A gloomy cloud hung over Liang Yuzhou's brows. The unshed tears in Song Wanchu's eyes only added to his irritation.
Song Wanchu knew that she couldn't count on Liang Yuzhou in this matter.
Perhaps in his heart, her life wasn't worth caring about.
Suddenly, the room fell into silence. Song Wanchu was oppressed by Liang Yuzhou's overwhelming anger, and her chest felt stuffy.
"Miss Yu has suffered quite a shock. She needs your comfort most now. Second Master, you'd better go quickly," she said.
At this moment, she didn't want to see Liang Yuzhou at all.
Whenever she opened her mouth, her words were as sharp as a knife. Liang Yuzhou really wanted to find something to gag her small mouth.
"Don't involve others in our problems!" he demanded through gritted teeth, trying to suppress his anger. "Song Wanchu, don't you owe me an explanation?"
Song Wanchu was stunned, her eyes as clear as autumn water filled with confusion.
"Explanation for what?"
Liang Yuzhou propped his arms on either side of her head and slowly leaned down. The distance between them gradually narrowed until their noses touched and their breaths mingled.
"Song Wanchu, you held my hand and called out another man's name. Don't you think you should give me an explanation?"
Seeing his jealous expression, Song Wanchu coldly turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. "There's nothing to explain."
After the carriage accident, she had seen clearly. She would no longer expect even a shred of love from Liang Yuzhou.
In Liang Yuzhou's eyes, she was a liar. Why should she bother to clarify the misunderstanding?
This indifferent attitude infuriated Liang Yuzhou. He turned Song Wanchu's face towards him, his dark eyes swirling with stormy clouds.
"You can even mistake your husband. Song Wanchu, you're really something!"
"Husband?" A sarcastic smile appeared on Song Wanchu's pale and beautiful face. "Only the legal wife can address her husband as such. What am I to him?"
"Making snide remarks about your status. Is that really necessary? Did I ever stop you from wearing the red wedding dress, doing the proper hair, and entering through the main gate?"
Liang Yuzhou realized that the topic had veered off in a direction he couldn't control, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed.
"Second Master said himself that he's only heard of accompanying a wife back to her natal family, never a concubine. This humble concubine has always followed Second Master's advice. I also remind Second Master not to mistake a concubine for a wife, lest Miss Yu misunderstand."
Saying these words was no different from stabbing herself in the chest.
Her wound hurt, but her heart hurt even more.
Fortunately, she would soon be free. She wouldn't be trapped by this ambiguous status of neither wife nor concubine anymore.
Liang Yuzhou felt as if he had been hit by a boomerang but was unable to pull it out. It was a feeling of frustration.
With anger welling up in his heart, his words became even colder and more heartless. "As long as you remember your place. A concubine should know her place and stop daydreaming about things that don't belong to you. Remember, I'm your man!"
Another suffocating silence ensued.
Song Wanchu's heart ached so much that her head also felt dizzy.
The medicine's effect had worn off, and it seemed like she was about to have a fever again.
"Forgive this humble concubine for not seeing Second Master off."
Liang Yuzhou was annoyed. Was she trying to drive him away?
Suddenly, there came the sound of an argument from the courtyard outside.
"Miss Yu, our young lady is physically weak. She just took the medicine and fell asleep. It's really inconvenient for her to receive guests at this time!"
Nanzhi and Suyue knew that Yu Huiyan's visit would surely bring trouble, so they tried their best to stop her.
Yu Huiyan's voice was filled with deep concern. "I'm very worried about Concubine Song's injuries. I'll just go in and take a look and then leave. I'll be very quiet and won't wake her up."
Unlike Caidie, Yu Huiyan had the dual identities of a mistress and a guest, so Nanzhi and Suyue didn't dare to forcefully drag her away.
"Then Miss Yu can just take a look at the door. Our young lady appreciates your concern."
Yu Huiyan walked briskly to the door. When she saw Liang Yuzhou, her eyes dimmed for a moment, but then brightened up again. "Cousin, you're here too!"
It was pointless to pretend to be asleep now, so Song Wanchu had to suppress her impatience and nod to Yu Huiyan.
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Yu. I'm fine now."
Yu Huiyan walked to her bedside and looked at her pale and sickly face with a look of guilt.
"I'm sorry, Concubine Song. It's all my fault for insisting on sharing the carriage with you. Otherwise, cousin wouldn't have been so preoccupied with saving me and neglected you. I'm also responsible for your injuries. If you're angry, just scold me."
Her eyes were so sincere, looking like a well - behaved girl waiting to be scolded.
But between the lines, she was hinting at her higher status in Liang Yuzhou's heart and mocking Song Wanchu for not being magnanimous enough.
Before Song Wanchu could say a word, Liang Yuzhou pulled her behind him.
"Her injury has nothing to do with you. You don't need to apologize."
The words had a double meaning. On one hand, he was telling Song Wanchu that he didn't believe Yu Huiyan was involved in the carriage accident. On the other hand, he was warning her not to say anything unpleasant to Yu Huiyan.
All the strength seemed to have drained out of Song Wanchu's body, leaving only endless bitterness swirling in her heart.
"I don't blame Miss Yu. Second Master, please take Miss Yu back."
Yu Huiyan seemed not to hear Song Wanchu's dismissal. She pointed at a pot of peonies on the windowsill with great interest. "Concubine Song, your flowers are blooming so beautifully. The color is so vivid, and the flowers are so plump."
Song Wanchu lifted her head with some difficulty and looked at the peonies on the windowsill along Yu Huiyan's line of sight.
This pot of peonies was given to her by Liang Yuzhou after her miscarriage.
She thought it was a belated comfort from Liang Yuzhou. She cherished it like a treasure and took good care of it. The next May, the flowers bloomed, and she excitedly pulled Liang Yuzhou to admire them together.
Who would have thought that Liang Yuzhou's first words would be, "That old flower - seller actually lied to me. He said the flowers would be pink. Why are they bright red?"
At that moment, Song Wanchu's heart sank to the bottom of the valley and shattered into pieces that could never be put back together.
She didn't deserve the bright red color. Even the peonies she raised weren't worthy of blooming bright red flowers!
She should have seen clearly earlier. She had been obsessed for three years, hitting her head against the wall, but what was the use of holding on to this hope?
"If Miss Yu likes them, I'll give this pot of flowers to you."
Song Wanchu's generosity made Liang Yuzhou frown.
Yu Huiyan was overjoyed. She leaned closer to smell the fragrance of the flowers and looked very intoxicated.
"How can I take something you love so much? Why don't you tell me where you got them? I'll send someone to look for them."
Song Wanchu smiled faintly. "It's not something I love. I just took good care of it because Second Master gave it to me. Giving it to Miss Yu, I'm sure Miss Yu will cherish Second Master's intention even more."
She looked calm and composed, but Liang Yuzhou's handsome face was already shrouded in a gloomy cloud.
Song Wanchu gave him a bright smile. "Second Master also thinks this pot of flowers suits Miss Yu better, right?"
Yu Huiyan blinked her innocent deer - like eyes and looked at Liang Yuzhou nervously and excitedly, waiting for his answer.
"It's just a pot of flowers. You can give it to whoever you want!"
Liang Yuzhou hadn't been in a good mood since he entered Shuiyunju. Now, his无名 fire was rising.
"I have something else to do. I'm leaving!"
As soon as he left, Yu Huiyan quickly motioned for Caidie to carry the pot of peonies and followed his footsteps out.
Liang Yuzhou was in a bad mood, and Yu Huiyan was sensible enough not to get too close to him.
Zhou Sheng, who had been waiting at the door of Shuiyunju, stepped forward and asked in great confusion, "Second Master, that pot of peonies was a rare variety you searched all over the capital for in the snowstorm. The flowers have great medicinal value and are just suitable for replenishing the qi and blood of a woman after a miscarriage. Why did Miss Yu take it away?"