Chapter 51:
“These days, I’ve often wondered, did you really ever like me?”
How can someone who truly likes another person say they don’t like them and just stop?
Lu Ziyan slightly closed his eyes, no longer looking at her, his voice carrying a chill: “Or did some other man really steal your soul, shifting your affections to someone else, so you’re this heartless toward me.”
“There’s no need for you to pin the hat of playing the lute to a cow on me.” Xie Wanning didn’t want to anger him, but she couldn’t let him dump all the blame on her.
Listen to this nonsense—not continuing to blindly devote herself to being trampled by him meant she’d shifted her affections to someone else.
Her lip corner twitched lightly, she mocked: “I’m just someone who lost her way and returned, no longer being foolish.”
“Is that so?” Lu Ziyan’s voice sank, he reached out again to grip her chin, forcefully lifting it, his eyes dark beyond measure, enunciating each word: “Then look into my eyes and tell me, do you like Pei Yuqing now?”
“Let go of me!” Xie Wanning struggled hard to break free, but the hand on her chin was like iron pliers, her eyes reddened with anger, “Don’t worry, no matter who I like, I won’t like you anymore. I only blame myself for being blind all these years, actually falling for something like you!”
Her struggles were too intense, not only did the thin quilt on her body slide off, but even the thin crimson nightgown inside had its collar loosened somewhat…
The light from the luminous pearl wasn’t very bright in the vast room, but Lu Ziyan had excellent eyesight and was tall, from his high vantage point, he could even see the young lady’s undergarment in front of him…
He abruptly let go of his hand, instinctively turning his head away.
The next instant of regaining freedom, Xie Wanning hurriedly pulled the quilt back around her, in her haste and anger, she inadvertently caught his gaze, startling her whole body, she shivered and quickly shrank back into the corner.
In those dreams of hers, they had been a couple for two years, shared countless nights of intimacy, that gaze of his…
Lu Ziyan could tell his reaction had frightened her, he also wanted to say some gentle words to coax her, to tell her not to be afraid, he wouldn’t be unreasonable with her.
But at this moment, his mouth was dry, his throat felt like it was on fire, his mind full of scenes that shouldn’t be there.
Tonight should have been their wedding night.
If there hadn’t been the broken engagement, he would be now…
Lu Ziyan’s breathing hitched, he stiffened in silence for a moment, his gaze falling back onto Xie Wanning’s face.
Seeing the young lady was quite frightened, he gently tugged his lips: “What are you afraid of? When have I ever laid a hand to harm you?”
She was the only wife he acknowledged, these years, perhaps he wasn’t gentle or considerate enough, didn’t think of ways to please her, but he truly couldn’t bear to treat her lightly.
But she said no matter who she liked, she wouldn’t like him anymore.
She said her previous liking for him was also being blind.
Thinking this way, Lu Ziyan actually felt somewhat aggrieved.
Why could she like him perfectly fine one moment and then not the next.
How could only he be the one who couldn’t bear to let go.
Xie Wanning was just coldly sneering at his words when suddenly a hand rested on her shoulder, her whole body was gripped and pulled forward, tumbling into a chest emanating a cold fragrance.
“Wanwan…” One hand gripped her shoulder, the other locked her waist, Lu Ziyan tightly held the young lady struggling nonstop in his arms, his voice low and hoarse: “Wait for me to come back, wait for me to come back…”
“Lu Ziyan, you’re crazy! Let go of me!”
Xie Wanning was both shocked and angry, her limbs flailing in struggle like a land duck about to drown, until heavy panting came at her neck, her whole body suddenly stiffened, her voice gone.
Perhaps her reaction was too adorable, Lu Ziyan couldn’t help but chuckle muffledly, his scorching hot breath spraying on the girl’s neck and ear, soon tinting it with hints of pink.
Xie Wanning didn’t dare struggle anymore, she dug into her palm, her voice trembling: “Don’t treat me like this.”
Lu Ziyan gently hummed, “Don’t be afraid, I just want to hold you.”
With warm fragrant soft jade in his arms, he really couldn’t control himself much, wanting to do something.
He hadn’t expected himself that his self-control, which he was so proud of, was actually only so much.
Afraid of provoking his anger and him doing something irreparable to her, Xie Wanning dug into her palm, her whole body stiff and not daring to struggle, hating it with gritted teeth in her heart.
Lu Ziyan was completely oblivious to the thoughts of the young lady in his arms, still thinking she was obedient beyond words.
His warm lips couldn’t help but press against her delicate neck, slowly rubbing for a moment, coaxing her in a low voice: “I really know I was wrong, wait for me to come back from Yunzhou, Wanwan can hit or punish as you like, I’ll let you dispose of me, alright?”
What he feared most now was, during the days he left the capital city, this young lady out of spite would get close to other men…
He wouldn’t have had this worry before, but now…
Thinking of what happened during the day, Lu Ziyan’s gaze darkened.
He took a deep breath, smelling the sweet fragrance on the young lady in his arms to barely steady his emotions, reached out to pinch her delicate nape, his voice gentle: “The one who let you suffer grievance is me, remember to come take revenge on me, don’t let me have it easy, and don’t involve others, got it?”
Xie Wanning stiffly pursed her lips, said okay.
“You promised?” Lu Ziyan was overjoyed, released his hold, cupped her face with his hands, gazing at her: “Wanwan, you’ll really wait for me to come back?”
Xie Wanning’s gaze neither deviated nor slanted, looking straight at him, smiled faintly: “Yes, I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Her smile was very beautiful, especially since they were so close.
Lu Ziyan simply couldn’t hold back, he thought of the kiss in the rockery cave during the day, as if bewitched, slowly lowered his head, wanting another one.
Just as his lips were about to cover hers, Xie Wanning blocked it with her hand, softly said: “I haven’t forgiven you yet.”
Lu Ziyan snapped back to his senses, his adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his voice dry and hoarse: “It was my fault, Wanwan…”
He held her hand, placed it at his lips, kissing her fingertips one by one, sighed: “I was right before.”
Before, he had rarely even touched her hand, so he’d never suffered this torment of desire unfulfilled.
Ever since holding her once at the Qu Cheng Marquis’s Estate, he felt she was the partner heaven tailor-made for him, she was born to be in his arms.
Other men couldn’t peep, couldn’t touch, not even think about it.
Thinking of that man who got so close to her, Lu Ziyan lifted his eyes still tinged with desire: “How about I leave Ming Jian to protect you?”
He still wasn’t at ease.
Xie Wanning sneered inwardly, but her face showed no change: “Protect me from what? What danger could I have? Do you think besides you, there’d be anyone else breaking into my boudoir at night?”
“…” It wasn’t exactly questioning, but it left Lu Ziyan somewhat speechless, he paused, explained: “I didn’t dare not come.”
He’d only bullied her that afternoon, if he didn’t come to coax her, letting her harbor resentment, by the time he returned to the capital in a few months, wouldn’t this young lady really grow distant from him?
