Tan Hua - Chapter 85: I Will Give You My Eyes

Chapter 85: I Will Give You My Eyes

Song Liqing made no effort to hide his dislike for Jun Qiyu, yet his fear outweighed his resentment.

He twisted his fingers, resembling a child who had done something wrong, and instinctively turned his head toward Pei Xingxu. Pei Xingxu gently stroked his dark hair in reassurance.

“Well said, Liqing. You should speak out boldly.” Pei Xingxu then turned, raising his voice. “Did you hear that, Jun Qiyu? You should give up now, shouldn’t you?”

“What does it prove to instigate him to say such things?”

Jun Qiyu suppressed the pain in his eyes and walked toward Song Liqing. When Song Liqing saw the tall figure before him, he took half a step back and shrank behind Pei Xingxu.

“Liqing, don’t you want to see the light of day again soon?”

Jun Qiyu’s deep voice was close at hand, but Song Liqing remained silent.

Pei Xingxu answered for him. “Jun Qiyu, I will find a way to treat Liqing. My queen doesn’t need your concern.”

Jun Qiyu questioned him. “Are you afraid that if Liqing regains his sight, you won’t be able to control everything about him so easily?”

“Nonsense!” Pei Xingxu said angrily. “When have I ever schemed against Liqing?”

“You’re scheming for his affection,” Jun Qiyu said sharply. “In the entire Loulan, only you speak to him. Being blind, he depends entirely on you. This allows you to control everything about him, including his love.”

Pei Xingxu’s eyes blazed with anger as he grabbed Song Liqing’s hand.

“Do you see this? We are legitimate lovers! We don’t need the sinister schemes you speak of to achieve a love where we share the same bed in life and the same grave in death!”

“Then why do you keep obstructing him? If you truly care about him, you would let him live freely and fully, instead of keeping him bound by your side.”

Jun Qiyu didn’t want to waste any more words. He took hold of Song Liqing’s small arm.

“Liqing, what I owe you, I will repay myself.”

“I don’t want it!” Song Liqing mustered the courage to say loudly. “You… you must want to capture someone and dig out their eyes. I don’t want someone else’s eyes! Don’t hurt anyone!”

“I won’t anymore. Not from death row prisoners, not from slaves…” Jun Qiyu spoke in the gentlest tone of his life. “I will give you my eyes.”

Song Liqing was slow to react, taking a few seconds to process what he had just heard.

“W-what?”

Not only Song Liqing, but Pei Xingxu and Qi Miao were also utterly shocked.

Ordinary people cherish their eyes above all else. Who would willingly give up their chance to see the light for someone else?

Song Liqing clenched his fists and shook off Jun Qiyu’s hand.

“I… I don’t want them!”

He shouted in fury.

“I won’t accept favors from anyone, especially not from you! Leave now—I don’t want to have anything to do with you anymore.”

His words stabbed at Jun Qiyu’s heart, causing sharp pain, but he showed no intention of retreating.

“My mind is made up. This isn’t a favor… Liqing, we were meant to be inseparable lovers, bound by life and death…”

Song Liqing, both frightened and unable to accept this, shook his head vigorously.

“I don’t want your eyes! I don’t want them!”

Two tears suddenly rolled down his cheeks.

“You don’t understand what it’s like to be blind. After losing your sight, you can’t see the grass and trees of spring or the snowflakes of winter. The whole world becomes irrelevant to you. You’re trapped in darkness, completely isolated. Even the person you love—you can hear their voice, smell their scent, but you can never see their face… You don’t know how painful that is. I do. So stop it and leave. I don’t want anyone to end up like me.”

Jun Qiyu knew that Song Liqing’s refusal wasn’t due to lingering feelings for him but because of his innate kindness. He carried everyone in his heart, including himself.

Looking at him, Jun Qiyu’s heart melted into an icy blue lake.

“But watching you with him is what makes life worse than death for me.”

Song Liqing lowered his head, wiping away the tears hanging from his chin.

“Do you think that giving me your eyes will make me leave Xingxu? You’re delusional… I don’t like you. Even if you offered me your head, I wouldn’t forgive you.”

“I don’t expect your forgiveness out of gratitude. It’s precisely because I understand the pain of blindness that I’m doing this. My only purpose is to show you, Liqing, that if there’s anyone in this world willing to give up everything for you, it’s me!”

“Big demon… Jun Qiyu…”

Song Liqing muttered his name softly. He couldn’t process all this at once, his gaze dissolving into incoherence.

Jun Qiyu turned and sat in front of Qi Miao.

“Open your medical kit and begin.”

Qi Miao, carrying the kit on his back, hesitated and stammered his refusal.

“It’s not possible… I’ve never performed this procedure before. Eyes are the most delicate organ, and even the slightest mistake could lead to catastrophic consequences!”

Jun Qiyu glanced at him sideways. “What? You, the disciple of a divine doctor, don’t even have this much confidence?”

“I… don’t dare!”

Qi Miao finally voiced his fear.

“Why not? Even if something goes wrong, I will not blame you. Is that acceptable?”

“Your Highness… You’re the Crown Prince! This matter isn’t just significant—it’s monumental. Even if you sustain the slightest injury, the Emperor won’t spare me! And even if everything goes smoothly, you’d be blind because of me—that’s a crime punishable by death!”

“You’re being overly cautious! I’ll ensure your safety, as well as your family’s!”

Jun Qiyu said firmly.

With a thud, Qi Miao dropped to his knees.

“Your Highness! How will you govern, ride into battle, or lead the nation if you’re blind? Have you thought this through? It’s not just your life you’re forsaking—it’s the fate of the entire Jing Kingdom. How can you disregard that? The rise and fall of the kingdom depend on you. Do you not care about them?”

Jun Qiyu knew these arguments all too well.

When he had once descended from the snow-capped mountains and temporarily lost his sight due to an injury, even though it was healed quickly, rumors had spread among the court ministers. They doubted his ability to lead, and unrest brewed among the populace. Such a small matter had caused widespread unease.

Jun Qiyu murmured, “I can’t care anymore. Do you know what it felt like when Liqing was in my arms, slowly losing his breath and heartbeat? It was as if the entire world had stopped. My world only came alive because of him.”

Qi Miao was moved, bowing deeply to Jun Qiyu.

“Very well, Your Highness. Your feelings for Liqing run deep, and I can’t stop you. Then… let me take your place.”

“What are you doing?” Jun Qiyu frowned. “Stay out of this!”

“Emotionally, I grew up with Liqing as a childhood friend. To say something presumptuous, I’ve spent more time with him than you have. Logically, as a servant, letting my lord take such risks without intervening would be disloyal. I have nothing to my name in matters of love. So, I’ll fulfill my duty instead.”