Release the Heroine, Let Me Handle This

Chapter 88: Breaking Up Couples, One by One

"Sigh, I don't really like those basic classes; I prefer a simpler life," Ye Wenxin said, steering the conversation back to its original topic. After a pause, she added, "But complimenting your beauty was sincere."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhang's previously serious expression softened into a smile. She had received many compliments, but for some reason, Ye Wenxin's words made her genuinely happy.

Despite being a mischievous child at heart, Ye Wenxin possessed a mysterious allure. Xiao Zhang gazed into those dark, beautiful eyes, which seemed to hold endless depths.

Her heart skipped a beat, perhaps enchanted by the moonlit night, stirring emotions she couldn't quite rationalize. Or maybe it was the faint sounds of the couple nearby that stirred ripples in her heart. Whatever the cause, the night, the breeze, and the scenery made it impossible for her to remain calm.

Gripping the stone bridge's railing, Xiao Zhang finally spoke up after a long pause.

"I'm leaving."

"I know," Ye Wenxin replied calmly. She had prepared herself for this.

Xiao Zhang appeared carefree but was incredibly earnest, which explained her rise to deputy commander by thirty. Such talent would have been invaluable as a subordinate.

Ye Wenxin admired Xiao Zhang's loyalty, yet also despised it. Once sworn to serve someone, it meant a lifetime of servitude. And Ye Wenxin wasn't the chosen one; she was the one left behind.

"You seem so calm. When I told Fatty and the others, they got sand in their eyes," Xiao Zhang recalled saying farewell to the others, who, like Ye Wenxin, were good kids.

Unfortunately, Xiao Zhang's real goodbye was meant for Ye Wenxin alone.

When she went to find Ye Wenxin, she saw her with the famous Ling Jue. Xiao Zhang withdrew, feeling a bit inferior.

Developing feelings for another woman seemed strange. She feared exploring them, worried it would lead her to self-destruction.

Thus, Xiao Zhang declined the Grand Princess's offer to extend her leave, choosing instead to say goodbye and forget these emotions.

Ye Wenxin was merely a lifeline during her darkest times, not a romantic interest.

Yet seeing Ye Wenxin's calm acceptance of her departure made Xiao Zhang uneasy.

These conflicting emotions festered in her mind, eventually expressed in her gaze.

But Ye Wenxin appeared oblivious, perhaps due to her youth or because she, too, was lost.

"I told them not to cry in front of you, even if they're sad," Ye Wenxin noted, indeed aware and equally confused and reluctant. Above all, she respected Xiao Zhang's decision.

"No wonder Fatty was crying about sand in his eyes," Xiao Zhang mused, recalling their reactions. Everyone seemed prepared, yet no one expressed strong emotions during the farewell.

Ye Wenxin had already anticipated her response.

Though she had been reborn, she had failed to keep her promise to stay with Ye Wenxin. Yet Ye Wenxin's lack of tears or complaints made Xiao Zhang feel even guiltier.