Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 170

Chapter 170 – Everyone Looks Like Him

Chu Ling’s words plunged Jun Xuanxiao into deep thought.

When had he started fearing that Shen Yu might forget him?
In the past, he could confidently claim that Shen Yu would never forget him.
Now, it seemed that confidence had slipped away.

Was Chu Ling right? Was he truly afraid that Shen Yu might one day transfer his affections to someone else?

Such unease and apprehension were not characteristic of Jun Xuanxiao.

Later, Jun Xuanxiao realized that it was precisely because of how deeply he loved that he became so consumed with insecurity.

“Chu Ling, you’re probably mistaken,” Jun Xuanxiao said with a faint smile.
“Yu’er is mine. Protecting him is my responsibility—it needs no excuse or justification.”

Chu Ling was momentarily stunned but then retorted with slight agitation, “So you plan to use your status to threaten me? You keep calling yourself Zhen (the imperial ‘I’), which only proves you need external symbols to bolster your confidence. But you can’t intimidate me…”

Before Chu Ling could finish, a fist as hard as iron struck his face. Caught off guard, Chu Ling almost stumbled. As he looked up, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his teeth loosened. This was already the result of Jun Xuanxiao holding back.

“You!”

“See?” Jun Xuanxiao sneered. “I don’t need external symbols.”

Chu Ling hadn’t expected him to act so suddenly and violently. Speechless, he wiped the blood off his face and took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Jun Xuanxiao, how about we compete fairly?” Chu Ling said, looking straight at him.

Jun Xuanxiao narrowed his eyes slightly, unsure of what he meant.

“Look, I allowed you to return to the clan as a shadow guard and even kept it a secret for you. Now you have plenty of time to stay by Yu’er’s side. This puts us on equal footing. You can make him fall in love with you again, and I’ll use my own methods. But I guarantee I won’t force him or deceive him.”

Jun Xuanxiao’s brows furrowed into a deep crease.

“Wearing a mask and being unable to speak—is this what you call fair?” he thought bitterly. How could Shen Yu possibly fall for someone whose true face he couldn’t see or whose voice he couldn’t hear?

Still, he responded, “Fine. But if I fail to win his heart, it’ll only mean I didn’t try hard enough. What I’ve promised is to let Yu’er choose freely, not to compete with you. Yu’er is not some trophy between you and me.”

As Jun Xuanxiao considered Chu Ling’s words, he realized his true rival was never anyone else—it was the version of himself that Shen Yu once loathed.

Chu Ling acknowledged, “You’re right, Jun Xuanxiao. I spoke out of turn. Honestly, I never imagined you’d go this far for Yu’er.”

The tension between Jun Xuanxiao and Chu Ling eased slightly. Though the sparks of rivalry hadn’t entirely dissipated, they now regarded each other with a newfound respect. Chu Ling even smiled faintly, his gaze toward Jun Xuanxiao no longer tinged with the feigned reverence due a sovereign but with genuine admiration.

Turning away, Chu Ling headed for the carriage.

Jun Xuanxiao adjusted his mask and followed with firm strides.

“Brother Chu, your face…”

Shen Yu noticed the redness and swelling on Chu Ling’s left cheek.

Chu Ling waved dismissively, smiling. “I wasn’t careful and walked into a tree.”

Shen Yu frowned—it didn’t look like the kind of injury from bumping into a tree. How could someone just walk into a tree for no reason?

“Should I help you apply some medicine?”

Glancing back at Jun Xuanxiao, Chu Ling had no idea what expression lay beneath his mask, but the sharp gaze boring into his back sent chills down his spine.

“No need. I’ll handle it myself.”

Chu Ling took the medicine box from Shen Yu and smiled reassuringly, signaling that he shouldn’t worry.

The carriage resumed its journey. After the rain, the sun shone brightly. Shen Yu leaned out the window, admiring the scenery along the way.

Jun Xuanxiao’s gaze stayed fixed on Shen Yu’s delicate face. Sometimes Shen Yu shaded his eyes with his hand to look into the distance; other times, he turned to gaze longingly at a patch of wildflowers. When shepherds passed by with cattle and sheep, Shen Yu’s eyes sparkled with joy, his excitement as innocent as a bird released from its cage. Beneath his mask, Jun Xuanxiao couldn’t help but smile.

To Jun Xuanxiao, every expression of Shen Yu’s—his smiles, his curiosity—seemed dazzlingly radiant.

When Shen Yu switched to the other side of the carriage, Jun Xuanxiao urged his horse to move to that side as well. After this happened several times, Shen Yu finally spoke hesitantly, looking troubled.

“Um… Shadow Guard, you…” Shen Yu muttered, “You’re blocking my view.”

Jun Xuanxiao froze. He had been so entranced that he didn’t realize he’d positioned himself almost flush with the carriage, completely obstructing Shen Yu’s view. Embarrassed, he gently nudged his horse forward to move ahead.

Shen Yu pulled his head back inside the carriage and whispered to Chu Ling, “Brother Chu, I feel like he keeps staring at me.”

It reminded him of the oppressive feeling of being watched by a bully, though this time it seemed slightly different. Pulling back the curtain, Shen Yu watched the figure on horseback for a moment.

With a sigh, Shen Yu muttered, “I must still be haunted by the past. Everyone I look at reminds me of him.”