Despite the beauty around her, Shen Ruoyu had no leisure to appreciate it. Her gaze was fixed intently on Rong Yan, who stood across from her. In her dream, he had lost considerable weight and was now clad in simple cloth garments.

Rong Yan was a celebrated young talent in the court, having achieved the rank of a third-grade official at a tender age. Such a high position should never have warranted such humble attire. What had transpired over the past year?

"Shen Ruoyu, tell me who you are looking at?" Lu Zhixing pinned her against the table, causing the black and white chess pieces to scatter across the floor.

He was displeased that she was staring so intently at Rong Yan right in front of him. Her gaze ignited a jar of jealousy in his heart, and his large hand roaming over Shen Ruoyu's body tightened its grip.

"Are you insane, Lu Zhixing?" Her previously neat clothing was now pulled down to her waist by Lu Zhixing. His rough thumb pinched her slightly swollen n1pple, while his other hand traced down her side.

Lu Zhixing, often leading troops into battle, bore scars all over his body, which necessitated the use of medicine. Even in a dream, Shen Ruoyu recoiled from his touch; not only was he a malevolent man, but the stench of blood from years of slaughter mixed with the bitterness of medicinal herbs made her nauseous just to think about it.

Shen Ruoyu had dreamt of her own deaths in various ways, but today's dream was the most terrifying. She was actually engaging in such acts with Lu Zhixing in her dream, and across from her, that hypocritical beast, seemingly virtuous and incorruptible, now stared at her with a burning gaze.

Her breathing became rapid, her voice hoarse. Rong Yan's hand, holding a chess piece, trembled uncontrollably. "Can you be gentler? She's already red all over..."

Shen Ruoyu desperately wanted to push Lu Zhixing, who was pressing her against the table, away and stab him as he had killed her brother, and perhaps give Rong Yan, that ungrateful man, a few slashes to vent her anger. She tried to break free but found herself immobilized. In the dream, she could say what she wanted, but not do what she wished.

Lu Zhixing, unusually dressed in white with his black hair tightly bound, felt a surge of heat as Shen Ruoyu's slight movements brushed against his already er*ct member, the sensitive tip of his shaft tingling with arovsal.

Gripping her chin, he kissed her passionately.

"Shen Ruoyu, I spared him because you said you loved me the most. Now, in front of Rong Yan, tell me, is it true?"

His hot breath sprayed across Shen Ruoyu's cheek, one hand restlessly squeezing between her legs, his calloused fingers deliberately rubbing against her entrance.

Rong Yan's previously calm face now showed signs of tension, his palm gripping a black chess piece tightly, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead. He stared at Shen Ruoyu's lips, fearing she would utter words that would terrify him.

"Fine, Lu Zhixing, I hate you. I hate both of you. Get as far away from me as possible, and it would be best if you both died soon. You are nothing but a plague on humanity."

Shen Ruoyu remembered that Lu Zhixing couldn't touch women without vomiting. And now, in her dream, he was doing this to her...

Indeed, dreams were not to be trusted.

Upon hearing her words, the smile on Lu Zhixing's face froze. Perhaps it was Shen Ruoyu's imagination, but it seemed as if a mist formed in his long, enchanting phoenix eyes. "Hahaha, Shen Ruoyu, you truly make me love and hate you. After everything I've done, you tell me this? You've used and deceived me, and after achieving your goal, you plan to fly away with another man. Is that your aim?!"

Had he known it would come to this, he would now be abandoned by all and still toyed with by her. Lu Zhixing wanted to laugh in anger; he felt utterly ridiculous, filled with hatred yet powerless.

Lu Zhixing grabbed Shen Ruoyu's wrist, "Shen Ruoyu, don't think you can escape me by hating me. We will be together, even in death!"

Unable to watch any longer, Rong Yan stepped forward and pushed Lu Zhixing away. "Lu Zhixing, what madness has taken you!"

Rong Yan and Lu Zhixing quickly became entangled in a brawl. The dream took an unexpected turn for Shen Ruoyu; Rong Yan had claimed they were the best of friends, so how had they turned against each other so swiftly?

"Ugh... let me go..." Shen Ruoyu broke into a cold sweat from the nightmare, Lu Zhixing's words sending shivers down her spine. She would never love him, no matter who she loved.

Unbeknownst to the dreaming Shen Ruoyu, someone had already intruded into her room.

The tea in the teapot had turned as cold as ice water. Lu Zhixing poured himself a cup. Before going to bed, he had received a letter from Helian Yi, and without delay, he came to find Shen Ruoyu, who seemed to have no worries and was sleeping like a log.

Holding the chilled tea, Lu Zhixing approached Shen Ruoyu's bed. Lifting the curtain, he saw her flushed, delicate face, murmuring in what seemed to be a nightmare.

"Tsk, not awake? Let me help you wake up." Holding the tea, Lu Zhixing slowly poured it over Shen Ruoyu's face.

Choked by the cold water, Shen Ruoyu woke with a start. Seeing who it was, she snatched the cup from his hand without hesitation and splashed the remaining half back at him.

"Why are you in my room in the middle of the night?"

In her dreams and now in reality, he was like a living Yama. When would he truly meet the King of Hell?

Lu Zhixing's face tensed, looking displeased. "Ha, how amusing. You dare to splash it back?" During the day, she had been respectful, but now she was showing her claws again.

"You splashed me first, barging into a lady's chamber in the dead of night and dousing her with cold water, and now you have the audacity to reprimand me? The Young Master truly has a grand air about him."

Still reeling from the nightmare, Chen Ruoyu was further irritated by Lu Zhixing's presence. Was he haunting her now? During the day, she had tolerated him out of concern for her brother, but now that she knew Shen Xinghuai was safe, she no longer needed to pretend.

"I'm not here to argue with you. Get up. We're leaving the city now. I received a letter from Helian Yi."