The teacups on the carved sandalwood table jingled as Cheng Muyun slammed his well-defined knuckles heavily on the table.

Suppressed anger surged in his eyes, and his voice sounded like it was being ground out from between his teeth: "I've said it before, I won't take a concubine! Whether it's Luo Yunqiao, Zhang Yunqiao, or Li Qiao, I, Cheng Muyun, will only marry Xu Zhuohua in this lifetime!"

The room fell into a deathly silence, and the delicate pastries on the white porcelain plate gradually lost their temperature.

Mrs. Cheng's hand holding the silver knife trembled slightly, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, forming glistening beads that finally slid down the fine lines, wetting the white tablecloth.

She staggered to her feet, grabbing her husband's and son's wrists with each hand: "You two stop arguing. Let's at least finish our meal..."

Cheng Muyun felt the warmth of his mother's palm, and swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth.

He grasped her wrinkled hands in return, "Mother, it's alright, don't be sad."

Cheng Yuguang's eyes were wide open, his cloudy eyeballs filled with bloodshot veins.

"If you let him act recklessly now, it will be too late to regret it when the Si family and the Ke family get serious!"

Madam Cheng's fingernails almost dug into her son's arm. She looked up, tears blurring her carefully drawn eyebrows: "Mu Yun, just listen to your father. Yun Qiao is a good boy too. The Luo family can help you through this difficult time..."

Cheng Muyun closed his eyes, his eyelashes casting tiny shadows beneath them. His slender fingers slowly pried open his mother's hands, his voice low as if he were speaking to himself: "I have no feelings for Yunqiao."

Cheng Yuguang's neck veins bulged, his knuckles almost poking his son's face: "Look at him now, how is he any different from marrying into the Xu family? He'd rather risk everything to be tied to the Xu family! This is the Cheng family's good son!"

The light from the crystal chandelier made his reddened eyes look like they were filled with blood.

Cheng Muyun slowly closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting trembling shadows beneath them.

His back was pressed straight against the back of the chair, his Adam's apple bobbing violently but without making a sound, his clenched fists revealing bluish-white knuckles under the tablecloth, like a plaster statue nailed to the spot.

The air was thick with the lingering smell of gunpowder, and the gleam of the silver cutlery stung the eyes.

Madam Cheng's fingers, which were twisting the handkerchief, suddenly turned white. She staggered and turned to the silent Xu Zhuohua, grabbing his arm as if grasping at a lifeline.

Xu Zhuohua flinched, and the celadon teacup made a crisp clinking sound in its saucer.

She could hear her heart pounding like a drum, and Cheng Yuguang's words echoed in her ears.

Xu Zhuohua lowered her eyes and stared at the begonia embroidery on the tablecloth, the embroidery thread curling up unconsciously as she pulled at it.

Cheng Yuguang's voice suddenly rose several decibels, "Look at him now, how is he any different from marrying into the Xu family? He'd rather risk everything to be inextricably linked to the Xu family! This is the Cheng family's good son!"

Cheng Muyun closed his eyes, clearly displaying an attitude of resolute disobedience.

Seeing that she couldn't persuade Cheng Muyun, Madam Cheng turned her gaze to Xu Zhuohua, who was sitting quietly to the side.

When Madam Cheng placed her hand on Xu Zhuohua's arm, she was startled.

She was still weighing the pros and cons.

Cheng Yuguang was right. If Cheng Muyun married Luo Yunqiao, everything would fall apart on its own.

He might even be able to escape his fate.

However, Cheng Muyun insisted on not taking a concubine and was arguing his case, so she couldn't seem to stand on the opposite side of Cheng Muyun.

Madam Cheng grabbed Xu Zhuohua's arm. "Zhuohua, please persuade Cheng Muyun. Muyun is in a very difficult situation right now. He's my only child. We really can't let anything else happen to Muyun. For Muyun's safety, can you please make an effort?"

Xu Zhuohua's eyebrows furrowed into a fine "川" shape. The warmth of Madam Cheng's palm burned her skin, like a scalding hot iron branding Cheng Muyun's future and life onto her body.

The air in the banquet hall suddenly became thick and sticky. She could hear the throbbing in her temples, like war drums urging her to give an answer.

Just as her nails were about to dig into her palm, Cheng Muyun's well-defined knuckles suddenly gripped her cold fingertips.

The force carried an undeniable certainty: "Go!"

Cheng Muyun's voice carried an undeniable chill as he yanked open the door with his other hand.

Madam Cheng's shouts, which she had chased after, were left heavily behind; the gilded door knocker struck the door frame with a clear, resonant sound. He

The roar of the car engine shattered the silence, and the wheels crushed Mrs. Cheng's heartbroken cries.

In the rearview mirror, the lights of Cheng Mansion grew smaller and smaller, like stars sinking into the deep sea.

Xu Zhuohua turned to look at the man who was focused on driving. The taut lines of his jaw flickered in and out under the streetlights. His hand was still holding Xu Zhuohua's hand and he didn't let go.

Warm tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. She finally understood that love is never a bargaining chip for weighing pros and cons, but rather someone willing to cut off all escape routes for you.

In the decades of her life, Xu Zhuohua had seen too many irresponsible men, and even believed that men should cower like turtles.

Therefore, Cheng Muyun's actions were so responsible and showed such a sense of duty to Xu Zhuohua.

She was led by the tall man and walked forward without hesitation; his radiance had completely enveloped her.

Xu Zhuohua believed that, no matter where she looked, she would never find a man better than Cheng Muyun.

Therefore, she was so reluctant to leave him.

Having a head full of knowledge is useless if you can't change the fate of your loved one.

The black sedan slowly pulled up beside the sycamore-lined avenue, its fuel warning light flashing like blood-red fireflies.

Cheng Muyun's forehead pressed against the cold steering wheel, his knuckles turning white from excessive force. The moment the engine shut off, the entire car fell into a suffocating silence.

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