Chapter 262: Witnessing Bai Ye Getting Pounced On
Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Witnessing Bai Ye Getting Pounced On
In the corridor, the cold white light spilled down, casting the exhaustion on Su Wan’s face into sharp relief. Even the faint fine lines at the corners of her eyes appeared all the more prominent.
She stared fixedly at Yun Sheng. Her lips moved, as if weighing how to begin.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke, her tight voice sounding a bit constrained. "Yun Sheng... During this time... are you tired? I heard that this wilderness training didn’t go very smoothly and there were quite a few accidents. Were you... injured?"
Yun Sheng was taken aback. She had thought that Su Wan’s glance at Bai Ye earlier, followed by calling her out here, meant she wanted to ask about Bai Ye calling off the engagement or her relationship with him. But she hadn’t expected Su Wan’s very first words to be asking if she was tired or injured. The worry and concern in her eyes were so genuine—devoid of any falsehood or ulterior motives.
A faint warmth suddenly welled up in her heart, like warm water washing over her, dispelling some of her previous alienation and wariness.
Yun Sheng shook her head gently, softening her voice. "I’m alright. I wasn’t injured."
Hearing this, Su Wan immediately looked her up and down carefully. After confirming she was truly fine, she breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly. She subconsciously reached out to pat Yun Sheng’s hand, but stopped halfway and withdrew it, as if unsure whether she had the right to do so.
Taking in this subtle gesture, a pang of sorrow tugged at Yun Sheng’s heart. She couldn’t tell if it was for Su Wan’s cautiousness or the delicate barrier between them. She didn’t pull away; instead, she reached out and gently grasped Su Wan’s slightly cool fingertips, letting the warmth of her palm slowly transfer over.
"Mrs. Lin, I’m really fine. I’m sorry for making you worry," she said.
Startled by this sudden action, Su Wan froze. A flash of unexpected surprise crossed her eyes. Then, her eyes grew slightly red, and a stinging sensation pricked her nose. She nodded vigorously and gently squeezed Yun Sheng’s hand in return. It was as if thousands of words were stuck in her throat, yet she couldn’t utter a single one.
After a brief silence, Yun Sheng was the first to speak. "How did Lin Hao... how did he get hurt so badly? What did the doctors say?"
At the mention of Lin Hao, the warmth on Su Wan’s face vanished instantly, replaced by undeniable sorrow and heartache.
"Xiao Hao... His squad was ambushed during a mission. He charged forward alone to hold off a B-level contaminant and buy his teammates time to escape, which was how he got so severely injured!" Her voice choked up even more. "The doctor said he... might never be able to use his spiritual power again, nor can he remain a Sentinel. But even so, I am proud of him!"
With that, Su Wan could no longer hold back. She raised a hand to gently wipe away the tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. Her gaze was filled with anguish and distress, yet she forced herself to stay strong, refusing to lose her composure. She was Lin Hao’s mother, and also the lady of the Lin family. No matter how much it hurt inside, she couldn’t allow herself to look completely broken in front of others.
Watching her pretend to be strong, Yun Sheng felt another wave of sorrow. She squeezed Su Wan’s hand tighter and comforted her, "Medical technology is so advanced now. As long as we don’t give up, he will definitely get better."
Inside the ward, Lin Hao had fallen into a deep sleep again, unable to hold on due to his severe weakness and lack of energy.
Lin Yueyao stood by the bed, staring at Lin Hao’s pale face for a while before slowly turning around. Step by step, she walked toward Bai Ye, who was standing by the window, exuding an aura of chilling coldness.
Bai Ye was looking down out the window, the very contours of his profile appearing all the more sharp and unyielding. Hearing her footsteps, he didn’t turn around. His expression remained apathetic.
Lin Yueyao stopped behind him. Her fingertips gripped the hem of her clothes so tightly that her nails nearly dug into the fabric. Summoning her courage, she asked softly, with a hint of humble probing, "Brother Bai, do I... do I really have no chance left?"
Only then did Bai Ye slowly turn around. His gaze fell upon her, but his eyes were completely devoid of emotion. He didn’t speak; he simply stepped sideways and retreated two paces, deliberately widening the distance between him and Lin Yueyao. This subtle movement acted like an invisible barrier, completely shutting Lin Yueyao out and silently delivering his answer.
Lin Yueyao’s body stiffened abruptly as the hope in her eyes was instantly shattered. Those two steps Bai Ye took back hurt more than any cold words could.
Biting her lower lip fiercely, her hoarse voice carried a tone of devastated questioning and resentment. "How am I inferior to Yun Sheng? Brother Bai, we’ve known each other for so many years, and I’ve always been by your side. Can all of that really not compare to the mere two months you’ve known her? I don’t understand, I really don’t understand..."
She couldn’t figure out why, after accompanying Bai Ye for so long with a heart and eyes only for him, she was still no match for Yun Sheng’s sudden appearance. Why couldn’t she even get a sliver of a chance?
Looking at her breakdown, Bai Ye’s expression didn’t soften in the slightest. His apathetic gaze remained unchanged, and he didn’t even twitch his lips.
To him, his past relationship with Lin Yueyao had never been about love. They were only somewhat connected because the Bai family and the Lin family had been close for generations, and because of a prearranged marriage agreement made when they were still in the womb. He had never proactively gotten close to her, had never crossed any lines with her, and had certainly never given her any promises about the future.
Even before meeting Yun Sheng, he had long since seen through his own predicament. His spiritual landscape was becoming increasingly disordered, and his restless spiritual power could spiral out of control at any moment. Doctors had long diagnosed that, given his condition, it wouldn’t be long before he either degenerated into an irrational Dark Sentinel or suffered a fatal backlash from his chaotic spiritual power.
In those days, he had already grown accustomed to loneliness and indifference. The only thing on his mind was the weight of his responsibilities. He resolved that for as long as he drew breath, he would shoulder all the duties that came with being the Star Alliance War God. Romance was never something he even considered.
It was Yun Sheng’s appearance that caught him off guard, shining like a faint beam of light into his dark and silent world. Not only did she curb the deterioration of his spiritual landscape and stabilize his nearly out-of-control spiritual power, but she also made him realize for the very first time what it felt like to like someone. It was a cautious cherishing, a willing sacrifice, and an obsession to protect her at all costs—even if it meant sheathing all his sharp edges.
Faced with Bai Ye’s silence and indifference, the resentment in Lin Yueyao’s heart grew wildly like creeping vines, scorching away her rationality. Looking at the man before her who turned a blind eye to her breakdown, all her pride and reserve crumbled in an instant. She lunged forward, reaching out to throw her arms around Bai Ye’s waist.
Right at this critical moment, the ward door was gently pushed open.
Yun Sheng and Su Wan walked in side by side. Seeing this scene, both of them halted in their tracks. Su Wan even forgot to breathe, her eyes filled with sheer disbelief. Yun Sheng slightly furrowed her brows, staring straight at the two of them.