Chapter 23: Pei Zhouwu, I Won’t Abandon You

Liu Fuying entered the room and gently closed the door behind her.

Both windows in the room were shut, trapping the smell of blood inside. The thick, suffocating scent enveloped her tightly. Standing behind the door, she hesitated for a moment, afraid to step forward and confirm what she feared.

From where she stood, Pei Zhouwu seemed to have stopped breathing altogether.

Swallowing her unease, she finally forced herself to move forward.

Slowly approaching the bed, she leaned down to look and finally detected the faint rise and fall of his chest. Even though his breathing was weak, it was enough to let Liu Fuying release a sigh of relief.

She sat down by the bed, her gaze fixed on the darkest, blood-soaked area on his chest.

That spot was still oozing blood.

The bamboo mat beneath him was soaked red, a sight more than just shocking—it was horrifying.

Liu Fuying reached out, intending to pull open his robe and examine the wound. But as soon as her fingers brushed against the fabric, a large hand seized her wrist tightly.

Even in his unconscious state, Pei Zhouwu remained alert. The slightest touch had startled him awake.

He seemed to be using all his strength. Liu Fuying felt as though her wrist might snap from the pressure, the pain contorting her face.

“Pei… Marquis Pei…”

At first, Pei Zhouwu’s consciousness was still hazy.

Hearing that soft, fragile voice, his unfocused pupils gradually sharpened with recognition.

Once he realized who it was, he immediately released her hand and struggled to sit up, propping himself up with effort.

Liu Fuying was startled. With injuries this severe, he shouldn’t be moving recklessly. Any strain could worsen his condition. If he died, all her efforts would have been in vain.

“Don’t—don’t move. Lie back down.”

She placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to push him back, but he grabbed her wrist again.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was weak, barely audible. His lips were stained with traces of red, as if he had wiped away blood. Every word he spoke now seemed like it might bring forth another mouthful of blood.

“You shouldn’t have come. Leave. Now.”

Pei Zhouwu furrowed his brows, not from his own pain, but out of concern for Liu Fuying.

“I know…”

“What do you know? Right now, you need to leave. Get out of here immediately.”

“I… I was worried about you. I…”

“If something happens to you because of me, if you lose your life because of your concern for me, how could I ever live with myself?”

Liu Fuying pressed her lips together and stopped arguing with him. For someone like him, watching her suffer or die because of him would indeed be more unbearable than his own severe injuries or death.

“Fine, I can leave. But first, tell me what exactly happened.”

Though she stood up, she didn’t obey his command to leave.

Pei Zhouwu’s answer only made her heart ache more.

“After you leave, forget about this place. Forget about me. Don’t think about repaying me anymore. If you truly want to repay me, then never come back again. That would be the best repayment you could give me.”

“I don’t understand.” Liu Fuying plopped back down onto the bed.

“Are you going to be in danger? What will they do to you? Surely they won’t actually kill you, will they?”

What would she do then?

Just give up like this? Abandon her plans and abandon him?

Pei Zhouwu, who had been half-propped on his side, finally collapsed back onto the bed, clearly having exhausted all his strength.

“I killed the guards on duty, solidifying the charge of rebellion. What do you think will happen?” Pei Zhouwu asked weakly in return.

“But you didn’t! You…”

Liu Fuying suddenly choked back her words, pricking up her ears as she heard movement outside—it sounded like voices.

Pei Zhouwu noticed it too, his gaze fixed on Liu Fuying, his brow furrowed so tightly it seemed it could tighten no further.

“Understood, I’ll hide.”

Liu Fuying circled behind the bed, then crouched low and crawled underneath it.

But as soon as she was fully under, she realized something was amiss. The spot where she had been standing earlier was soaked with a large puddle of water that had dripped from her body—it was sure to arouse suspicion. The path from the door was less of a concern; her feet had dried considerably after stepping on sand and gravel outside earlier. The weather was hot, and the scattered droplets had dried quickly, unlikely to draw attention.

Just as Liu Fuying was pondering how to resolve this, the iron chains binding the hands and feet on the bed clinked.

Then, Pei Zhouwu’s feet touched the ground.

Blood was everywhere on his body, even the backs of his heels stained crimson.

Liu Fuying watched as he struggled to stand, then took a few unsteady steps forward, unsure of his intent. At the very moment the person outside pushed the door open, the basin placed on a stand not far from the bed was knocked over, crashing to the floor right in front of the bed.

Water from the basin spilled across the floor, and Liu Fuying understood his plan.

The water from the basin would perfectly conceal the traces of moisture she had left behind.

“Pei… Pei Zhouwu, you’re still alive.” The person who entered from outside was likely one of the guards stationed there.

“Still have the strength to stand, it seems your injuries aren’t too severe. You—”

“Enough, enough. As long as we confirm he’s not dead, let’s go quickly. Better not risk him going mad and taking lives again.”

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

Fortunately, the two guards had no other intentions—they were merely there to check whether Pei Zhouwu was still alive.

The door soon closed again, and the room fell silent once more.

Liu Fuying knew Pei Zhouwu was forcing himself to hold on. Just as she was about to emerge, she suddenly noticed something in the direction where the water had spread. Squinting to confirm, she saw a nearly burnt-out incense stick lying beside the leg of the table ahead.

Before she could take a closer look, Pei Zhouwu’s body suddenly collapsed, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

“Pei Zhouwu!”

Liu Fuying hurriedly crawled out from under the bed and crouched beside Pei Zhouwu, checking his breathing to ensure he was still alive before allowing herself to relax.

“Let me help you back to bed.”

She tried to lift him, but once again, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

“Go, leave quickly.”

He had no strength left, unable to muster the energy to say another word.

Liu Fuying understood his urgency. If he fell unconscious, there would truly be no way for him to protect her any longer.

“I know.” Liu Fuying’s response seemed to miss the point, but she affirmed firmly, “I know they must have used some underhanded method to injure you so severely. Otherwise, they would never have been a match for you, right?”

Though phrased as a question, she already had the answer in her heart.

Pei Zhouwu did not nod, his eyes filled with a hint of despondency, as if to say that even if she were right, what difference would it make?

Even if those people had resorted to despicable means, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to admit it. United in their silence, they would guard the secret closely, not letting any information leak out. With only his word to rely on, it was unlikely anyone would believe him.

He had already killed people, and the corpses were the most damning evidence against him.

“I will help you.” Liu Fuying looked at him earnestly, her words carrying unusual solemnity.

“You…”

“Don’t be afraid. Even if everyone in this world abandons you and doesn’t believe in you, I will never give up on you.”

At this moment, what could move him more than such unwavering affirmation that defied the entire world?

Pei Zhouwu’s dazed, nearly fading consciousness gradually sharpened once more. First came shock, then a fleeting doubt—had he misheard? Finally, he found his definitive answer in Liu Fuying’s reddened eyes.