His words were so pious, so pious that there was a hint of humility in them.
Song Wanchu's nose tingled, and her eyes felt sore.
If Liang Yuzhou had said such words four years ago, she would have been overjoyed and would have loved him whole - heartedly for a lifetime.
If she could have gained a man's respect, been cherished and loved by him, she would have burned out her life to give him equal love.
However, during those three torturous years, the two of them loved each other but turned their backs on each other and went astray.
By the time Liang Yuzhou finally realized that he had misunderstood her for three years and turned around to embrace and respond to her, she was already scarred and her love had faded.
It was too late. Everything was too late...
Two glistening teardrops rolled onto Liang Yuzhou's palm.
Liang Yuzhou's expression dimmed slightly, but he held on to his smile.
"I know that I'm not qualified to ask you to turn back now. What I've done is far from enough, and maybe I'll never be able to make up for the deception and harm I brought to you in those three years."
He gently wiped away the tear tracks on Song Wanchu's cheek and said tenderly, "But I'm lucky to have a lifetime to atone for my sins.
Wanchu, I won't force you to come back to me. And please don't force yourself to marry a man you don't like just to avoid me, okay?"
Song Wanchu's heart was like a spilled spice dish, filled with a complex mix of emotions.
"Your happiness will always be my top concern."
He had said everything he wanted to say and everything he thought Song Wanchu might want to say.
Tears welled up in Song Wanchu's eyes, and a dense pain welled up in her heart.
"Liang Yuzhou, if I say that I'll be happy and content after leaving you, will you disappear from my sight?"
There was a brief moment of silence in the carriage.
Liang Yuzhou tried to control the tremor in his breath.
"Wanchu, ask yourself, were you happy during the year you were away from me?"
He seemed to have hit the nail on the head. His question left Song Wanchu speechless.
The once - awkward, self - contradictory man who couldn't reconcile with himself seemed to have had his spiritual channels opened.
When he finally let his feelings flow in the right direction, his perception of Song Wanchu became incredibly accurate.
Song Wanchu hated being seen through by him again and again.
She raised her eyes, trying hard not to let the tears fall, and said coldly, "At least I was happier than during the three years when I was with you."
If Liang Yuzhou was a snake, then she must be the most outstanding snake - catcher.
Every counter - attack of hers hit Liang Yuzhou right where it hurt.
Her words were like sharp thorns, piercing the softest part of Liang Yuzhou's heart.
Just as he had done to her before, now the tables had turned, and it was her turn to make him bleed.
Liang Yuzhou's lips lost their color in an instant.
No matter how good he was at saying sweet words now or how humble and pious his attitude was in begging for forgiveness, he couldn't hide the brutal truth -
The harm he had brought to Wanchu in the past had never disappeared.
Just because the wounds were not mentioned didn't mean they would heal on their own.
His heart and lungs felt like they were filled with bitter sea water. If possible, he wanted to go back in time and wake himself up with a good beating.
Time hadn't healed Wanchu's scars. Instead, it had made her grow even tougher thorns.
But so what? No matter how prickly these thorns were, he would embrace her without hesitation.
There was some commotion at the gate. Liang Yuzhou lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw Grandma Chu coming out.
He quickly pecked Song Wanchu on the lips.
"Remember, no matter who asks and how they ask, you must say that you came out of the room right after helping Miss Chu change her clothes and have been waiting in the carriage ever since. You have no idea what happened in the inner courtyard of the Yue family."
After saying that, the curtain of the carriage fluttered slightly, and he disappeared like a gentle breeze.
Only the warmth on her lips remained, gradually rising.
Song Wanchu and Chu Yueying got off the carriage and stood to greet Grandma Chu.
This was the respect that juniors showed to their elders. If the elders didn't get on the carriage, the juniors couldn't sit comfortably in it.
Behind Grandma Chu was Grandma Yue.
She seemed to have cried her heart out, fainted, and then woken up. Her expression was wild, and her eyes were red. There was no trace of the dignity of an old matriarch left.
Grandma Chu also looked startled, but she managed to stay calm.
Grandma Yue pointed at Song Wanchu with a trembling finger. "You... You... Who are you..."
She was babbling incoherently.
Song Wanchu remained calm. "I helped Ying'er change her clothes and then came out to wait for the grandmas. Is that what you want to ask, Grandma Yue?"
Grandma Chu turned to look at Grandma Yue, hiding her anger in her eyes. "Look at them. They clearly have no idea what happened!"
If those two young ladies had seen such a bloody scene, how could they be so calm?
It was impossible for Grandma Yue to accuse the two girls.
How could two weak women be a match for Yue Chenkong, let alone torture him to the brink of death?
After Grandma Chu finished speaking, she ignored Grandma Yue's rage and motioned for Song Wanchu and Chu Yueying to get on the carriage.
Since they had already fallen out, there was no need to abide by those false courtesies.
In the following days, the Yue family would be in chaos, and they probably wouldn't have the time to cause trouble for the Chu family.
On the way home, Grandma Chu thought through the pros and cons and felt much better.
The afternoon passed quietly. Song Wanchu and Chu Yueying even accompanied Mrs. Ning for a stroll in the garden.
It wasn't until after dinner that Grandma Chu sent for Song Wanchu and Chu Yueying.
The three of them sat around a small table, enjoying the milk and osmanthus pudding.
After Song Wanchu and Chu Yueying had finished their bowls, Grandma Chu began to tell them what she had seen at the Yue family that day.
After the "Daoist Qingzhou" finished the ritual and received his reward, he took his leave.
Grandma Yue said that Chu Yueying should have changed her clothes by then and led Grandma Chu to that secluded courtyard.
All the way there, Grandma Yue walked in a hurry, as if she was looking forward to what was about to happen.
The small courtyard was quiet, and there was no one around. The door was closed, as if hiding some dirty secrets.
When Grandma Yue pushed the door open, her face was full of excitement.
But it quickly turned into horror.
She let out a shrill scream and fainted.
The servants were in a complete mess.
Grandma Chu was shocked to see Yue Chenkong lying in a pool of blood. His index finger and thumb on his right hand had been cut off.
Those two fingers were stuffed into his mouth.
Under his body, it was a bloody mess, and he was completely ruined.
There were also two words carved on his face with a dagger - "Shameless!"
Grandma Yue fainted and then woke up. She hugged Yue Chenkong and wailed.
"My son! Who did this to you!"
Suddenly, she went crazy and started searching everywhere. "Where is Song Wanchu? Where is she? It must be her!"
At that moment, Grandma Chu suddenly understood something.
Grandma Yue thought she had set up a perfect trap.
She led Grandma Chu away, let Yue Chenkong force Wanchu, and then brought Grandma Chu back to watch a show of Wanchu "seducing" Yue Chenkong.
By doing so, she could prove that Wanchu was a promiscuous woman, and she would have to marry into the Yue family.
However, someone took advantage of her plan. Not only did they help Wanchu escape, but they also used Grandma Yue's "wisdom" to ruin Yue Chenkong when there were no servants around.
What a smart, powerful, and vicious plan!
"Did you see who did it?"
Chu Yueying lowered her head and played with the tassels on her belt in silence.
Grandma Chu looked at Song Wanchu with a penetrating gaze.
"The 'Daoist Qingzhou' today wasn't really Daoist Qingzhou, was he?"