Forbidden Grace~Yandere Erlang Shen

Chapter 4: The Unspoken Longing

Erlang Shen's mind raced as he walked through the grand halls of the Celestial Palace. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop thinking about Y/N's laughter, her radiant smile... and Azure Lion. The thought of her laughing with that weakling gnawed at him. It was impossible—impossible—that she could ever be interested in someone like Azure Lion. After all, Erlang Shen was superior in every way. Stronger. Smarter. More capable.

Yet the thought lingered. Did Y/N think the same way? Did she see Erlang Shen's strength? Or was she swayed by Azure Lion's simple charm?

He sighed, trying to push the thoughts aside. He needed to stop obsessing over this. Azure Lion was a nobody, barely worth mentioning. But the seed of doubt was planted, and it grew with every passing moment.

As the hours passed, Erlang Shen completed his duties, though his mind was hardly on them. The Jade Emperor, as usual, was demanding and unnecessarily picky about the smallest matters, but Erlang handled his tasks with the grace expected of him. He was focused on something far more important—something he couldn't wait to return to. The statues, the sculpting, Y/N's image imprinted in his soul.

But then another thought crept in: Is she in the Celestial Garden?

The idea stirred something inside him, something that drew him away from his art room. He had to see her again, to be near her. The statues could wait. If she was in the garden, that was where he needed to be.

His feet moved faster than his thoughts, and soon enough, he was walking through the lush paths of the Celestial Garden, the scent of blooming flowers filling the air. And then, there she was—alone.

His heart leapt at the sight of her, her graceful figure standing among the flowers, watering them with a serene smile on her face. For a moment, Erlang Shen felt something close to peace. She was so perfect in this moment, so beautiful that he had to calm himself down before approaching her.

This was it. He could speak with her, alone, without the distraction of Azure Lion or anyone else. He smoothed his expression, keeping his face as composed as ever, and approached her.

"Y/N," he greeted, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him.

She looked up from the flowers, her smile growing brighter when she saw him. "Erlang Shen! It's good to see you again!" Her voice was as warm as the sunlight filtering through the trees.

As they stood together in the garden, Y/N began to talk about how beautiful the day was, how the flowers were blooming so vibrantly this season, and how she always felt so at peace here. Erlang Shen, as usual, remained quiet, listening intently. He loved the sound of her voice, the way it carried a lightness that seemed to make the world around her brighter.

But today, something tugged at him—a question that had been lingering in his mind ever since his jealousy had taken root. He needed to know.

After a while, as her words floated away on the breeze, he spoke up. "Y/N... have you ever loved anyone?"

The question hung in the air between them, heavy and charged. Y/N paused, her gaze shifting to the flowers for a moment as if gathering her thoughts. The serene expression on her face faltered, just slightly, and Erlang Shen's heart tightened as he waited for her response.

She finally looked up at him, her eyes soft but distant. "Love?" she repeated, almost as if it were a foreign concept to her. "As a precious creation of Buddha, I'm not really allowed to be in any intimate relationships. I was created to be pure, so I've never experienced love... or anything like that."

Her words were simple, but they cut through him in ways he didn't expect. Not allowed to be in relationships? Never experienced love?

On the surface, Erlang Shen felt a strange relief. She had never loved anyone before. That meant no one had taken her heart. No one had touched her in the way he desperately longed to. She was untouched, unclaimed. Pure.

But there was also a deep sadness in her words, and it stirred something inside him. How could someone so full of life, so radiant and warm, be denied something as essential as love?

He nodded slowly, his face unreadable. "I see," he said softly, though his mind was reeling.

He couldn't help but feel both conflicted and... hopeful. If she had never experienced love, perhaps he could be the first. Perhaps he could show her the depths of his affection, the way his every thought revolved around her. Maybe, just maybe, he could break the rules set by the heavens themselves and claim her as his own.

As Y/N continued to water the flowers, unaware of the storm raging inside him, Erlang Shen's gaze lingered on her. She was more than just a creation, more than something to be admired from afar. She was his. Even if she didn't know it yet.