I am the villain in the book

The gentle morning breeze, the hazy sunrise, the scent of earth, and the sounds of pines and bamboos surrounded the small pavilion, making Li Zimu's voice seem both illusory and real.

Who did she go to see this morning?

Tang Chen had not only thought about this question, but had actually already guessed the answer.

After all, there should only be two people who could cause Li Zimu to react in this way.

And since Chu Xianping is still at Dajue, then this person can only be Wei Changtian.

"Is it Young Master Wei?"

Sitting down slowly next to Li Zimu, Tang Chen said softly:

"What did he say to you?"

"If he is urging you to ask me about that matter... I can tell you now."

"..."

From Tang Chen's perspective, Wei Changtian suddenly calling Li Zimu away most likely meant he wanted her to quickly find out from him why he could identify over a hundred spies in the army at once.

Since Li Zimu already regarded him as a friend, she would definitely feel troubled by this.

Tang Chen didn't want Li Zimu to be in a difficult position, so he took the initiative to offer to tell her about it.

Undoubtedly, such an action could definitely be regarded as "self-sacrifice for others."

However, Li Zimu shook her head after hearing this.

Li Zimu lowered her head and stopped talking, and Tang Chen felt even worse.

He waited for a moment, and finally couldn't help but ask:

"Instead what?"

"..."

"Young Master Tang, this matter has nothing to do with you, so please don't ask."

Slowly raising her head, Li Zimu wiped the corner of her eye and forced a bitter smile.

"Thank you for caring about me, but I want to be alone for a while now."

"Is that okay?"

The sentence "Is that okay?" carried a hint of pleading, making the person who heard it feel extremely distressed.

Tang Chen looked at Li Zimu, nodded silently, and got up to walk out of the pavilion.

However, just as he was about to walk out of the pavilion, he stopped and turned back, asking softly:

"Is it because of Young Master Chu?"

"..."

A gust of breeze blew by, and the bamboo leaves swayed gently, making a rustling sound.

As if all the pretense of strength had suddenly been shattered, Li Zimu's body swayed violently, and tears instantly fell drop by drop.

The sobs echoing in the wind carried endless grievance and pain, and every tear fell on Tang Chen's heart, causing him to clench his fists hidden in his sleeves tightly.

Silently walking back in front of Li Zimu, he wanted to say a few words of comfort, but he didn't know what to say, so he just stood there dumbfounded.

And after a few breaths, a trembling hand suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothes, like a drowning person desperately grabbing the last straw.

Eyes widening slightly, Tang Chen stared blankly at Li Zimu, who was grabbing his clothes and crying out loud, hesitating for a long time.

The golden-red sunrise had completely leaped out of the horizon, the morning mist had dissipated, and only the dew reflected the sunlight, shining brightly on the tips of the leaves.

In Liangzhou City, many vendors were already carrying their goods and walking through the streets and alleys, and the sounds of hawking rose and fell, passing through this bustling morning and faintly drifting into Tang Chen's ears.

He slowly reached out his hand, then retracted it, and after a few breaths, he reached out again.

After going back and forth like this several times, he finally mustered up the courage to gently pat the back of Li Zimu's trembling hand.

"It's good to cry it out..."

"..."

Several clumps of winter jasmine were blooming sparsely in the corner with their shabby yellow flowers.

The two people in the pavilion sat silently in this ordinary but special morning for a long time.

"Miss Li."

Handing over a handkerchief, Tang Chen said somewhat nervously: "I just washed this handkerchief yesterday, please use it if you don't mind."

"...Thank you."

Li Zimu had already stopped crying at this time, she gently took the handkerchief and said in a very small voice: "It's good that Young Master Tang doesn't dislike me."

"This, what are you saying."

Obviously, this sentence, which could easily cause misunderstandings, made Tang Chen a little embarrassed again.

Afraid that Li Zimu would notice his embarrassment, he took a deep breath and quickly changed the subject, saying:

"Miss Li, what exactly happened?"

"If possible... can you tell me about it?"

"..."

Biting her lip tightly, tears seemed to be about to fall from the corners of her eyes again.

However, this time Li Zimu finally didn't pretend to refuse again, but after a moment of silence, she asked softly:

"Young Master Tang, why do you want to know about me and Xianping?"

"Are you..."

Li Zimu didn't finish the second half of the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Faced with this question, Tang Chen instantly became at a loss, stammering for a long time without saying a word.

Under normal circumstances, Li Zimu shouldn't have asked any further at this time.

But she didn't intend to let Tang Chen off the hook, and actually lowered her head and asked softly again:

"Is it that you don't like me, or that you don't know?"

"..."

"This, this..."

Fine beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead, and Tang Chen only felt that he hadn't been this nervous even when he saw the four strange beasts behind Wei Changtian with his own eyes that day.

He actually knew very well that he had fallen for Li Zimu.

However, just like Chu Xianping, Tang Chen was also an extremely reserved and oblivious "straight man" when it came to matters of love.

He was even inferior to Chu Xianping, after all, the latter had at least had a failed emotional experience, and now he was even married.

Tang Chen had been wholeheartedly cultivating in the Ghost Valley Sect before, so where would he have encountered such a thing?

Therefore, the words that lingered in his throat ultimately became—

"I, I don't know..."

After saying these four words, Tang Chen stared at Li Zimu with incomparable trepidation.

He eagerly hoped to find a trace of disappointment on Li Zimu's face, but the latter only nodded lightly.

"Yes, that's what I said to Young Master Wei just now."

"Ah?"

Mouth agape, Tang Chen didn't understand for a moment, not knowing what this sentence meant.

Li Zimu paused, and then began to explain:

"Young Master Tang, you should know that Young Master Wei has always regarded Xianping as his right-hand man, right?"

"In fact, rather than saying that the two of them are a ruler and a subject, it would be better to say that they are close friends who live and die together."

"And although Xianping is brilliant in strategy, he is very clumsy in matters of love, and he was once hurt deeply by a woman before."

"Therefore, Young Master Wei is particularly concerned about Xianping's emotional matters, fearing that he will repeat the same mistake again."

"Because of this, he called me over this morning to ask me if my feelings for Xianping were genuine or false."

"And I—"

Pausing, Li Zimu shook her head somewhat painfully.

"And my answer was just like yours just now."

"I don't know..."

"..."

So that's what happened.

Hearing this, Tang Chen could vaguely guess why Li Zimu was so painful now.

On the one hand, she thought she really liked Chu Xianping, but she hesitated at the critical moment, so she couldn't help but have some self-doubt.

And on the other hand—

"So Young Master Wei won't allow you to continue to associate with Young Master Chu anymore?" Tang Chen asked silently.

"Yes."

Li Zimu closed her eyes and nodded bitterly.

"Young Master Wei said to me..."

"He can save me, and he can also kill me."

"..."

I can save you, and I can also kill you.

These were indeed Wei Changtian's original words.

But when Li Zimu intentionally concealed the prerequisite "if you are toying with Chu Xianping," the meaning expressed by this sentence undoubtedly became completely different.

And in this way, Tang Chen, who heard this, would naturally have completely different feelings...

Looking at Li Zimu's pale face, his expression gradually became complicated.

For himself, he really hoped that there would be no possibility between Li Zimu and Chu Xianping.

But at the same time, he didn't want Li Zimu to be sad or heartbroken... even if it was because of another man.

Therefore, Tang Chen didn't know what to do for a while.

Moreover, this matter was strictly speaking not related to him in any way, and he didn't even have the right to speak.

Breathing heavily, Tang Chen just sat there silently.

Until Li Zimu's somewhat trembling voice sounded beside him.

"Young Master Tang."

"Can you do me a favor...?"