Shun’s Intent!

Zhu Ming Yue gazed at Shun from top to toe. She could tell he was up to something from his grinning face. She just couldn't tell what exactly; her gut feeling told her something was amiss with her savior.

Still impatiently waiting for a response from her, Zhu Ming Yue uttered slowly, “ Do as you please! “

Delighted by the approval received, Shun was about to express his joy when suddenly Zhu Zhi Rong interrupted the moment and said as nonchalantly as possible,“ Why does he get to decide? Who is he, and what is he doing in this household? “

“ Why do you care so much, half-sister? “ Ming Yue glared at her sister as those cold-hearted words made their way out of her mouth. Adding further, she said, “ Whoever he is and regarding his presence in this household, I don't see how any of this is any of your business. “

“ You—--- You—----- How dare you speak to me like this? “ She frowned.

In the heat of the moment, Ming Yue stood and left the table as she couldn't seem to digest the food. Shun watches her sadly as she walks out of the dining hall.

Moments later, as Shun was about to head to his room, he heard Ming Yue coughing. Worried about her, he wanted to walk in to check in on her, but he hesitated as he was just about to grab the knob.

Stepping back and about to depart from there, he was surprised when the door suddenly opened on him. Standing before him, Ming Yue was in excruciating pain, and Shun could feel it from their proximity.

“ What are you doing here? Did you want something? “ She asked, while at the same time strangely looking at Shun.

Responding to her question, he uttered anxiously, “ I heard you coughing and I got worried.

Gazing at her hands, it was dripping with blood. Not only that, but Shun spotted a bizarre smell in the air. “ Where's that smell coming from? “

Spotting a coffee cup on the table, he wanted to go in when he was instantly stopped by Ming Yue who asked, “ What are you doing? “

“ I wanted to take the cup away as you've done consuming your tea. “ He answered simply.

Still on her guard around him, he added, “ I won't hurt you, trust me. If anything, I simply want to come to your aid and nothing more. “

Professing his true intentions and gazing at her truthfully, Ming Yue allowed him to step inside. Taking the cup and gazing at all the blood on the floor, Shun was pained even more as he walked out of the room.

Heading to the kitchen and putting the cup down, the smell was stronger than ever. Realizing the smell came from the cup, he recalled the odor being the same as the last cup he took out from Ming Yue's room not that long ago.

The odor is the same as last time.

Recalling Thomas's works about a possible poison, Shun mumbled, “ The source of the poison must be inside the tea she is served every day. I need to find out who exactly had been ingesting her poison daily. “

Several days later, Shun kept on with Ming Yue's daily meals while also keeping watch on the poisoner. One day, as Shun was bringing Ming Yue her meal, he sensed the bizarre smell once again.

“ Where could this smell be coming from? “ He mumbled as he hurried.

Meanwhile, in Zhu Ming Yue’s room, the maid set the teacup on the table while she was in the bathroom. Leaving the room hurriedly, she bumped into Shun. The moment she walked past him, Shun smelled the strange odor again, and this time from the maid.

Coming back from the bathroom, Zhu Ming Yue stumbled upon her teacup on the table. As she picked up the brewed tea and was about to drink it, Shun dropped it to the floor.

Before Zhu Ming Yue had any chance to say anything to Shun for his behavior, Shun was the one to say, “ The tea you were about to drink is poisoned. “

“ So what? “

Shun was stunned by her rather indifferent response. Looking at her, he saw nothing but a void in her eyes. Her eyes were filled with nothing. As the silence went on, Zhu Ming Yue broke the silence and retorted with the phrase, “ So what if the tea is poisoned? I don’t care anymore what happens to me, so why should you care? “

Retorting sternly, Shun said, “ Did you forget already? I'm your husband and caring for you is my responsibility. “

“ Only on paper, don't forget! “ She added coldly.

“ Whether it's on paper or not, I can't stand idly by while you're deliberately hurting yourself. If not for me, at least do it for Sir Clover. “ He uttered with concern. “ If something were to happen to you, how would he live on? Think about it! “

Setting the tray on the table, he left the room without adding a word more.

Recalling Shun's words, she sat, and although she knew she wouldn't succeed at eating anything, she still wanted to taste it. Surprisingly, the moment she took a bite, it wasn't as gross as she thought it would be. On the contrary, it was edible and up to her palate.

“ This is good, and I don't feel the need to vomit. “

After eating the whole meal, Shun was happy when he came back to fetch the tray and found it empty.

Picking up the tray and turning to leave the room, Zhu Ming Yue suddenly said, “ May I have the same thing tomorrow? “

Stunned by her request but also happy at the same time, he grinned warm-heartedly and said, “ Not only tomorrow but every other day as well. After all, I'm your personal chef, so you may have anything you wish for. There's no need to ask me. If you request anything in the future, simply let me know! “

He left the room while delightedly humming something.

Whereas, Zhu Zhi Rong sent a courier through a pigeon.

Half a day later, the pigeon dropped the courier in Lidian Hyster's window and flew away.

“ This was sent by Zhi Rong! “

Opening the courier and reading its content, Lidian Hyster frowned, “ So you've woken up, huh? Let me pay you a courtesy visit as your fiancé! “

Filling chills going down her spine, Zhu Ming Yue headed to the terrace for some fresh air. Joining her on the terrace was her loyal butler and father figure, Thomas.

“ What are you doing here alone, my lady? “

Looking at the stars, she retorted hypothetically, “ Tell me, Thomas! Do you think I can be happy? “

“ Of course, you can be happy, my lady! Why do you doubt it? “ He asked, pained, to which she retorted, “ You know what happened with Lidian, don't you? I thought he loved me, but in the end, the only thing he was after was my powers. “

“ I can't even come to understand why he wanted them. My powers have been dormant for a century and in a few days most probably, I'll be gone from this world, so why in the world did he want my powers? Why go so far as to end my life for them? Why pretend to love me for them? “

All of Ming Yue's words were painful for Thomas to hear. He couldn't bear to hear his lady belittling herself to such an extent, but there was nothing else he could do but listen to her.

“ Earlier today, I was about to drink the brewed tea even though I knew it was poisoned. “

“ What? You drank poisoned tea?! “

Thomas started panicking as soon as he heard that. Observing his reaction and recalling Shun's words, she uttered painfully, “ He was right! “

?

“ If I were to die, you'd be the only one shattered by my death. “

Surprising her, Thomas retorted with the phrase, “ I wouldn't be the only one shattered by your death, my lady. “

“ Who else would be? “

“ Shun Song, my lady. “ He answered without hesitation. “ I know you can't fully trust his intentions but believe me on this; He doesn't have any bad intentions toward you. When I told him you were on the verge of dying, he was heartbroken as if something precious was about to be taken from him and when I told him of a way to cure you, he was eager to know the remedy. You should have seen his eyes at that moment. They were twinkling with anticipation. “

“ He went as far as having his blood tested for you so that you could live, my lady! Not only that, but he has the pure blood affinity that could not only save you but also awaken your inner powers. “

Laughing it off, Zhu Ming Yue said, “ What powers are you talking about, Thomas? I possess no such powers. You must be mistaken. “

“ My words are truthful, my lady, and I'm not mistaken in any way. Have you ever wondered why Sir Hyster was so intrigued by you, and why you had been given this brewed tea every day for a century? “

“ If you possessed no powers as you said you were, why would he have gone to all that trouble to have you murdered? Why would they have given you brewed tea of unknown origins, just to make sure you will never come to fully awaken as a vampire? “

Recalling her last moments and Lidian's words, she uttered bitterly, “ Lidian mentioned something along those lines, but even if that's true, for those powers of mine to fully awaken, a life will be gone. Is that even worth it? And what will I even do with those powers? It will be best to let life follow its course. “

Zhu Ming Yue departed from the terrace. Unbeknownst to them, Shun, who was hidden, listened to everything they were saying. Mumbling silently, he said, “ On my watch, you're not going to die, Ming Yue. I'll make sure of it. This time, I won't fail to save you. “

The next morning, Shun reported to Thomas how he thought the strange odor and the source of the poison were the same substance.

“ If that is the case, then what should we do? “

“ What else can we do but lead a trap for the poisoner? “ Shun uttered while snickering.

A few days later, Thomas convinced Zhu Ming Yue to reside in a side room for the night. Zhu Ming Yue agreed without fully knowing what was going on.

Later that night, as Zhu Ming Yue was soundly sleeping in her room, a shadow walked into the room.

Making sure Zhu Ming Yue was soundly asleep, the shadow set the teacup on the table and just as she was about to step out of the room, a snicker was heard.

“ I knew it was you. That strange odor was coming from you after all. “

Hiding somewhere inside the room, Thomas appeared and lit the room.

Seeing the face of the one responsible for his lady's suffering and torment, Thomas shouted, “ Sierra Bourgeon? How could you do this? How could you betray Lady Zhu Ming Yue after everything she's done for you? Just how could you? “

A century ago, Sierra Bourgeon, one of Zhu Zhi Rong's attending maids, was crying in a corner. Zhu Ming Yue who was walking by heard someone sobbing in pain.

“ Sierra, what happened, and why are you crying? “

“ My lady—-------------- “

Before she could go any further, Zhu Ming Yue noticed her injured hand and panicked as she approached her.

“ How did you injure your hand so badly? “ She asked as she grabbed her hand and stared at the injury.

Seeing how much she was in pain, she asked, “ This is the work of my sister, isn't it? She did this to you, didn't she? “

“ My lady, this isn't what you think. “ She said, sobbing even further.

Holding her hand gently, a blue light appeared on the wound, and within a second, the wound closed up and disappeared without a trace.

No longer feeling any pain, Sierra Bourgeon asked, “ My lady, why did you do that? Why did you heal me? You know the repercussions this will have on you, don't you? “

“ You were in pain, so I had to ease it, which is what I did. “ Zhu Ming Yue grinned slightly before shedding blood soon after.

Seeing her appalled expression, Zhu Ming Yue said before the maid could retort, “ This is nothing, so don't worry about it! This small amount of blood won't kill me, so stop crying, Sierra! I'm fine, believe me. “

Gently wiping off her tears, Zhu Ming Yue walked away and Sierra Bourgeon looked on.

Rewind to the present, Sierra Bourgeon sought forgiveness for her deeds.

“ How can we forgive you? Do you know that because of your poison, Zhu Ming Yue is dying? “ Shun shouted in anger.

“ What? Poison? “ Sierra Bourgeon, the maid, was stunned to the core by the revelation. She was harboring a horrifying expression on her face.