Chapter 7:
At least he didn’t give her hope, but chose to shatter her naivety.
That’s right too; he had no need to deceive her.
After all, in his eyes, she loved him deeply, and no matter how ruthless and heartless he was, she would firmly follow him.
Lu Ziyan looked at her eyelids flushed with red, opened his mouth to say something, when the other party involved in the distance had already walked up close at some point.
He must have heard the conversation here; the woman in a plain skirt tilted her neck slightly, performed a charming curtsy, and said softly: “This concubine greets Elder Sister.”
Xie Wanning’s body suddenly stiffened, and she slowly turned sideways, her expression calm: “What did you call me?”
The woman seemed startled, her rippling eyes widening slightly, carefully glancing at Lu Ziyan, and stammered: “Young Master Lu, has this concubine overstepped?”
“Indeed overstepped,” Xie Wanning looked at this concubine who had repeatedly provoked her in the dream, and said indifferently: “My mother has only me as a daughter and hasn’t given me a younger sister, nor do I have a hobby of randomly recognizing sisters. Remember that well, and don’t call wrongly next time.”
“Wanwan!” Lu Ziyan narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at her intently: “Rou Niang came from Bianzhou to the capital alone with me, helpless and without support. Just calling you Elder Sister once, is it worth you bullying her like this? When did you become so harsh?”
“Young Master Lu, don’t quarrel with Sis… with Miss Xie on this concubine’s account,” Liu Manrou was full of fear and timidity: “This concubine just thought that we both serve the young master; you are the main wife, so this concubine calling you Elder Sister… ah!”
Before her words finished, Xie Wanning had already slapped her. The woman took it well, and a complete palm print immediately appeared on her delicate and fragile face.
Xie Wanning smiled as she rubbed her palm, casually saying: “I didn’t want to hit anyone, but you deserved it. I am the Xuanping Marquis’s Estate eldest legitimate daughter; what identity are you to call me sister with me?”
It was too ridiculous; her mother hadn’t even given her a younger sister yet, and just because she was getting married, she had inexplicably become a lowly maid’s sister.
Was the her in the dream crazy?
Rou Niang’s face quickly swelled up; she covered her face with one hand and supported her belly with the other, nearly falling to the ground, crying pitiably with tears like rain.
Lu Ziyan reached out to grip her arm and pulled her steady, but his gaze remained fixed on Xie Wanning, his face gloomily unreadable, all patience exhausted: “What exactly are you making a fuss about? How many men in this world have only one wife and don’t take a second wife? Not to mention my Lu Family’s situation?”
“Young Master Lu, don’t be angry; it’s this concubine who upset Miss Xie, and her punishing this concubine is only right.” The woman at his side wiped her tears with a handkerchief, her face full of tear tracks, yet still pleading aggrievedly: “This concubine dares not do it again.”
Xie Wanning’s gaze fell on this pair in front of her; they truly were affectionate, making her seem like the villain in a storybook who breaks up a loving couple.
After a long silent standoff, she suddenly asked curiously, “You went to Bianzhou for just two months and met such a perfectly matched young lady. Can you tell me how you two met?”
Just as she finished speaking, seeing Lu Ziyan’s eyes suddenly turn cold, she waved her hand: “If you don’t want to say, then forget it.”
“I often read those storybooks usually, but I never thought there really were people like you in the world, a loving couple that makes one weep just hearing about it.” She movingly shed a tear, wiped it away with her hand, and praised: “Since I’ve had the fortune to witness it, I naturally will fulfill it.”
She had thought that even if his attitude toward her grew increasingly cold, it was only because after growing up and shouldering heavy responsibilities, he had no choice but to become steady.
For this marriage, they were mutually delighted, tacitly understanding each other, and there wouldn’t be a third person involved.
Now it seemed she was wrong.
Since it was a mistake, it should be corrected.
“Brother Ziyan, this is the last time I’ll call you that.” Xie Wanning straightened her body, took a deep breath, her expression gradually turning serious, and said earnestly: “Actually, you should have told me these thoughts earlier, that way, our marriage engagement wouldn’t exist.”
“Xie Wanning, what do you mean?” Lu Ziyan’s face changed, and he stepped forward to grasp her shoulders, but Xie Wanning retreated two steps to dodge, raising her voice: “Haven’t I made myself clear enough?”
Her tone was flat: “Let’s call off our marriage engagement. The thought of having countless ‘good sisters’ in the second half of my life because of you makes me want to laugh.”
As she spoke, thinking of her dream self who had endured endless humiliation, she really couldn’t help laughing out, staring dazedly at the stern face of the man before her.
If she hadn’t had those dreams, if the her in the dream hadn’t endured endless humiliation, with affection severed.
She might have really insisted on marrying him. Even knowing he kept a concubine, she wouldn’t have been willing to easily give up their many years of affection.
The sudden “marriage engagement called off” even stopped Liu Manrou’s aggrieved tears, her face full of shock.
This was her first time seeing the Young Lord’s fiancée, in a light green riding outfit, heroic and valiant, with a beautiful face, red lips and white teeth, eyebrows and eyes like a painting; clearly a young lady who had never suffered grievance.
This was the capital’s famous noble lady; only such an identity was worthy of entering the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate as the main wife.
And only a noble lady who had never suffered grievance could so easily say “marriage engagement called off.”
Lu Ziyan’s face had completely changed; he stepped forward, reaching Xie Wanning in two strides, and gripped her shoulders: “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Xie Wanning brushed off his hand that had just held Liu Manrou’s arm, nodding faintly: “I know.”
“Then do you know that marriage isn’t child’s play? We have only fifty-one days until the wedding?” Lu Ziyan didn’t loosen his grip, his fingers even tightening, using his height advantage for full oppressive presence: “Just for one insignificant woman, you want to break off the engagement with me?”
With the light behind him, Xie Wanning couldn’t clearly see his face, but hearing this, she only found it amusing.
This woman he brought back from Bianzhou probably already carried his eldest son in her belly; how could she be insignificant.
“I’ve thought it very clearly, Lu Ziyan. I do like you, but I can’t bear having countless ‘good sisters’ because of you.”
She endured the clamping on her shoulders, striving to keep her tone extremely calm: “The kind of insignificant woman you speak of will later be your legitimate concubine. She or they will bear your children, and you will hold them while sleeping.”
Just saying it out loud made her find it unbearable; she took a deep breath, looking at him: “I can’t be the tolerant and magnanimous marquise in your mind, who for your Lu Family’s heirloom undertaking not only can’t be jealous, but also has to arrange breeding times with them for you.”
Dead silence.
Lu Ziyan didn’t know what he was thinking and actually froze.
“Before, it was me who was ignorant, not considering the pressure of the Lu Family’s offspring all on you, making things difficult for you. Sorry, it won’t happen again.” Xie Wanning pried off the fingers on her shoulder one by one: “Now, please let go of me.”
