The Male Lead I Wronged Has Blackened

CHAPTER 46: I Want to Be With You

　　The girl’s bright eyes blazed as she glared fiercely at the approaching figures, her voice carrying a clear warning.

　　“Try stepping closer, just one more step!”

　　Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it reached the ears of everyone present, sending a wave of unease through them.

　　Girl, wake up!

　　It's your fiancé who ordered your punishment, okay?!

　　Jiang Shuo, meanwhile, was completely frozen.

　　Was her fiancé referring to me…?

　　Is she… relying on me?

　　The Law Enforcer who had been moving to restrain Si Yao glanced at Jiang Shuo from the corner of his eye. Seeing no hint of hesitation on Jiang Shuo’s face, he prepared to advance again.

　　He looked at the tense, wary Si Yao and said respectfully, “Pardon me, Madam.”

　　The unspoken meaning was clear. This is your fiancée’s order, so don’t come blaming me later.

　　But just as his hand reached for Si Yao’s arm, it was stopped by a sudden, calm surge of spiritual energy. His hand was knocked back before it could touch her.

　　“Don’t touch her.”

　　Jiang Shuo’s expression remained icy as he strode toward Si Yao.

　　Until the tall, commanding figure of the man stood before her, she reached out, tugging gently at Jiang Shuo’s hand, her eyes looking up at him with a pitiful, almost helpless expression.

　　Her voice was barely a whisper: “Ah Shuo…”

　　“Don’t be so fierce.”

　　Her beautiful eyes shimmered with moisture, carrying a subtle plea. Her soft voice slowly spilled out a request impossible to refuse, just like before.

　　Not this time. I won’t be fooled by you again!

　　Jiang Shuo thought this, yet in the next moment he realized he had possessively pulled Si Yao into his arms, assuming a protective stance while glaring at the Law Enforcers who had been following his orders.

　　His composure crumbled in an instant.

　　Jiang Shuo: “…”

　　Si Yao melted against his strength, soft and pliant, her long, fair arms wrapping tightly around his lean frame. She held him firmly, completely enveloping him.

　　Even ten years ago, Si Yao had rarely been this forward in showing intimacy. Feeling her softness against him, Jiang Shuo froze in disbelief.

　　Then he saw her cherry-red lips slowly approach his earlobe, her warm breath brushing against it as a seductive voice whispered, “Ah Shuo, please, let Senior Brother go.”

　　If Jiang Shuo had been fully rational, he would have flatly rejected her with his usual imperious attitude. But facing such an irresistible Si Yao, reason had never been his strong suit.

　　The man’s thin lips parted, and he said something completely different from before: “No one is allowed to capture Mu Yuanbai.”

　　Si Yao snuggled deeper into his arms, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes.

　　Not to brag, but handling Jiang Shuo was her specialty. As long as she wanted, he would do anything for her.

　　Si Yao, the master planner, felt a surge of triumph in her heart.

　　Jiang Shuo noticed the fleeting look of triumph on her face. Suppressing the dangerous edge in his gaze, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “What? Are you happy?”

　　“My fiancée, is this pleading of yours really because of me, or is it just an act for some other man?”

　　Si Yao blinked, her eyes wide and brimming with innocence, and answered honestly, “Some of it’s for him, some of it’s not.”

　　“Oh?” Jiang Shuo’s eyes flickered with a hint of confusion.

　　Si Yao, however, paid no mind to his question and said matter-of-factly, “I am pleading because of Senior Brother, but it’s not an act.”

　　Yes.

　　Ever since the system revealed that there was a possibility for her and Jiang Shuo, Si Yao decided not to hide her feelings anymore. Compared to holding back, openly expressing herself suited her better.

　　She really was pleading because of Mu Yuanbai, but all the intimate things with Jiang Shuo were entirely her own choice, things she genuinely wanted to do.

　　“Jiang Shuo, if you have any grievance, vent it on me. I’ll make it up to you.”

　　“Don’t take it out on the innocent.”

　　Her big eyes flickered with sincerity, earnest and unwavering.

　　Make it up to him?

　　How exactly does she plan to do that?

　　Jiang Shuo felt a strange urge to laugh. Logic told him not to trust her words, yet emotionally, he was completely helpless against this side of her.

　　Even the bloodthirst in his red eyes seemed to ebb slightly.

　　Si Yao loosened the arms that were wrapped around his body and instead hugged his straight neck gently. Her soft voice came out almost like a whisper, “My legs went weak, hold me.”

　　Honestly, Jiang Shuo had no idea why he was being so spineless. Covered in malice and darkness from the Annihilation Array, he should have been a man who would have killed the very person he hated the most—Si Yao.

　　Yet not only could he not bring himself to harm her, now he was being brazenly bossed around.

　　This was intolerable!

　　He had already agreed to let Mu Yuanbai go. There was no way he was going to agree to Si Yao’s request this time!

　　Si Yao saw Jiang Shuo staring blankly with that cold expression, so she gently tugged on his sleeve, her tone soft and teasing: “Ah Shuo…”

　　The next second, Jiang Shuo scooped her up in his arms.

　　Jiang Shuo thought: Honestly, not bad at all.

　　Everyone else froze, staring in shock at the scene. Just like that, the situation completely flipped?

　　Si Yao’s eyes sparkled with a playful light as she smiled at him: “We’ve driven back the beasts and demons, everyone’s exhausted. Let everyone go and rest.”

　　Jiang Shuo nodded and instructed everyone present to rest and recuperate.

　　Then she looked up at him again: “Let’s go rest too.”

　　Looking into Si Yao's smiling, watery eyes, Jiang Shuo nodded as if possessed. He admitted that he had been bewitched by those eyes again. His original intention to take revenge on Si Yao had instantly crumbled under her initiative to get close to him.

　　The Law Enforcers standing nearby were embarrassed, realizing that obedience to the Sect Leader’s orders wasn’t enough anymore. From now on, they really had to consider the Sect Leader’s fiancée first.

　　In the past, whenever Jiang Shuo got this close to Si Yao, she would stay silent, even resisting. But today, she looked perfectly at ease.

　　Her pale, lotus-white arms wrapped around his neck, leaning into his chest as she spoke softly: “Ah Shuo, were there heavy casualties in the sect?”

　　Jiang Shuo answered her flatly: “Not too serious. I’ve already assigned Elder Situ to take care of the injured.”

　　Si Yao felt a wave of relief and nodded: “That’s good.”

　　Jiang Shuo’s darkened state had already reached 99%. She honestly didn’t expect that, aside from his red eyes and short temper, he hadn’t actually done anything harmful.

　　Oh no…    

　　It should be said that aside from being short-tempered and going after Mu Yuanbai, he hadn’t done anything else.

　　This whole darkened state felt like a bad joke.

　　So how was she supposed to lay her cards on the table with Jiang Shuo now? Si Yao frowned to herself, quietly troubled.

　　If she spoke straight out, with his personality, he would probably think she had some ulterior motive, scheming to harm him somehow.

　　Her hand instinctively clenched his sleeve. She made up her mind: no matter what, she had to be honest with Ah Shuo.

　　“Did you do all this just to save Mu Yuanbai?”

　　Before Si Yao could even organize her words, Jiang Shuo spoke first.

　　“Hm?” Si Yao was caught off guard, blinking at him in surprise.

　　“Si Yao…”

　　Hearing him call her name, the tone had grown colder, sharper.

　　“For Mu Yuanbai, you’re willing to go this far?”

　　“You’re willing to compromise yourself, to appease me, for him?”

　　Jiang Shuo didn’t know when he had acquired this strange ability. The fact was, he could, through physical contact, sense the thoughts in Si Yao’s heart.

　　He naturally assumed that Si Yao's inner turmoil was a compromise she had to make to save Mu Yuanbai.

　　His words were cold, hiding the faint, almost imperceptible pain within. After he spoke, he didn’t hear Si Yao’s defense. Instead, he once again heard her inner thoughts.

　　“Compromise my foot, you blockhead!”

　　Her voice carried a mixture of caution and anger. Jiang Shuo could almost imagine her puffed-up cheeks as she thought the words.

　　Even so, she didn’t speak to him in that tone. She made Jiang Shuo stop walking while carrying her. Then, the hands that were around Jiang Shuo's neck moved to his face, forcing him to look at her. Her eyes, more intense and compelling than ever, held a seriousness he had never seen before.

　　“Jiang Shuo, listen to me. I don’t want you to kill Mu Yuanbai, but that doesn’t mean my attitude toward you changed because of him.”

　　“I haven’t gone against my own heart. On the contrary, this is the first time I’ve tried to face it honestly.”

　　“Jiang Shuo, I like you. I want to be with you.”

    

    

    

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