013 Stubborn Temperament

Gathering the clothes together, she collapsed once more onto the cold ground, the smooth pebbles beneath her body making even her delicate frame feel pain.

The throbbing ache in her ankle drilled into her, but Yun Xueyan deliberately ignored it. Yet each careless movement tugged at her heart, tightening it, and her brows furrowed in response.

She folded the clothes one by one, stacking them neatly in her hands.

Half her face was veiled by jet-black hair, making it impossible for Duan Nanyu to see her expression; only the occasional trembling of her figure betrayed her.

His thoughts involuntarily shifted to Yun Xueyan’s injured ankle, and the coldness on his handsome face gradually faded.

Had he been too cruel to her?

“Your Highness, please let me pass,” Yun Xueyan’s voice was clear and steady, her arms clutching the clothes tightly as she half-dragged herself toward Duan Nanyu.

The heart that had softened for a moment instantly hardened, and the kindly gaze turned to one of contempt.

Must she always be so stubborn? Defying him would bring her no benefit. If only she pleaded, perhaps he would relent and let her rest; but she insisted on doing things her own way!

Such a person deserved no pity from him. “Such a lowly creature!” he spat suddenly.

The venomous words made Yun Xueyan’s body quiver, nearly falling back to the ground. Her delicate face lifted slightly, half-shielded, as she met Duan Nanyu’s gaze with unwavering eyes.

Duan Nanyu was momentarily startled by her look, then scornfully continued, “What, did I say something wrong? Even if you must crawl, you’ll deliver the clothes, won’t you?”

Yun Xueyan laughed coldly. Was it so? Was she not following his orders? Did begging him alone absolve her of being lowly?

“If Your Highness thinks so, then I have nothing to refute,” her voice was calm, so much so that it frightened even herself. She could face his humiliation with such composure.

She moved her body with difficulty; sweat beaded on her brow from the pain, her parched lips and face both as pale as paper.

She trembled as she passed Duan Nanyu, firm in her resolve not to lift her head and look at him.

The dark robes stabbed at her eyes.

The gilded cloud-walking boots marked the luxury of the man beside her, but such splendor meant nothing to her!

His glory belonged only to Yun Xiyin; thus, she could quietly accept every insult, every scorn, because she had to survive, because the wealth and honor before her were never hers.

Her eyes, clear and bright, brimmed with sorrow.

Watching Yun Xueyan walk past him, her stubborn expression tugged at every nerve. How much courage had she forged in such a humble environment to possess this resilience?

Her stubbornness repulsed him—but also, made him ache.

The thought startled Duan Nanyu, his heart constricting suddenly—did he actually feel pity for her?

How had he forgotten her proud, untouchable demeanor? Even when Yun Xiyin lowered herself to plead for her, she remained unmoved. With that, Duan Nanyu strode forward, away from Yun Xueyan.

Every painful step aggravated her already swollen ankle. She drew a sharp breath, trying to quell the stinging pain that wracked her body, and pressed on.

Sweat soaked her collar, unnoticed, as she endured. In her suffering, she held only one conviction: to deliver the clothes, no matter what.