She had never seen Liang Yuzhou like this before.
Pale, desolate, and absent - minded. He seemed as if he was about to fall apart.
Song Wanchu slowly lowered her head, her eyes downcast, and walked past him nonchalantly.
The moment their shoulders brushed by, Liang Yuzhou suddenly grabbed her arm.
Song Wanchu was shocked. Her heart was pounding wildly. She lowered her voice and said, "Liang Yuzhou, let go. This is the Chu Family!"
This path was not that secluded. There were maids, daughters - in - law, and old women coming and going. If they were seen...
Liang Yuzhou pursed his lips without saying a word and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Song Wanchu's feet left the ground in an instant. When she landed again, the two of them had hidden themselves in the plum grove.
Liang Yuzhou pinned her against a white plum tree.
The petals fluttered down one after another, landing on their shoulders, like a swirling snowstorm.
"Look at me. Why are you afraid to look at me?"
The man's voice was deep and mellow, with a hint of drunkenness. The warm smell of alcohol wafted onto Song Wanchu's face, causing a slight itch.
"Wanchu, are you afraid that I'll see the guilt in your eyes? You clearly don't want to marry Shi Luohan. Why are you wronging yourself?"
He could tell. At the dinner table, Wanchu had taken care of Shi Luohan's feelings and accompanied him in laughter, so dignified and gentle.
But the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Did Shi Luohan force you?"
He rambled on, but Song Wanchu just turned her head away, stubbornly biting her red lips.
Liang Yuzhou pinched her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
A stabbing pain welled up in her heart. Song Wanchu couldn't tell if it was because of Liang Yuzhou's almost shattered look in his eyes or because she hadn't convinced herself yet but still had to pretend to be very happy.
"No one forced me. I'm willing to marry Brother A."
She pushed him hard.
Liang Yuzhou stared blankly at her. Her eyes were so sad, yet she still stubbornly pretended to be happy.
At this moment, she was still like the hedgehog three years ago, with her thorns out, stabbing him all over and hurting herself as well.
He remembered that a year ago, when Wanchu was still by his side, every time she heard that he was going to marry Yu Huiyan, did she feel the same way as he did now?
The pain went deep into her flesh and bone marrow, so painful that it was almost hard to breathe.
It was as if her soul was being torn apart.
But his intention to marry Yu Huiyan was false, while Shi Luohan's intention to marry Wanchu was real.
A few days ago, he was still very confident that Wanchu wouldn't accept spending a lifetime with someone she didn't love.
But Shi Luohan's proud look was like slaps on his face one after another.
In this world, there were very few people and things that he cared about. Losing Wanchu was the pain he couldn't bear in his life.
He had left the mundane world for Wanchu. Only by winning back her heart would he re - enter the mundane world.
Song Wanchu was constantly on edge. There were no walls around the plum grove, so they could easily be discovered.
Everything that needed to be said had been said, and everything that needed to be done had been done. Liang Yuzhou should give up now.
"I'm Brother A's fiancée now. Please behave yourself, Taoist Priest Qingzhou!"
There was a hint of anger in Song Wanchu's tone.
But Liang Yuzhou was like an immovable wall of flesh, imprisoning her and surrounding her with his aura.
The words "Brother A's fiancée" were like a cold wind mixed with ice chips, pouring into his ears.
He cupped Song Wanchu's chin with his five fingers and lifted her face up.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged, as if boundless anger was about to burst through his blood vessels.
He didn't want to hear her talk. He lowered his head and fiercely blocked her red lips.
Song Wanchu stared at him in shock with wide eyes.
The man's kiss was rough and eager, seizing her breath.
After a year, his aura was still so familiar. It was so familiar that her body remembered it.
Song Wanchu pounded on him desperately, but she became weaker and weaker. The smell of alcohol passed into her mouth, along with a hint of the bitterness of medicine.
She shed silent tears. Liang Yuzhou tasted the salty taste and gradually became gentle.
He had thought about her day and night, almost going crazy. Her taste was still so sweet, making him addicted.
"Didn't you say you didn't care about me anymore? Why are you crying?"
The man's voice was hoarse, like a temptation. "Wanchu, you can hate me, be angry with me to your heart's content. If you're really angry, stab me a few more times. I'll take it all. But you can't wrong yourself to please Shi Luohan just to get rid of me. You may not care about your own happiness, but I do."
His straight nose rubbed against Song Wanchu's nose and cheeks again and again, showing infinite tenderness.
"Liang Yuzhou, you overestimate yourself. You caring about me, being nervous about me, and being concerned about me are all your one - sided wishes. Just like I used to be, my humble love didn't get your understanding and response. Your humble appearance also makes me despise you."
Song Wanchu looked at him, her eyes slightly cold. Her pupils, washed by tears, were as clear as a mirror, reflecting his suddenly changed complexion.
"No..." His throat tightened, and the corners of his eyes turned red. "I was too conceited back then. After you said you only loved me, I've been living in remorse every day..."
Song Wanchu sneered mercilessly. "Who cares? Liang Yuzhou, if I can even let go of my hatred for you, do you think I'll care about your tearful confessions?"
His affectionate look was no different from what she used to be.
The tables had turned, but there was no sense of satisfaction in her heart.
Only cold numbness.
If her words could turn into arrows, Liang Yuzhou would have been shot through by a thousand arrows.
He didn't believe that Wanchu could be so heartless.
He eagerly kissed her again, trying to get a response from her.
"What are you doing?"
Song Wanchu's body suddenly froze. She seemed to hear the sound of Chu Yueying's heart shattering...
Chu Yueying was standing not far from them, shocked beyond words.
She opened her eyes wide, and even her eyeballs trembled. "Sister Wanchu, Taoist Priest Qingzhou, you... you..."
Song Wanchu pushed Liang Yuzhou away in a hurry.
At this moment, her cheeks were flushed, her hair bun was in a mess, and her dress was wrinkled. She was no different from someone caught in the act.
But Liang Yuzhou was very calm.
Chu Yueying was both angry and sad. For a moment, she didn't know who to blame first.
"Sister Wanchu, how could you... You're Brother Luohan's fiancée!"
Brother Luohan had just announced their engagement at the dinner table, but Sister Wanchu had kissed Taoist Priest Qingzhou in the blink of an eye!
She was too young and had too little experience. She couldn't understand and didn't know what to do.
Sister Wanchu was so dignified and elegant. How could she be a promiscuous woman who seduced a Taoist priest?
The aloof and noble Taoist Priest Qingzhou didn't seem like a man who couldn't control himself when he saw a beauty...
Who could tell her what was going on?
"Wanchu, tell Miss Chu who I am."
Chu Yueying was stunned in surprise. "Who are you?"
Had they known each other before?
Song Wanchu closed her eyes helplessly. "Yinger, this Taoist Priest Qingzhou is the former heir of the Duke's Mansion, Liang Yuzhou."
It was like a bolt from the blue.
Chu Yueying's mind was in a daze. It took her a long time to come to her senses.
A huge sense of shame swept over her whole body.
The man she liked was actually her former brother - in - law?