118. I return the blade to you.

With only the two of them left, Le Qianxue felt her palms sweat, though she remained composed. After all, there was no situation she hadn't faced before; Zhan Lianjing alone was not enough to make her lose her footing.

Unexpectedly, Zhan Lianjing spoke up: "Are you just going to stand there?"

Le Qianxue was stunned. She hadn't expected him to be the first to break the silence. Too lazy to sit down, she replied, "I came to collect my medical fees."

Zhan Lianjing set down his chopsticks—the very ones he used were made of fine silver to prevent poisoning. He glanced at her and remarked, "Medical fees? You snatched a petal from me back then; surely that was worth more than twenty thousand taels."

Le Qianxue frowned. That was true, but what about the cost of the decoctions for Yuan Tianci? She decided not to be polite. "What about the cost of Tianci’s medicine? And that time you made me pick up your sachet—I must have been blind to help you. You were just scamming me!"

Zhan Lianjing’s gaze remained indifferent as he lowered his head. "Look at how good your skin is now. Shouldn't you be thanking me? As for Yuan Tianci, let the price of those spices cover it. If he wants money, you should be the one paying him."

Le Qianxue grew angry. "How can you lump those things together?"

"I say it is so, therefore it is so," Zhan Lianjing replied. "Are you going to argue with me?"

Le Qianxue paused. If she kept arguing with Zhan Lianjing, she would be the one to suffer. He had always been stubborn and authoritative, accustomed to having the final say. Forget it; she couldn't be bothered to collect the fee anyway, and she wasn't exactly short on money. Besides, his arrogant, self-important attitude was truly infuriating. She huffed, turned around, and decided to ignore him.

Seeing her turn away as if to leave, Zhan Lianjing called out, "You think you can just walk out after coming here? What kind of place do you think this is?"

Le Qianxue retorted coldly, "This is the Qianjin Pavilion, not Prince Zhan’s estate. I suggest the Prince stop being so narcissistic." Having said that, she didn't want to continue; talking to him was a complete waste of time.

Seeing her cold detachment, Zhan Lianjing felt a spark of anger. Le Qianxue truly seemed to have hardened her heart toward him, turning cold and refusing to stay even for a moment. As she took two steps forward, Zhan Lianjing suddenly darted in front of her. Before she could react, he grabbed her hand and pressed her down into a chair.

She was greatly startled and couldn't help but exclaim, "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Zhan Lianjing ignored her. Fearing she would try to leave again, he simply pressed her acupoints. Now, even if she wanted to leave, she couldn't. She glared at him, but he simply returned to his seat and sat down as if nothing had happened, acting as though he hadn't just forced a woman against her will.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Release my acupoints!" Le Qianxue was truly furious now; she hadn't expected Zhan Lianjing to be such a rogue. Was he planning to settle scores with her? With his personality, that would surely be a torment. Despite her bravado, she felt a flicker of fear.

Seeing her bristling with anger, Zhan Lianjing said calmly, "No."

Le Qianxue was choked with rage. "What is this supposed to mean? If you aren't paying the medical fee, fine, but why keep me here? Are you trying to settle a score? Very well! If we couldn't settle it last time, let's settle it all at once so you don't have to be so petty and make things difficult for me!"

Zhan Lianjing frowned slightly. "When have I ever made things difficult for you?"

"Right now!" Le Qianxue countered. "Trapping me here—is that not making things difficult for me?"

Zhan Lianjing was frank. "That doesn't count. Every time you see me, you don't give me a pleasant look. I had no other choice but to keep you here this way."

Le Qianxue was stunned. This was indeed the overbearing Prince Zhan. She huffed, "You are truly annoying. If you have something to say, just say it plainly."

Zhan Lianjing paused, but some things remained stuck in his throat. He simply poured himself a drink. As he remained silent, Le Qianxue, unable to move, was burning with anxiety, wondering what he intended to do. It was clear that they were no longer anything to each other, and their being alone in the same room was inappropriate.

Outside, the eavesdropper could no longer stand it. Zhan Lianjing really had no guts. Zhan Yunge called out from behind the door, "Sister Le, my brother wants to apologize to you and make amends! But he’s too proud and can’t bring himself to say it."

Le Qianxue’s eyes widened, unable to process this for a moment. Apologize? Make amends? What was this? In her memory, Zhan Lianjing was not that kind of person. She looked at him suspiciously and saw his expression shift; he appeared slightly embarrassed and annoyed.

"Yunge, be quiet!" he snapped.

"Whatever, brother! You can’t say it, so I’ll say it for you. Then you won't have to suffer from insomnia anymore, right?" With that, Zhan Yunge walked away.

Zhan Lianjing’s expression became comical, clearly showing his embarrassment. Le Qianxue calmed down and, seeing his state, couldn't help but laugh. "It seems your sister was telling the truth."

Zhan Lianjing dared not look at her, lowering his head slightly. "Yes."

He had hoped that if Le Qianxue laughed, she would surely forgive him, but her smile faded as she said, "Some things cannot be undone, Prince Zhan. Do you understand?"

Zhan Lianjing’s hand trembled, and he spilled his drink. His hand was soaked, but he didn't care; he only stared at Le Qianxue. Her expression was indifferent. Who said he was the cold-hearted one? Le Qianxue was the truly heartless one. Once her heart went cold, it could never be melted again.

Zhan Lianjing felt a tightness in his chest, an indescribable sensation. His voice trembled as he asked, "Then what would you have me do?"

Le Qianxue’s heart had already turned to ice. Zhan Lianjing had broken her heart before, and she knew he was not a good match. How could she let herself repeat the same mistake? "You don't have to do anything, because nothing you do will matter."

The words felt like a gust of cold air rising from his feet, chilling his entire body. The wine cup in his hand tipped over on the table. Zhan Lianjing’s peerless face looked like a flower that had lost its color.

After a long while, he finally said, "Le Qianxue, I thought I could control my own heart, but it turns out I cannot. You once said that people rarely control their own passions and desires. I thought I could, but when it comes to you, I find I cannot."

Le Qianxue was unmoved. She merely said, "It is too late to realize your heart now. It was my fault for hiding the truth from you, but you were more in the wrong. You hurt Tianci. You forced me to choose between hurting my friend—that is the one thing I cannot forgive."

Today, the two were speaking in a calm manner, and Le Qianxue’s tone was steady. Only Zhan Lianjing’s voice remained shaky; he truly could not control himself. Only he knew how he had spent the last few days—missing her every moment and blaming himself every moment. He hated himself for having been so ruthless back then. If he had left himself a way back, things wouldn't be like this now. Yet, even he hadn't expected that the feelings he wanted to sever would only grow deeper.

It was already beyond his control, especially knowing she was the future Crown Princess; he was terrified she would be snatched away by someone else. In his twenty-three years of life, he had never experienced anything like this.

Zhan Lianjing understood his heart clearly now. He asked, "I know. So, what must I do for you to forgive me?"

Le Qianxue remained firm. "I already told you, it's impossible."

She knew Zhan Lianjing was suspicious and always handled matters with extreme ruthlessness. If there was a first time, there could be a second. Having lived two lives, Le Qianxue naturally knew to stay away from dangerous things. Clearly, she was avoiding him; as long as he stopped approaching her, there would be no more trouble.

Seeing the desolation in his eyes, Zhan Lianjing curled his lips in self-mockery. "Haoyue said the same. Since you have already used your own blood to sever our ties, you will never forgive me."

Le Qianxue sighed inwardly, but seeing his current state, she felt a heaviness in her chest. If it was already over, why was she still lingering on him? If she hadn't wanted to see him, she wouldn't have come. The medical fee was just an excuse; she didn't care about that money. She hadn't expected him to show weakness today.

But she remained firm. If she couldn't hold her ground now, she would never be able to escape this trap.

Suddenly, she saw Zhan Lianjing draw a dagger, its cold light flickering.

"What are you doing?" Le Qianxue broke into a cold sweat.

Zhan Lianjing said, "I was truly driven mad that day. It is an undeniable fact that you are the Ghost Physician, but I tried to deceive myself. It was my mistake to force you, to make you choose. Now, I will return that blade to Yuan Tianci. Is this enough?"

Le Qianxue’s eyes widened, and she shouted, "Why are you so stupid? That’s not necessary!"

She had assumed he would feel no guilt. After all, she had deceived him; that he hadn't killed her was already a mercy. Who could have known he would say this? As she watched him plunge the dagger into his own chest, he kept his gaze on her, his expression faint, as blood began to seep from his chest.

Le Qianxue’s mind went blank. She was reminded of that day she saw him collapse, and she had been powerless to save him. How was this any different?

Her eyes turned red as her blood surged. Her internal energy flowed frantically, and she tried to break through her acupoints, but forcing them open was not so easy. With one miscalculation, she spat out a mouthful of blood.