Su Wantang gently wiped away her tears. “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you only have me. Dreams do come true, after all.”
A dazzling diamond ring was slipped onto her finger, and Gu Yanze sealed it with a kiss.
In that instant, fireworks burst across the sky, celebrating their engagement.
Watching the livestream, Lingyuan felt her chest tighten with pain, every breath a struggle. Yet, she received another message from Gu Yanze:
“Thank you, Wantang, for agreeing to marry me. I won’t forgive anyone who tries to hurt you. Since we’ve broken up, Lingyuan, don’t ever try to hug me again. If you dare harm Wantang, even if you’re my cousin, I won’t let you go!”
Lingyuan’s arms fell limply to her sides. Suddenly, she broke down in tears, the pain in her heart almost unbearable.
“Mom, I’ve already let go. Why does it still hurt so much?”
Suddenly, her phone vibrated again—this time, a message from her senior brother:
“Come home. I’ll pick you up.”
The next day was Gu Yanze’s father’s birthday banquet. It had been a long time since Lingyuan had seen her grandfather.
Gu’s father had been living in the countryside, recovering from heart disease. When Lingyuan was a child, he’d always protected her—even if she made mistakes and was scolded by her mother, she only needed to hide behind him and she’d be safe.
At the banquet, Gu’s father, in high spirits, announced that several properties would be given to Su Wantang as wedding gifts. Lingyuan’s heart grew cold.
So, in the end, she really was just an outsider.
Now that Gu Yanze was getting married, Gu’s father naturally doted on his future daughter-in-law and ignored Lingyuan.
Gu’s father and Su Wantang’s parents discussed wedding details, the generous dowry making Su Wantang’s family beam with pride. Gu Yanze and Su Wantang sat together, fingers interlaced, the picture of a loving couple.
It was all just a show, Lingyuan thought. Let it end today.
As the banquet began, relatives presented their gifts and blessings.
Lingyuan offered a rare ginseng root and a pot of homemade lingzhi pork soup. The ginseng, nestled in a beautiful jade box, was handed to Gu’s father. Though he still felt uneasy about Lingyuan because of Gu Yanze, he accepted the gift with a smile—after all, she was still his granddaughter.
But as he opened the box, his expression changed. He slammed it shut and pointed at Lingyuan. “What is this?!”
Everyone looked over in confusion as dozens of photos spilled out—photos of Gu Yanze from every angle, clearly taken in secret. A voice recorder fell out as well. When Gu’s father pressed play, Lingyuan’s shy, youthful voice echoed through the hall:
“Gu Yanze, even if you’re my uncle, I still like you…”
“I know I’m too blunt. Gu Yanze, I just…”
Each confession was heard by everyone present. The hall fell silent.
Gu Yanze’s face darkened as he turned to Lingyuan.
So she was still scheming!
He thought Lingyuan was trying to play hard to get, but she was just making a fool of herself.
Lingyuan’s face burned with shame. These were old recordings from when she’d practiced confessing her feelings. She’d thrown the photos away long ago—how had they ended up in the gift box?
Relatives looked at her with disgust, and the room buzzed with whispers.
“She’s still obsessed with him, even though he’s getting married. How shameless.”
“No matter how much the Gu family raised her, she turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing…”
Lingyuan tried to explain, but was interrupted by the sound of a bowl shattering and Su Wantang’s anguished cry.
“Aze! Our baby! It hurts!”
Su Wantang clutched her stomach, her face contorted in pain. Gu Yanze rushed to her side, only to see blood staining her dress.
Following Su Wantang’s gaze, he immediately blamed the bowl of lingzhi pork soup.
“Lingyuan! You put something in the soup to hurt our child!”
Child? Lingyuan was stunned—Su Wantang was pregnant?
Rage burning in his eyes, Gu Yanze seized Lingyuan by the throat and lifted her off the ground.
His grip was so tight that veins bulged on his forehead.
Lingyuan gasped for air, struggling to shake her head. “No… I didn’t…”
Gu Yanze wouldn’t listen. Eyes bloodshot, he dragged her to the herbal garden.
Lingyuan’s eyes filled with despair as Gu Yanze set the garden ablaze. In moments, the flames devoured everything she had nurtured.
“If you’re going to harm people, you don’t deserve to keep anything!” he spat, ordering the guards to hold her down and forcing her to watch as her precious herbs burned to ashes.
Her screams tore through the night.
All the medicinal herbs, all the blood she’d shed—gone!
Gu Yanze, why are you so cruel?
I’ve already given up—why won’t you believe me?
She struggled desperately, but the guards held her fast, her tears soaking the earth.
The flames grew higher, turning the entire garden into a sea of fire. Gu Yanze forced her to watch every moment.
In a final act of defiance, Lingyuan bit down on his wrist, drawing blood. He flung her away in pain, and she used the chance to break free, running straight into the burning garden.
“Lingyuan! Are you crazy?!”
She raced into the inferno, uncaring for her own life.
Chapter 06
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