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Shen Mingliang moved closer to Cheng Mo Su, and only then did Cheng Mo Su see the gun pointed at her. She wanted to turn and run but felt as if she had lost all strength, standing frozen in place without any movement.
"Deputy Officer Shen, please show mercy!" Xiao Zuowei rushed over to block Shen Mingliang's gun. "This is the young lady of the Cheng Family; you cannot harm her in any way!"
"The young lady of the Cheng Family?!" Shen Mingliang scoffed. "Even if she is a Cheng Family lady, there can be no survivors. This is a dangerous moment; if she leaks this matter, it won't matter if we die, but what about the Young Marshal? Do you think Lin Hongyao's lifting of the ban in the North was for nothing? He has dug a pit waiting for the Young Marshal to return! Knowing it's a fire pit yet having to jump in, we can't afford any more complications now! Besides, everyone here is my trusted confidant; they won't let this matter slip. Cheng Xingchang won't know how his daughter died!" He knocked Xiao Zuowei's hand away and aimed the gun at Cheng Mo Su.
Shaoyi... Cheng Mo Su's water-like eyes quietly gazed at him. Her previously panicked heart seemed to calm down; she finally understood that Shaoyi kept these matters from her because he wanted to protect her. This situation was too complex; even Shaoyi couldn't ensure his own safety. Keeping her outside of this game was the best choice for her. She regretted realizing this so late.
The person in her mind overlapped with him before her, shrouded in a layer of blurry light by the night. Shaoyi walked towards her, each step feeling incredibly long, like warm moments from her memories. His footsteps echoed loudly in the silent night, grounding her with their sound. Each of his steps resembled a slow-motion scene. Finally, he stood firmly before her, parting the heavy past and looking at her clearly.
"Shaoyi..." Cheng Mo Su murmured.
He smiled at her with a look she had never seen before—one that seemed both pained and relieved. Before she could react, his palm struck her shoulder, and suddenly a white light filled her vision. Her body felt soft as if submerged in something, and she collapsed. He reached out to catch her, preventing her from falling onto the cold ground and instead holding her securely in his arms, her fragrance enveloping him warmly.
"Young Marshal, why did you knock her out? For safety's sake, let me shoot her just in case..."
Before Shen Mingliang could finish speaking, Shaoyi's cold gaze swept over him with an undeniable authority. "None of you are allowed to harm her in any way." He tightened his embrace around Cheng Mo Su. "I will take her on the train and keep her by my side at all times. Deputy Officer Shen, do you still fear she will speak out?"
He fixed his gaze on Shen Mingliang with a calm demeanor; although his tone sounded like a question, it was actually a command. Shen Mingliang dared not say anything further and could only stand at attention and salute.
Shaoyi stepped forward before the gathered officers, his voice cold and deep. "As you all know, my father died due to Lin Hongyao's conspiracy. Moreover, Lin Hongyao is sycophantic and treacherous; the people of the North suffer greatly under his rule. I, Shangguan Shaoyi, cannot sit idly by while my father's murder goes unavenged nor can I abandon the people of Northeast China. Even if it means shattering my bones, I will eradicate such traitorous ministers and avenge my father to save the world from peril!"
"We vow to follow the Young Marshal unto death!" The crowd of dark figures declared loudly.
The train rumbled along the tracks, clouds of white steam seeming to soften the sky into circles. Inside the train, dim light gently illuminated Cheng Mo Su's sleeping face; this was the first time he had examined her so closely. Her black hair spilled over the white sheets, and the blue-and-white silk Qipao accentuated her elegance and gentleness. However, her small feet were red from cold. He pulled the blanket over her and noticed her lip corners twitching; his heart skipped a beat, but she still did not wake up.
He felt a pang of regret for being too harsh just now. His large hand hovered in the air, as if trying to smooth her tightly furrowed brows. After a moment's hesitation, he finally withdrew his hand. It was at this moment that she slowly opened her eyes.
Where am I? Cheng Mo rubbed her swollen shoulders, slowly recalling what had just happened. It was Shen Deputy Officer who wanted to kill her, and then Zuo Wei came forward to intervene, but Shen Deputy Officer did not listen. After that, Shaoyi knocked her unconscious. So now… she met those usually cold Eyes, which were now filled with concern. "You’re awake? I had no choice but to knock you out earlier; please don’t hold it against me."
"I won’t..." Cheng Mo's smile remained simple and light, though it carried a hint of melancholy. "You knocked me out to save me; otherwise, I would have already become a ghost under Shen Deputy Officer's gun." There was no trace of blame in her tone, which only added to his feelings of guilt. Cheng Mo continued to smile lightly, her Water Eyes gazing into his heart. "Shaoyi, shouldn’t you tell me what exactly is going on? By the way, I suppose I can’t call you Shaoyi anymore..."
"You can." His gaze was sharp and intense. Cheng Mo was used to seeing him in riding attire, but today he looked even more imposing in military uniform, like a jade tree standing tall in the wind. Shaoyi paused before continuing, "My surname is Shangguan, my given name is Lin, and my courtesy name is Shaoyi. You can also call me Shangguan Lin." Cheng Mo nodded; she had guessed from hearing others call him "Young Marshal" outside the city that he was the son of the famous General Shangguan from Northeast China.
"My father angered the Japanese. His deputy officer Lin Hongyao tried to curry favor with them and conspired to blow up my father's private plane while sealing off the news. I always thought Lin Hongyao was unreliable, but my father trusted him greatly. Unable to persuade my father, I secretly arranged for several insiders in Lin Hongyao's army. However, Lin Hongyao is suspicious and treacherous; he never revealed secrets to his subordinates, so my insiders were unaware of his plot to murder my father. After my father was killed, those insiders immediately sent me a telegram, and that’s when I fled overnight." Shaoyi’s eyes grew colder and more sinister as he spoke about Lin Hongyao; Cheng Mo could feel the hatred grinding between his teeth.
She quietly watched him, thoughtfully recalling, "So that’s why there was a blockade in the North and such strict checks in Shanghai; it was all to capture you."
Shangguan Lin nodded and continued, "Yes. All my close servants sacrificed themselves to protect me so that I could escape into the Shanghai Concession because it is managed by foreigners. Lin Hongyao did not dare to come in and arrest people at will, especially since he had just seized power and needed to stabilize his regime; he didn’t want to escalate this matter."
Cheng Mo suddenly remembered something and asked, "How did you meet Zuo Wei?"
"We both attended military academy in Germany," Shangguan Lin replied. "There we became good friends. His brother Xiao Yue once came from England to visit him, so I also got to know Xiao Yue. I fled into Shanghai hoping to find a temporary hiding place until the storm passed so I could return and reclaim power. I remember Zuo Wei mentioning that Miss Cheng grew up with him; your family is a prominent one in Shanghai. If I hid there, no one would dare search for me. So I forged a recommendation letter imitating his handwriting, saying that a distant relative of his wanted to come work."
The letter was indeed his imitation. Cheng Mo's eyes flashed with admiration. "To imitate Zuo Wei's handwriting so well is truly impressive." She understood the rest without him needing to explain further. "That day I suspected you had forged Zuo Wei's recommendation letter; Xiao Yue happened to come for my birthday celebration. Seeing that you two knew each other made me believe you. I remember you asked him to deliver a letter to Zuo Wei; it must have been informing him of your current situation and asking for help contacting your old comrades."
Shangguan Lin nodded. "You’re right. Later when I heard about the lifting of the blockade in the North, I realized that Lin Hongyao must have just stabilized his position. Now that he has just ascended to power and it isn’t solid yet, I plan to take advantage of this opportunity and catch him off guard."
Understanding everything about him made her realize how much heavy burden lay behind his silence and how much hidden pain lay beneath his resolute demeanor. After losing his father, he didn’t even have time to mourn before fleeing for his life. With the power shift in Northeast China, he could only endure deep-seated hatred while waiting for an opportunity to strategize. No matter how mature or experienced he seemed, he was still just a seventeen-year-old boy who must have expended tremendous effort just to hold on until now. Cheng Mo felt a pang in her heart as tears streamed down her cheeks onto her cold hands without her noticing.
Cheng Mo's crying left Shangguan Shaoyi at a loss, his handsome face filled with confusion. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but something always seemed to block him, leaving him speechless and motionless. Cheng Mo then realized that her actions were foolish, quickly stopping her tears and smiling at him, "It will be fine, I believe in you."
It turned out she was worried about herself. His heart softened, feeling that every frown and smile, every cry and annoyance of hers inexplicably disturbed him. The words he had once entrusted to the wind could probably be spoken by himself now. He looked into her Eyes, his gaze deep and penetrating, "Thank you... I'm sorry."
Cheng Mo felt a sudden panic in her heart, realizing something surged within her body, making her heart race. She understood that he thanked her for believing in him and staying with him. She also understood that his apology was because he couldn't tell her the truth, but she knew this was actually his way of protecting her. The one who should say sorry was her, for her curiosity and stubbornness had caused him so much trouble. She lifted her Eyes, her lips slightly parted, "That should be my line."
He smiled without speaking, warmth shining in her eyes.
Outside the window was an increasingly bright white world, the pure white color dazzling to the eyes, blurring everything for a moment except for the lingering faint light. The two exchanged smiles, filling the room with warmth.
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