Early the next morning, Hope was once again outside the hayloft.

Li Mu still didn't go out.

This time, Hope didn't leave, sitting from early morning to late afternoon, and from late afternoon to early morning again, always motionless, quietly watching him.

Li Mu shook his head with a bitter smile, stood up, and walked out of the hayloft.

Hope rushes over in surprise, wanting to jump into his arms as usual.

Reimu subconsciously dodged, pouncing on Hope with a lost face, the bow on her head hanging down.

"Go sit by the lake." Li Mu whispered.

Hope nodded and followed him to the shore of the lake together.

Looking at the calm lake, Li Mu looked like he was talking to himself.

"Miss Fantine, it's better to change back to your original form!"

Hope hesitated for a while and turned around, instantly changing into Shen Fangting.

She resumed her seat next to Li Mu and mouthed, "I thought, you liked me being that way?"

Li Mu said calmly, "You don't have to deliberately become that way just to please me, since you're a human, it's better for you to show your true face!"

Fang Ting laughed bitterly, "Actually, my original body is Xiao Yuan, it's the one that's real, and I'm in turn unreal."

"Why is that?"

"This illusion formation is hidden in Hope's body, it has a long lifespan and a special physique that makes it the best carrier for the illusion formation, and my soul is sealed in the illusion."

"Can you still get out?"

"Yes. When I go out, I can use Hope's body to give it life, and when I come back, Hope is just a rock."

"No wonder, everyone else says you're a rock, I'm the only one who thinks you're alive!"

Shen Fangting smiled and didn't say anything else.

The two became silent, and after a long time had passed, Reimu asked, "Can you tell me where the exit is?"

Shen Fangting looked at him, "Gongzi wants to leave?"

Li Mu gently nodded his head down, "I want to get out of here, Fang Ting, come with me!"

"Gongzi is willing to accept me?" Shen Fangting looked at him eagerly.

Reimu shook his head, "I don't want to lie to you, I'm sorry, I can't do it!"

Shen Fangting's eyes reddened as she sniffled and asked, "Just because, I'm a monster, Gongzi can't accept me?"

Li Mu hesitated for a while, but still said ruthlessly, "I can accept you as my family, but no closer relationships... I'm sorry, Fang Ting..."

Shen Fangting covered her ears, "Don't you say that again, I don't want to be your family, I only want to be your wife, you obviously like me, why don't you want me!"

"Fantine, I'd better leave as soon as possible, only when I'm gone will your heart be at peace!"

Shen Fangting choked, "From the first day I met you, my heart couldn't be still, you can take me away, but you must accept me first."

Her attitude became firm.

Liamu knew that she had gotten into a corner and couldn't listen to anything right now and didn't have the heart to continue the conversation.

The two men were silent once again, sitting in silence, each thinking about what was on their minds.

It wasn't until dusk that Liamu got up and left.

Shen Fangting looked at his back and couldn't help but ask, "Tomorrow, will you still come?"

Li Mu said in a low voice, "It's better for us not to meet for the time being, let's calm each other down for a while and think about how we should get along in the future?"

Shen Fangting exclaimed, "I'll wait for you here until you want to see me, I've thought it over very clearly, I like you and want to be with you, you can love me and spoil me like you did with Xiao Yuan!"

Li Mu's footsteps paused for a moment, and then, striding away.

Only until his figure disappeared into the hayloft did Shen Fangting withdraw her gaze and sob softly.

The next day, Li Mu didn't come, and Shen Fangting didn't move.

On the third day, Li Mu still didn't show up, and Shen Fangting kept waiting.

In the early hours of the fourth day, Liamu appeared behind her.

Shen Fangting didn't turn around and looked at the lake and said quietly, "You're here!"

Li Mu sat down beside her and smiled bitterly, "If I don't come, do you want to wait forever?"

"Well, I'll keep waiting, I've been waiting for three hundred years, the first time I saw you, I knew that you were the one I was going to wait for, Gongzi, I know I shouldn't have thought ill of you, I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself!"

"Miss Fontaine, have you ever thought that, perhaps, you're just too lonely, that you need companionship and friendship, and on both counts, I can do it."

Shen Fangting's eyes were wet.

"You're right, I'm so lonely, I need companionship and friendship, but you're different, I know exactly how that feels and I want to be your woman."

"Miss Fang Ting, you are a sensible and good girl, you should know that forcing people to be difficult is not the sensible thing to do, your obstinacy won't lead to any good results, and it will make you suffer even more, making a decision when it's time to make a decision may not necessarily not be a good choice."

Shen Fangting sighed, "I understand all the reasoning, but I can't do it... Gongzi, have you ever truly loved someone?"

Li Mu nodded affirmatively and said seriously, "I have a wife, she's out there, and I love her so much that I won't be able to live without her!"

Shen Fangting's complexion became complicated as her eyes turned to the lake.

"I envy her, I really want to see what she looks like, you don't have to persuade me, let it be like this for now, maybe one day when I figure it out, I will naturally send you away."

Without saying anything else, Reimu got up and left the lakeshore.

Time passed day by day, and Li Mu never left the hayloft.

Shen Fangting had also been sitting on the lakeshore, and gradually, in her eyes, only bitterness and sadness remained.

Finally, one day, she slowly stood up, looked in the direction of the hayloft, and shouted, "Gongzi, do you hate me that much? Not even willing to look at me again?"

Tears fluttered and rolled down her face as she stood there, sobbing silently.

A long time passed again, and as if she had made up her mind, she turned and walked with a staggering gait toward the cave.

Inside the hayloft, Liamu's mouth repeatedly chanted, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Early the next morning, Shen Fangting came outside the hayloft and said to Li Mu, "Gongzi, come out, I have something I want to say to you!"

Reimu walked out, head down, not daring to look her in the eye.

"What does the girl want to say?"

Shen Fangting calmly said, "Gongzi, I've figured it out, I won't force you to accept me anymore, I intend to send you away and, moreover, give you the treasure key as well."

Liamu nodded and didn't say anything.

Shen Fangting continued, "However, I have one request, can Your Excellency spend a happy day with me like before?"

Li Mu's nose turned a little sour, and without a moment's hesitation, he said to her, "Okay, I'll accompany you!"

Shen Fangting shifted into Xiao Yuan and jumped into his arms, murmuring, "Gongzi, I miss you so much, I really miss you, forget it, let's not talk about this, come and chase me!"

With that, she broke free from Li Mu's arms and ran quickly through the field grass.

"Come on, male, chase me like you used to!"

Hope exclaimed excitedly and ran in front of her with joy, Li Mu laughed loudly and leaped towards her to chase after her.

One person and one beast were again chasing and playing in this paradise as usual, happiness was written all over their faces, only that smile, looked so sad!

Happy times always pass quickly, they played around all day, and in the evening, Hope reluctantly asked, "Gongzi, can I still look for you tomorrow?"

Li Mu laughed, "Fantine wants to go back on her word?"

Hope lowered her head, "Well, after that, there's never going to be another chance."

A wave of sadness suddenly rose in Li Mu's heart, and without giving it a second thought, he nodded his head and agreed, "Okay, why don't you come find me tomorrow, and I'll proceed to play with you!"

Hope cheered up and cried out, "Thank you, sir!"

She spun around in place excitedly, before turning away reluctantly.

The next day, Hope came outside the hayloft early, and Li Mu continued to spend a happy day playing with her.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed, Hope came to him every day, and Reimu was happy to enjoy this life.

He deliberately pretended to be confused and accompanied her day after day of frolicking and playing.

One evening a month later, Xiao Yuan transformed back into Shen Fangting and said to Li Mu, "My lord, you should go to the cave to find me tomorrow, the time is almost up, it's time to send you away, I want to give you the key to the treasure."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the cave tomorrow and say goodbye in person!"

Hope nodded and silently turned away.

Looking at the forlorn figure, Li Mu wanted to call out to her several times, but ultimately held back until she had walked away, then he sighed.

The next day, Li Mu came outside the cave very early and found Shen Fangting had long been waiting with eager anticipation.

Upon seeing him, she happily waved at him, "Come on in, Your Excellency, the humble house is simple, I hope Your Excellency won't be offended!"

Saying that, making way for a path, Li Mu did not hesitate for a second and stepped into the cave.

Inside the cave, there was something else.

Stone tables and benches, small bridges and water, flowers everywhere, the arrangement is very cozy and elegant, a look is the look of the women's boudoir.

Shen Fangting invited him to sit down and personally made a pot of tea for him, a smile on her face and her movements were gentle and soothing.

Li Mu said, "I've been meaning to ask you a question, I haven't seen you eat, does that mean that you don't need a diet anymore?"

"This is an illusion formation, we are only in the state of spirit body, of course we can not need to eat and drink, the reason why you still want to eat is because you can not forget your previous habits, if you stay here for a long time, you will not think about eating and drinking anymore."

"That means we can do without the tea, and even if we drink it, it's still fake."

Shen Fangting responded, "Yes, but you might as well let me finish, this is the last time I'll make tea for you and I want to do it right."

Li Mu hesitated and asked softly, "Fang Ting, come with me, okay?"

Shen Fontaine's hand trembled as she looked up at him.

"Will the Prince accept me?"

Reimu shook his head with a bitter smile.

"I'm sorry!"

Shen Fangting lost her head and said, "It's okay, I've already thought about it and won't be obsessed with this matter, I can only say that I'm destined to have a destiny with Gongzi."

She filled a cup of tea for Li Mu and poured herself a cup as well, and both sat at the stone table in silence.

Li Mu drank a few mouthfuls of tea and placed the tea bowl on the stone table, only to realize that on top of the stone table, there was a bone knife placed horizontally.