Chapter 951: Chapter 692: This Is the Truth (Part 2)

Shang Ruyi was slightly taken aback. This indeed was true, but what did it prove?

Yu Wenye’s breath lowered as he looked down at her, saying, "Everything has a cause and effect, and a false cause cannot produce a true effect. Since his ’death news’ was fake, everything you said and did because of that fake news wasn’t real."

"..."

"So,"

he said, looking down at Shang Ruyi: "I want to hear the truth!"

Facing his ardent gaze, Shang Ruyi’s already flushed chest felt as though it was boiling over, with something surging, eager to burst out.

But she suppressed this surge, took a deep breath, and said softly, "Do you remember what you asked me the first time we met?"

Yu Wenye was taken aback, somewhat surprised why she suddenly shifted the topic so far back.

"What?"

"You asked me why I wouldn’t marry your elder brother." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"...Yes. But you didn’t answer me."

"Right. Then you asked again why I would marry you."

"But you still didn’t answer."

"Today, I can give you the answer—"

Almost instantly, Shang Ruyi felt a tightening around her waist, and Yu Wenye’s expression immediately became serious, his eyes burning into her, seemingly waiting for this answer for ages.

He said, "Why?"

Shang Ruyi looked at him and said, "Back then, I actually had no intention of marrying you."

"What?!"

Yu Wenye’s pupils shook violently, and his hand involuntarily tightened, causing the horse beneath to shake its head restlessly, taking several steps that nearly jostled Shang Ruyi out of his arms. He let go of the reins, calmed the horse, and when he looked down at Shang Ruyi again, his expression was grim: "You say you—"

Shang Ruyi, jolted, felt her posture become skewed, but she had no time to adjust, only immersed in that helpless and desperate emotion, slowly speaking: "What I meant was, when I fell ill then, I only told my uncle and aunt—I wouldn’t marry your elder brother, never mentioning you."

"..."

"It was them who felt that if I renounced the engagement, it would harm the relationship between our families and go against my father’s last wish. Thus, to fulfill my wish and prevent the families from turning enemy, they altered the marriage contract without permission, letting me marry you."

"..."

Yu Wenye said nothing.

By this time, dusk was near, but the sky had been overcast, along with his face seemed to be shrouded in shadows.

Shang Ruyi sensed the hand around her waist loosened somewhat.

Her posture was already askew, and with the loosened grip at her waist, she lacked support; the horse trotted a few steps forward, nearly tossing her off.

She bit her lower lip, speaking calmly: "Actually, I didn’t want this because I had never met you before, there was no affection to speak of, suddenly saying I would marry you felt like forcing oneself against others; moreover, originally betrothed to your elder brother then turning to marry you—in doing so, regardless of outsiders’ opinions which I didn’t care about, being in your home, I’d inevitably find it difficult."

"..."

"So, I originally thought it better to find an opportunity to break off this engagement."

"..."

"And coincidentally then, you and the Emperor came."

Yu Wenye still did not speak.

The previously fervent eyes by now had cooled down, even with the howling wind, it was as if a layer of frost encased his pupils, he slowly lifted his head to look forward, his gaze no longer held warmth.

Even the aura surrounding Shang Ruyi from him had chilled.

At this moment, he spoke instead, but his voice was colder than his aura, colder than the gusty wind piercing through the gap between the two bodies.

"Then why didn’t you refuse?"

"..."

"Could it be because—"

He didn’t finish his sentence, although perhaps his intended words were similar to those he had just uttered. Yet at this moment, he couldn’t say them.

That feeling of being completely used...even with mental preparation, it was heart-wrenching.

Shang Ruyi looked up at him, at his distinct jawline, high nose bridge, clear bright eyes, in the cold wind her cheeks grew increasingly warm.

She said, "Actually, from the first moment you came to my house—I changed my mind."

"...!"

Yu Wenye’s breath immediately stalled.

He quickly lowered his head, eyes wide open, as though he couldn’t believe his ears, staring blankly at Shang Ruyi, his pupils trembling, along with his lips which were tightly pressed into a line, slightly moving.

This time, Shang Ruyi’s face turned entirely red, previously calm, but the few words at the end completely exposed her girlish thoughts in front of him.

She no longer concealed her feelings for him.

Yu Wenye’s breaths grew more urgent, his chest heaved, almost colliding with Shang Ruyi’s body, causing her to nearly fall again, instinctively reaching out to clutch his chest, while Yu Wenye tightened his hold around her waist, pulling her closer into his embrace.

He said, "Why?"

His tone was calm, but that calm was purely from intense repression, leaning against his chest Shang Ruyi could clearly sense every minuscule tremble in his voice matched his erratic heartbeat.

After asking, he suddenly chuckled, seemingly unable to suppress it, but once the laughter ceased, he immediately pursed his lips, biting down every trace of smile within his mouth.

He asked again: "Why?"

Because of his tight embrace, Shang Ruyi was completely pressed against his chest, there was no possibility of slipping, yet she buried her face into his embrace, extending small hands to gently climb onto his shoulders, embracing his neck.

She muffled: "I never thought, the person coming to marry me, would be so, so...likable."

"..."

"I said, you are a miracle given by God Buddha."

"..."

"That sentence, is true."