Chapter 103 I don't want your duty! I want you
Li Mo was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot. He struggled to pounce on them, but his friends held him down.
"Brother Li, calm down, calm down! Why bother arguing with such a scoundrel!"
"Yes, Xiao Er is a troublemaker, he can't keep his mouth shut, don't take it to heart."
After finally waiting for Xiao Jingxuan and his group to leave in high spirits, Li Mo was still so angry that his chest heaved violently and his face turned ashen.
At this moment, a sycophantic and scheming friend of his came over and whispered in a low voice.
"Brother Li, calm down. However... although what Xiao Er said was harsh, upon closer examination, it's not entirely without reason."
Li Mo's eyes widened: "Whose side are you on?"
Another friend chimed in, "Hey, Brother Li, why ruin our brotherhood of so many years for a woman? Women, in the end, are just appendages of men, especially Miss Lin. Now that her reputation is damaged, who else can she marry but you?"
Since she agreed to the marriage, she's yours now, and should serve you well, treating you like her heaven and earth. If she truly loves you, she'll naturally be more than willing. But if she makes excuses, then perhaps… just as Xiao Er said, she still has someone else in her heart, or maybe she doesn't even think much of you.”
His friends are all from respectable backgrounds and have impressive social standing. On the surface, they are like brothers, drinking and chatting, but in reality, they are all secretly competing with each other.
Most people felt envious that such a beautiful woman as Lin Wan'er ended up with Li Mo, thinking that Li Mo had gotten incredibly lucky.
So, I was also thinking about watching the drama unfold.
These words, one by one, slithered into Li Mo's ears like venomous snakes, coiling around his heart.
He already felt a little guilty because the way he got Lin Wan'er wasn't exactly aboveboard, and now, fueled by his friends' theory of 'male authority,' he felt a surge of anxiety and a desire to possess her.
He downed the wine in his glass in one gulp and slammed the glass down heavily.
"You're right. Tonight, I'll show you who her man is!"
-
That night, in order to prove that he was a 'man,' Li Mo deliberately drank a bottle of strong liquor before going to see Lin Wan'er.
To embolden.
At the Lin residence, Lin Wan'er was putting on her makeup in front of the mirror when she received the message from Li Mo inviting her to a meeting.
The beauty in the mirror still had delicate features, but her eyes held a chilling coldness.
She didn't want to go, but thinking of the plan she had discussed with her grandfather, and considering that she still needed the Li family as a pawn for the time being, she ultimately suppressed her disgust.
"Qingdai, prepare the carriage."
Li Mo chose a relatively secluded waterfront pleasure boat in the south of the city as the meeting place.
He thought that the night, the flowing water, and the lone boat should create a romantic atmosphere to help him and Lin Wan'er get closer.
When Lin Wan'er arrived, the lanterns inside the painted boat were already lit. Li Mo was waiting anxiously.
Seeing her dressed in an elegant dress and wearing a moon-white cloak, her face appeared even more aloof and glamorous under the lamplight. Li Mo's heart tightened, and he nervously and expectantly went to greet her.
"Miss Wan'er..." Li Mo began, trying to make his voice sound as elegant as possible.
"You've arrived."
Lin Wan'er nodded slightly as a greeting: "Young Master Li."
Li Mo took out a brocade box from behind his back and opened it somewhat clumsily. Inside was a red gold and kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin, exquisitely crafted and quite valuable.
"This... is for you. I think it suits you very well."
Lin Wan'er's gaze lingered on the hairpin for a moment before quickly shifting away, as if she were looking at an insignificant object.
She gave a slight nod to Qingdai behind her, who stepped forward and accepted the brocade box expressionlessly.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master Li." Lin Wan'er's tone was distant.
"What brings you here so late at night?"
Li Mo glanced at Qingdai, who stood like a pillar behind her, and the attendants not far away, and felt a little stifled.
"Wan'er, could you... ask them to leave for now? I have something I'd like to say to you privately."
Lin Wan'er remained silent for a moment, then waved away Qingdai.
“Miss…” Qingdai was a little worried.
"It's alright, just wait somewhere further away."
Qingdai then curtsied, glanced warily at Li Mo, and retreated to the outside of the painted boat.
Only two people remained inside the cabin, the lights flickering, casting ambiguous shadows reflected in the water.
Li Mo stared at the beautiful woman's jade-like profile under the lamplight, his heart beating even faster.
"Wan'er..."
“Young Master Li, we are not yet married. According to etiquette, it would be best if you did not call me by my maiden name for the time being.”
Li Mo's smile froze slightly, and his throat felt dry, as if it were blocked by a wad of cotton.
"...Yes, Miss Lin."
He licked his dry lips, trying to ignore the discomfort, and organized his thoughts.
"I know that our marriage is a temporary measure, a last resort, because of... that matter..."
"But I... truly love you."
His eyes were fervent as he looked at Lin Wan'er with deep affection: "Don't worry, after we get married, I will treat you well and never let you suffer any grievances. Everything the Li family will have in the future will be yours. I, Li Mo, hereby swear that I will never let you down in this life!"
Li Mo became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see the beautiful picture of a harmonious and loving marriage in the future, and his tone became full of longing.
"To be honest, I... I've admired you for a long time. Ever since I saw you writing a poem at the Lantern Festival three years ago, I've never been able to forget you. In my heart, you're like the bright moon in the sky. I never thought that one day, this bright moon would shine into my arms... I."
"I'm so happy that my wish has come true..."
Li Mo rambled on, his words filled with anticipation for the future. Lin Wan'er, however, grew impatient, her fingertips unconsciously fidgeting with the embroidery thread on her sleeve.
Her mind was entirely on Xiao Jingheng, and on those sudden fragments of memory. To her, Li Mo's heartfelt confession sounded like a burden and a joke.
When Li Mo said, "I want to take you to Jiangnan to see the Broken Bridge and the Lingering Snow," Lin Wan'er finally couldn't help but interrupt him.
"Young Master Li! There's no need to say anything more."
Li Mo's voice stopped abruptly, and the smile on his face froze: "Wan'er, you..."
"I understand what you mean." Lin Wan'er stood up, took half a step back, and created some distance.
"The marriage is settled, and I will fulfill my duties as a wife and uphold the reputation of both the Lin and Li families. As for anything else, it cannot be forced, nor should it be."
"Being... dutiful?" Li Mo pondered these two words, his initial joy completely washed away.
He took a deep breath, recalling Xiao Jingxuan's words, and mustered his courage to step forward, wanting to reach out and touch Lin Wan'er's hand.
"Wan'er, I don't want your duty! I want you..."
Before his hand could even touch Lin Wan'er's clothes, she recoiled as if burned. Her movement was so fast it was almost instinctive.
A flash of undisguised disgust crossed his eyes.
This scene was captured by Li Mo. His hand froze in mid-air, and it felt as if a needle had pierced his heart.
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