Chapter 211

Chapter 211. Attentive Care

Not ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍eating or drinking...

Although ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Cailin had never needed to eat this sort of mortal food back in the Ancient Royal Clan, once she came to the world of the Human Race, she had inevitably been influenced by those around her. She would unconsciously feel hungry, and she had gradually grown thinner by the day.

On ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍top of that, the internal injuries Cailin had suffered last time had not yet fully healed. Chu Feng felt that she absolutely needed to nourish her body properly, so every day he had the Imperial Kitchen prepare a few appetizing dishes for her.

So ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when he heard that Cailin was neither eating nor drinking, Chu Feng’s first reaction was heartache...

Of ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, he was also somewhat speechless.

He ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍knew that the reason she was acting like this was because she had once again thought about the Ancient Royal Clan.

That matter seemed to have always remained a knot in Cailin’s heart.

And with what had happened in court during the day, Chu Feng knew Cailin was not a fool. She had probably already heard something.

At that thought, Chu Feng let out a heavy sigh.

Then, hearing the noisy chatter all around him, he became even more irritated. Waving repeatedly at the palace maids and eunuchs, he said, “Enough, enough. All of you withdraw at once. Stop standing here and getting in my way.”

Only after sending them away did Chu Feng feel that he would have a chance to speak to Cailin properly and talk about what was really in his heart.

He also knew that there were some things Cailin did not want other people to hear.

Once he was sure the palace maids and eunuchs had gone far enough away, Chu Feng walked over step by step and sat down beside Cailin.

This time, however, he did not reach for her hand on his own. He simply sat quietly beside her in the same row.

“Talk to me. What exactly is wrong?” Chu Feng asked patiently, making his tone as gentle as possible.

Cailin still said nothing. She merely gazed at the flowers and trees in the night, her eyes hollow, as if her soul had been stolen away.

At that moment, Chu Feng became even more certain of his guess.

He fell silent for a moment. Though he did not know how he ought to explain this matter—after all, it truly had happened and did exist—he still could not help but speak.

“You heard about it, didn’t you?” His voice was especially low, yet in the stillness of the night, it sounded all the more clear.

The question seemed to come out of nowhere, but the instant he said it, Cailin understood what Chu Feng meant.

Her body trembled slightly. She had not expected Chu Feng to guess what she was thinking. But even though he had guessed correctly, Cailin still did not turn back. She still did not want to pay him any attention.

Because the matter had already happened, and those people were still stubbornly clinging to their views. Rumors would not simply fade away. No matter what Chu Feng said, he could not stop the mouths of the masses.

And at the deepest root of it all, Cailin had always felt that the source of everything lay with Chu Feng.

If Chu Feng had not brought her back, so many things would never have happened.

So in her heart, Cailin had always been holding onto a grudge against him.

Seeing that she still did not say a single word, Chu Feng became even more convinced of his own guess. He was now certain that Cailin was angry with him.

“Listen to me. I already told you before that all of that is just rumor. People have mouths of their own. We cannot control what they want to say, can we? But we can decide whether or not we care. If you stop thinking about it, wouldn’t that be enough?” Chu Feng’s voice was calm and firm.

“And besides, things had clearly settled down quite a bit last time, but now it has all flared up again. I reckon someone must be scheming behind the scenes. I have already sent people to investigate, and there will be results soon enough. I promise you right here—once I find the real culprit behind this, I absolutely will not show the slightest mercy. I will directly carry out the Extermination of Nine Clans. Only by being ruthless can I shut those people up.”

“Really?” Cailin finally spoke. Her voice was so hoarse that it hardly sounded like her own, and it even carried an unmistakable note of mockery.

Before Chu Feng could answer, Cailin laughed again. “And what then, even if you do find out? Those words have already spread throughout the entire Capital City. Everyone knows I am a Demoness. And that would already be bad enough, but I am also a Demoness who brings ruin to the nation. I eat human hearts, I drink human blood... Hahaha, not even several Great Chu Dynasties would be enough for me to destroy...” Cailin gave a bitter laugh, her voice steeped in boundless desolation.

“So what if they did? Those words came from other people’s mouths. There is no evidence behind them at all. There is no need for you to take this nonsense to heart,” Chu Feng said matter-of-factly, as though he had not felt her pain at all.

And for Chu Feng, perhaps he truly could not feel Cailin’s pain.

After all, from Chu Feng’s point of view, these things were not even worth calling a problem. With his own power alone, he could suppress all opposition.

At the same time, Chu Feng also did not understand the suffering Cailin had endured in other worlds.

Cailin suddenly turned to look at Chu Feng. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her voice was sharp with anguish as she sneered, “So what? You ask me, so what? Chu Feng, I truly do not know what goes on in your head. Do you even have a heart?”

Chu Feng was left completely stunned...

“Do you know that today I ran into a little palace maid? The moment she saw me, before I even said anything—before I even raised my head to look at her—she was so frightened that she dropped to her knees and begged for mercy, terrified that I would eat her.

Do you know how those palace servants look at me? As if I am some filthy thing, as if I am some demon. They avoid me, they hide from me, they do not even dare to speak to me.

You did not see the way they looked at me. Their eyes were full of fear, full of panic, resentment, and contempt. Those looks were too terrifying. They were like sharp swords, stabbing into my body again and again.

And the most important thing is that I clearly did nothing, nothing at all. If I did nothing, then what right do they have to wrong me like this? What right do they have to treat me this way?”

The more Cailin spoke, the more agitated she became. Tears poured from her eyes, and for a time she sank completely into grief and sorrow.

Chu Feng looked at her quietly and said nothing.

Though there were many things Chu Feng did not understand, one thing he knew very clearly: if he tried to comfort Cailin at a time like this, she probably would not hear a single word of it. It would only stir her grief even more.

So rather than that, it was better to let her vent first, to let her release the knot of anguish inside her heart, and only afterward speak to her slowly and reason with her.

Sure enough, things turned out exactly as Chu Feng had expected. After venting for a while, Cailin gradually calmed down. Her earlier wailing sobs slowly weakened into quiet sniffles.

Cailin lowered her head and wiped away her tears. Her voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. Curled up there, she looked like a little kitten that had been abandoned.

“Maybe... maybe they are right. I was never part of the Human Race to begin with. I was never meant to stay here. Even if I truly do not have any evil intentions right now, who can say for certain what will happen in the future? What if, someday, I really do end up doing something that harms the Human Race? Even though, deep down, I would loathe seeing such a scene... what if? What if everything those people are saying is true?”