Chapter 258: Chapter 194: Drowned in Memories of Midsummer (Part 2)

Wen Ranchen’s Adam’s apple quivered as he looked at Shen Jingxian’s hair casually scattered behind her. In a deep voice, he said, “Xian’er, come here.”

Shen Jingxian obediently walked over, and Wen Ranchen had already taken out a red hairband from the dressing box.

Her long black hair was tied up with the hairband, a butterfly hairpin inserted in her hair, with a single lock cascading down her chest, enhancing her beauty.

Wen Ranchen couldn’t help but kiss Shen Jingxian’s lips as if a devout believer was kissing their deity.

Shen Jingxian placed her hand on the back of Wen Ranchen’s neck without exerting any force, simply finding a point of support.

However, the nape being a vulnerable spot for people meant that someone like Wen Ranchen would be extremely sensitive. It’s not something an ordinary person could easily touch, yet he was defenseless against Shen Jingxian.

Shen Jingxian didn’t let Wen Ranchen get any closer. She stood up and walked around Wen Ranchen twice, saying, “You must remember how I look now!”

“Alright.”

“You have to take good care of my father and mother!”

“…We’ll do it together.”

Shen Jingxian knew this fox wasn’t so easy to fool.

The original text only mentioned the Princess dying at 18, without specifying the exact time, and Shen Jingxian feared dying in the middle of the night, so she forced herself to stay awake tonight.

Wen Ranchen kept her company, and they talked from their first meeting as children to recently complaining that the Huainan specialties Wen Ranchen brought were far from authentic.

“Next time, I’ll have them bring the chefs from Huainan directly to cook for you.”

Shen Jingxian shook her head, “Forget it.”

In the middle of the night, Shen Jingxian yawned again and again, and Wen Ranchen couldn’t stand it any longer. He quietly tapped her sleep acupoint, and Shen Jingxian fell into his embrace.

He removed her complex clothing and laid her in bed, covering her with a quilt.

Then he watched her sleep with eyes full of tenderness.

Soon, Shen Jingxian began to talk in her sleep, but Wen Ranchen showed no sign of wanting to sleep.

Wen Ranchen didn’t know what Shen Jingxian was afraid of, but he would keep watching over her.

Princess, you just need to rest well.

The next day, Shen Jingxian woke up smoothly.

Her first reaction was to check if any of her belongings were missing.

The second reaction was to see the person beside her.

Wen Ranchen was looking at her with eyes open as before, but Shen Jingxian noticed something different; there were dark circles under his eyes.

“You didn’t sleep all night?” Shen Jingxian asked.

“Hmm.” Wen Ranchen didn’t avoid the question, answering frankly, “It’s time to get up. The banquet at the palace will start soon.”

Shen Jingxian nodded, and Wen Ranchen naturally turned to fetch clothes and jewelry.

But the moment Wen Ranchen turned his back, Shen Jingxian suddenly felt her heart ache as if it had been pierced through.

She lowered her head slowly and saw an arrow had pierced her chest, with blood slowly flowing from where the arrow connected to flesh.

Before Shen Jingxian could come to her senses, she watched in disbelief as another arrow appeared on her stomach out of thin air.

Shen Jingxian’s first thought was that it was ridiculous; she had guarded against everything, yet never imagined the arrows would grow from her body.

She then remembered the original text where the Princess’s method of death was “a thousand arrows piercing the heart.”

In the brief moment of Shen Jingxian spacing out, several more arrows had appeared on her body out of nowhere.

Shen Jingxian: There’s no need for such accuracy.

She wanted to call out to Wen Ranchen but didn’t know what to say.

Given the medical level of ancient times, if she were hit by just one arrow without touching any vital organs, there might be a chance of saving her.

But in her current situation, it was beyond saving.

Strangely, aside from the initial moment, she wasn’t in much pain and was within the range of tolerance, but her head started to spin, and she couldn’t control the fresh blood flooding from her throat.

She looked at Wen Ranchen, who was still choosing jewelry for her at the dressing table, with a complex mood.

She had long guessed that this day might come and was mentally prepared, but she didn’t expect to die at this moment.

Ironically, she died while she was alone with Wen Ranchen.

How would Wen Ranchen live after this? He would certainly blame himself every day.

At that moment, Shen Jingxian wished that Wen Ranchen would never turn around. As long as Wen Ranchen didn’t turn around, she would live forever in his memory.

But, this was impossible.

Wen Ranchen finished choosing the jewelry, and though his eyes were darkened, the brilliant smile at the corners of his mouth made him appear radiant. He slowly turned.

The smile froze.

Shen Jingxian lay on her side in a pool of blood; her white undergarment was completely stained, her hair scattered on the ground, mingled with blood. Her eyes had lost their usual brightness, and her body was pierced by more than a dozen arrows, each one deeply embedded.

Seeing what had happened, Wen Ranchen’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He staggered to Shen Jingxian’s side but dared not reach out to touch her.

“My lady?”

“You’re teasing me again.”

“Today’s your birthday; can you please stop?”

Wen Ranchen desperately wanted to convince himself this was just like before when she teased him, but he knew it was impossible.

Shen Jingxian couldn’t have prepared all this without any sound in the short time he turned around.

Right, the sound.

How could there be no sound?

This must be fake.

If these were real arrows, there would have been sound when they pierced the body.

“Xian’er, please don’t scare me, I’m begging you…”

Shen Jingxian wanted to speak, but opening her mouth only caused blood to surge into her throat, making it difficult to produce sound.

With all her effort, she barely managed to lift her hand and touched Wen Ranchen’s face with her bloodied hand.

At that moment, Wen Ranchen inhaled the metallic scent of blood, realizing the reality.

The pain was so immense that even shedding tears became a luxury.

Shen Jingxian held Wen Ranchen’s shattered expression in her eyes, feeling a deep heartache, but she was helpless.

With her last bit of strength, she swallowed the blood in her mouth; the iron taste made her nauseous, but allowed her to speak again.

“…Live and wait for me.”

Shen Jingxian passed away.

But even in the final second of her life, Wen Ranchen still did not dare to touch her.

Wen Ranchen refused to believe.

He couldn’t allow himself to confirm that the one he cherished on the tip of his heart, who was his reason for living, died at his side, pierced by numerous arrows.

On this day, the Princess remained in the midsummer, while Wen Ranchen drowned in the memories of midsummer.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep