"It’s the only place where a beast like that can be contained," the leader said sharply.
"We didn’t have a choice. Now, let’s focus on treating our wounds and reporting back."
The group nodded reluctantly, their faces filled with exhaustion and relief.
None of them had noticed the mysterious caterpillar that had crawled out of the portal and disappeared into the snow.
Far from the mages, the tiny blue caterpillar continued its journey, muttering to itself,
"She’s here. I can feel it. I’ll find her before anyone else does... no matter what."
.................
At night.
Gu Jin was sitting in the middle of her room, preparing to use the awakening stone to awaken two new elents.
Her hands were steady as she carefully examined the stones and gathered her thoughts, but just as she was about to begin, there was a soft knock on her door.
She paused, her brow furrowing.
Who could it be at this hour?
When she opened the door, she found Long Yifan standing there, his usual cocky grin on his face.
"What do you want?" Gu Jin asked, her voice calm but sharp, as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Long Yifan leaned against the doorfra with a charming smile. "I was missing you, so I thought I’d stop by."
Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed as she stared at him, a cold shiver running down her spine.
The way he was acting was just too much—one mont he was apologizing, and the next mont he was trying to charm her.
She didn’t understand him at all.
She exhaled slowly and said, her voice icy,
"Mr. Yifan, I was serious when I said I don’t want to see you anymore."
Long Yifan’s grin faltered for a mont, but he quickly recovered.
He stepped forward, reaching out and grabbing her hand before she could react.
Gu Jin’s eyes widened, and with lightning speed, she twisted his arm and pushed him back.
Her reflexes were sharp, and her strength showed.
Long Yifan stumbled slightly but quickly regained his balance.
"Nice. Your reflexes are great," he said, a glimr of admiration in his eyes.
But then, his expression changed to one of seriousness.
"But..." He stepped closer again, his gaze fixed on her as if he were sizing her up.
"I can’t just leave things like this, you know?"
Gu Jin didn’t respond imdiately, but her cold stare never left his face.
She was getting more and more uncomfortable with his presence.
"You’re making a mistake, Gu Jin," Long Yifan said softly.
"You think I’m playing gas with you, but I’m not."
Gu Jin remained silent, still holding her ground. She refused to show any weakness in front of him.
Long Yifan sighed, realizing that he wouldn’t get through to her so easily.
"Listen," he started, his voice more serious now. "You’re misunderstanding . I never ant to hurt you."
He paused, watching her closely.
"I know you think I’m just like the others, but I’m not. I’m not the kind of person who lies about my mother."
Gu Jin’s eyes flashed with anger at his words.
"You think I’m misunderstanding you?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous.
"The biggest misunderstanding I had was thinking you were a good person."
Long Yifan’s expression softened for a mont.
"I am a good person, Gu Jin. At least, I’ve never thought of harming you. Never."
Gu Jin shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Then leave," she said, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.
"Leave alone. I don’t want to talk to soone who lies about their dead mother."
Long Yifan’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he took a step back and regarded her with a serious look.
"I’ll leave, but only if you’re ready to hear my side of the story. If you won’t listen, then I have no reason to stay."
Gu Jin didn’t answer imdiately.
She stood there, cold and silent, her arms still crossed. She didn’t trust him—not one bit.
He took another step back, giving her so space.
"I’m not asking for your forgiveness yet," he said softly, "but I’m asking for a chance to explain. I owe you that much."
Gu Jin looked at him for a long mont, her gaze hardening.
"I don’t trust you, Long Yifan. You’re untrustworthy, and your words can’t be trusted either."
Long Yifan smiled faintly, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"I understand that, Gu Jin. But if you’ll just listen... I promise I’ll leave. I won’t show up in front of you again. But I need you to hear out, just this once."
Gu Jin felt a strange pang in her chest, but she quickly suppressed it.
Maybe it was better to hear him out now, once he finishes she will just ask him to leave.
After a long pause, she nodded once.
"Fine. Tell your story. But make it quick."
Long Yifan’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He lowered his gaze for a mont before sitting down on the chair near her desk.
He gestured for her to sit, but Gu Jin remained standing, arms crossed, watching him closely.
Long Yifan took a deep breath before beginning.
"My father... he loved my mother, but that love slowly started to fade." His voice was low and serious now, the playful tone replaced by a shadow of pain.
"He began spending more ti with other won, and my mother... she thought he would realize his mistake, that he would co back to her. But he didn’t. The more he drifted, the more my mother tried to hold on."
Gu Jin felt a flicker of sympathy, but she quickly pushed it aside.
This was Long Yifan’s past—his story—and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to feel sorry for him yet.
He continued, his voice quiet but steady.
"To try and make him stay, my mother had two children: and my sister Jasmine. She thought that if my father saw how much she loved him, he’d co back.
But it was too late. He was already lost. One day, he brought his mistress to our house, and with her was Long Yeiling. He was my stepbrother and his age... it was the sa as mine."
Long Yifan’s hands clenched into fists as he spoke.
"My mother was already sick from giving birth to , and she beca even weaker when she realized that my father didn’t care about her anymore. But when she was dying, she finally understood why."
He paused, his eyes filled with bitterness.
"My father was being controlled by sothing. It wasn’t just his choice. My family’s na, the Long family, has always been connected with the Gu family.
My father was supposed to marry soone from the Gu family, but he refused. And because of that, he slowly lost his mind. He wasn’t the man he used to be."
Gu Jin listened intently. She knew Long Yifan was telling the truth because she had heard bits and pieces of the story from Gu Jichun before.
Long Yifan’s voice softened.
"On my mother’s deathbed, she made promise that I would never marry anyone except Gu Aihan.
She believed that she was the true daughter of the Gu family, the one ant for .
So even when I t you and fell for you... I didn’t take your side because I thought Gu Aihan was the one I was supposed to marry."
Gu Jin’s heart sank as she listened, the weight of his words pressing on her chest. Long Yifan paused again, his face full of regret.
"I know it doesn’t make sense, and I know I’ve hurt you, but I swear, Gu Jin, I never ant to. My mother’s death changed everything for .
I’ve been carrying this burden all this ti, and I can’t carry it alone anymore. I’m sorry for not reciprocating your love, and for not understanding you. You deserve so much more than what I gave you."
Long Yifan took out a recording stone from his pocket and played it for Gu Jin.
The voice of his mother could be heard, weak but filled with love, telling him to take care of Gu Jin and never let her go.
Gu Jin’s eyes widened, her heart aching as she listened to the words.
It was undeniable—the pain in his voice, the truth in his story. She had misunderstood him all along.
But despite everything, Gu Jin remained silent.
She didn’t ask him to leave, nor did she accept his apology.
She stood there, feeling the guilt weigh heavily on her chest, but she couldn’t bring herself to forgive him just yet.
Long Yifan lowered his head, his shoulders heavy with the weight of his past.
"I’m sorry, Gu Jin. I’m sorry for everything." He repeated it over and over, his voice breaking.
But Gu Jin said nothing, unable to speak as she fought the emotions swirling inside her.
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