Looking back at him coldly, Su Yushan feigned calmness, her eyes showing no emotion. "Because I am Fourth Master's woman, I don't want to have anything to do with you!"

Zheng Lin bent down and crouched down, his knuckles trembling as he picked up the torn pieces of paper from the ground. He was stunned for a long time. That was the marriage certificate he had been protecting with all his heart! He was still hoping to use the marriage certificate to sue the Fourth Prince and bring Yu Shan back, but she had torn it up without hesitation!

His heart, like the marriage certificate, shattered into pieces. Torn by pain, he still couldn't bear to blame her, and continued to make excuses for her.

"I know you've lost your memory and have temporarily forgotten me, which is why you've been so cruel to me. Once you regain your memory, you'll remember our promise."

Faced with his persistence, Su Yushan felt a pang of guilt. However, she was not the original owner of this body and could not empathize with him. Moreover, she was too rational and unwilling to disregard the safety of both families for the sake of so-called love. Rather than hurting both families, it would be better to hurt only him, at least to protect Zheng Lin's future.

Thinking of this, Su Yushan uttered another harsh remark, extinguishing his last glimmer of hope.

"Don't you understand? The so-called amnesia is just a pretense. I just wanted to coax you into handing over the marriage certificate and severing our relationship. I didn't lose my memory at all. I remember everything. I just don't want to be with you anymore."

These words were undoubtedly a huge blow to Zheng Lin. His heart skipped a beat. Zheng Lin stared intently at her, sensing that something was amiss. There must be something fishy going on.

"Yushan, we've known each other for over a decade, how could you be so heartless to me? This can't be what you really think, you must have your reasons, right? Is it because the Fourth Prince forced you to end things with me that you're saying these cruel things against your will?"

Meeting his desperate, pleading gaze, Su Yushan hated herself for being so cruel. But she couldn't think of any other good way; only by being utterly heartless could she truly make him give up.

“No one forced me to do anything. This is my own wish. Fourth Master treats me very well, and I have gradually come to like him. I am willing to stay by his side and be his woman.”

Even though she was cold and unusually serious, Zheng Lin remained suspicious, simply because he knew her personality too well; this didn't seem like something she would do.

"But you clearly have deep feelings for me. If you didn't like me, why would you agree to the prefect's request to save me? Our love is as deep as the sea, and it's only been half a month. How could you change your mind so easily?"

He was still desperately searching for any trace of her love for him, but she had already changed souls and become someone else.

"People change, and I'm no exception. A change of heart can happen in an instant. Before, I was naive and thought you were the best match for me. But after entering the palace and witnessing the luxury of royalty, I no longer want to be a commoner. You can call me vain or opportunistic, but I don't want anything to do with you anymore, Zheng Lin. Let me go! Stop bothering me!"

Even she felt terrible when she said those words. Zheng Lin would probably be very disappointed in her, wouldn't he? Once disappointed, he would choose to give up and stop persisting.

Just as Su Yushan had predicted, her words truly embarrassed him, utterly shattering his dignity. She wanted tenderness or wealth, which he could give her, but power was something he couldn't provide. Her words had been so clear; what else could he do?

She tore up the marriage certificate, and even the sincerity he cherished had changed. Continuing to entangle them would only bring her distress. His heart ached, and he forced a bitter smile, his eyes gradually reddening.

"Is God deliberately playing a trick on me? We went through so much trouble to rescue each other, only to find that we were destined to be apart and missed each other forever."

Hearing the slight choking in his voice, Su Yushan also felt saddened. Feeling guilty, she dared not meet his gaze again, turning her eyes away and whispering:

"It is fate. We cannot go back. We can only move forward."

Having said that, she said no more and turned to leave.

Even though she resolutely abandoned him, Zheng Lin still couldn't help but consider her feelings. "Yu Shan, the Fourth Prince has many concubines. He may dote on you for a while, but he can't dote on you forever. Is this really the life you want?"

Her steps faltered slightly. Su Yushan felt a surge of intense emotion, a heart attack looming over her. Zheng Lin was right; that wasn't what she wanted, but she had no other choice. In this strange world, to survive, she could only rely on the original owner's identity. She didn't want to think about what the future held.

"There's no turning back in life. Now that I've taken this step, I have no right to say I regret it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yushan resolutely stepped forward, opened the door, and forced herself not to turn around to see Zheng Lin's reaction.

He might be in pain right now, but he'll probably come to his senses after a while! Although she didn't know Zheng Lin, she could tell he was a good person. She just hoped he could be more open-minded and have a bright future.

The past is over; from now on, she will begin a new life.

Su Yushan believed this was the best solution, unaware that her every word and action was being watched by others.

Inside the study, Hongli was writing a memorial when a guard came in and reported, "Fourth Prince, Consort Su met a man named Zheng Lin at the temple."

Upon hearing this, Hongli's eyes sharpened, and his fingers tightened around the pen.

In fact, Hongli had already become suspicious when Su Yushan said she was going to the temple, but he thought he was overthinking it. Little did he know that she would be so bold as to meet Zheng Lin behind his back!

But as the guard finished speaking, Hongli felt increasingly uneasy. Suppressing his doubts, he went to Tingfeng Pavilion after finishing his memorial.

The morning was sunny and bright, but by afternoon a cool breeze had picked up and rain was falling. The rain was gradually subsiding, and Li Yu followed behind her master, holding an umbrella. When they reached the corridor, Hongli waved his hand, indicating that Li Yu did not need to follow anymore.

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