I alone am the Honoured One! - Chapter 644

Chapter 644: Really a curse? [2]
With a shake of her head, Lan Shuqin began to explain “No.. not just her Husbands. She lost everyone who is close to her.”

“Her mother, her two little brothers, a big sister, her close friends and Husbands… all of them died.”

H-Huh?

This startled Zhao Tian and his eyes quivered in shock ‘Everyone close to her?’

‘Her mother too? Then Jade Empress? Hmm… her mother must have been a second wife or concubine of the Jade Emperor.’

Letting out a sigh Lan Shuqin continued, “People started to think that she was cursed.”

“That her presence brought death to those around her. People avoided her like she was some kind of plague. It didn’t matter that she was once surrounded by those who loved her; it didn’t matter that she had once been a beloved figure.”

“When everyone around her began to perish, people grew afraid. And it wasn’t just the common folk. Even those who had been close to her started to distance themselves. Even her own family… they could barely look at her.”

Lan Shuqin’s voice wavered as she continued. “In her most despairing moments, when the pain became too much to bear, there were times… when she tried to take her own life.”

“She felt that there was no reason to keep living, that the world would be better off without her. After all, everyone she loved was gone, and there seemed to be no end to the tragedy that followed her.”

“But it was her mother’s words that kept her alive for this long.”

“Gradually, she also began to distance everyone else and hate others.”

“She is distrustful of people around her. She puts on a front and never trusts others.”

“She has continued to doubt others; she has continued to protect her heart, and has completely stopped opening her heart to anyone.”

“Even me… she keeps myself at an arm’s distance and never interacts much with me.”

As she raised her gaze she spoke “But she is doing that to protect me.”

“She doesn’t want me to get too close, because she fears that if I do, I too will die. She believes that anyone who grows too close to her will be lost. And so she keeps herself distant, indifferent, and cold.”

“…and maybe… that’s why she also hates you, to protect you.”

Looking at his face, she spoke “She doesn’t hate you in the way you think…”

“She doesn’t hate you for who you are. She hates the idea that you, too, could become someone she cares for… because that means you, too, would eventually leave her.”

“You would be taken away from her just like everyone else. She hates that possibility. She hates that she can’t allow herself to love without fearing the loss.”

Zhao Tian took a deep breath after hearing all of this.

Looking at him, Lan Shuqin asked “Master Tian… do you also believe that she is cursed?”

With a shake of his head, Zhao Tian spoke “No… I know losing everyone close to her is not very coincidental, but I still refuse to believe it is a curse.”

Lan Shuqin stayed silent upon hearing this and Zhao Tian clutched his temples in thought.

“Shuqin, I would need your help from now on…”

Huh? Lan Shuqin blinked her eyes in confusion “My help, Master Tian?”

With a nod, Zhao Tian stood up as he slowly made his way to the vase near the window “Yeah… your help to get close to Hanyue. I want to know what she likes, and what she doesn’t.. .I want to know about everything.”

“Master Tian…” Lan Shuqin’s voice trembled slightly as she hesitated, unsure whether to speak the words that she knew needed to be said.

“Are you not afraid that you might lose your life if you get too close to her? That her curse, as others call it, might catch up to you too?”

With a chuckle, Zhao Tian reached out, gently caressing the Starlace Violets in the vase “I just told you… I don’t believe in her curse.”

“She is my wife and it is natural that I should get close to her.”

Hearing this happiness swept over Lan Shuqin’s heart and she stood up, bowing her head “Please… be careful.”

Zhao Tian’s smile remained gentle as he glanced at the vase once more, his fingers absently tracing the delicate petals of the Starlace Violets “Seems like you are taking good care of the flowers.”

Lan Shuqin, caught off guard by the compliment, hurriedly walked over to the vase and instinctively adjusted it slightly, as if her attention to detail might somehow be noticed more by Zhao Tian.

“Of course, Master Tian.. I told you I will take care of it dearly.”

Keeping his smile, Zhao Tian glanced around at the modest room.

Lan Shuqin was quite flustered to see him inspecting her room and raised her hands to hide his eyes’ vision line “Master Tian… don’t look around too much; it’s kind of embarrassing.”

Seeing this, Zhao Tian couldn’t help but chuckle “No, just wondering.. even though you are the personal maid of the princess, you are here in maid quarters with other maids?”

“Don’t you have to be close to Hanyue to help her whenever she needs.”

Lan Shuqin lowered her hands and spoke “I told you, Master Tian, she doesn’t want anyone getting close to her… so she made me stay away from her.”

“Hmm…” Zhao Tian mused under his breath upon hearing this.

“I see, so the first thing we need to do is change your living place.”

Eh? Lan Shuqin tilted her head “Change my place?”

Zhao Tian gave a nod “Mhm. I need to change your living place so that you’re closer to Hanyue. You should be there for her, whenever she needs something—whether it’s help, company, or just someone to listen.”

“You’re the one who has been by her side the longest, and it makes sense that you should be close enough to help her directly.”

Lan Shuqin shook her head “But Lady Hanyue won’t like that…”

Zhao Tian smiled knowingly, “Let’s see, I know she’s pushing people away. I understand why she’s doing it, and I’m not going to force her to open up.”

“But sometimes, being there might be the first step in letting her feel safe again. And once she sees that you’re there to help, rather than to smother her, she might begin to change her mind.”

Lan Shuqin bit her lip, considering his words.

A part of her knew that what Zhao Tian said made sense… Hanyue needed someone she could trust.

And if that person was Lan Shuqin, then perhaps it was time to take the next step.

But another part of her remained deeply worried.

Could this plan truly work?

Zhao Tian looked at her and asked “Are you afraid that you would lose your life if you stayed close to her?”

Hm? Lan Shuqin looked up at his blue eyes.

It was a risk, yes, but it was one Zhao Tian was willing to take… and that was something Lan Shuqin couldn’t ignore.

With a bow she spoke “Master Tian, I trust you, and I will do whatever it takes to help Lady Hanyue. But… you must understand that she may not accept it easily.”

“She may try to push you away, or even me, but please… please be patient with her. She’s suffered so much, and it will take time.”

“I want her to be happy.”

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I hope you guys liked this chapter!