The Prince Wants to Assassinate Me Every Day-Chapter 1013 - 604: I Will Never Give Up (Third Update)
"The dishes are getting cold." An Ning had grown accustomed to Gu Xingchuan’s indifference toward her.
Each time she came, it was always like this.
He only asked if Xiao Jinxing had returned to the court.
Anything else, he didn’t care.
She personally picked up the bowl and chopsticks, grabbing a piece of beef for Gu Xingchuan, and placed it near his mouth, "Try it?"
Gu Xingchuan turned his gaze toward An Ning.
An Ning smiled.
Even though seeing his gaunt appearance made her eyes redden.
If not for her, he wouldn’t be this way.
She knew he didn’t need her guilt. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
But she couldn’t bear it.
"You know, even if you don’t eat, I won’t let you starve to death." An Ning smiled, even though there was a hint of threat in her tone.
When he was first imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, Gu Xingchuan refused to eat or drink.
He wanted to starve himself to death in jail, ending his life.
An Ning had medicine brewed and forced him to swallow it, keeping him alive.
Afterward,
Gu Xingchuan realized that under daily coercion, no matter how weak his body was, he would still survive, and under An Ning’s teary gaze day after day, he began to eat.
He thought that among the three of them, himself, the Emperor, and An Ning, a decision must be made.
He reached out.
His slender fingers, thin as if only a layer of skin was left.
Whenever he moved,
the sound of chains echoed from his body.
The large chains tightly bound his hands, leaving no escape, symbolizing guilt.
He took the chopsticks from An Ning’s hand and started eating himself.
An Ning just watched him.
Watched him eat without tasting, yet still, under her gaze, he ate quite a lot.
She knew he was merely humoring her.
As soon as she left, he would put down the bowl and chopsticks.
So every time she came, she would watch him finish eating before leaving.
Today was no different.
Gu Xingchuan finished all the food she brought, then returned the bowl and chopsticks to her.
An Ning personally tidied up.
"Empress." Gu Xingchuan suddenly spoke up.
An Ning was surprised, she looked up at Gu Xingchuan.
In the past, at this time, Gu Xingchuan would have closed his eyes, creating distance between them.
Today, he took the initiative to talk to her.
"The Empress doesn’t need to come so often, a sinner as vile as me doesn’t deserve the Empress’s toil. Until the Emperor returns, I won’t die, I’ll eat well." Gu Xingchuan articulated clearly.
An Ning pressed her lips tightly.
She knew her presence hurt Gu Xingchuan.
The current Gu Xingchuan probably longed for death more.
But how could she coldly watch him die in front of her?
"Actually, you owe me nothing." Gu Xingchuan spoke again.
Receiving no response from An Ning, he continued serenely.
His voice was very low.
He likely didn’t have much strength.
"That day, I compelled you to return by pretending to be dead, you chose the same method, each of us despicable once, it balances out," Gu Xingchuan said.
Telling her not to harbor guilt.
She owed him nothing.
But how could she not owe him?
He used his methods to make her come back, he could ensure she wouldn’t die.
But she knew full well that by using such methods, she was pushing him toward his death, yet she still made the choice...
Ultimately.
She owed Gu Xingchuan too much.
She couldn’t guarantee Gu Xingchuan could surely live, but she wanted to treat him better in the final moments.
To treat him better.
Even if it was selfish self-forgiveness, it would be alright.
"Go on, An Ning." Gu Xingchuan called her name.
Calling her name was a plea.
Pleading with her not to witness his humiliation.
He wanted the best of him to remain in her memory.
Didn’t want her to see such shameful scenes.
"Xingchuan." An Ning called to him, telling him, "In my heart, no matter what you become, you will always be the person I first met. You are forever you, never changed."
Gu Xingchuan’s heart slighted trembling.
Ultimately enduring.
"I know you wholeheartedly want to end it all with your life, I know you have no attachment to this world, for you, death is the greatest relief! But have you thought about those who live? Have you thought about how much pain, how much guilt the living will bear? Have you thought that if you just die like this, how am I supposed to continue living? Pretend nothing happened, pretend nothing happened between us, live carefree?" An Ning asked him.
Emotional but restrained, speaking calmly, even faintly.
She feared that in Gu Xingchuan’s current frail state, even the slightest loud voice could harm his body.
"Sorry, I made it difficult for you." Gu Xingchuan chuckled lightly.
The smile, so melancholy.
"Who should really apologize?" An Ning lowered her eyes, tears welling up.
"Ultimately, it’s my selfishness." Gu Xingchuan murmured.
Ultimately, it’s his hostility toward Xiao Jinxing, disregarding the world.
To have reached this point.
In the end, harming others, harming himself.
His sins deserving of death.
"It’s not your selfishness, it’s my selfishness that made you bear the world’s condemnation, to fulfill my desire for freedom!" An Ning’s eyes reddened as she solemnly told him, "Gu Xingchuan, don’t take everything upon yourself, don’t regard this all as your fault, and don’t give up on yourself! I never gave up on you, and I never will!"
"An Ning, is it necessary?" Gu Xingchuan questioned her.
At this point, there’s no room for reconsideration.
"The Emperor won’t spare me, and it’s deserved, yet you’re risking angering the Emperor for my past crimes, it’s useless, and not worth it." Gu Xingchuan stated clearly.
So Gu Xingchuan’s indifference was only to prevent her from destabilizing her relationship with Xiao Jinxing.
He knew Xiao Jinxing still had feelings for her after all, but if she risked everything to save him, Xiao Jinxing, being the Emperor, was like accompanying a tiger, challenging his limits, just like Bai Mowan, would ultimately end in tragedy.
At the end of the day.
Gu Xingchuan, in his humble sacrifice, fulfilled her happiness.
Such a person, even if having committed heinous sins, even if he truly let down the whole world, she could not bring herself to hate him, nor ignore him.
An Ning calmed herself, gazing deeply at Gu Xingchuan, saying, "Gu Xingchuan, regardless of what you think now, regardless of the outcome! But promise me, until the very last moment, you must live well, even for my sake, after your death, to live without guilt, to live with peace through the rest of my life, promise me to persist until the end!"
"If ultimately, it still fails, but I tried my best, I am regretless, I would truly let you go, and live my own life." An Ning said quietly.
