Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 27

Is it okay?

She asked him if it’s okay!

The girl in his memory, who was bright and charming, full of love only for him and spun around him, now actually asked him if they could ’be well apart’.

Lu Ziyuan closed his eyes briefly, then, after a long pause, he spoke: "You’re dreaming."

"Xie Wanqing, you’re dreaming!" His voice was hoarse: "When you clung to me, I let you cling. Why should you decide when to break off the engagement?"

"Do you want to be well apart?" He opened his bloodshot eyes, staring intensely at the girl opposite him, gritting his teeth: "You’re dreaming!"

"Whether we end or how we end, it’s not up to you."

"???" Xie Wanqing widened her eyes in disbelief, never expecting him to be so unreasonable, which made her laugh in anger: "I don’t want to marry you. Do you think you can forcibly take me?"

"Whether you’re willing to marry or not, that’s between us," Lu Ziyuan stared at her for a long time, then slowly glanced at Pei Yuqing beside her, his tone returning to calm: "Our engagement is still valid, even if you’re unhappy, don’t involve other men."

Xie Wanqing retorted back: "Have you forgotten? You were the one who involved other women first. The engagement can be voided any time. Why should I wait eagerly for you? What kind of logic is that?"

Her intention was to mock him, but Lu Ziyuan understood it as his Wanwan was indeed upset because another woman was by his side.

All this time, she was just being jealous; she simply wanted him to coax her.

Under normal circumstances, Lu Ziyuan would not have had the time to deal with a girl’s little thoughts.

But now he looked at the man standing beside her, feeling empathetic.

His feelings of jealousy were overwhelming his rationality; he felt a strong urge to eliminate this man who had held her.

This thought made Lu Ziyuan feel less distressed; his clenched fist slowly relaxed. He spoke softly: "If you don’t like it, I won’t let Rou... Liu Manrou appear before you again, I..."

He paused, looking at the man beside her, speaking stiffly: "Wanwan... let’s talk alone; whatever displeases you, I can explain."

Over the years, he has always been accustomed to acting decisively, rashly doing things without explaining to anyone, let alone trying to explain.

Now, before a third party, he couldn’t articulate what he wanted to say.

However, Xie Wanqing felt repulsed even at hearing Liu Manrou’s name. She wouldn’t want to talk alone with him and outright refused: "You should leave; there’s nothing for us to say. There’s no need for you to explain; no matter what you say, I will not marry you again."

"Then who will you marry?" Lu Ziyuan pointed a finger, his voice was icy: "Him?"

Xie Wanqing was taken aback, pursing her lips without speaking.

His tone seemed to suggest that if she dared to nod, he would act immediately.

Though the place was secluded, it was still the Marquis Mansion’s backyard, and today they were hosting guests. Any commotion would attract attention, which would not be good.

Her silence brought a flicker of relief to Lu Ziyuan’s face.

"Wanwan, whatever displeases you, you can direct it at me; I can explain anything, but don’t let other men provoke me." His Adam’s apple moved slightly, his lips pursed: "I don’t want to frighten you."

Having said that, he unexpectedly turned around and left.

Xie Wanqing watched his departing figure, her brow furrowing tightly.

She couldn’t help but feel that Lu Ziyuan really minded Pei Yuqing’s presence.

Not merely in the sense of being bothered by his fiancée being close to another man.

A faint suspicion arose but she immediately dismissed it.

How could Lu Ziyuan possibly like her?

If he had the slightest affection for her, her dream wouldn’t have ended the way it did.

All these feelings were simply his extreme pride at work.

As for his explanation?

If her dream is true, he and Liu Manrou already have a child; what explanation could there be?

In the dream, during those two years of living in the inner courtyard, Liu Manrou antagonized and humiliated her, he displayed cold indifference, and two close maids, Er Xia was taken as a concubine by him, and Er Qing was executed by his orders. She fell ill from the resentment and died from spitting blood.

What more could she expect from him?

If all this isn’t enough to break her heart, then it would be too belittling of herself.

Her wrist was lightly held, and a gentle voice sounded beside her, "You don’t look well, let’s go rest in the pavilion up front."

Xie Wanqing was led away, looking down at the long, elegant fingers of the man holding her wrist, white and smooth.

She looked on, momentarily forgetting to withdraw her hand, allowing him to lead her to the pavilion.

Once she was seated on the stone stool, he reached over for her wrist, this time placing three fingers on her pulse.

Xie Wanqing was surprised: "You know medicine?"

Pei Yuqing lifted his eyes to glance at her without speaking, carefully checking her pulse instead.

After a long while, he released her, saying quietly: "You’re young, yet have many thoughts. Do you know that overthinking harms the spirit?"

"I know, but I can’t help it," Xie Wanqing said, resting her chin on her hand in a helpless pose: "You’re aware that I’ve encountered a situation recently. With the wedding date approaching and wanting to annul the engagement, for a girl, it’s like the sky collapsing. It’s only natural I’d be anxious."

Although she spoke of the sky collapsing, ironically her expression was cheerful, her eyes sparkling as she looked over: "Your medical skills are that impressive, and I’ve only been overthinking for a couple of days for you to notice."

In the dream, she was indeed ill from anxiety, but she hadn’t reached that point yet.

"Long illness begets medical knowledge; I have learned some of the medical arts." Pei Yuqing avoided her gaze: "There are no pen and paper here. If you trust me, you can visit Yuxuan Tea House another day to find me, and I can prescribe a nourishing spirit recipe for you."

Xie Wanqing tapped lightly on the stone table, suddenly asking: "May I ask you a question?"

"No need for formal address," Pei Yuqing glanced at her: "Ask away." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Alright, then I will ask," making it serious, Xie Wanqing sat up straight and smiled: "Heir Pei, are you this kind to everyone?"

Pei Yuqing’s expression paused, a ripple beginning in his eyes, seemingly caught off guard by the question, his lips tightened without a word.

Xie Wanqing blinked, her smile growing wider.

He had gifted her a jade pendant and promised to protect her; despite Lu Ziyuan’s fierce demeanor earlier that could unsettle anyone, he calmly expressed he would shield her.

Now, he even offered to prepare a nourishing spirit recipe for her.

It’s clear his prescription would be a rare treasure personally accumulated by the Eldest Princess and perhaps even Your Majesty for his health, undeniably precious.

They were neither related nor acquainted for long...

Xie Wanqing halted her tapping on the table and stared intently at the person opposite, coming straight to the point: "Pei Yuqing, do you have feelings for me?"