Chapter 411
**Chapter 409: The South Sea**
Shen Wei was all too familiar with that gaze.
It was a look filled with a man's desire to conquer, like a cheetah lurking in the forest, watching its prey.
Shen Wei took two steps back.
She knew Li Yuanli's possessiveness; this man was terrifying. For years, unbeknownst to Shen Wei, he had quietly kept her in his thoughts. Now that they spent their days and nights together, his intentions were becoming increasingly difficult to hide.
"Isn't it good to stay by my side?" Li Yuanli gazed at Shen Wei, as if asking.
Shen Wei replied, "Not at all."
The candlelight flickered brightly as Li Yuanli stepped closer to her. He was tall, draped in a dark black robe. In front of him, Shen Wei felt as fragile as a trapped oriole.
His long, bony fingers brushed against his collar.
He shed the dark robe.
Shen Wei frowned inwardly.
She retreated to a small table beside the candlestick, her fingers reaching into the drawer where a small dagger lay, meant for self-defense.
Noticing Shen Wei's subtle movement, Li Yuanli suddenly chuckled softly, clutching the discarded robe in his hand. "Li Yuanjing can do it, so why can't I? What’s the difference between him and me?"
Shen Wei's expression darkened. "You're drunk."
Li Yuanli approached, snatching the dagger from Shen Wei's grasp.
Clang—
The dagger fell to the ground, making a sharp sound. The blade glinted coldly in the light.
Li Yuanli was too close, nearly cornering Shen Wei against the wall. When she looked up, she could see the hard line of his jaw and the lingering scent of fine wine in the air.
"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Li Yuanli leaned down, his gaze level with hers.
Their eyes met.
Shen Wei's expression was calm; Li Yuanli failed to notice her fear. She always seemed this way, unafraid of anything, calmly contemplating her next move.
She never cared about her reputation.
Even if Li Yuanli were to force himself on her tonight, she could act as if nothing had happened the next day, going about her life without a ripple of disturbance in her heart.
Li Yuanli sighed inwardly. What price would he have to pay to unlock Shen Wei's heart?
He tossed the discarded robe over her shoulders. "It's late; you should get some rest."
As the night deepened, Li Yuanli turned and left.
Shen Wei bent down to pick up the dagger from the floor and tossed it back into the drawer. She changed into a nightgown, discarding the torn sleeves of her previous outfit.
Lying back in bed, she contemplated the possibility of escaping—only to realize that her chances were pitifully low.
With a resigned sigh, Shen Wei closed her eyes.
She would think about it tomorrow; for now, she needed to sleep.
...
...
The next morning.
Li Yuanli had torn Shen Wei's clothes the night before, and today he sent someone to deliver a brand new dress for her.
The dress was made of the unique soft satin from Nanchu, a deep blue reminiscent of the sky after rain, shimmering in the sunlight. When Shen Wei put it on, she found it surprisingly fitting.
The dress was exquisite, but unfortunately, Shen Wei's health was poor, and her complexion was haggard. No matter how beautiful or expensive the dress, it felt like flowers adorning a stone—an unfortunate contrast.
Mo Xun left the house that morning and, upon seeing Shen Wei in the beautiful dress, remarked sourly, "That brat Li Yuanli doesn’t even think to send new clothes to our ancestors! Forget it, Shen Wei, can I borrow that dress you wore yesterday?"
Shen Wei replied, "It got torn."
Mo Xun was taken aback.
"Torn?"
She stared at Shen Wei in shock and whispered, "I slept downstairs last night and vaguely heard some noise from the attic. Did you... did you sleep with him?"
Shen Wei shook her head. "No, don’t think too much about it."
Mo Xun patted Shen Wei's shoulder. "If you did, so what? Men can have multiple wives; we can have multiple husbands too. I support you."
With a hint of regret, Mo Xun added, "Back when I was the Empress, I had my eye on several handsome young men. If it weren't for Zhang He'an's interference, I would have had a whole harem by now."
Not lingering in the city for long, the carriage continued southward.
Two days later, they arrived at the South Sea. In recent years, Li Yuanli had sent people to eliminate the pirates plaguing the area and established a maritime office to transport pearls and rubies. Gradually, the lives of the coastal people improved, and law and order became relatively stable.
They rested at a villa by the sea.
The villa was spacious, furnished with all sorts of amenities, luxurious enough to rival a palace. Clearly, Li Yuanli had prepared this place long in advance.
The villa was ideally located; just by looking up, one could see the towering statue of the Bodhisattva.
After a century, the statue stood firm, the compassionate Bodhisattva with closed eyes, backed by the vast, endless blue sea.
In the courtyard, Shen Wei sat in a rattan chair, gazing up at the majestic statue for a while before turning to chat with Mo Xun beside her. "I heard this statue was built for you by the Emperor of Nanchu?"
Mo Xun's expression was complex.
She rested her chin on her hand, recalling old memories. "Back in the day, I fought on the battlefield and acquired many old ailments. By the time I turned thirty, my body couldn't take it anymore, deteriorating day by day... I had long since come to terms with life and death, but Zhang He'an didn’t want me to die. He commissioned this statue to pray for my well-being."
"But I still died, sigh."
Shen Wei asked Mo Xun, "If I die, can my soul return to the modern world? Or will it endlessly cycle in this world?"
Mo Xun shook her head, gazing at the towering statue. "The instruments are damaged; only I can tackle the core technology of neutrinos, and it’s still a work in progress. Neutrinos have limited consumption; they won’t allow for a continued cycle after death. Shen Wei, we can’t go back, we can never go back."
Shen Wei's heart sank.
The secret hope she had harbored was swept away by the oncoming sea breeze.
So, it was true; they really couldn’t go back.
The sea breeze tousled Shen Wei's hair. She slowly tucked the messy strands behind her ear and looked up to find Mo Xun curiously watching her. Mo Xun asked, "Aren't you sad?"
Shen Wei thought for a moment and replied, "A little sad."
But sadness wouldn’t solve anything. There was no need to mourn past regrets; she needed to think about the future. Shen Wei had to find a way to return to her original body as soon as possible.
She didn’t want to live just half a year.
Mo Xun sighed deeply, muttering, "If only I had your mindset. I really want to go home, to my lab, to the unfinished experiments. I miss my cat too—I have a cat named Da Bai."
The waves crashed against the shore, and the towering statue of Guanyin remained steadfast. The sea breeze blew gently, like a deep sigh that pierced through fate.
...
...
The scenery of the South Sea was breathtaking, and Shen Wei decided to stay there for a while. Li Yuanli accompanied her on leisurely strolls every day, appearing relaxed and carefree.
Shen Wei subtly probed for information about the instruments, hoping to activate them and return to her original body.
But that dog Li Yuanli kept his mouth tightly shut! He could provide Shen Wei with the best of everything, but he would never reveal the whereabouts of the instruments.
After dark, Shen Wei and Mo Xun grilled fish on the beach. The moonlight enveloped them, the sea shimmering with a silver frost, and the temperature on the beach was just right. The wood crackled as it burned, filling the air with the aroma of grilled fish.
"Have you found any leads on the instruments?" Mo Xun inquired.
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