Chapter Forty-Two: There Is No Place for Me in Your Future

“You seduced me, and now you say I’m shameless?” Xiao Jingxuan’s pupils contracted, his voice growing colder and colder.

“I was afraid you’d die. That’s why—I was giving you artificial respiration.” Su Jingluo truly couldn’t defend herself, no matter how hard she tried. Goodness, I was really just trying to save someone; I had no intention of kissing you. How could she possibly explain this kind of emergency procedure to people from this era?

“Fine, let’s say you were saving me—do you really think I needed your help? Or was it just an excuse for you to take advantage of me?” Xiao Jingxuan couldn’t comprehend such a rescue technique; he’d even thought that his own unconscious effort to save Su Jingluo was some sort of reciprocation from her.

“Regardless, you’re still a liar.” Su Jingluo had no idea how to explain any further.

“You haven’t lied to me enough already? I was willing to forgive you for your previous deceptions, but today you ran off again without permission?” Xiao Jingxuan hadn’t expected Su Jingluo to be so willful and unruly—he hadn’t seen this side of her in five years. He’d been so worried when she lied before, and now she could so brazenly call herself a liar. Xiao Jingxuan couldn’t help but be impressed by her audacity.

“I had proper business to attend to.” Su Jingluo felt fully justified.

“What business? Playing the hero in the street and flirting with other men?” Xiao Jingxuan couldn’t imagine what proper business she could possibly have. Let’s see how she explains this.

“What do you mean, flirting with other men? Is that all you can think of? Do you know how many pharmacies and medical halls I visited today? Why don’t you ask about that?” Su Jingluo was exasperated. Were people in this era really so narrow-minded? One sentence and she was accused of seduction.

“What were you doing at pharmacies and medical halls?” Xiao Jingxuan actually knew her itinerary perfectly well and was curious about her motives. Besides, she’d returned to the prince’s residence herself; otherwise, he wouldn’t have hesitated to bring her back by force.

“I want to open a clinic—or even a pharmacy. I want to achieve financial independence, make a fortune, and let Yunbai become the wealthiest person around, so he can become a rich heir and choose his own wife.” Su Jingluo lifted her chin, declaring her grand ambitions for the future.

For a moment, all the blood in Xiao Jingxuan’s body seemed to freeze. Ever since this mother and son entered his life, he’d been intent on creating a safe and prosperous future for them. But it turned out that Su Jingluo’s plan was to leave him behind—she’d never even considered him in her vision of the future.

“You want to divorce me?” Xiao Jingxuan’s tone was calm, his dark eyes inscrutable.

“A letter of separation would do as well.” Su Jingluo had never imagined that this domineering prince would be capable of an amicable parting.

“A letter of separation? And how would you remarry after that?” Xiao Jingxuan hadn’t expected her to resort to such measures just to leave him—did she truly despise him so much?

“Who says I have to remarry?” Su Jingluo didn’t think she needed a man to survive.

“Very well. Very well, Su Jingluo. So that’s your plan?”

Xiao Jingxuan advanced toward Su Jingluo step by step. Every word she spoke was like a knife stabbing into his heart. The happiness he’d longed for was torn apart piece by piece. His determination to reconcile and forgive was trampled underfoot by this woman. He’d made so many plans for their future, but in hers, he was never included.

“What are you doing? Don’t come any closer!” Su Jingluo genuinely had no idea what Xiao Jingxuan was thinking. One moment he seemed ready to strike her down, the next he was embracing and kissing her, and now his eyes blazed with furious hatred. She really didn’t know what to expect. Was he going to try something indecent again? Su Jingluo quickly clapped her hand over her mouth.

Xiao Jingxuan stopped in front of her, his eyes full of hatred and anguish.