Xiao Yu parted his lips but did not answer.
Seeing that, how could Qi Yunheng fail to understand?
He turned stiffly.
That step was especially heavy, as though a thousand pounds weighed down his feet.
He should have known long ago.
He had always been the one no one chose.
His royal father, unable to bear sending his beloved son away as a hostage, had sent him to the Jin Kingdom instead.
Consort Mother had beaten and berated him simply because he resembled his father; she had only ever had eyes for his younger brother.
His younger brother, born of the same mother, had fed him poison without hesitation simply because their elder brother had spoken ill of him.
He was the one anyone could discard at will.
He had never even been worthy of being chosen.
He had been deluding himself.
He was never a good person. Why bother trying to act like one?
A mocking smile curled his lips. "Anyway... whether you regret it has nothing to do with me anymore."
He did not look back at Xiao Yu.
Every word from his cold lips cut to the heart, bleeding with pain. "Xiao Yu, don't think you mean so much to me that you can change me."
"I, Qi Yunheng, will never compromise, let alone change for anyone!"
With that, he vanished from sight in a flash.
Xiao Yu stared blankly at his departing figure, steeped in sorrow.
His heart gave a sudden, painful pang.
The Crown Prince stared at him, then suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips together.
He reached up and tugged at Xiao Yu's sleeve. "Little Imperial Uncle... actually, he was the one who saved me."
Xiao Yu went rigid.
His hand curled involuntarily behind his back.
Had he wronged him after all?