“…… As I said, absolutely...... will protect you. ”

The surrounding area was filled with firelight, illuminating the dark forest, and even illuminating the night, but it could not illuminate the appearance of the person in front of him.

When she heard this, Zhang Longqian thought about it, and this was the third time she had heard this sentence.

She had seen him before.

Every time he appeared in front of her eyes, he said it like this, in a voice that was gentle and firm, but also mournful to the point of heartbreak.

I clearly felt that those eyes were staring at him deeply, but Zhang Longqian couldn't see his face clearly, but the surrounding scenery could be clearly reflected in his eyes.

The last time she saw him, he seemed to be in a mansion filled with firelight, and now although he could see the same firelight, the surrounding area had become a deep dense forest, and the black-clothed young man in front of him seemed to be slightly different from Zhang Longqian's memory, but she could be sure that he was the same young man she had seen the first two times.

Is this in another place?

When I was subconsciously puzzled like this, I saw the young man hook the corners of his mouth and show her a very, very gentle smile.

But it was like weeping.

“…… It's cruel...... I said that, you know...... Why do you want me to ......"

The subtle voice was drowned in the cold air, and the words that followed did not continue to be spoken, and the originally resolute lips trembled slightly, as if they had done everything they could to maintain that gentle arc.

That kind of voice made Zhang Longqian feel very depressed, and he was about to suffocate.

You don't have to show such an expression...... I...... I don't want you to be so miserable......

Obviously wanted to convey these words, but she couldn't make any sound, she could only feel the corners of her lips slightly raised, and gradually a smile bloomed.

Very bright and gentle, but very empty smile.

He pursed his lips while watching Zhang Longqian, and the forced smile on his face disappeared suddenly, and then he smiled again.

Very desperate, tragic, and resolute.

“…… Since...... This is what you want......"

The voice was like abandoning everything in the world, so empty that Zhang Longqian's heart was pinched.

She wanted to get close to him, to touch him, to tell him what she really thought, but she couldn't move, not even the face of the young man, the figure in front of her seemed to be veiled, and the more she tried to see it, the more blurred it became.

However, she could clearly discern the colors in those eyes.

The eyes that stared at her deeply shone with an incredible shallow golden glow, but there was no brilliance, and all that could be found in them was deep despair and determination.

Clearly...... It should be a pair of gentle eyes......

The thought that suddenly appeared was so certain, but Zhang Longqian couldn't think about why she was so sure, she couldn't even think about anything anymore, the only thing she could feel was a sharp pain spreading.

It hurts.

Chest...... It hurts.

"Hey."

The cold voice came into her ears, Zhang Longqian slowly opened her eyes, and the firelight that appeared in her field of vision was so similar to that in the dense forest, which made her a little dazed, and then she finally woke up after seeing the stone wall under the firelight.

“…… I...... Asleep? ”

Blinking to make herself more sober, Zhang Longqian noticed that she was leaning on Cang Yan's shoulder at some point, she hurriedly sat up straight and left his shoulder, but saw Cang Yan, who glanced at her lightly, still looked cold, as if she didn't have any feelings about her falling asleep on her, which made Zhang Longqian even more embarrassed.

"That...... Sorry......"

Whispering apologies for her gaffe, in Cangyan's silence, Zhang Longqian felt that her cheeks were a little moist, and she raised her hand to touch it suspiciously, she couldn't help but be stunned.

“…… Tears? ”

Myself...... Crying?

Thinking back to the dream she had just had, Zhang Longqian couldn't figure out what she saw, but just thinking about it like this, she felt a throbbing pain in her heart, as if her heart was strangled by something.

Was it a dream about something painful?

She didn't know that everything in the dream had only become blurred for a moment, but she was sure that it must have been something that had made her grief-stricken.

Not wanting Cang Yan to see his tears, Zhang Longqian immediately wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes—although it was very likely that Cang Yan had seen them before waking her up—and then looked around as if nothing had happened.

She and Cang Yan were still under the protection of the Red Lotus, and the surroundings were the same as before she slept, there were no monsters chasing after her, and there were no new enemies that emerged, everything was so peaceful.

Seeing that he didn't pay attention to her after waking her up, he just coldly and slowly scanned the cangyan on the stone wall around him, Zhang Longqian was a little confused.

It wasn't to say anything to her, could it be that Cang Yan woke her up just because he was impatient for her to lean on him?

No, this kind of reason is still possible in others, but Cang Yan will never do it.

It was because I noticed that she was immersed in pain in the dream, so I woke her up.

Although he was a little clueless, Zhang Longqian just had such a certain feeling of conviction.

Because...... He's such a gentle man......

"Huh?"

The confused sound that couldn't help but was very clear in the quiet space, Cang Yan looked over when he heard the sound, Zhang Longqian hurriedly smiled at him, and then after he looked away, he covered his mouth as if to avoid making a sound again, his eyes were full of consternation.

"He is such a gentle person"? Why are you so sure?

Even if I have seen him in the past before, I believe that no matter what he encounters and becomes what he is now, there must still be tenderness in his heart, but these alone can't make her have such a certain thought, right?

Such conviction is as if ......

His heart slowly stirred, and Zhang Longqian's gaze was a little confused.

It's as if I know him very well.

How can it be?

However, this is not the first time this has been felt.

- Even when she first met Cang Yan, this familiarity had already appeared in the bottom of her heart.

Why, exactly?

Thinking back to all the pictures that he had contact with Cang Yan, but he couldn't find the answer from them, Zhang Longqian couldn't help but cast a confused gaze at Cang Yan, but the cold figure in his eyes gradually overlapped with a vague figure.

An equally cold, strong and gentle figure.

Obviously couldn't remember who that figure belonged to, but Zhang Longqian couldn't help but grab her heart, it seemed that if she didn't do this, she would be so painful that she couldn't breathe.

What the hell is wrong with you?