Chapter 66 is here.

Gu Yun'an paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

In the past, Ruan Xingzhu would always try to stop him when he made intimate moves, but this time, instead of telling him to stop, she suggested he go somewhere else. This small change stirred up quite a ripple in his heart.

On ordinary days, they spend most of their intimate time together on that soft bed.

But at this moment, after hearing Ruan Xingzhu's words, a rebellious thought inexplicably welled up in his heart, as if a voice was clamoring that he refused to change places. He wanted to leave a deep imprint of their presence on this study, this usually serious office, so that every time she saw it, she would involuntarily think of him.

He suppressed the urge in his heart, barely managing to pull away from her lips, and instead gently kissed her cheek, his warm breath caressing her skin, as he whispered, "No, right here."

The lingering shame in Ruan Xingzhu's heart was instantly brought to her throat by Gu Yun'an's resolute words.

Her eyes were half-closed, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she looked around the study. The familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings made her feel flustered. Instinctively, she snuggled into his arms, as if this could be a way to escape the awkwardness and shyness of the moment, like burying her head in the sand.

The next second, her lips were sealed again. This time, Gu Yun'an seemed to be savoring an exquisite delicacy, his movements extremely gentle, like a patient mentor guiding her step by step.

Ruan Xingzhu felt intensely hot, as if she were in a blazing sea of ​​fire, completely enveloped by his passion. Her mind began to wander, and driven by instinct, she subconsciously took his lips into her mouth as he kissed her.

Sensing her sudden response, Gu Yun'an's eyes widened in shock, his already intense gaze instantly transforming into a raging inferno. He pulled her even closer into his embrace, as if trying to meld her into his very bones.

At this moment, the waterwheel in the pond turned with a creaking sound as it followed the rushing water, and the intermittent sound of the flowing water entered the house, as if adding a unique rhythm to the sweltering atmosphere.

The fish in the pond, whether from the sweltering heat or from lack of oxygen, all leaped out of the calm water, creating sparkling splashes that rippled across the tranquil surface, as if disturbed by the enchanting atmosphere inside the house.

When Ruan Xingzhu groggily awoke, it was already past noon. Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, casting bright rays upon her. She opened her eyes groggily, looking at the scattered marks on her body, and a mix of emotions welled up inside her.

Last night, Gu Yun'an seemed to be possessed, taking her again and again in the study. When he finally picked her up, she thought he had finally let her go and could give her a moment of peace.

But to everyone's surprise, he carried her straight into the inner room, ignoring her tearful pleas, and coaxed her again and again, letting her sink into that endless land of tenderness.

At this moment, she felt her throat was extremely dry, as if it had been burned by fire. She weakly propped herself up, slightly raised her eyelids, and secretly thought that perhaps Gu Qingxu could really help her, help her escape from this imprisoned life.

For several days in a row, Ruan Xingzhu stayed at Huaiju.

That day, she vaguely heard that something big had happened in the mansion. Servants were coming and going, looking hurried, and their words revealed a bit of tension and panic.

A wave of doubts welled up in her heart. After thinking it over and over again, she decided to go and find Gu Qingxu, hoping to learn something from her.

However, just as she stepped out of the room, Gu Yun'an returned without her noticing.

Seeing that she was about to leave, he couldn't help but sound a little displeased as he asked, "Where is Xingzhu going?"

For some reason, whenever Gu Yun'an asked that question, Ruan Xingzhu would subconsciously feel that she shouldn't come out and should stay obediently inside the house and not go anywhere.

"Xingzhu wouldn't be thinking of going to find Xiao Wu, would she?" Seeing that she didn't answer, Gu Yun'an raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with a hint of mockery.

After all, in the Gu family mansion, besides herself, Ruan Xingzhu spent the most time with Gu Qingsu. Moreover, a few days ago, in order to avoid her, she stayed overnight in Gu Qingsu's courtyard every day.

"I...no." Upon hearing this, Ruan Xingzhu panicked and dared not tell the truth, for fear of displeasing Gu Yun'an.

Seeing her deny it outright, Gu Yun'an sneered slightly, as if he had seen through her thoughts, and kindly reminded her, "I advise you not to expect her to help you, after all, Xiao Wu is already struggling to take care of herself."

His words had barely left his lips when Ruan Xingzhu's eyes widened in shock, a flood of questions welling up within her. What did he mean? Had something truly happened to Gu Qingxu?

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Gu residence, Gu Qingxu was looking at the annulment notice handed to her by Yi Mingyu, her eyes filled with doubt and disbelief.

"Yi Mingyu, what do you mean?" Her voice trembled slightly, and her usually arrogant and confident tone was now tinged with panic.

Yi Mingyu was dressed in snow-white clothes, his face was frighteningly cold, and his eyes were calm without a ripple, as if everything in front of him had nothing to do with him.

He said coldly, "Just as Miss Gu sees, I have come to annul the engagement."

These words, clearly uttered by Yi Mingyu, struck Gu Qingxu like a thunderbolt. Her body trembled, and her tone was filled with disbelief: "Are you joking with me? You think you can just call off this engagement like that?"

She simply couldn't accept that her eagerly anticipated wedding, so close to its conclusion, was being called off by the man. Her wedding dress was almost finished, everything was arranged perfectly, and now he was breaking off the engagement—how could she possibly accept this?

Yi Mingyu's tall figure straightened up a bit in front of Gu Qingsu, as if he was trying to muster his courage. His tone was also unusually cold and distant: "Everything I have said is true. I hope Miss Gu will accept the annulment notice."

If she had previously taken it as a joke, Gu Qingxu could now tell from his eyes and tone that he was serious. But she just couldn't understand it; he needed a reason, right?

She stared intently at Yi Mingyu, her gaze piercing, giving him no chance to dodge, and loudly demanded, "Why? Why do you want to break off the engagement? I won't agree unless you give me a convincing reason."

In Gu Qingxu's mind, she had always gotten whatever she wanted in the Gu family. When had she ever been treated like this, being disliked?

Yi Mingyu paused slightly, a complex expression flashing in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared as if it had never appeared.

He took a deep breath and slowly recited the words he had prepared: "I have been thinking about this a lot lately, and in the end I can't deceive myself, nor can I deceive Miss Gu."

Deception? Gu Qingxu was completely bewildered by his words, having no idea what he meant. Her brows furrowed, her eyes filled with confusion.

After a pause, Yi Mingyu's eyes seemed to have lost all emotion, becoming empty and lifeless, like a puppet without thoughts, before he calmly and slowly spoke.

"The Gu family is very prestigious, but I cannot compromise myself just to climb the social ladder."

To climb up the social ladder, to compromise and submit...

In that instant, it was as if a lightning bolt struck Gu Qingxu's mind, and Yi Mingyu's words from the past were now clearly imprinted before her eyes.

"My mother said that the Gu family is of equal social standing, which is why she is paying special attention to the young lady's selection."

He only accepted the marriage proposal because the Gu family was of high social standing. Because the Gu family was of high social standing, he didn't retaliate when hit or verbally abused. He only proposed marriage because the Gu family was of high social standing!

Thinking of this, Gu Qingxu's pale lips couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, a laugh full of self-mockery and sorrow. Her nose suddenly stung, and her eyes seemed to be covered with a thin layer of mist.

For the first time, she felt that the man in front of her, whom she once knew, was now so unfamiliar, so unfamiliar that it terrified her.

"Is everything you said true?" Her voice trembled slightly, as if she didn't want to believe it, and even less wanted to face this so-called cruel truth.

Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched together violently, her fingertips seeming to pierce through her flesh, as if trying to use the pain to keep herself awake.

But he maintained a calm demeanor, staring directly into Gu Qingxu's misty eyes, and uttered two words heavily: "Authentic."

A sudden gust of wind blew in her face, and Gu Qingxu forced back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes, attributing them all to the wind. She quickly looked away, not wanting anyone to see her vulnerable state.

When she looked back again, the tears in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a coldness and resolve. Her expression returned to its usual haughtiness, and she abruptly snatched the annulment notice from his hand, holding it high so he could see it clearly.

"I accept the annulment notice, but remember, never show your face in front of me again!"

Her words carried a warning tone, like a cold, sharp blade piercing straight at Yi Mingyu.

Seeing that he was still standing there watching her as if she were a joke, she was filled with rage and could no longer hold back, she shouted, "Get out!"

Yi Mingyu's expression froze, as if struck by the roar, and his body swayed slightly. He slowly turned around, his steps unsteady, as if he couldn't stand firmly. But wasn't this what he wanted? It was also the purpose of his visit.

Watching his departing figure, Gu Qingxu's eyes gradually reddened, tears welling up in them as she tried to hold back. Her fingertips tightened, as if she would tear the annulment notice in her hand at any moment.

Until his figure completely disappeared outside the gate, the gate of the Gu residence was slowly closed with a dull thud.

Gu Qingxu then suddenly threw the annulment notice hard on the ground. The notice fell slowly to the ground like a drifting leaf.

The moment the door closed, her body, which had been holding on, suddenly stopped as if it had lost its support. She slowly turned around, her eyes vacant, but she could no longer see that familiar yet unfamiliar figure.

He thought he could promise Gu Qingxu that he would never appear before her again, never...