Chapter 140: If You Can Hold His Hand, Why Can't I? - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 140: If You Can Hold His Hand, Why Can't I? "This can be arranged." Luo Cong An eagerly replied, "You can come with me to the back mountain." Hearing this, Chen An did not rush to refuse, as Luo Cong An's mental state seemed temporarily stable. Yes, it seemed, perhaps, possibly... At least she wouldn't suddenly relapse like when they first met, right? As long as they could sit down and have a proper conversation, Chen An was quite willing to spend time with her. He glanced at Eileen beside him. "What about her?" Upon hearing this, Luo Cong An instinctively wanted to retort for her to go where it's cooler, but she quickly realized that without reassuring the other party, the man probably wouldn't agree. Weighing the options, she still preferred to stay with him. So Luo Cong An gritted her teeth and said, "She can come too." After all, there were precisely two guest rooms in her courtyard on the back mountain. She could arrange for this giant pesky moth to sleep in one, leaving her to share a room with him. With this little plan set, Luo Cong An felt a bit excited. Perfect. Although it might be bothersome to have another person around usually, on balance, it was definitely worth it. This thought even made her fear that the man might not agree now. Chen An's gaze fell on Eileen. The woman showed little emotion, simply leaning against him and whispering, "It's up to the Father to decide." That was indeed her intention. Just like she stated before, she only wished to stay with the Father forever, desiring nothing else. Of course, this lunatic woman was to be excluded. Eileen squinted and met Luo Cong An's malicious gaze. She remained unfazed outwardly, thinking, "You better not sleep too soundly tonight." Luo Cong An, meanwhile, thought to herself that she had to seize the opportunity to dismantle this giant pesky moth. Let's see how you manage once you're stripped down! Both harbored sinister intentions, yet they said nothing, quietly convicting each other. With the decision made, Chen An wasted no time. He quickly gathered his things, and without waiting for his three roommates to return to say goodbye, the three of them left together. For his roommates, whether he was there or not probably didn't matter much. Besides his good looks, their impression of Chen An was mostly that he was lazy. --- The path to the back mountain lay between two towering peaks, forming a narrow corridor. This terrain meant it was always windy here, especially intensely by evening. On this path, Chen An walked ahead. He knew the location of Luo Cong An's residence, needing no guide. Today, Chen An wore a simple gray-blue robe, appearing quite elegant. Behind him followed two strikingly beautiful women. They had temporarily set aside their initial animosity, avoiding outright conflict. For Luo Cong An, she was determined for Chen An to stay and wouldn't let others take him away. This was why she was so agitated when she first encountered Eileen, even resorting to violence. However, from the looks of it, the other party didn't mind where she went as long as she stayed with someone. This left Luo Cong An feeling somewhat melancholic. She wondered just how many such devoted women he had attracted. So far, she knew of one, Su Chi Chi. Adding this giant pesky moth made two. Luckily, Su Chi Chi was trapped in a meticulously crafted illusion, probably living her happy life with her master now. Luo Cong An's thoughts wandered, imagining Su Chi Chi's near breakdown upon discovering the truth. A faint smile of satisfaction curled her lips. Such an undeserving woman should never be associated with him, destined to forever sink into an illusion without awakening. Moreover, what was so bad about illusory worlds? Reality was too harsh. Better to stay in the illusion, happily raising children. Thinking this, Luo Cong An felt a tinge of unhappiness again. Even an illusion of him loving another woman was hard to accept. Her crimson eyes bore a cold meaning. Indeed, any woman attempting to get close to him should be dealt with swiftly. Her gaze fell upon the woman in the black dress not far ahead. Eileen seemed to sense something and turned to glance. She haughtily lifted her chin—a gesture from childhood that persisted into adulthood. Or rather, Eileen liked to look down her nose at people. Chen An often faced this gesture back in the day, though usually partnered with insults like "pervert" or "disgusting." Present-day Eileen, of course, no longer behaved so childishly. She had thought of a better way to assert her claim. As her black dress fluttered, she quickly stepped forward, taking Chen An's right hand with her own. Her fingers were alabaster white, quite appetizing, attracting attention. Chen An continued walking, unfazed, without rejecting her. He paused slightly, asking casually, "What's the matter?" Mountain winds carried a slight chill, blowing their clothes loudly. Eileen shook her head, whispered, "Nothing, just a bit cold." Chen An was taken aback, noting the icy, smooth feel from her hand. However, having become a deity, could mere mountain breezes truly chill her? This was a transparent lie. Yet facing her star-like eyes, would anyone really break the atmosphere to expose it? So Chen An said nothing, continuing onward. Eileen's delicate brow showed a slight curve—living in the temple with Selina, her smiles over those years couldn't compare to merely today's. Staying by his side, despite his youthful appearance and her nearly matching his height, she felt like she was back in their manor, back in that summer. They lay on the garden lawn, enjoying the breeze, carefree. As she recalled this, the mountain wind caught her hair, strands dancing, brushing against his face. Instead of irritation, Chen An simply brushed it aside. Suddenly, he felt he had experienced a similar scene before. In the next moment, a tender touch came from his left hand too. Glancing over, he saw Luo Cong An's graceful face, her eyes slightly annoyed—not aimed at him, of course. Facing Eileen, Luo Cong An scoffed. The meaning was clear as day. What? If you can hold his hand, why can't I? (Chapter End)