In a dimly lit room permeated with the smell of decay lay a girl, beautiful as an angel, her flawless face now exuding a sense of frail beauty. Sculpted by the Creator, her features were so exquisitely crafted, almost seductive.
Before long, her long, thick eyelashes fluttered gently. Ning An slowly opened her eyes, consciousness returning to her...
She found herself bound by shackles, her limbs restrained, while her wedding dress, though wrinkled, remained intact.
She recounted the events leading to her unconsciousness - dressed in her wedding gown, urged by Nangong Yaya, she had boarded the wedding carriage. In the last moments before losing consciousness, all she saw was the sinister gaze from beneath the driver's cap... Those peach blossom eyes... so familiar.
"Jiejie, you're awake." A deep yet pleasant voice resonated in the darkness. It was a unique voice, gravelly and husky, yet captivating.
Ning An was startled to realize someone else was in the room. The voice sent shivers down her spine.
Simultaneously, she faintly detected a scent of blood lingering in the air, subtle yet lingering at the tip of her nose, unshakeable.
Ning Xuan remained hidden in the darkness, his gaze fixed on Ning An, the girl who lay defenseless before him, for how long he did not know...
Seeing Ning An's lack of response, he gracefully emerged from the shadows, walking calmly to her side. A sliver of light from the window illuminated his face.
Half of his face, bathed in light, displayed a pale complexion, his perfect brow merging into a prominent nose casting a shadow, concealing the half of his face stained with blood, half divine, half demonic! It was difficult to imagine these two drastically different qualities merging into one person.
He wore a refined wedding suit, his tall figure exuding an oppressive aura. The white suit bore stains of blood, giving him a ghastly appearance.
Gently, his hands, with distinct knuckles, covered Ning An's face. "Jiejie, you look beautiful today," he said, his tone tinged with infatuation and stubborn madness. "But you've been naughty, daring to run away? And planning to marry that man?"
Ning An looked at the already coagulated blood on the young man's face, her tone changing to one of horror. "Ning Xuan! What are you planning to do! Are you insane?"
The sight of Ning An, fearing to avoid him, pained Ning Xuan. The madness in his eyes became uncontrollable. His entire face darkened, his dark obsidian-like eyes fixed on Ning An, his murderous intent seemingly materializing.
Seeing the revulsion and fear in Ning An's eyes, a face that never gave him any favorable glance, now pale with fear, Ning Xuan realized she was his unattainable desire...
Since he couldn't have her, he might as well destroy her!
Looking at Ning An's beautiful and fragile appearance, a desire to destroy surged within Ning Xuan, indescribable yet undeniable.
"If I can't have you, then whatever I do doesn't matter..."
That's the kind of person he was, willing to sacrifice everything for his desires.
Ning Xuan laughed indifferently. "Jiejie, you're right. I am a madman, pretending to be normal in front of you, just to gain a bit of your favor. But you never even glanced at me. Do you know how much I hate that?"
Ning Xuan's delicate features contorted, his voice trembling with excitement. "And now, you're still thinking of marrying someone else. How could I ever allow that!"
"Only I can marry you!"
With a 'click', the light suddenly illuminated the room. Ning An saw someone hanging not far away, covered in blood as if soaked in it, not a patch of good skin left on his body.
That... was... Nangong!
Ning An couldn't believe her eyes, she struggled violently, the rough rope already chafing her wrists, leaving red marks. Seeing Ning Xuan's heartache, he couldn't bear to see her hurt.
He untied the rope binding Ning An's wrists, watching as she desperately wanted to rush over, her eyes fixed on the man.
Ning Xuan's heart ached terribly, this pain turning into an impulse to kill.
He smiled coldly. "Jiejie, does it hurt to see him like this?"
He grabbed Ning An's arm, locking her securely in his embrace, his tone gentle yet cruel. "If I let you kill him?"
"Don't go crazy! He's the heir of the Nangong family, he can't die!"
Ning Xuan laughed as if hearing a funny joke. "Hahaha, the Nangong family! What does the Nangong family matter? I want you to kill him with your own hands. If you dare to marry him, you should think about the consequences!"
His twisted and perverse voice echoed through the room, Ning An looking at his already crimson eyes, knowing Ning Xuan had completely lost his sanity.
She calmed down, not daring to resist the suffocating embrace. Looking into his eyes, full of longing and caution, she said softly, "Ning Xuan, calm down. I won't marry him. Please let him go?"
Ning An's gentle words and cautious gaze fell upon Ning Xuan.
"Will you love me?" Ning Xuan murmured.
Ning An hesitated for a moment, this moment was enough to indicate her answer.
He sighed. "Jiejie, you still don't know what I want..."
He took something from his waist, his eyes fixed on Nangong not far away.
"I want you to love me! I want you to only have me in your eyes! I want him dead!"
A black, cold object was placed into Ning An's hand - a gun...
Trembling, Ning An could barely hold the gun. Her struggling strength was negligible in front of Ning Xuan.
With unquestionable force, Ning Xuan wrapped her hand in his palm, as if earnestly and patiently teaching her how to shoot and kill.
"First, pull the trigger... then aim at the person you want to shoot."
With Ning An's hand guided by Ning Xuan's, the gun was aimed at Nangong's chest...
"Bang—"
A gunshot rang out. Ning An dared not look, closing her eyes. She heard the sound of the bullet piercing flesh, warm blood splattering on her face, scorching as if burning her skin, scalding her soul. She was dragged into hell by Ning Xuan. The sight of blood pleased Ning Xuan, who laughed boisterously.
"Hahaha~ Well done, jiejie! That's how you shoot. Have you learned?"
As if rewarding her, he kissed her forehead lightly, his tone coaxing, lips trailing down...
This lunatic even licked her cheek with his tongue, savoring the blood splattered during the shooting.
Ning An opened her eyes numbly, her whole being reduced to a shell, like a delicate doll without a soul.
Her appearance pleased Ning Xuan immensely.
He suddenly felt that this kind of jiejie was obedient. If only she could be this docile forever...
In Ning An's eyes, there suddenly flashed a glimmer of determination, like a spark reigniting from ashes. With all her strength, she pushed Ning Xuan away and aimed the gun in her hand at her own chest, stepping back a few paces.
Watching the man before her with a horrified expression, she felt a sense of relief in her heart as she uttered the most venomous words to him.
"Ning Xuan! You will never have my love! No matter the past, present, or even if we were to start over in another lifetime, I will never love you!"
She slowly pulled the trigger.
"No!!!"
The man cried out in despair and agony, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched blood seep from Ning An's chest, staining her pristine white wedding gown.
He caught Ning An's falling body, light as a feather.
Clutching her wound tightly, he watched as his hand was gradually dyed red by the warm blood. The prospect of losing Ning An filled him with a fear he had never experienced before, the heartache almost suffocating him.
If it weren't for Ning An... if she were gone, then everything would lose its meaning!
Ning An's consciousness gradually faded, as if something were pulling her consciousness deeper. In the last moment before closing her eyes, she saw Ning Xuan's eyes, reddened with pain, and tears falling onto her face...
There was a time when she had felt pity for this younger brother of hers, but it had all ended in this way.