During the moment of silence, his heart thumped deafeningly in his chest.
A tiny voice crawled out from the dark corner of his mind, tempting him. "She's easily softened. Look, when you showed a bit of weakness, she felt so heart - ache that she cried. What's a couple of lies if you can keep her by your side forever?"
A thin layer of sweat broke out on Liang Yuzhou's palms.
The voice continued to incite him. "You don't need to be too self - reproachful. Strictly speaking, her father's death has nothing to do with you. You were just implicated by your own father. You love her and want to be with her. What's wrong with that?"
Then, the voice took over his throat, imitating his tone, and solemnly promised Wan Chu, "I won't lie to you again."
Song Wanchu's eyes softened visibly.
As soon as the words were out, his rationality, which had been hijacked, suddenly returned. Liang Yuzhou struggled fiercely in his heart, but it was too late to regret.
Maybe it was because he rarely showed his vulnerable side, and the wound on his back was from protecting her from danger. Song Wanchu couldn't bring herself to be cold - faced to him.
She shed silent tears, not knowing what kind of emotions she should show towards Liang Yuzhou.
His warm fingertips brushed away the tears from the corner of her eyes. The man's voice was hoarse, suppressing his disappointment. "You don't have to forgive me so soon. All this is self - inflicted. I deserve it."
Song Wanchu looked at him with tears in her eyes.
A smile spread across Liang Yuzhou's cold and handsome face, a tenderness like never before. "But I think I'm very lucky. I still have a lifetime to make up for it."
Tears welled up in Song Wanchu's eyes and burst out. All those emotions that had been homeless suddenly exploded. "Liang Yuzhou, being in a relationship with you is an extremely tiring thing. Do you know that!?"
He made it sound so grand - using a lifetime to make up for it. But she hadn't even agreed to stay yet, and he had already made the decision for her.
"You say nothing, explain nothing, and keep a cold face every day. I have to guess what you're thinking. Sometimes, a single unhappy look from you would make me feel anxious and try to figure it out for the whole day. You said that your act of liking Yu Huiyan was just a show, that you were afraid the Princess Lingyang would target me. Yes, you blocked the knives in front of me, but your attitude was like stabbing me with a knife too!"
She almost roared at Liang Yuzhou. Her plaintive accusation was laced with anger.
The resentment and grievances that had been pent up for three years rushed out like a bursting flood, overwhelming him.
"Why should I forgive you? And why should I give you a lifetime to make up for it?"
She was so emotional that her heart was pounding out of control.
Pouring out all her dissatisfaction with him didn't really make her feel much better.
Tormenting him was also tormenting herself.
She tossed her head and tried to run away. Liang Yuzhou grabbed her wrist immediately and pleaded desperately, "Don't go. Keep scolding me. I like to hear it."
Song Wanchu was both amused and annoyed. "Are you crazy?"
"I am crazy." Liang Yuzhou didn't feel offended at all. He even thought self - destructively that as long as Wanchu would stay by his side, it didn't matter if she scolded him for a lifetime.
He didn't even mind if Wanchu loved Shi Luohan in her heart. Sooner or later, he would drive that man out of Wanchu's heart.
"I thought I would never fall in love with anyone. Then I met you. Do you know why I complained that the peony flowers I gave you weren't pink? I've never thought you're unworthy of scarlet red. It's because the first time I saw you, you were wearing a pink riding outfit. That was the most beautiful color I've ever seen!"
He wasn't unfamiliar with women who loved to wear pink. Most high - born ladies favored this delicate and youthful color.
Those women of all shapes and sizes flitted around him, and he once loathed this sickly - looking color.
Then, a pink figure on horseback flashed before his eyes. His silent heart seemed to be awakened. His eyes followed that figure until it disappeared. As the sound of hooves faded away, his heart was pounding wildly.
Falling in love with someone happened in an instant.
It came on like a storm, with no rhyme or reason.
"I like you so much that I feel I'm not normal!"
His words reverberated, shaking Song Wanchu's heart.
She was unable to pull back her tightly - held wrist.
Liang Yuzhou continued, "I thought love was too simple. I only knew how to obtain it by means, but I didn't learn how to love. I'm stupid, clumsy, foolish, and despicable. Maybe I'm just not worthy of love from the day I was born."
"That's not true."
Song Wanchu denied it instinctively. Only after the words were out did she remember that she should be angry at this moment.
She suddenly felt so exhausted that she didn't even have the strength to be angry.
"Grand Duke doesn't like you. It's not your fault. You don't necessarily have to gain his recognition. You've already proven that you're excellent enough and a qualified heir."
The lack of fatherly love had a huge impact on his life.
"If you won't stay, all of this means nothing to me."
What's the use of being a military champion or the heir of the Duke's Mansion? They were just tools for him to win Wanchu's heart.
If Wanchu left, what was the point of keeping these glorious but useless titles?
Life would be meaningless.
Song Wanchu fell silent again.
Liang Yuzhou still held her wrist tightly, like stubbornly grasping a kite with a broken string.
The skin on her wrist was burned red by the heat of his palm.
The two of them faced each other in silence.
Until Yaoguang's voice came from outside the house.
"Second Master, Mistress, Miss Yu is outside. Should we drive her away or..."
Yaoguang loathed Yu Huiyan, who always put on an act.
But the County Princess Jiahe pitied her, and the County Princess Jiahe was the Second Master's mother.
Yaoguang knew her place and didn't act on her own.
"Let her go!" A flash of impatience crossed Liang Yuzhou's eyes.
But Yu Huiyan had already barged in. Her face was as pale as paper. As soon as she saw Liang Yuzhou holding Song Wanchu's wrist tightly, she couldn't suppress her heavy breathing.
Her whole body was trembling. One of her hands was hidden in her sleeve. Her smile was strange and distorted, making her look like a crazy person.
Liang Yuzhou grabbed his robe and put it on, frowning deeply.
"Yaoguang, take her out."
"Cousin, even if I mean nothing to you, I'm still your cousin, right? We grew up together. Won't you even listen to a single word from me?"
"Do you think you're in a state to talk properly in your current mental state?"
Yaoguang stepped forward expressionlessly. "Miss Yu, please leave."
"Let her speak."
Song Wanchu calmly met those hate - filled eyes.
Yu Huiyan suddenly burst into laughter, laughing until tears streamed down her face.
"You've won, Song Wanchu. You've won!"
She had thought that today would be a moment of supreme glory for her. Even if she was beaten and humiliated like a dog by the Princess Lingyang, she didn't think her life was a failure.
Because Liang Yuzhou would tell the Emperor about his affection for her. She would become the mistress of the Duke's Mansion, be granted the title of First - Rank Lady, and wear the wedding dress embroidered by Song Wanchu herself. She would marry Liang Yuzhou in front of Song Wanchu.
She was on cloud nine, feeling like she was flying high in the sky, bathed in golden light. Song Wanchu could only look up at her humbly like an ant.
Then she heard Liang Yuzhou say that he had only loved Song Wanchu from beginning to end.
He took Song Wanchu's hand and knelt in front of the Emperor, asking for the imperial edict to make Song Wanchu the legitimate wife.
At that moment, she fell from heaven to hell.
All the beautiful illusions disappeared. The Princess Lingyang flew into a rage, punching and kicking her, cursing her as Song Wanchu's scapegoat.
She used to provoke the Princess Lingyang, relying on Liang Yuzhou's protection!
Every time Liang Yuzhou stepped forward to save her from the Princess Lingyang, she would feel proud and complacent, thinking that she occupied an important place in Liang Yuzhou's heart.
Little did she know that the more she jumped in front of the Princess Lingyang and the more Liang Yuzhou protected her, the safer Song Wanchu would be.
She was just a stupid and self - unaware clown, being manipulated by Liang Yuzhou to charge into battle.
As she laughed, a monstrous hatred welled up in her heart. She took out a sharp dagger from her sleeve and stabbed straight at Song Wanchu.