"Enough." Pei Zhiyan had lost the patience to listen any longer. He frowned tightly and stared coldly at Song Wanying. "It takes two to tango. If you don't want any idle gossip, as the fiancée, you should also play the role of a virtuous helper well."
He scanned the people standing around. One could foresee how much of a scene Song Wanying had made. His tone was full of warning. "At the Song family, she's your younger sister. Here, she's the mistress of this mansion. I've really never seen an official's daughter come here to scold the host."
Song Wanying's face suddenly changed. She opened her mouth to explain, but Pei Zhiyan interrupted her. "The future daughter - in - law of the Pei family is so ignorant of etiquette. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, I would still be kept in the dark."
At this moment, Song Wanying didn't even care about taking revenge on Song Ruotang. Hearing Pei Zhiyan's words, she felt a bit desperate in her heart. She quickly grabbed the corner of his robe and said with a sob, "Uncle, I know I was wrong. It was my fault today. I shouldn't have broken into someone else's mansion privately...
Please, Uncle, for Yu Lang's sake, don't be angry with me. I was just young and ignorant..."
Song Wanying was in floods of tears. Her voice trembled as she pleaded. If the engagement with the Pei family was ruined because of today's incident, it would be a devastating blow to the Song family.
After all, the Song family was at the height of its prosperity now, partly because of the marriage alliance with the Pei family.
If the Pei family called off the engagement, those who were on good terms with the Song family would naturally distance themselves from them. After all, no one wanted to make an enemy of the Minister of the Supreme Court.
Pei Zhiyan naturally knew her little thoughts. Although he was dissatisfied with Song Wanying, their relationship with Song Ruotang hadn't been exposed yet. If he called off the engagement because of this incident, there would be too many doubts.
"The person you offended is not me. What's the use of apologizing to me?" Pei Zhiyan yanked back his robe corner, allowing Song Wanying to fall to the ground.
Song Wanying immediately understood the meaning in Pei Zhiyan's words. She turned to look at Song Ruotang. Unwillingness and struggle flashed in her eyes. She dug her nails into her palm tightly, but finally walked reluctantly in front of Song Ruotang and said stiffly, "Sister, it was my fault today. Please don't be angry with me. Our parents don't want to see us in conflict."
Song Ruotang took a few steps back in panic. Xiaoxi beside her quickly supported her, but Song Ruotang seemed extremely scared. Fear was hidden in her eyes. "Sister dare not. I definitely won't say anything about today's incident."
Song Ruotang looked around. There were tears in her eyes. When she saw Pei Zhiyan, she seemed to have caught a life - saving straw. She threw herself beside him and pleaded, "My lord, please don't tell anyone about today's incident..."
Pei Zhiyan looked down at the person in front of him. There was still a finger mark on her extremely beautiful face. Her almond eyes were filled with mist. A few strands of her hair had fallen down because of the conflict just now, and her clothes were a bit wrinkled.
Song Ruotang was scared. She was afraid that her parents from the Song family would come to cause trouble for her again. If Song Wanying went back to complain, the Song family might discipline Song Ruotang in the name of her parents, and he couldn't interfere anymore.
After all, he was just an "on - looker" and the future father - in - law of Song Wanying. He had no right to interfere in other people's affairs.
It wasn't the first time Pei Zhiyan had seen Song Ruotang in such a beautiful and pitiful state. She was like this in the Song family, and now in his mansion, it was the same.
Pei Zhiyan clenched his fingers tightly. A feeling of anger suddenly rose in his heart. He couldn't even protect his own person and made her shed tears.
"Okay..." Facing those tear - filled eyes, Pei Zhiyan couldn't say no. There was a slight pain in his heart. He steadied his mind a bit and said in a subdued tone, "I promise you."
Song Ruotang seemed to let out a sigh of relief. She turned back to look at Song Wanying. "Sister, please don't mention this to mother. I don't want to make mother angry..."
A smug and mocking smile appeared on Song Wanying's lips. She knew that as long as she brought up their father and mother, Song Ruotang would be a lamb at their mercy.
She was so eager for her parents' love that she flattered them humbly and tried hard to leave a good impression in their hearts. It was really pathetic.
"That's my good sister." Song Wanying said with a smile and left.
Watching her leave, Pei Zhiyan walked up to Song Ruotang. He bent down and gently stroked the cheek she had been slapped on. A trace of faint heartache in his eyes couldn't be hidden.
"Why didn't you fight back?" Pei Zhiyan gently rubbed her wound with his fingertips. The slight but sharp pain made Song Ruotang close one eye.
Pei Zhiyan softened his strength and led her into the house. He took out a bottle of wound medicine from his body and applied it to her.
Song Ruotang's drooping eyelashes trembled. She raised her eyes, and crystal tears rolled down, dropping on Pei Zhiyan's hand like a burning flame, making his hand tremble slightly.
"My lord, am I too cowardly?" Song Ruotang's voice was choked with sobs. Her crying almost broke Pei Zhiyan's heart. He had never felt so reluctant to see her cry. A fine pain welled up in his heart again.
"Don't cry." Pei Zhiyan reached out his hand to wipe her tears. Song Ruotang threw herself into his arms and said extremely aggrievedly, "Such a useless me is not worthy to stand beside my lord. I'm a waste who will disgrace my lord..."
Pei Zhiyan tightened the hand on her back. He frowned and lifted her face up, saying seriously, "You mustn't belittle yourself like this."
"My lord just asked me why I didn't fight back. I... I've been beaten by others since I was a child and never dared to fight back. If I resisted, I would surely have a harder time. I... I'm really scared..."
As Song Ruotang spoke, she seemed to recall something terrible. Her whole body was shaking. Seeing her like this, Pei Zhiyan pulled her into his arms, lifted her chin, and kissed her actively.
Song Ruotang widened her eyes instantly. Had she... overacted?
Pei Zhiyan's kiss blocked Song Ruotang's mouth and stopped the words she was about to say. In the quiet room, there was an ambiguous sound. Soon, their disordered breaths were intertwined.
Pei Zhiyan's kiss was extremely aggressive. The rapid offensive left Song Ruotang with no power to resist at all.
When the kiss ended, Song Ruotang was already limp in Pei Zhiyan's arms. She was breathing rapidly. There were still tears hanging on her eyelashes, and her face was flushed. She had a kind of beauty that made people daydream.
Pei Zhiyan's breath was also a bit disordered, but he could still hold himself steady. He reached out his hand to caress Song Ruotang's face, looked into her eyes, and said softly, "Don't be afraid. If anyone bullies you in the future, you must get it back. I don't want... you to be bullied."
Pei Zhiyan became a bit awkward towards the end. He seemed not very good at expressing himself, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.
Song Ruotang blinked her eyes and gently bit her lower lip. "But I'm afraid..."
"Afraid of what? Don't you trust me so much? Your husband is the Minister of the Supreme Court." When Pei Zhiyan said this, he was slightly stunned, as if he couldn't believe he would say such words. He fell silent and didn't speak anymore.
Song Ruotang's heart suddenly beat faster. This was the first time Pei Zhiyan had actively admitted that he was her husband. She didn't know how she felt in her heart.
She clearly was just using Pei Zhiyan to get close to that scumbag and that bitch for revenge. But why did she feel a bit happy when she heard him say this?