At this time, it was not suitable for him to show his face, yet today a piece of news spread... Jin Zijin was different from him after all; he was not the son of the rebel king but the child of Xiao Qinqin, cast away among the common folk.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t contain himself any longer, he missed her and wanted to see her.
"I’ve come to see you," Jin Ziyuan said softly. "When I left that day, you were severely injured, and I’ve been wanting to check on you, but I’ve been having some problems with my own health, so I never found the opportunity to visit. Later on, you returned to Beijing."
Gu Youyou chuckled lightly, appearing very relaxed, and said, "Luckily we are both alive, and we’re doing quite well. Let’s not think about the past anymore; let’s think about the future. You... your identity really doesn’t suit living near Beijing. The world is so vast; there are always places beyond the emperor’s reach. Find a place where no one knows you and live well."
Jin Ziyuan gave a bitter smile. Could he really live on? After the failure of the Third Prince, he shouldn’t have remained in this world.
But seeing her filled with confidence about the future, he couldn’t bring himself to utter such words.
He nodded gently and said, "You’re right, I am actually planning to find a place where no one knows me to carry on living. I’ve come to ask you something, and if you don’t agree, consider it my farewell to you."
"What is it?" Gu Youyou became serious.
Jin Ziyuan felt comforted by her attitude.
Back then, the moment he saw her, he felt a sense of shared suffering with her. The several times he helped her were because he felt Jin Ziyuan could offer a sense of alliance to her in the face of that terrible affair, at least she was not alone; Jin Ziyuan was also there.
Now that she had escaped it, she naturally hoped Jin Ziyuan could also break free and live on.
Jin Ziyuan said, "I’ve asked you once before, back then I was a stranger to you, you didn’t trust me, and I don’t blame you. Now, I ask you again, will you... come with me?"
"Come with you?" Gu Youyou was stunned, "Where to?" The poison was cured, and that terrible affair was over; it seemed they had no further connection.
If there was a connection, it was the acquaintance they had, the shared suffering they once felt, perhaps friends.
"Why are you so confused right now?" Jin Ziyuan suddenly seized Gu Youyou’s shoulders with agitation.
"What’s so good about him? Are you attracted to his status? Anything you want, just ask, and I can be yours just the same."
"What are you doing?" Gu Youyou pushed Jin Ziyuan away, taking a deep breath.
She looked at Jin Ziyuan as if he were a monster. What was this? An invitation, a declaration of love?
Previously, she had only been on guard, as it had been right when Jin Zijin had taken advantage of her, so she didn’t dare to trust anyone and had guarded her heart against everyone. When Jin Ziyuan had extended the invitation, she had only weighed the pros and cons—whether it was more likely to survive with him or with Jin Zijin—and had not thought of anything else.
But this time... Jin Ziyuan had made it so blatantly obvious that if she still didn’t understand, she truly would be an idiot.
"Come with me, deceit and manipulation are not for you; I can give you the life you want," Jin Ziyuan pleaded weakly, hoping so much that she would agree.
Yet looking at Gu Youyou’s calm expression, he couldn’t deceive himself—she would not come with him.