Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Ling Yan held Chu Xiyao tightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

At this moment, the surrounding area was a vast wilderness of mountains and forests, and the inky night sky was like a heavy curtain, shrouding everything in a deep unknown.

The tall trees, like silent giants, stretched out their branches and leaves, weaving a bewildering shadow.

The grass rustled in the night wind, as if hiding countless secrets and dangers.

Lingyan's heart was in her throat; she had no idea where they were.

The darkness of the night was so thick it was almost impenetrable, making it impossible for her to see the ground beneath her feet.

Every step I took felt like stepping into an unknown abyss.

She moved her feet with difficulty, supporting Chu Xiyao as they walked slowly forward.

Chu Xiyao's body grew heavier and heavier, and Ling Yan felt her arms trembling slightly, but she still gritted her teeth and persevered.

Finally, she found a relatively flat area ahead, like a small haven in the mountains and forests.

Lingyan carefully helped Chu Xiyao sit down and let him lean against a big tree.

Chu Xiyao sat down, breathing weakly. Ling Yan looked at his chapped lips and pale face, feeling heartbroken.

She knew that the most urgent thing was to find water to replenish his fluids.

So Lingyan took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and turned to step into the unknown darkness.

As she walked, she felt around at the trees and bushes with her hands, her feet occasionally tripping over stones and branches, but she never gave up.

They walked carefully, each step landing softly, afraid of making too much noise and disturbing some wild animals.

As she walked, she suddenly kicked a protruding rock, stumbled, and almost fell.

But she quickly regained her balance and continued her arduous journey.

Lingyan strained her eyes in the darkness, trying not to miss any sign that might be a water source.

She groped around in the dark for an unknown amount of time, her clothes were torn by tree branches, and her hands and feet were scratched by weeds.

But she didn't care; she had only one firm thought in her mind—she had to find water.

Finally, when she was exhausted, she heard a faint sound of running water.

Her eyes lit up instantly, her spirits lifted, and she quickened her pace toward the direction of the sound.

Through the dim moonlight, she saw a clear stream flowing between the rocks ahead.

Lingyan was so excited she almost cried out. She quickly squatted down, cupped the cool stream water in her hands, and felt the refreshing coolness.

"Finally found it!" she murmured to herself, a joyful smile spreading across her face.

She then looked around, trying to find a suitable container to hold the water.

Her gaze finally fell on a large leaf not far away, and she quickly walked over and carefully picked the leaf.

Then he squatted by the stream, put the leaves into the water, and let the clear stream water slowly fill the leaves.

The water-filled leaves were a little unsteady in her hands, so she had to slow down and carefully walk back step by step.

Every few steps, she would look down to check if she had spilled any water.

Finally back at the place where Chu Xiyao was resting, she saw Chu Xiyao leaning weakly against a tree, and her heart ached again.

She quickly walked to his side, squatted down, and whispered, "Ah Yao, I found water."

Chu Xiyao was relieved to see her return safely.

Then Lingyan brought the water-filled leaf close to Chu Xiyao's mouth, carefully tilting it so that the water could slowly flow into his mouth.

Seeing that Chu Xiyao had successfully replenished his water, her tense nerves relaxed a little.

After Chu Xiyao finished drinking the water, his breathing became a little more stable.

He looked up at Lingyan and noticed that her clothes were torn in several places by tree branches, with shreds hanging from her body.

Her lacerated skin was faintly visible through the cuts.

His gaze shifted to her hands, where he saw that her once fair and delicate hands were now covered with thin, long bloodstains, some of which were still oozing blood.

Chu Xiyao's heart clenched, and the pain made it hard for him to breathe.

His eyes instantly filled with heartache and self-blame.

His gaze seemed to hold a thousand words, yet they were stuck in his throat, preventing him from uttering a single one.

His lips trembled slightly, and his voice trembled almost imperceptibly: "It's all my fault, I've made you suffer."

Chu Xiyao's eyes reddened, his gaze fixed on Ling Yan's wounds, as if each scar was etched into his heart.

He wanted to reach out and touch the wounds, but he was afraid of hurting her, so his hand remained suspended in mid-air, not daring to fall for a long time.

"I should have protected you, but instead you've ended up in this mess because of me."

Chu Xiyao's voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep remorse.

His eyes were also filled with pain and self-blame.

Then he looked at Ling Yan, his eyes almost overflowing with tenderness: "Ling Ling, I'm sorry."

Seeing Chu Xiyao's heartbroken and self-reproachful expression, Ling Yan's heart softened, and she quickly reached out and gently grasped his trembling hand that was suspended in mid-air.

Her gaze was firm yet gentle, her voice soft yet undeniably resolute: "Ah Yao, don't say that. How could this be your fault? It was clearly me who dragged you into this. Those assassins were targeting me. If it weren't for me, how could you have ended up in this situation?"

She bit her lip slightly and continued, "You became so weak because you were protecting me. I'm sorry for letting you suffer this undeserved disaster."

Ling Yan gently stroked Chu Xiyao's cheek with her other hand, her eyes full of pity, and said, "All of this is because of me, so please don't take the blame on yourself."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiyao's voice trembled slightly, but he tried his best to remain calm and promised, "I understand. This time, I will protect you with my life."

After he finished speaking, he felt as if some of his strength had returned.

So he gritted his teeth, enduring the soreness and exhaustion in his body, and said, "Let's walk a little further and see if there's any secluded or safe place ahead."

His voice, though weak, carried a firm tone.

Although Lingyan wanted him to continue resting, she also understood that the situation was beyond her control.

Left with no other choice, Lingyan had to continue supporting him as they walked forward step by step with difficulty.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, deep in a dense forest, they finally discovered an extremely secluded place.

It was surrounded by tall trees, their lush foliage intertwined, forming a natural green dome that completely blocked out the outside light.

The dense thickets of thorns all around formed a series of sturdy defensive lines, blocking any possible prying eyes.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which smelled damp.

In the corner, there is a huge rock, its surface covered with the marks of time and moss.

Lingyan carefully helped Chu Xiyao into this corner and gently let him lean against a particularly thick tree trunk.

The bark of the tree trunk was rough and thick, as if recording the vicissitudes of time.

The moment Chu Xiyao's body touched the tree trunk, it was as if all his strength had been drained, and he collapsed.

Ling Yan quickly sat down next to him, so that Chu Xiyao's head could comfortably rest on her shoulder.

Then she gently tidied his messy hair with both hands.

His eyes were full of concern and heartache: "You should rest for a while and not worry about anything else."

Chu Xiyao nodded slightly upon hearing this and obediently closed his eyes.

Behind them, several short but dense shrubs stood like loyal guardians, silently protecting this small patch of land.

The place is so quiet it feels like it's isolated from the world, with only the occasional chirping of insects adding to the tranquility.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, as if playing a soft lullaby for them.

Ling Yan stayed quietly with Chu Xiyao, not daring to make the slightest movement, for fear of disturbing his peace.