Chapter 1246: FINAL PARTY (IV)

LUO YAN, hidden in the shadows, froze at Nereid's words. His gaze locked onto team Siren's captain. Sunlight caught the uneasy flutter of her lashes as she bit the inside of her cheek. Her shoulders were rigid, arms crossed like she was holding herself together, but the way her fingers dug into her sleeves gave her away. And despite the tension in her jaw, her eyes held a flicker of something dangerously close to hope.

This definitely wasn't what Luo Yan expected when he followed the two. Not that it surprised him. Maybe because he'd always had a hunch Nereid liked Shen Ji Yun. He just never thought she'd actually confess. Back when they first met at Yuexing Pavilion, she'd struck him as way too tsundere to ever admit her feelings out loud.

And yet, here she was.

It would be hypocritical to say that it didn't bother him at all. Shen Ji Yun was his boyfriend, of course he didn't like seeing someone else confess to him. But Luo Yan stayed put and didn't interrupt them. He knew Shen Ji Yun's feelings well enough to be sure of one thing: even if the whole world lined up to confess, Shen Ji Yun wouldn't say yes to anyone but him.

Besides, Nereid's expression didn't look like someone hoping for her feelings to be returned. It was more like someone who just needed to say what she had been hiding in her heart, no matter the outcome.

So, Luo Yan stayed in the shadow world and waited for the situation to unfold.

Zhu Lian bit her lip, her hands fidgeting at her sides. The silence stretched, each second making her stomach twist tighter. Even though she already knew his answer, but the waiting still made her chest ache.

Shen Ji Yun was caught off guard. When she asked to talk, this was the last thing he expected. She liked him? How? They'd barely spoken. And every time they did interact, she'd been downright hostile. No matter how hard he wracked his brain, he couldn't pinpoint a single moment where she might've started liking him.

He studied the woman in front of him, her expression, her posture. Nothing about her suggested this was some joke or dare. So she meant it? Whether she was serious or not didn't matter now. She'd laid her feelings out honestly, and that deserved a proper response.

Shen Ji Yun gave a polite bow. "I'm sorry, but I can't return your feelings. My heart already belongs to someone else."

Zhu Lian's hands unclenched at her sides, fingers finally relaxing after being curled into fists for so long. A deep breath filled her lungs, the first full one she'd taken since starting this conversation. The ache in her chest was still there, sharp and hot, but beneath it she could feel the tension slowly draining from her body. Her shoulders dropped slightly, the rigid posture she'd been maintaining finally easing.

She pressed a hand to her chest. The weight that had been crushing her ribs for months was finally gone. It hurt, yes, but it was a clean hurt now. Not the twisting, gnawing uncertainty she'd lived with for so long.

When she opened her eyes, the world seemed steadier. The path ahead might be painful, but at least it was clear now. No more wasted nights wondering. No more rehearsing conversations that would never happen. Just...this.

And somehow, that was enough.

Zhu Lian gave YUN a small smile. "I know. Thank you for hearing me out." She hesitated, then added, "Do you mind going back first? I just need a minute alone."

YUN gave a short nod, then turned and walked away without another word.

Zhu Lian watched Yun walk away. She tilted her head up toward the sky. Her one-sided love was finally over. At first, sadness washed over her completely. But after letting herself feel it fully, a real smile slowly formed on her lips.

Now she could truly move forward.

Luo Yan, still hidden in the shadows, observed Nereid for a moment longer. She didn't look like someone who'd just been rejected. She looked more like she'd been released from some invisible chains. His eyebrows lifted slightly. So his hunch had been right. She had confessed without expecting anything in return.

He studied Nereid's smile that had a bittersweet mix of satisfaction and sadness in it. 'I hope you find someone who'll love you properly one day', he thought silently before following Shen Ji Yun.

He spotted his boyfriend quickly. Shen Ji Yun was walking back toward the palace. Once Luo Yan confirmed they were far enough from Nereid and still had distance to cover before reaching the palace, he moved through the shadow world and emerged right beside the other.

Shen Ji Yun jerked in surprise when Luo Yan materialized beside him, his foot catching on nothing as he nearly stumbled. Clearly lost in thought, he hadn't noticed the shadows shifting until his boyfriend was already right there. His hand shot out instinctively, grabbing Luo Yan's arm to steady himself.

"Did Nereid's confession really distract you that much?" Luo Yan asked, a playful lilt coloring his words.

Shen Ji Yun's first thought was 'Who's Nereid?' Then it hit him—that was Team Siren's captain's in-game name. His eyes widened. If Luo Yan was asking about this, it meant he'd heard the entire confession.

Wouldn't Luo Yan be mad that he'd followed a woman and listened to her confession? Would he assume he was some kind of playboy? What if he thought there was cheating involved?

"Yan Yan, I—" He scrambled to explain, then cut himself off. Luo Yan looked more entertained than angry or even irritated. Shen Ji Yun pressed his lips together, a hint of grievance in his voice as he asked, "Do you not care that someone just confessed to me?"

Luo Yan might have choked on his drink if he'd been holding one. The look on Shen Ji Yun's face was downright comical, like some dramatic spouse demanding to know why their partner wasn't jealous enough.

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