"Who said I don't love you?"
For a moment, the room fell into silence. The only sound was the soft crackling of the candle flame.
Song Wanchu stared blankly at Liang Yuzhou. He was looking at her intently, his expression solemn and serious, completely forgetting about his bleeding wound.
The corners of her lips curled up in a sarcastic smile.
In the past, how she had yearned for Liang Yuzhou to reciprocate her love. For three years, she had chased after his heart in a vain pursuit, like a dream in a mirror and a moon on the water.
In the end, the flowers withered and the moon faded. All Liang Yuzhou had given her were wounds all over her body.
And now, his affectionate look seemed more like a well - acted disguise.
It was like giving her a sweet date, using that meager sweetness to tempt her to continue being that humble concubine.
"Is the Second Master trying to deceive me or deceive himself?"
Liang Yuzhou's breath suddenly caught, and his heart trembled violently.
Wanchu didn't believe him.
His intuition told him to explain immediately.
He should tell her that on the school drill ground seven years ago, he was the first among the noble sons to notice her.
While other men were amazed by her excellent horsemanship and charming figure, only he knew that this stubborn little girl had secretly practiced riding at the school drill ground for almost half a year. She had fallen off the horse countless times. When it hurt, she would hide in the corner and cry. After crying, she would grit her teeth and gradually conquer that spirited little white horse bit by bit.
He should also tell her that he had always remembered the promise she made six years ago. With a blushing face, she had summoned up the courage to say that she wanted to marry him. Later, he had asked the old lady and proposed marriage to the Song family on his behalf.
He should tell her even more...
Scenes flashed through his mind. The words he wanted to say were like a torrential flood about to burst through the dike.
But when he saw Song Wanchu's sarcastic look, all his explanations turned into silence.
His eyes gradually turned cold.
He lowered his head and continued to bandage his wound.
A fair hand took the gauze from his hand.
Song Wanchu wiped the blood on his shoulder and arm with the gauze soaked in hot water.
Her figure was set off by the yellowish - brown light of the candle, looking gentle and soft.
"Reluctant?"
A hint of sweetness welled up in Liang Yuzhou's heart.
He had thought that she would only be nervous about Shi Luohan's injury.
Song Wanchu lowered her eyelids indifferently and didn't even look at him. "Even if a dog is injured, I won't sit back and do nothing."
The smile that had just appeared on Liang Yuzhou's lips faded away quietly.
The medicinal powder melted on his wound and seeped into his flesh, feeling like countless needles pricking him.
Liang Yuzhou frowned slightly in pain.
Song Wanchu ignored it. She tied the gauze rather roughly and said, "What are you going to do about my brother's matter?"
"Don't worry. He won't be suspected at all."
Liang Yuzhou's gaze turned even colder.
After the wound was bandaged, Song Wanchu immediately turned around. Liang Yuzhou stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his arms.
Her back was pressed against his strong chest, and she could clearly feel his steady heartbeat.
Song Wanchu turned around and pushed him away, but Liang Yuzhou grabbed her wrist. His eyes were fixed on hers.
"If you don't change my clothes for me, how can I clean up the mess your good brother made?"
Song Wanchu closed her eyes and opened them again. Her eyes were calm.
She found a clean robe from his package. Liang Yuzhou stretched out his arms and waited for her to dress him.
Everything seemed to have returned to the past. Just like many nights, she would untie his clothes for him. He would kiss and possess her. In the morning, she would dress him again, and then he would leave indifferently.
After tying the belt, Song Wanchu held her breath and took a step back. But Liang Yuzhou stepped forward, lifted her chin, and kissed her.
He could clearly feel the woman in his arms shrinking and resisting. He kissed deeper, with a hint of warning.
Song Wanchu closed her eyes as if resigned.
When the kiss ended, Liang Yuzhou looked at her rosy and charming lips with satisfaction.
"Wait for me to come back."
Not long after he left, Yaoguang came in.
"Madam, the hot water is ready. Let this servant help you take a bath."
Thinking of being touched by Yu Rongbai, Song Wanchu did feel a bit nauseous.
Yaoguang wanted to reach out to help.
"I can do it myself. You can go."
Song Wanchu was not used to being served by anyone other than Nanzhi and Suyue.
But the two girls had been busy all day and were probably sound asleep by now. She didn't have the heart to wake them up.
She'd just wait until dawn.
Perhaps because some sleep - aiding herbs had been added to the bath water, Song Wanchu slept extremely soundly that night.
She was woken up by a slight shaking and the chirping of birds.
Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find that she was in a carriage, covered with a thin blanket, and her head was resting on Liang Yuzhou's thigh.
Did Liang Yuzhou move her to the carriage while she was sleeping?
"Awake?" Liang Yuzhou had been resting with his eyes closed. The moment she opened her eyes, he also opened his.
There were two faint dark circles under his eyes.
Song Wanchu's head was facing Liang Yuzhou's abdomen. Even though they were husband and wife, this posture was really not very proper.
Noticing her embarrassment, Liang Yuzhou chuckled and helped her sit up.
"How's my brother's matter?"
Looking at her nervous eyes, Liang Yuzhou felt a sour feeling in his stomach.
"Yu Rongbai's body was moved to the side of Qingshui Bay. There were also traces of a fierce fight left around. All the valuable things on him were robbed. When someone finds him and reports the case, the Supreme Court will conclude that he was drunk late at night and encountered a robber. He was killed after fighting with the robber."
Song Wanchu had no doubt about Liang Yuzhou's ability to plan things.
Brother should be cleared of suspicion...
"I keep my promise. Wanchu, shouldn't you also make some promises?"
Liang Yuzhou's palm cupped her face. His rough fingertips rubbed against her red lips a few times, with an obvious hint.
Song Wanchu took a deep breath, and her eyes felt a bit sore.
She obediently leaned towards him and kissed his lips.
"I won't leave you again in the future."
After saying this, it seemed as if a heavy door closed in front of her eyes.
What awaited her was endless darkness.
Liang Yuzhou's palm slowly slid from her face to the back of her neck and tightened.
Their noses touched, and their breaths intertwined.
"Not enough." His eyes were as black as ink, and he whispered like a devil, "I want you to never see Shi Luohan again in the future. I want you to completely forget about him."
A strong sense of suffocation engulfed Song Wanchu.
She protested stubbornly, "Liang Yuzhou, on what grounds do you forbid me to see my brother? He is my relative!"
"Because his motives are impure. He uses the identity of a brother but wants to do improper things to you!"
Liang Yuzhou's breathing quickened, which was a sign of his emotional fluctuation.
His lips were close to her ear. His breath was hot, but the words he said made Song Wanchu feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
"If you don't listen to me, I can send him to the Supreme Court at any time."
After the carriage entered the capital, it didn't take the road back to the Duke's Mansion.
It turned and turned all the way, and finally stopped in a quiet alley.
At the end of the alley was a quiet and elegant small courtyard.
Zhou Yan led four maids and four old women to greet them at the door.
"Welcome, Madam."
Song Wanchu scanned everyone's faces one by one. They were all strangers.
"Aren't we going back to the Duke's Mansion?" she asked Liang Yuzhou.
"Madam, the current situation in the Duke's Mansion..."
Zhou Yan's expression was hard to describe. "It's better for you not to go back for the time being."