The tea was warm, but when it splashed on her face, it sent stabbing pains through her swollen cheeks.
She choked on it and coughed violently. The force of her coughing made tears and water stream down her cheeks.
"Are you awake now?"
Yu Huiyan stared at Liang Yuzhou in disbelief. The water just now seemed to have entered her brain, robbing her of the ability to think.
The last time, for the sake of Song Wanchu, he had thrown the sachet she sewed with her own hands in her face.
This time, he showed his cruelty to her without any disguise.
"Yu Huiyan, no one can keep doing evil without paying any price. When you go to the Princess Mansion, you'll understand what your retribution is!"
The cousin who used to dote on her and hold her in the palm of his hand, now said the most heart - rending and cruel word "retribution" to her for another woman.
She stared blankly with her mouth agape, not knowing how to reply. She could only look at his cold eyes helplessly.
"Cousin, you weren't like this before. Before Song Wanchu came into our lives, we—"
"Even without Wanchu, our relationship would never have been what you imagined."
Liang Yuzhou's voice was cold and expressionless. Every word was like a sharp icicle, piercing deep into her heart.
A surge of great grievance and unwillingness welled up in her heart. She shook her head desperately, as if trying to deny something.
"No, cousin. We grew up together. We liked each other."
Suddenly, she looked up, staring at Liang Yuzhou with her swollen eyes, as if trying to find a different answer in his eyes. "Right, cousin? You like me."
There was a coldness on Liang Yuzhou's lips. The light from the lantern was dim. Yu Huiyan couldn't see his expression clearly, but she could feel his chilling aura.
"Don't you know whether I've liked you or not?"
This merciless rhetorical question shattered her last bit of fantasy.
The light in Yu Huiyan's eyes seemed to go out in an instant. Her eyes became lifeless and then blurred by tears.
She watched as Liang Yuzhou lifted the curtain of the carriage and jumped out without a second glance. His back was so determined.
"Why!"
She crawled forward in a hurry, pulled open the curtain so that it wouldn't block Liang Yuzhou's back, and shouted at his cold back, "If you don't like me, why did you let the rumor of our mutual love spread in the capital for so many years?"
Liang Yuzhou walked away resolutely without looking back even once.
He disdained to answer her question.
"Liang Yuzhou, how could you treat me like this? I'm your savior!"
Yu Huiyan jumped out of the carriage and staggered after Liang Yuzhou. She grabbed his sleeve tightly, as if grasping at the last straw.
Shamelessly, she pulled open her collar and pointed at the faint scar on her chest. "Look clearly. This scar was left for you! You don't know how much I suffered when I heard that you were in a coma because of the poison!
The imperial doctor said that heart - blood was needed as a medicine guide. I ignored my aunt's阻拦 and stabbed myself in the chest. You know I've been afraid of pain since I was a child, but I was willing to bleed so much for you. Liang Yuzhou, is this how you treat your savior?"
Liang Yuzhou's back was as cold as a stone statue. Yu Huiyan looked up at his face, but all she saw were his sharp and cold facial lines.
He didn't even bother to give her an expression.
"Huiyan, you should understand that rescuing you from the crown prince is already the greatest kindness I can show you. As for the heart - blood—do you think I'm the kind of person who can be tied down by gratitude?"
His voice was cold and his eyes were deeper than the night.
Yu Huiyan's throat felt like it was filled with lead. A terrible thought flashed through her mind.
He knew. He knew everything!
How could it be? The princess said that everyone who knew the truth back then had been silenced. Even if he had doubts in his heart, he couldn't find anyone who could tell the truth...
On this stuffy summer night, Yu Huiyan felt a great chill seeping from her bones.
The sound of Liang Yuzhou's footsteps had faded away.
Suddenly, she burst into laughter, with snot and tears streaming down her face. She looked like a madwoman.
Caidie and the coachman were so scared that they just stared at her blankly.
She laughed until she couldn't catch her breath. "So what if he doesn't like me? The princess is my backer. As long as she gives the order, I can marry into the Duke's Mansion smoothly. I'll be the mistress of the Duke's Mansion. Song Wanchu, you bitch. So what if cousin likes you? You'll be trampled under my feet for the rest of your life!"
Her desperate cries were gradually swallowed up by the boundless darkness.
...
"Miss, you're still very weak. It's late at night. You'd better go to sleep early."
Nanzhi was about to put down the curtain hanging on the couch and blow out the candle when Song Wanchu stopped her.
"Is the miss waiting for the second master?"
Song Wanchu was very tired, but she tossed and turned in bed and couldn't fall asleep.
Nanzhi couldn't tell what she was feeling. Today, the second master had indeed protected the miss everywhere and taken good care of her. Thanks to his timely arrival, the miss's reputation hadn't been damaged at all.
However, this didn't mean that the harm he had done to the miss in the past could be erased.
Nanzhi knew better than anyone how much the miss had loved him before. She was afraid that the miss would fall for the second master again because of his temporary kindness.
The miss had finally let go and struggled out of this painful love. Nanzhi privately didn't want the miss to have another chance of being hurt by the second master.
"Miss, don't wait anymore. Your health is more important."
Nanzhi lit the sleeping incense. The sweet fragrance of flowers and fruits spread out, and Song Wanchu finally felt a little sleepy.
When Liang Yuzhou came in, he moved very quietly, but Song Wanchu still opened her eyes immediately.
In the soft yellow light, she sat up, pulling the thin brocade quilt with her. Her long, black and silky hair was scattered on her shoulders. The thin and loose nightgown slipped off one corner of her shoulder, revealing a glimpse of fair skin.
She looked at Liang Yuzhou. There was no trace of sleepiness on her face. Her eyes were clear and bright, full of expectation.
Liang Yuzhou's heart softened with a touch of soreness.
"You—"
Song Wanchu actually hadn't thought about how to start the conversation.
Although she was very eager to know what kind of punishment Liang Yuzhou had given Yu Huiyan.
Unexpectedly, Liang Yuzhou hugged her tightly.
He hugged her so tightly that his strong arms were like iron pincers, holding her firmly in his arms.
Their bodies were pressed against each other, as if they were about to merge into one.
By her ear was Liang Yuzhou's warm breath, which seemed to have a tremor in it.
"What's wrong with you?"
Song Wanchu felt that Liang Yuzhou's state seemed a bit strange.
He was gentle and cautious, not like the cold and noble young master from a noble family.
Liang Yuzhou didn't say a word. He looked deeply into her eyes.
Song Wanchu had a hard time breathing. As soon as she moved, Liang Yuzhou's big hand held the back of her head.
His kiss was eager and gentle. There was no domineering or arrogance, but a bit of flattery.
Song Wanchu was stunned. She passively accepted his sudden gentleness, not knowing whether she should respond.
Gradually, he was no longer satisfied with just kissing her lips. His hot kisses traveled down her fair neck, across her collarbone, and stopped at the scar on her chest.
He kissed it piously, as if he was holding something sacred, without any hint of lewdness or ambiguity.
The skin there was delicate, and Song Wanchu couldn't stand the tickling. A soft moan escaped from her nose.
"Don't. Yuhe said it's not okay these days—"
She misunderstood his intention.
Liang Yuzhou lifted his head from her chest. Song Wanchu was surprised to see that his eyes were slightly red, and a look of guilt flashed across his face.
"I'm such a fool."
Song Wanchu didn't understand what he meant. She blinked in confusion.