Shu Mingye's eyes locked on the last line. His fingers trembled slightly as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes narrowed. His heart pounded fast and heavy. He gripped the edge of the scroll, his knuckles pale from the pressure.
So that masked man knew. That was why he gave this scroll. But Linyue, his Pie, she hadn't known. She had said it herself. She didn't even know what the array was or when it had been placed inside her. Not until a few days ago when she finally learned how to sense arrays.
Shu Mingye's hand trembled harder. The scroll crinkled slightly under his grip. His heart ached. It felt like someone was squeezing it tighter with every breath.
So that was why she had always been so cold. Why her face, for so long, had been still and unreadable. Why sometimes she looked so alone, even when she wasn't. But she wasn't like that anymore. Not completely.
He straightened in his chair, staring at the scroll as if it had said something wrong. Because after she drank the water from the spring, after she woke from that strange dream, she changed. She laughed now. She teased him. She got flustered. She made quiet jokes. She even glared at him sometimes. She was still calm. Still reserved. But not frozen.
Had the array weakened? Or cracked a little? Or maybe it wasn't just one array. Maybe there were more. Layers. Seals. Traps stacked inside each other.
He didn't know. And that terrified him more than anything. Because no matter what it was, one thing was clear: It couldn't be broken. If it shattered, the power sealed inside her would explode. It could tear her body apart.
He closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't even want to imagine that. But then… if the array stayed, would it keep eating away at her? Would she slowly return to what was written in the scroll?
Cold. Silent. Gone.
The words echoed in his mind like a curse.
Who? Who planted that damned thing inside her? Who turned her body into a prison? Who dared to seal her soul like that?
The way her fingers were always cold, he hated it now more than ever. Not because of the cold, but because he hadn't known. What if one day... one day she became cold and emotionless again? What if her smile faded? Her voice quieted? What if all her feelings vanished? Would he be fine?
He sat still, thinking. The truth was, he had liked her even then. When she was calm, distant, sharp as a blade. When she was emotionally stunted. When she spoke of his death like it was nothing.
Yes. Even then. So maybe... maybe he'd still be fine. As long as she stayed beside him. As long as it was still her. He could take it. He could take anything. He was already too far gone. He had loved her too deeply, too completely. Even if she forgot what love was, he would remind her. If she forgot how to laugh, he'd find a way to make her smile. If her hands turned colder, he'd hold them tighter. So it would be fine. He kept telling himself that. It would be fine.
With that stubborn, aching resolve burning in his chest, he stood. He held the scroll over the candle. The flame caught quickly. He watched it burn slow and quiet until it turned into ash in his hand. Then he turned and walked out of the study. He needed to see her. His Pie must be waiting for him. And if she wasn't, he'd wait for her. Forever, if he had to.
When Shu Mingye opened the door to his chamber, the first thing he saw was her. His Pie was lying on the bed, eyes closed. One hand rested on her chest, gently holding a scroll. The other had a book slipping from her fingers, barely hanging onto the edge of the bed.
He stood still for a moment, just looking at her. And then, he smiled. Yes. It would be fine. Just her presence was enough to make him feel whole again. Quietly, he walked to the bed and sat beside her. He laid down next to her and gently took the book from her hand. Then he reached for the scroll, easing it from her fingers and placing it aside.
Still asleep.
He leaned closer and slowly pulled her into his arms, cradling her carefully. She fit against him perfectly. Her skin was cold against the warmth of his chest.
Still cold. Still her. And that was enough.
He rested his chin lightly on the top of her head, arms wrapped around her, holding her close. Then, with her heartbeat faint against his own and her breath steady, he finally closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.
The morning sun spilled softly through the window, lighting the room with a warm, golden glow. The light touched Linyue's face gently, warming her cool skin. She stirred. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw was a chest.
Shu Mingye's chest.
She was surprised for a moment, then realized she was wrapped in his arms, tucked neatly into his warmth. His breath was steady against her forehead. She smiled without meaning to. As she tried to shift and look up, a shadow moved above her and she found herself staring straight into a pair of dark, unreadable eyes.
Linyue said softly, "Good morning."
Shu Mingye leaned down and kissed her forehead, his voice still thick from sleep. "Good morning, my Pie."
Linyue raised an eyebrow, lips tugging into a smirk. "What do you mean my? Did I sign some agreement or contract in my sleep?"
Shu Mingye chuckled, low and warm. "You can agree and sign it now."
She grinned. "Why would I?"
But this time, he didn't tease back. He didn't smile. He just looked at her. Really looked at her. His eyes steady, his voice quiet but clear. "Pie… marry me."
Linyue froze. Her breath caught. It wasn't a joke. It wasn't like when he teased her with the promise she made with his mother. This time, his voice was calm, clear, and honest. She stared at him, heart suddenly racing in her chest. "Why so sudden?" she asked carefully.
Shu Mingye frowned, almost pouting. "It's not sudden. I've mentioned it a few times already. You just didn't take it seriously."
Linyue didn't answer right away. She had spent the night preparing herself to answer his questions. Questions about the past, about everything she had been hiding. But he didn't ask about any of it. Instead… he asked this. Did something happen overnight?
Linyue wasn't sure. A quiet unease settled in her chest. "Where is the scroll?"
Shu Mingye paused. Then with a slight shrug, he said, "Confiscated."
Linyue's eyes widened. "Why? It was meant for me in the first place! And you just snatched it away."
He chuckled, voice low and teasing. "Right. Because I took it first. Now it's mine." He leaned in, voice dipping lower. "Marry me, then all of my belongings will be yours too."
His gaze softened, turning serious. "Even me… my heart, my body, my soul… all of it, yours. How about it, Pie?"
Linyue blinked at him. Suspicious. She narrowed her eyes. What was going on? This wasn't like him. Not completely. Not this sudden. Not this… desperate. Did something jump out of the scroll and possess him?
Her fingers curled lightly on his robes. "Are you… really the Demon King of Shulin?"
Shu Mingye let out a breath, almost a sigh. His hand came up gently to her face. His fingers brushed her cheek. Then he asked quietly, "Do you like me, Pie?"
His voice was not teasing. Not smug. Not guarded.
"Why did you decide to stay?" he asked. "Why are you sleeping here, laying like this, hugging me on my bed? Why are you smiling at me, teasing me if you don't have any intention of being with me?"