Chapter 609 - 612: An Old Married Couple

Chapter 609: Chapter 612: An Old Married Couple

The Death Warriors gave chase.

Lu Wanqing charged forward with her people without hesitation.

The two sides engaged in a life-or-death struggle.

The group of Death Warriors appeared ferocious, but in reality, they had already lost all strategy.

Knowing there was no escape, they could only put up a final, desperate struggle before death.

Lu Wanqing’s side, however, was the complete opposite.

With their commander leading the charge, every one of her subordinates fought with incomparable bravery, utterly fearless of death.

When the Death Warriors’ stamina was spent and they could no longer resist, they all took their own lives on the spot by slitting their throats with their weapons.

This was the purpose of a Death Warrior’s existence.

After news of Lu Kai’s death spread, everyone in the Yu Royal Mansion who was still resisting instantly lost their will to fight.

Lu Wanqing, of course, would not let such a prime opportunity slip by.

She took control of the entire Yu Royal Mansion with the utmost speed.

But at this moment, Hua Manman was already afflicted with a potent poison.

The thin cut on her arm had turned a dark purple, and the blood that trickled out was blackish-brown.

Li Ji tried to suck the poisoned blood out with his mouth.

Unfortunately, it was useless.

The poison acted fast. Half of her body was already numb.

Li Ji and Yue Niang kept watch by the bed, while Li Liao had gone out to find a doctor.

Hua Manman asked weakly.

"Am I about to die?"

Li Ji gripped her hand tightly, his eyes red. His voice trembled violently, as if he could burst into tears at any moment.

"No, you definitely won’t die."

Yue Niang paced anxiously. "Why isn’t the master back yet?"

Li Ji said, "Why were you so foolish? Why did you take that arrow for me?"

He would rather have been hit by the arrow himself than see Manman injured.

Hua Manman herself didn’t know why she had been so foolish at that moment.

When she saw Li Ji in danger, her body had lunged forward before her mind could even process it.

It was like an uncontrollable instinct.

And the only reason for such an instinct could be love.

’Now that I think about it,’ Hua Manman realized, ’it must be because I love him. That’s why I still want to protect him, even after forgetting everything about him.’

Li Ji heard her innermost thoughts.

An unbearable ache swelled in his heart.

Intense emotions washed over him like a tidal wave.

He could no longer hold back. He lowered his head and said, "I love you too. I’ve always loved you."

With that, he pressed his lips forcefully against Manman’s.

Hua Manman’s eyes widened, a look of astonishment on her pale face.

She hadn’t expected Li Ji to kiss her so suddenly.

That familiar yet strange scent washed over her. The heat on their lips intensified, like a burning flame incinerating both their senses.

Seeing this, Yue Niang froze on the spot, her mind going completely blank.

Li Ji’s eyes were slightly closed, completely lost in the kiss.

But Hua Manman’s eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the man just inches away.

Her heart began to race uncontrollably.

Like the thundering of war drums, it pounded in her chest.

The sealed memories came flooding back...

On their wedding night, she sat on the bed in her red wedding dress. Li Ji pushed aside the gold-embroidered folding fan in her hand, revealing her face, as lovely as a Furong blossom, with bright eyes and pearly teeth.

In the study, Li Ji took her hand from behind, teaching her to write stroke by stroke.

In the raging river, Li Ji held her hand tightly, refusing to let go even in death, allowing the current to sweep them away to some unknown destination.

On an ancient road at sunset, Li Ji helped her mount a horse, teaching her how to ride. When she had galloped some distance away, she looked back and saw Li Ji standing there, quietly watching her.

On the Training Ground, Hua Manman and Li Ji practiced swordsmanship until her limbs were sore and she was covered in sweat. She playfully collapsed on the ground, refusing to get up. In the end, Li Ji bent down and steadily carried her back to their room on his back.

Inside the secret passage, Hua Manman struggled to give birth to their son. With her last breath, she said to Mu Qing,

"Tell him I’ll be back."

...

The resurgence of so many memories made Hua Manman’s already groggy head ache with unbearable pain.

A pained groan escaped her throat.

Li Ji released her lips and asked nervously,

"What’s wrong?"

Hua Manman felt an intense pressure in her head, as if it could explode at any moment. It was agonizing.

Yue Niang snapped back to her senses.

She had no time to dwell on what had just happened and hurriedly asked,

"Is it the poison taking effect?"

Li Ji was frantic. ’Why hasn’t Dad brought the doctor back yet?’

Hua Manman truly couldn’t hold on any longer.

She trembled all over in agony, and her vision began to blacken.

A moment later, she fainted.

In her hazy state, she seemed to hear a sigh.

"I lost."

The voice was ethereal and faint, as if coming from a great distance.

It was tinged with deep reluctance and disappointment.

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

Hua Manman’s mind gradually cleared.

She slowly opened her eyes and found the room pitch-black and silent all around.

Li Ji had been keeping watch by the bed the entire time.

His gaze had never left Manman, so he noticed the very moment she woke up.

Li Ji immediately leaned closer, his voice trembling as he called out.

"Manman!"

Having just woken up, Hua Manman’s reactions were a little slow.

After a moment, she looked at the man by the bed and asked in a hoarse voice,

"How am I not dead?"

Li Ji frowned. "What’s all this talk about dying? Aren’t you afraid of jinxing it?!"

Hua Manman: "But wasn’t I poisoned?"

Li Ji lit the oil lamp placed by the bed and said slowly,

"I’ve already found the antidote for you. The poison in your body has been neutralized. You’re fine now."

Hua Manman was incredulous. "For real?"

Seeing her disbelief, Li Ji briefly recounted what had happened.

After Lu Wanqing took over the Yu Royal Mansion, she immediately rounded up and detained everyone in the household. This included the Guest who had presented the poison to Lu Kai.

That Guest was forced to hand over the poison’s formula. The city’s most famous doctors then collaborated, and they quickly figured out the formula for the antidote.

Hua Manman carefully checked her body and found that she had indeed regained feeling. She felt much better than before.

It seemed the antidote had worked.

She couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

The sky was clear, the rain had stopped, and the poison was gone.

She could keep on living!

Seeing her happy smile, the corners of Li Ji’s mouth turned up involuntarily.

He still wore that plain, unremarkable face, but his eyes were dark and deep.

In the dim, yellow glow of the lamp, they shone with a gentle warmth.

Hua Manman knew he must have been watching over her by the bed for a long time. Her heart ached for him, and she scooted over.

"It’s so late, you must be tired. Come up and get some sleep."

Li Ji stared at her. "Are you sure you want me to join you?"

Hua Manman mumbled, "We’re an old married couple. Why are you even asking? Hurry up and get in."

After she said that, what reason did Li Ji have to refuse?

He immediately took off his outer robe, lifted the covers, and lay down beside Manman.

Only after closing his eyes did it belatedly dawn on him. He couldn’t help but open them again and ask,

"What do you mean, ’an old married couple’?"