As soon as I put it on, I met a sickly man

The guard's voice resounded like thunder in the silent night. Mu Yang's movements came to an abrupt halt, the madness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a gloomy look. He released his grip on Jiang Yue and said in a cold voice, "Yu'er, wait for me to come back." He gave Jiang Yue one last, deep look, turned, and left, his tall figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Jiang Yue collapsed to the ground, tears blurring her vision. Mu Yang had taken her to a secluded courtyard, surrounded by guards. The security was tight, like an iron barrel, making it impossible to escape. The towering walls blocked out the moonlight, and with them, her hopes. Fear filled her heart, like a caged bird, desperately flapping its wings, unable to escape.

Qiu'er had been brought here at some point. Seeing Jiang Yue's state, she knelt beside her distressedly and gently helped her up, "Miss..."

Jiang Yue shook her head and leaned weakly on Qiu'er. Qiu'er couldn't stop crying, "Miss, what should we do?"

Jiang Yue took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. She knew that now was not the time to cry. She had to find a way to escape. She looked around. Surrounded by high walls and strict security, how easy would it be to escape?

Mu Yang's madness chilled her to the bone. He claimed to love her, yet he imprisoned her here. This love suffocated her, making her want to escape. The memories of her past life flashed through her mind like a nightmare: Mu Yang, Mu Xue, Lin Ran, Su Yao—these names were etched in her mind. They had driven her to a dead end, leaving her with a bitter taste in her mouth. Now, reborn, she would never repeat those mistakes again!

She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing a stinging sensation that also made her more sober. She wanted revenge, and she wanted to make those who had hurt her pay the price! But first, she had to escape from this cage.

"Miss, what are you thinking about?" Qiu'er looked at Jiang Yue worriedly. She had never seen the young lady look so serious.

Jiang Yue came back to her senses and forced a smile, "I was thinking, the moon is so beautiful tonight." She raised her head and looked at the sky which was divided into a small piece by a high wall. There was only darkness there, so where was the moon?

"Miss..." Qiu'er looked at Jiang Yue with heartache. She knew that the young lady was forcing a smile.

Jiang Yue gently patted Qiu'er's hand, reassuring her. "Don't worry, I'm fine." She took a deep breath, a look of determination flashing in her eyes. "Qiu'er, we will definitely escape."

As the night deepened, the courtyard fell silent, with only the occasional sound of guards' footsteps. Jiang Yue leaned against Qiu'er, seemingly calm, yet a fierce struggle raged within her. On the one hand, she had to endure Mu Yang's yandere behavior, while on the other, she was contemplating how to escape this place. Her eyes were filled with conflict, sometimes confused, sometimes determined.

Suddenly, she grabbed Qiu'er's hand, "Qiu'er..."

"Qiu'er, do you have any silver needles on you?" Jiang Yue's voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the night wind.

Qiu'er was startled for a moment, then reacted and quickly took out a small purse with exquisite embroidery from her bosom, "Miss, this was given to me by the old doctor. I always carry it with me."

Jiang Yue took the purse and opened it. Inside were several slender silver needles neatly arranged, gleaming coldly in the dim moonlight. A gleam of brilliance flashed in her eyes, and a subtle curve curved the corners of her mouth.

She took out one of the silver needles and gently twisted it between her fingers, her eyes becoming deep and complex. She thought of Ding Chen's sunny smile and warm hands, and her heart longed for freedom even more. She knew she couldn't be trapped by Mu Yang. Mu Yang's love was too heavy, too crazy, leaving her breathless. She longed for equal love, not this near-captivity of possession.

She knew that Mu Yang would not let her go easily, and she had to proceed step by step carefully to find a glimmer of hope.

She sighed softly, put away the silver needle, leaned against Qiu'er again, closed her eyes, and seemed to fall asleep. Qiu'er looked at her worriedly, but did not dare to disturb her, so she could only stay with her quietly.

After an unknown amount of time, the gate creaked open and Mu Yang appeared at the door. He was holding a lantern, the dim light illuminating his face and the gloom in his eyes.

He walked up to Jiang Yue and looked down at her, "Yuer, are you asleep?"

Jiang Yue slowly opened her eyes, her expression unusually calm, without a trace of panic or fear. This was completely different from the reaction he had expected. Mu Yang was slightly stunned, a trace of doubt flashing through his mind.

"No." Jiang Yue's voice was soft but clear.

Mu Yang sat down beside her and reached out to touch her cheek, but she dodged him without a trace. Mu Yang's hand froze in mid-air, a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

"Yuer, are you still blaming me?" There was a subtle hint of temptation in Mu Yang's tone.

Jiang Yue shook her head, "No."

Mu Yang thought Jiang Yue would slowly give in, but Jiang Yue suddenly became very calm. She even started chatting with Mu Yang, trying to distract him.

"Your Highness, the plum blossoms in this yard are blooming so beautifully. It's a pity that it's night time now and we can't see their colors clearly." Jiang Yue's voice was very soft, as if she was just chatting casually.

Mu Yang followed her gaze towards the plum trees in the courtyard. He could only see their vague outlines in the darkness. "Wait till dawn tomorrow, and I'll accompany you to enjoy the plum blossoms."

"Okay." Jiang Yue's lips curled up into a faint smile, but her eyes were deep and unfathomable. She gently stroked the purse in her hand, her fingertips touching the silver needle inside, and gradually an idea came to her mind. "Your Highness, do you know what the plum blossom means?"

She paused, then whispered, "The flower language of plum blossoms is 'strong and elegant'. Your Highness, do you think I look like a plum blossom?" There was a subtle hint of ridicule in her tone, as if she was playing a word game that only she understood.

Mu Yang didn't seem to realize the deep meaning of Jiang Yue's words. He looked at Jiang Yue with tenderness in his eyes, "Yuer, you are more beautiful and precious than plum blossoms in my heart." He reached out to hold Jiang Yue's hand, but she avoided him without a trace.

Jiang Yue sneered in her heart but remained expressionless on the surface, "Your Highness, you are too kind." She seemed to change the subject unintentionally, "Your Highness, do you think there is really love at first sight in this world?" As she said this, she stared at Mu Yang without blinking, observing every subtle change in his facial expression.

Mu Yang seemed to be lost in some memories, his eyes becoming blurry. "Of course, I fell in love with you at first sight."

Jiang Yue thought to herself: "He's definitely in love." On the surface, she looked shy, lowered her head, and muttered in a voice only she could hear: "Even old dogs don't need it."

While Mu Yang was lost in memories, she reached into her purse calmly and skillfully twisted the silver needles with her fingertips.

She continued seemingly nonchalantly, "Your Highness, what do you think we should do in this long night?" She raised her head, her eyes moving with a sly smile.

Mu Yang was stunned by her sudden question, and then a hint of joy flashed in his eyes. He thought Jiang Yue had finally begun to accept him.

Just when Mu Yang relaxed his guard and moved closer to Jiang Yue, trying to get closer to her, Jiang Yue made a lightning-fast move, and the silver needle in her hand accurately pierced several acupuncture points on Mu Yang's body.

Mu Yang's body stiffened instantly. He looked at Jiang Yue in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock and anger. "You..." He wanted to speak, but found that he couldn't make any sound at all.

Jiang Yue stood up, clapped her hands, and looked down at Mu Yang with a glint of pride in her eyes. "Your Highness, I'm sorry, but I have a little hobby, which is acupressure." She imitated the tone of the heroes in martial arts dramas, bowed and said, "I'm sorry!"

She no longer paid attention to Mu Yang, who was unable to move, and began to search for a way to escape from the room. She carefully checked every window and every door, hoping to find a way out.

Moonlight streamed into the room through the window, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Jiang Yue's figure shuttled back and forth in the room like an agile cat.

Just when she was about to find a way out, Mu Yang suddenly let out a low growl, his body trembling violently, as if he was trying to break through the limitations of the acupuncture points!

Mu Yang's growls grew louder, like the cries of a trapped animal. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his body trembled more violently. Finally, with a muffled groan, his aura surged, and his acupuncture points were forcibly opened. He stood up abruptly, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, fixed on Jiang Yue, surging with anger and the pain of betrayal.

Jiang Yue secretly thought, "Oh no!" She had underestimated Mu Yang's inner strength. She had originally thought that, given his obsession with her, he wouldn't be willing to do anything to her for a while, even if she pressed his acupoints. But she had forgotten that Mu Yang was a yandere at heart, extremely possessive, and any attempt to escape his control would only infuriate him.

"Yue'er, how dare you!" Mu Yang's voice was hoarse and low, with a hint of danger. He approached Jiang Yue step by step, and each step seemed to step on her heart, making her feel suffocated and oppressed.

Jiang Yue watched the enraged Mu Yang charging toward her. Her heartbeat quickened, and she instinctively stepped back. The room was limited, leaving her with nowhere to retreat, her back pressed tightly against the cold wall. She clutched the remaining silver needles tightly in her hand, her fingertips turning white from the strain.

"Your Highness, please talk nicely. Don't be impulsive..." Jiang Yue forced herself to remain calm, trying to buy time and find a chance to escape. Her eyes darted around, scanning every corner of the room, hoping to find something she could use.

Mu Yang didn't give her any more chances. He suddenly reached out, grabbed Jiang Yue's wrist, and snatched the silver needle from her hand. "Do you think these little things can hurt me?" He said in a cold tone, his eyes full of mockery.

Jiang Yue's wrist was tightly gripped by Mu Yang, as if it was about to be crushed. The pain made her gasp. She struggled to break free, but found that Mu Yang's strength was so great that she couldn't move at all.

"Yu'er, why do you always run away from me?" Mu Yang's voice was filled with a hint of grievance and confusion. He looked at Jiang Yue with eyes full of pain. "I'm so infatuated with you, why can't you accept me?"

Jiang Yue looked at Mu Yang's almost crazy appearance, and a chill ran down her heart. She knew that reasoning with a yandere would not work.

"Your Highness, you hurt me..." Jiang Yue's voice trembled. She tried to win Mu Yang's sympathy by showing weakness.

Mu Yang paused slightly. He looked at the tears flashing in Jiang Yue's eyes, his heart softened, and the strength in his hands loosened a little.

Jiang Yue took this opportunity to pull her hand back, turned around, and ran towards the door. However, before she could take a step, Mu Yang grabbed her again. He held her tightly in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Yuer, you can't escape..."

Jiang Yue struggled desperately, but couldn't shake Mu Yang at all. Her heart sank, and despair spread.

"Let me go..." Jiang Yue's voice was so weak that it was almost inaudible.

Mu Yang ignored her struggles. He carried her to the bed and gently placed her on it. He leaned over, looking at her with burning eyes, and said in a hoarse and seductive voice, "Yuer, tonight, you are mine!"