Share Joys and Sorrows

........

Gu Chengyin sat on the edge of the bed.

He looked down at Luo Zhao.

The Crown Princess was currently kneeling before him, without any trace of unwillingness or resistance.

Those hollow eyes looked up slightly, gazing back at him calmly.

Her collar was slightly open due to her kneeling posture, revealing a snow-white neck and delicate collarbones.

Jet-black long hair cascaded from her shoulders, shimmering with a satin-like luster in the moonlight.

This scene...

Gu Chengyin sighed with deep emotion; he was now absolutely certain.

Luo Zhao was indeed hypnotized.

Because this completely exceeded the scope of mere endurance, surpassing the limits of what a Crown Princess could tolerate.

The only explanation was that she was truly hypnotized.

Truly under his control.

The doubts and misgivings in Gu Chengyin's heart vanished entirely at this moment.

Given the current situation, anyone who saw this would think the same.

Gu Chengyin looked at Shangguan Yunying standing nearby.

The chief lady-in-waiting stood perfectly straight, yet there was an indescribable stiffness about her.

But Gu Chengyin could sense that her breathing was somewhat ragged.

Shangguan Yunying didn't know whether to stand or sit; she was completely on edge.

Her face was as red as a ripe apple.

From the moment Gu Chengyin made Luo Zhao kneel, her cheeks had started burning.

The heat spread all the way to the roots of her ears, and even down her neck, making her entire body feel as if it were on fire.

She didn't even dare to look in Gu Chengyin's direction, nor at the figure kneeling on the floor.

This scene...

It was too crazy.

So crazy that it exceeded the limits of what she could handle.

However...

Shangguan Yunying's gaze still uncontrollably stole occasional glances.

Sweeping over quickly, then darting away just as fast.

Like a thief in the night.

Gu Chengyin took in Shangguan Yunying's reactions entirely.

Looking at her flushed face, her flickering eyes, and her stiff posture, he suddenly felt...

She was somewhat cute.

This usually gentle and capable chief lady-in-waiting now looked like a little girl who had made a mistake, entirely at a loss and blushing furiously.

This contrast made an inexplicable impulse surge in Gu Chengyin's heart.

He thought for a moment, then suddenly reached out, accurately grabbing Shangguan Yunying's wrist.

And pulled her toward him with force.

Shangguan Yunying was caught completely off guard.

Before she could react, she was yanked over by a powerful force.

Losing her balance, she stumbled forward and fell into Gu Chengyin's embrace.

A warm chest, strong arms, and a familiar scent.

Shangguan Yunying's face instantly grew even redder.

She struggled to get up, raised her head, and was just about to say something.

But right at that moment.

Her eyes met with Luo Zhao, who was kneeling on the floor.

In that instant, Shangguan Yunying's heart almost stopped beating.

Because what she saw was completely different from what Gu Chengyin saw.

Gu Chengyin saw submissive, emotionless phoenix eyes.

But what she saw...

Was a flash of fire in Luo Zhao's eyes, threatening to erupt.

Although it was only for a split second.

Although she quickly returned to her submissive state.

But Shangguan Yunying caught it.

I am doomed.

Only these words remained in Shangguan Yunying's mind.

Once Gu Chengyin left, there was no telling what Luo Zhao would do to her.

After all, this time...

It was much more excessive than last time.

No.

This was no longer just in the realm of excessive.

Shangguan Yunying's heart sank to the bottom.

Although she had prepared herself, when she actually saw it...

She realized her preparations were far from enough.

After all, it was her first time witnessing... such an indecent scene with her own eyes.

Shangguan Yunying struggled out of Gu Chengyin's embrace, her cheeks still flushed red, and a bit more panic in her eyes.

Why did you pull me?

Gu Chengyin was also getting a bit carried away now.

Although reason guided the whole process, instinctive reactions were still hard to suppress.

Luo Zhao's beauty, Shangguan Yunying's shyness, and the act of insubordination at this moment...

All made his blood run a little hot.

But Gu Chengyin still tried his best to maintain his rationality.

He looked at Shangguan Yunying's panicked eyes and asked:

When Her Highness wakes up, if she finds out that you were the one who pushed for this...

Won't she genuinely go mad with anger?

Shangguan Yunying's face paled.

Biting her lip, she forced herself to say:

Then what should we do?

Gu Chengyin looked at her, the corners of his lips slowly curling up into a malicious arc.

What else can we do?

The best way is to share the hardship together.

Shangguan Yunying was instantly stunned, looking at Gu Chengyin in bewilderment.

Share the hardship?

What did that mean?

She looked at Luo Zhao kneeling on the ground, then back at Gu Chengyin, and suddenly understood something.

You mean...?

Shangguan Yunying's voice trembled slightly.

Gu Chengyin reached out and pulled Shangguan Yunying into his arms.

Shangguan Yunying's body stiffened, but she did not struggle.

Then she heard Gu Chengyin whisper in her ear with a gentle, bewitching voice, coaxing softly:

Yunying, this is also a precaution.

If we only bully Her Highness, she will definitely take her anger out on you later.

But if you are bullied too...

Shangguan Yunying's heart skipped a heavy beat.

Just as she thought.

Gu Chengyin meant for her to kneel as well.

Just like Luo Zhao.

That way, when Luo Zhao wanted to punish her afterward...

At least they would be in it together.

At least they would have shared the same fate.

This logic...

Although Shangguan Yunying felt something wasn't quite right, she couldn't deny that Gu Chengyin made sense.

After all, Luo Zhao wasn't actually hypnotized.

She was awake right now, pretending, and watching all of this unfold with her own eyes.

If she was the only one being bullied, then once Gu Chengyin left...

Luo Zhao's fury would absolutely be poured entirely onto her.

But what if she was bullied too?

What if she also knelt before Gu Chengyin, just like Luo Zhao?

Then they would share a common enemy.

It might actually offset some of the anger.

At the very least, it would give her an excuse.

Shangguan Yunying was somewhat swayed.

But...

She looked into Gu Chengyin's eyes.

The light in them made her a bit flustered.

If she really did this, wouldn't it be letting Gu Chengyin off too easy?!

One was Her Highness the Eldest Princess, the Crown Princess of the Great Luo.

The other was the chief lady-in-waiting, the eldest miss of the Shangguan family.

In the entire Great Luo, who besides him could enjoy such a privilege?

This wicked man!

He usually looked like a perfect gentleman, acting as if he could sit with a beautiful woman in his lap and remain unperturbed.

But it turned out he was just waiting for this moment!

Shangguan Yunying's face turned red again.

She looked at Luo Zhao kneeling on the ground.

Her Highness seemed completely oblivious to everything happening around her.

But Shangguan Yunying knew that Luo Zhao was wide awake.

She was watching.

She was listening.

She was waiting for her choice.

And no matter what, as the chief lady-in-waiting...

She really ought to do something.

Finally.

Shangguan Yunying took a deep breath.

She broke free from Gu Chengyin's embrace and slowly stood up.

The moonlight shone upon her, outlining her slender yet powerful curves.

She cast a complex glance at Gu Chengyin.

Then she walked to Luo Zhao's side.

And slowly knelt down.