."
I need time to find myself again. I gave everything for Pei Yan, only to end up like this. How can I easily give my heart away again? She thought to herself, but didn't say it aloud.
Zhou Wenjian stood to the side, his brows slightly furrowed, a hint of disbelief on his face: "I don't believe the Crown Prince would be so heartless."
His feelings for Fang Xiaoxiao before didn't seem feigned. There must be a hidden reason; perhaps he faced some difficulties that forced him to make such a decision.
Upon hearing Zhou Wenjian's words, Fang Xiao's heart stirred slightly.
The image of Pei Yan staying by her bedside day and night, taking meticulous care of her when she was ill, flashed through her mind. At that time, his eyes were full of heartache and worry.
"Is there really something going on? But so what? Whatever his reasons, his actions have deeply hurt me."
The past is the past, and I don't want to delve into those shattered truths. Even if there were so many beautiful moments, he's not the person I know anymore.
A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
Just then, a gust of wind suddenly rushed into the room, making the windows rattle and the papers on the table flutter in the wind.
Fang Xiaoxiao listened to everyone's words, her eyes remaining calm.
She slightly raised her head, looked at everyone in turn, and said softly, "I understand everyone's good intentions. But I will handle my own affairs."
When it comes to feelings, you can't force them, and I don't want to dwell on it anymore.
Ouyang Tuoba and Murong Changqing exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat anxious. Just as they were about to say something more, Fang Xiaoxiao raised her hand to stop them.
Long Jinyan clenched his fists, a hint of resentment on his face, but he still held back from speaking.
Zhou Wenjian looked at Fang Xiaoxiao thoughtfully, as if pondering the deeper meaning behind her words.
The wind continued to howl, and raindrops began to patter against the window, as if Fang Xiaoxiao were silently weeping deep inside.
The atmosphere inside the room became unusually tense. Everyone had their own thoughts and plans, and emotional entanglements and conflicts continued to spread in this small room, making the future even more unpredictable.
Fang Xiaoxiao, amidst this complex emotional vortex, appeared remarkably calm, as if she were prepared to face everything alone.
Looking at the concerned or scheming eyes of everyone in the room, Fang Xiaoxiao felt a surge of annoyance. She took a deep breath, suppressing her complex emotions, and said coldly, "I want to be alone. You can all leave."
Ouyang Tuoba opened his mouth, about to speak, but was stopped by Fang Xiaoxiao's cold gaze. Long Jinyan frowned, a hint of displeasure on his face, but still turned and walked towards the door.
Murong Changqing and Zhou Wenjian exchanged a glance, shook their heads helplessly, and followed behind.
Li Wan'er and Hongxiu glanced at Fang Xiaoxiao with concern, but could only slowly leave the room under her gaze.
As the footsteps of the crowd gradually faded into the distance, Fang Xiaoxiao's tense body finally relaxed slightly.
She slowly walked to the window, gazing at the branches swaying in the wind and rain outside, her eyes gradually hardening. "Pei Yan, it's time for things to end between us," she murmured to herself, her voice soft yet resolute.
Fang Xiaoxiao paced back and forth in the room, pondering how to find Pei Yan.
Suddenly, her gaze fell on a token on the table. It was a token that Pei Yan had given her, saying that with this token, she could move freely within the palace.
Her eyes lit up, and she strode over, grabbed the token, and gripped it tightly in her hand. "It's all up to you now," she whispered.
Taking advantage of the fact that everyone in the courtyard had left, Fang Xiaoxiao carefully opened the door, looked around to make sure no one was there, and then tiptoed out.
She clung to the wall, darting swiftly through the alley like a nimble kitten, hiding and dodging as she went, afraid of being discovered.
Finally, she arrived at the palace gates. Looking at the tall and majestic palace gates, Fang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but feel a little nervous, but she quickly suppressed it and walked forward with her head held high.
The guards' expressions changed slightly when they saw the token in her hand. They exchanged a glance and then respectfully let her pass.
Fang Xiaoxiao successfully entered the palace, but this was only the beginning.
The palace complex is a labyrinth of intersecting halls and pavilions with winding corridors.
Following the route she remembered, she walked hurriedly toward the East Palace, her heart pounding in her chest.
They hadn't gone far when suddenly a series of orderly footsteps sounded ahead. A squad of guards was patrolling along the corridor. Fang Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and she panicked instantly. "Oh no! If we're discovered, all our efforts will be wasted!"
Her eyes darted around in a panic, and she spotted a low bush nearby. Without thinking, she quickly crawled inside, curling up and barely daring to breathe.
The footsteps of the guards grew closer, and Fang Xiaoxiao's palms sweated with nervousness, her nails digging deep into her hands. "Please don't find me, please don't..."
She prayed incessantly in her heart, able to hear her own heartbeat as loud as a drumbeat, afraid that the guards would notice.
The guards lingered nearby for a moment, seemingly talking about something, and Fang Xiaoxiao felt that every second was incredibly long.
Finally, the guards' footsteps faded into the distance. Fang Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief and emerged from the bushes, her clothes covered in leaves and twigs. "Phew, thank goodness I wasn't discovered. I can't be so careless again," she told herself.
She continued walking, and as soon as she turned a corner, she saw several palace maids carrying food boxes walking towards her not far ahead.
Fang Xiaoxiao quickly hid behind a pillar and peeked out with half her head to observe.
As the palace maids approached, she realized that one of them was someone she had seen before.
Fang Xiao's heart tightened. "Oh no, if she recognizes me, she'll definitely stop me. What should I do?" Her mind raced. Worried about being recognized, she suddenly clutched her stomach and pretended to be in pain as the palace maids approached, then walked out from behind a pillar.