Aunt Qiao listened to every word Wang Hao spoke with utmost seriousness, her aged face calm but her heart churning with waves of thoughts. She neither interrupted nor questioned him, only nodding lightly as she absorbed the truth behind the sudden change of bride. Once Wang Hao finished, Aunt Qiao turned silently and walked into the small, cramped kitchen to prepare lunch. Yet before lighting the stove, she paused, glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, and quietly took out her phone. As the person who had watched Wang Lingxuan grow up since infancy, she knew where her duty lay. She sent a brief but careful message to Madam Fang Liyun:
Madam, there has been a change in the bride. The one brought home today is Miss Wu Qingyi, not Miss Liu Wuxin. The young madam has some mental health issues, but the young master is willing to marry her. They are going to obtain the marriage certificate today.
Aunt Qiao wanted to say much more and about to inform madam of the girl's kindness, her sincerity, her willingness to stand by Lingxuan even when she believed him poor and broken but time did not allow it. Lunch could not be delayed. With a quiet sigh, she put away her phone and tied on her apron. Whatever else the future held, one thing was certain that is today, the young master's life had taken an unexpected turn.
At the old Wang mansion, all the elders were gathered in the main hall, their expressions grave as they discussed Wang Lingxuan's marriage. One concern followed another - what if the Liu family outright rejected the alliance? And even more troubling, what if Liu Wuxin agreed to marry, only for Lingxuan's volatile temper to turn against her and her family?
Of course, no one meant literal bloodshed. In their circle, destruction meant financial ruin and assets frozen, businesses crushed, entire families reduced to nothing overnight. The atmosphere grew heavier with every speculation.
Just then, Fang Liyun's phone vibrated softly in her hand. She glanced down at the message sent by Aunt Qiao. The moment her eyes skimmed its contents, her expression changed completely. The gentle composure she had maintained shattered, her gaze turned sharp, her face icy, and a chilling aura spread through the room. Everyone immediately noticed the shift in her demeanour. Before anyone could question her, Fang Liyun let out a cold scoff. Without a word, she passed her phone to the person seated beside her. As they read the message, one face after another stiffened in shock.
Fang Liyun's voice turned icy as she spoke, each word carrying suppressed fury. "How dare they try to deceive us? Do they truly believe the Wang family can be fooled so easily? Passing off a foolish girl to my son. What arrogance!" She rose abruptly, her robes swaying as she turned to leave. Just then, a firm hand clasped her wrist. Her husband stopped her, his expression calm but resolute. "If Lingxuan has agreed to marry her," he said evenly, "then no one can change his decision, not even you."
Fang Liyun stiffened. She knew those words were true. Once her son made a choice, it was set in stone. Yet as a mother, how could she remain unmoved? "I know that," she replied, her voice lowering, laced with worry rather than anger. "But this is his entire future. I cannot stand by and watch him make the wrong decision especially when it concerns his marriage." Silence fell over the hall, heavy and tense, as everyone understood: Fang Liyun would not retreat so easily.
The old master knew all too well that Wang Lingxuan was not someone who made impulsive choices. His voice was calm yet carried unquestionable authority as he said to Fang Liyun, "You are not to go to his place and frighten the bride away. You will meet her only when Lingxuan brings her back himself. Since he has chosen her, you must also learn to accept her." Then his gaze shifted toward his son, sharp and commanding. "Make sure your wife does not step out of this house today to meet the daughter-in-law." With that, his eyes swept across everyone present, a silent warning heavy in the air. No one was to allow Fang Liyun to leave. The old master understood her stubborn nature better than anyone and he also knew that a mother's concern, once ignited, could easily turn into a storm.
Everyone soon gathered around the dining table, but Fang Liyun remained seated, her expression cold and stormy. Rising abruptly, she said stiffly, "I'm not in the mood to eat," and walked straight toward her room. No one tried to stop her. They all knew too well that once Fang Liyun made up her mind, persuasion was useless. Wang Shenghao watched her retreating figure in silence. He understood that saying anything now would only fan the flames of her anger. With a quiet sigh, he decided that after lunch he would ask a maid to prepare some fresh fruits and take them to her room, hoping she might at least eat a little. What he never expected was that when he later went to check on her, Fang Liyun would no longer be there.
After lunch, back in the small apartment, Wu Qingyi softly said that she wanted to take a look around the house before they left for the Civil Affairs Bureau. No one stopped her. As she slowly walked through the cramped space, her heart tightened. There were only four or five sets of clothes hanging neatly to one side, a single tie folded with care, one worn pair of shoes, and an old sweater draped over the chair. The groceries on the counter were so few that they would barely last two days. On the table lay just one watch, plain, simple, and clearly old. Other than the barest daily necessities, there was nothing else.
Nothing that spoke of comfort…. Nothing that spoke of abundance…. Wu Qingyi's chest ached….
In her mind, a painful conclusion formed - he must have sold everything he owned to prepare the betrothal gifts for her. "No…" she clenched her fists quietly. "I won't let my husband live like this." Right then, she made a firm decision. Before they registered their marriage and moved into the new house, she would take him shopping. Clothes, shoes, daily necessities everything he lacked, she would make sure he had. What Wu Qingyi didn't know was that the bodyguards had deliberately kept only items needed for two or three days, as they were preparing to move everything else to the new estate once the address was finalized. Yet this carefully arranged illusion only deepened the image of poverty in her eyes and so, unknowingly, her resolve to protect and care for her "poor" husband grew even stronger.
Wu Qingyi changed into a simple, casual outfit and walked toward the dining area. As she pushed the door open, she saw Wang Lingxuan seated, his wheelchair slightly turned to the side. He had already removed his mask and in his hand was a small bottle of medicine, which he carefully applied to the scars that traced across his face, the marks left behind by fire and pain. His face was no longer as terrifying as it had been on the day of the accident, yet it was far from healed.
The scars were uneven, faint burns still visible beneath his skin, enough to make anyone avert their gaze. Wang Lingxuan knew this better than anyone. Still, he chose to reveal himself to her. He did it deliberately. This time, he did not hide. From the corner of his eyes, he watched her silently. He wanted to see it - fear, disgust, hesitation. He wanted to know if her warmth would disappear the moment, she truly saw him. Would she still look at him the same way? Would she still care? Would she still choose to stay?
After he finished applying the medicine, a soft voice broke the silence behind him.
"Can we go to the Civil Affairs Bureau a little later?" Wu Qingyi asked gently. "There's something important I need to do first." Wang Lingxuan's fingers tightened instinctively around the armrest of his wheelchair. His knuckles turned pale as an unfamiliar panic surged through his chest. His heart screamed at him to stop her, to hold on, to not let her take even a single step away. An inexplicable fear wrapped around him, an absurd yet terrifying thought that if he let her go now, she might never come back.
This kind of emotion was foreign to him. He had faced life-and-death situations without blinking, yet a single sentence from her left his heart in chaos. He didn't understand why her leaving felt heavier than any pain he had endured before. After a long moment, he forced himself to inhale slowly, pressing down the storm in his chest. His voice, when he finally spoke, was calm and steady, betraying none of the turmoil within. "Alright," he said softly. "We can go later. Do what you need to do first." But deep inside, his heart was screaming the opposite - Don't go. Please don't leave.