Chapter 7 "So impatient?"...

Choose.

The surroundings were deathly silent. Xie's mother, who had been overwhelmed with grief by Su Muying's cries, had also wanted to rush to the grave to weep, but the next moment, Xie Linyuan, in front of so many people, in front of his brother's grave, actually grabbed the woman by the neck and said those words...

For a moment, no one dared to speak.

Xie Linyuan had been fighting on the battlefield for many years, and his murderous aura was palpable. It was common knowledge that he was ruthless and cruel, and that even his mother was afraid of her son and dared not interfere at this moment.

He really does kill.

They also killed a lot of people.

Who knows, he might just break that woman's neck right now in front of his brother's grave.

Su Muying was slender, and her neck was also thin and fragile, as if it would break if Xie Linyuan were to break it.

A light drizzle created a misty atmosphere in the cemetery, making it feel even cooler and more eerie.

Su Muying was clearly stunned.

She wasn't stunned because she was frightened by Xie Linyuan; she was stunned because of what Xie Linyuan said:

"Jump down, and I'll make sure you die in the same grave as my brother, buried together."

Jump down, and die in the same grave as Lin'an, buried together.

He died for her; with so many stab wounds, he must have been in excruciating pain.

His blood kept flowing, staining his clothes red, and also staining her clothes red.

Her hands and face were covered in his blood...

It was all his blood.

But he said to her... Ying'er, don't be afraid, don't be afraid...

Run!

...

At that moment, the drizzle dampened her eyelashes and also soaked her eyes.

As Su Muying stared at the coffin covered with several handfuls of yellow earth, in a daze, she even thought that she might as well go with him and return this life to him.

This world is like hell.

Father, Mother, and Lin'an are all gone.

Gone...

It was as if her soul had separated from her body. At this moment, Su Muying was temporarily freed from the constraints of rules and etiquette. No longer burdened by anything, she took a step forward as she followed her heart.

She wanted to be free.

However, before she could even take that step, just as she lifted her foot, her wrist was roughly grabbed, and a sharp pain suddenly struck her.

The bones were about to be crushed.

"Su Muying." Someone called her.

The pressure on her wrist bones tightened, the pain lingered, and Su Muying's hazy consciousness gradually cleared.

She raised her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes like the surface of a lake after the rain, shrouded in mist.

She looked at him, seemingly not quite back to her senses, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion.

"Have you made your choice?" Xie Linyuan seemed to chuckle coldly, his face veiled in mist, possessing an unapproachable beauty.

He was so handsome that at first glance he could be mesmerizing, but the next glance revealed a sharp, sword-like edge that would make one tremble with fear and dare not be presumptuous.

His eyes were constantly filled with murderous intent and ferocity. When he looked down at people, he didn't just look at them like ants, but more like he was looking at prey.

Even inanimate objects.

He showed no pity, as if he truly wanted to crush the woman in front of him completely. The pain grew stronger and stronger, becoming increasingly unbearable.

Su Muying's eyes reddened uncontrollably.

She finally regained full consciousness.

Looking into his eyes, Su Muying trembled like a baby bird soaked in the rain.

He asked her again, tilting his head slightly, his voice filled with disdain and contempt, as if he was certain she wouldn't dare: "Have you made your choice?"

"To die with my brother?"

die……

She cannot die.

I don't want to die either.

"No……"

The fleeting moment of indulgence returned to the framework.

Su Muying glanced at the coffin covered with yellow earth, shook her head, and took two steps back in a daze, her body curled up into a ball, looking extremely pitiful.

Xie Linyuan suddenly felt an indescribable sense of pleasure.

A faint smile, unnoticed even by himself, curved Xie Linyuan's thin lips, and even the corners of his eyes were twitching red.

But this strange sense of pleasure quickly dissipated. Standing before his brother's grave, he glanced at the coffin, then looked at Su Muying, who was shivering in the drizzle. His once captivating peach blossom eyes were now filled with disgust and hatred once more.

Look, brother, this is the woman you risked your life to protect.

They are hypocritical and good at putting on an act.

She doesn't love you.

Brother, you died in vain.

She doesn't deserve it.

A person like her wouldn't have genuine feelings.

"This is really interesting." Xie Linyuan laughed with pleasure.

——

A month later, Su Muying and Xie Linyuan got married.

Perhaps this cannot be called a marriage.

She was nothing more than his concubine.

There was no trace of celebration in the mansion. Apart from the flowers blooming in the garden, there were very few bright colors to be seen, let alone red silk with the double happiness symbol.

The white banners were still hanging, and the mourning hall was still set up; Xie Linyuan had ordered that they not be removed.

But Su Muying didn't care about any of that.

Perhaps, without these things, she would be more at ease.

For her, those things could only be punishment and humiliation.

It constantly reminded her how she survived and what she did to stay alive.

Lin'an died for her, and now she has offered herself to his own brother, becoming his concubine.

Some people in the manor say she's risen from humble beginnings to become a phoenix, while others call her a vixen, saying she's shameless for climbing the social ladder so quickly after the eldest son's death.

Some people were waiting to see her make a fool of herself, saying that the second young master would soon get tired of her and kick her out of the mansion.

Only Xiao Rong cried her eyes out.

Su Muying smiled and comforted her, "It's alright. The second young master and the eldest young master are brothers. For Lin'an's sake, he will treat me well."

Xiao Rong knew that her daughter was lying to her.

The way the second young master looked at the girl was so frightening; he practically wanted to devour her. How could he possibly treat her well?

But she also knew that there was nothing she could do about her daughter.

These are chaotic times. Anzhou is at war, and the young master can't bring them back. They have no relatives or friends in the capital, only the eldest young master...

"It's because Xiao Rong is so useless... Xiao Rong is so useless..."

"Master and Madam also instructed me to take good care of the young lady, but, but..."

After Xiao Rong finished dressing her daughter, she finally couldn't hold back anymore and buried her face in Su Muying's lap, bursting into tears.

"It's alright, Xiao Rong. As long as we're alive, there's hope."

Her voice flowed quietly like the moonlit lake, gentle and calm, yet shrouded in a melancholy moonlight.

"We will definitely be able to go back to Anju, back to our hometown."

"But... I miss my parents so much..." Su Muying said, gently stroking the jade bracelet on her wrist, tears welling up in her eyes without warning.

"I miss the locust blossoms of Anzhou, and I also really want to eat the locust blossom cakes my mother makes..."

——

After bathing and dressing, Su Muying was sent to the West Garden where Xie Linyuan was located.

It's like an object.

In his eyes, she was nothing more than an object.

She waited in the room for a long time, and as the night wind grew colder, he still hadn't returned to the room.

The room was empty and quiet, with only the flickering candlelight. Su Muying sat quietly on the bed.

She wore no veil or wedding dress, and dressed simply. Her face was radiant even without makeup, and with a little adornment, she was even more stunningly beautiful.

Even the vibrant peach blossoms of March cannot compare to her color.

The moon was high in the sky, and the evening wind picked up, blowing in through the open window. The wind carried a faint smell of alcohol and a chill like frost.

Su Muying suddenly trembled, her body shaking uncontrollably, and her shoulders hunched slightly.

This subconscious reaction is like a prey's natural warning of danger to the hunter.

Su Muying was truly terrified of him; her hands, hanging down, were twisted together, her pink fingertips turning white.

She was afraid of the way he looked at her, afraid of his suffocating oppressive aura, afraid of his murderous and violent nature, and afraid of his coldness.

Su Muying knew perfectly well that he loathed her, hated her, and wished he could tear her apart and devour her whole.

She knew all of this.

Before him, she was like a rabbit trembling before a ferocious beast. She shivered, wanting to escape but unable to. Moreover, she had to abandon all shame and morality. Even knowing she would be humiliated, she still had to offer herself to him and serve him with her beauty.

seduce.

What he said wasn't wrong.

She chose it herself.

Su Muying loosened her grip, revealing red welts on the back of her hand.

After the door to the outer room opened and closed, there was no further sound for a long time.

Su Muying breathed a sigh of relief, but was still uneasy and her thoughts were in turmoil.

She was afraid of him, so afraid that her legs went weak and trembled, but... she had no choice but to get close to him, to flatter him, and even to seduce him with clumsy gestures.

If she wants to leave the Xie family and return to her hometown, she must bear a child for the Xie family.

She had to consummate her marriage with Xie Linyuan.

This was something she had to do.

So, Su Muying suppressed her fear and walked out of the inner room.

It was unclear whether his sleeve had brushed against a flower petal, but the aroma of wine mingled with a faint, cool fragrance. Like a cat, Su Muying peeked out from behind the beaded curtain, her footsteps barely moving, and followed the scent.

Xie Linyuan was away fighting battles for many years, so his living quarters were sparsely furnished. There were no flowers, white porcelain, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, or any other decorations, only simple tables, chairs, and beds.

The weapon racks were lined up one after another, reflecting cold light that sent chills down one's spine.

It's a place devoid of any warmth or even human presence.

Su Muying peeked over and saw that Xie Linyuan was not lying on the bed in the outer room. He was sitting on a mahogany chair with his head propped up and his eyes closed.

His long legs were slightly bent, but his back was straight as a pine tree, a posture of imposing authority.

His eyes were closed, his long, thick eyelashes casting shadows, and his features were like a stone sculpture, cold and profound.

A few strands of his hair, which was tied up high, fell to the side. His clothes seemed to be in disarray for some reason. His collar was not as neat and restrained as usual, revealing his well-defined chest muscles. Further down, one could even see his clearly defined abdominal muscles, the lines of which clearly held a chilling power.

Su Muying was startled and hurriedly withdrew her gaze from his waist and abdomen. For some reason, she felt a little scared, and her heart pounded like a drum.

Is he drunk?

He seemed unconscious, but when he propped his head up and closed his eyes to rest, his back was straight, and the oppressive aura he usually exuded could not be stopped from emanating.

Xie Linyuan was indeed born with a physical appearance that was hard for others to match; his face was cold yet beautiful, handsome yet sharp and intimidating.

He looks like Xie Lin'an, but he is a completely different person from Xie Lin'an.

Xie Lin'an is like warm, smooth jade, but Xie Linyuan is like a sharp sword.

Once the sword is drawn, blood will inevitably be drawn.

It will injure people, leaving them covered in blood and leaving bloody marks.

Su Muying was frightened and remained in the position of peeking out while clutching the beaded curtain for a long time.

I've thought about it for a long time.

She was wondering whether she should go upstairs or pretend she didn't see anything and go back to the inner room to be alone.

Xie Linyuan despises her and probably won't touch her.

Being alone, without this menacing figure by her side, was indeed relaxing and comfortable. However, remembering Xie's mother's words, Su Muying pondered for a moment, then put down the beaded curtain she was tightly clutching and walked towards him.

Her footsteps were so light they were almost imperceptible. She walked carefully to his side and stared at him for a long while.

Her eyelashes didn't move, and her breathing was even. The scent of flowers and alcohol mingled together, but the coldness of the air still made her shiver.

It seems he really is drunk.

Can we still consummate our marriage...?

The spring night was still a bit chilly, and Su Muying was worried that he would catch a cold, so after thinking for a moment, she decided to move him to the bed.

She thought, since he's drunk, why not take advantage of his intoxication to consummate the marriage?

He was out of his mind and had been drinking. She took the initiative to seduce him, thinking he would mistake her for someone else.

If he treats her as someone else, he won't dislike or resist her, and she can then consummate the marriage with him without really understanding why.

If she could get pregnant as a result, then she wouldn't need to have any contact with him anymore.

She could live quietly in the Xie family mansion, saving money through embroidery, without having any contact with him.

So, these days aren't too hard to get through.

Su Muying stared at Xie Linyuan, her grape-like eyes darting around. After weighing the pros and cons for a long time, she suppressed her fear and helped Xie Linyuan up.

The man's drooping eyelashes twitched almost imperceptibly.

Su Muying found it strange that Xie Linyuan, who was clearly tall and strong, much taller than her and had been practicing martial arts and fighting for many years, should have been very heavy on her, but she managed to help him onto the bed without much effort.

However, Su Muying was physically weak, and she couldn't take it anymore after this trip.

She braced herself against the edge of the bed with one hand and covered her chest with the other, her lips slightly parted as she breathed softly.

His chest rose and fell with each breath.

The sound itself was nothing special, but in the quiet spring night, amidst the fragrance of flowers and wine, and the mingling of the man's and woman's breaths, the girl's soft panting took on an indescribable allure.

The misty atmosphere became something that was hard to resist in the spring night.

That faint, undulating voice carried an undisguised coquettishness.

The evil spirit's filthy desires were brought to the surface.

Su Muying, however, was completely unaware.

Her cheeks flushed, a rosy blush rising on her fair skin, making her more beautiful than peaches and plums.

At this moment, all Su Muying could think about was how to seduce Xie Linyuan while he was unconscious, so that he would mistake her for someone else and consummate their marriage.

After her breathing gradually subsided, Su Muying suppressed her fear and slowly moved closer to him.

Her hairpins and jewels were removed, her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her plain white gauze dress was also taken off, slipping down to the young woman's slender wrists.

Out of fear, Su Muying's heart was pounding. She swallowed hard and reached out her hand with trembling hands.

She wanted to take off Xie Linyuan's clothes, even though his clothes were disheveled and there was really little difference between taking them off and not taking them off.

Su Muying's hands trembled like leaves, and a nameless fear and terror welled up in her eyes, turning them red.

The pressure and fear he exerted on her were so intense that Su Muying felt like she couldn't breathe.

The evening breeze blew outside, and the candlelight inside flickered. The girl's slender fingers trembled as she reached out towards the man's chest.

Her fingertips touched his hard chest, and for a moment, Su Muying was startled by the sensation from her fingertips and trembled.

As if burned by a red-hot iron, she instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but just as she was about to curl up and back away, the man's large, veiny hand deftly grabbed her wrist.

It shackled her.

Su Muying was suddenly stunned. She subconsciously tried to break free, but she couldn't move an inch.

Xie Linyuan woke up.

He stood up, his long legs half-stretched, in an extremely casual posture, yet the force in his hands was so heavy it felt like he could break her completely.

With a gentle pull, the girl nestled onto his lap.

In an extremely intimate manner.

He lowered his head, his thin lips brushing against the girl's ear, lightly touching her soft earlobe.

The gesture was undeniably tender and affectionate, truly resembling the intimate whispers of a married couple.

His thin lips lingered on her earlobe, his hot breath carrying words that were both soft and cruel.

He used words that shouldn't have been used on her, stripping away what little shame she had left.

There was no mercy or pity whatsoever.

"So impatient?"

"Who are you trying to impress with such promiscuity, sister-in-law..."

"Since my sister-in-law is so eager to do it, then let's do it at my brother's mourning hall..."

"Let my brother see what kind of person my sister-in-law is..."

"Let my brother see how my sister-in-law... seduced me..."

...

Su Muying's eyes were red, and her pupils dilated in fear.

For a moment she couldn't make a sound, she could only shake her head and tears streamed down her face.

No, you can't...

Please...