Yu Huiyan's heart tightened abruptly, and a chill ran through her body.
Sure enough, her cousin didn't have any romantic feelings for her...
...
As soon as Song Wanchu returned home, her uncle and aunt pulled her over, their eyes filled with tears.
"Wanchu, you've finally seen things clearly!"
Her uncle, Qi Yuanjun, had long heard that Liang Yuzhou had used the grand prize Wanchu had won at the cost of her life to plead for Yu Huiyan's father, and had even held a welcome banquet for Yu Huiyan on Song Wanchu's birthday.
He looked indignant. "It's one thing for outsiders to talk nastily, but for Liang Yuzhou to humiliate you like this for the daughter of a corrupt official!"
Aunt Wen lovingly stroked her face. Seeing her turn from a bright and lively girl into a reserved and taciturn one in the past three years, her tears couldn't stop flowing.
"Our Wanchu may not be from a noble family, but she's been doted on at home. There were countless noble young masters seeking her hand in marriage back then. If it weren't for the imperial edict obtained by the old duke's mother and her personal visit to propose, how could your uncle and I have been willing to send you into that den of wolves!"
Song Wanchu shed tears of guilt.
Her uncle was the only son of her grandfather and had inherited the family business early on. However, he had handed over all the family's industries in the south of the Yangtze River to his eldest cousin to manage, while he and his aunt stayed in the capital.
It was all so that she would have a family to return to after marriage and a place to pour out her grievances if she was wronged. He had even taken precautions and obtained a document allowing her to take concubines for her.
She really owed her uncle and aunt too much.
Fortunately, it wasn't too late.
When her uncle and aunt heard that she had seen things clearly and wanted to leave Liang Yuzhou, they were so happy that they couldn't sleep all night. They got up early the next morning and told the servants to start preparing for their return to the south of the Yangtze River.
Song Wanchu gave her uncle the land deeds and shop deeds she had sorted out last night and asked him to handle the sale.
"Uncle, when you sell these properties and shops, don't be in a hurry. And don't make a big deal out of it, so as not to arouse suspicion."
Liang Yuzhou was a very perceptive person, and she didn't want to attract his attention.
It wasn't that she was being narcissistic and thought that Liang Yuzhou would try to keep her if he noticed.
She just wanted to avoid all unnecessary trouble.
Because now, she didn't even want to talk to him anymore.
Aunt Wen said, "Wanchu, don't worry. Your uncle has handled many such things and is always reliable. Your shops are prosperous ones that make a lot of money every day. There's no need to worry about finding a buyer."
Song Wanchu hesitated for a moment but still decided to ask, "I haven't seen Brother for a long time. How is he?"
The person she felt most sorry for was her adopted brother, Shi Luohan.
Shi Luohan was an orphan her father had picked up on the battlefield and adopted as his son.
He was five years older than Song Wanchu, and they had grown up together.
Three years ago, when her father went on a military expedition, as if having a premonition of something bad, he called the two of them to him and told Shi Luohan to take good care of her.
If he didn't come back, Shi Luohan was to marry her and protect her for the rest of her life.
Shi Luohan had agreed.
Song Wanchu had always known that this adopted brother had more than just brother - sister feelings for her.
After her father died in battle, during the most painful and difficult time for her, it was always Shi Luohan who accompanied her, comforted and consoled her.
If the old lady of the duke's mansion hadn't come with an imperial edict to propose marriage, she would have married Shi Luohan and lived a peaceful and happy life.
It was she who had let Shi Luohan down. When she had told him the truth, his disappointment, melancholy, and hurt were still vivid in her mind.
Song Wanchu would never forget Shi Luohan's lonely and desolate back when he turned and left.
Her uncle and aunt exchanged a surprised look. "Luohan went to the south of the Yangtze River three years ago. Didn't you know?"
Song Wanchu was extremely shocked. "What?"
She had thought that Shi Luohan had always been in the capital!
It was just that she hadn't returned to her natal family very often, and because of her guilt towards him, she had never had the nerve to ask about him.
Her uncle said, "Not long after you married Liang Yuzhou, he went to the south of the Yangtze River and established the Qingcang Escort Bureau. He's been escorting goods all over the country in the past few years. He came back to the capital once before the New Year. He said he had written you many letters to tell you about his recent situation. Didn't you receive any of them?"
Song Wanchu was even more surprised. "No, not a single one."
She had even mentioned it to Suyue and Nanzhi and had been sad about it for a long time, thinking that Shi Luohan hadn't written to her because he still hadn't forgiven her.
Her uncle and aunt were also very confused about this.
"Could Luohan be lying?"
There was absolutely no need for that. Although they couldn't be husband and wife, Shi Luohan had said that he would take care of and love Song Wanchu as his own sister for the rest of his life.
Not writing a single letter in three years was a bit too heartless.
Seeing Song Wanchu looking dejected, Aunt Wen quickly comforted her. "When we get back to the south of the Yangtze River and see Luohan, we can just ask him face - to - face. I'm sure there's some misunderstanding. You two are like real siblings. This kind of affection can't just be cut off."
Her uncle quickly chimed in. "That's right. Once you're divorced from that bastard Liang Yuzhou, maybe the two of you can rekindle your old relationship."
Song Wanchu didn't answer but just smiled.
In her heart, she knew clearly that she and Brother could only be siblings for the rest of their lives.
She had lunch at her uncle's house and then spent a long time chatting with her aunt and two cousins. It wasn't until the sun was setting that her uncle's family reluctantly saw her off.
The carriage had not traveled far from the Qi family when it suddenly stopped. Song Wanchu heard the coachman outside exclaim in surprise, "Second Master?"
She thought she was hallucinating or that the coachman had mistaken someone. She lifted the curtain and poked her head out.
In the dappled light of the setting sun, Liang Yuzhou stood upright, surrounded by a warm yellow glow that softened his sharp features.
Why would Liang Yuzhou be at the cross - road that she had to pass on her way back to the duke's mansion?
The way back from the Yu family to the duke's mansion didn't go through this road.
Before she could say anything, Liang Yuzhou took a long stride and bent down to get into the carriage.
The already small space was filled with his tall figure, and Song Wanchu was inevitably enveloped in his aura.
She subconsciously wanted to sit further away. Just as she moved, the carriage suddenly shook violently.
The sudden jolt made her body lean forward awkwardly. Liang Yuzhou stretched out his long arm to steady her and then pulled her into his arms.
The spring clothes were not as thick as the winter ones. The heat from his palm penetrated through the clothes and warmed her back. The warmth from his chest spread to her body, and the heat crept up to her face.
This kind of intimacy made Song Wanchu think of the countless nights of entanglement between them.
On the couch, he was extremely passionate and insatiable. Song Wanchu was pulled into the ocean of lust by him again and again.
Every time she reached the peak, she would always have the illusion that Liang Yuzhou's eyes were full of affection when he looked at her.
But once off the couch, he would turn back into that cold and aloof noble young master, as if he were a snow - capped mountain in the clouds, out of reach.
Her heart had already decided to leave, and she didn't want her body to be controlled by him anymore.
She propped her arms on Liang Yuzhou's shoulders to pull the two of them apart, but Liang Yuzhou stubbornly locked her in his arms and grabbed her arm.
There was a cool feeling on her wrist, and a jade bracelet was put on. It was bright green and transparent, of excellent quality, making her skin look fairer than snow.
"This is a belated birthday gift for you."