Chapter 81 Fourth Brother...it hurts
The carriage slowly came to a stop in a quiet spot in the mountains, just a short walk from Nanshan Temple.
A gentle breeze carries the unique freshness of the mountains and forests, mixed with a faint floral fragrance, instantly making one feel relaxed and refreshed.
Upon entering the temple, incense smoke curled upwards, and the faint sounds of bells and chimes drifted through the air.
As always, Ruan Xingzhu and Gu Qingsu knelt down and prayed devoutly.
Ruan Xingzhu gently closed her eyes. She didn't actually ask for anything in particular. In the past, she had always been like Gu Qingsu, sincerely praying for the Gu family.
But now Gu Qingxu has a different kind of concern in her heart, and she herself is no longer the same as before, with an unspeakable secret in her heart.
A moment later, as if under a spell, her mind was filled with nothing but Gu Yun'an's image. That familiar face and figure were deeply etched into her heart like a brand.
Ultimately, her silent wish was that Gu Yun'an would have a peaceful and prosperous life.
Although her relationship with Gu Yun'an was somewhat ambiguous, she still put Gu Yun'an first in her heart and only trusted him.
Feeling indifferent, I had no idea when this absurd relationship would end.
After each time Gu Qingxu finished praying here, she would always rest for a while under the prayer tree on the back mountain.
Taking advantage of this break, Ruan Xingzhu went to the temple behind the mountain to pray for a blessing of peace and safety from the monks.
Looking at the peace charm embroidered with peace patterns in her hand, Ruan Xingzhu carefully held it.
This is one of her habits; whenever she comes to the temple, she brings something for Gu Yun'an. Sometimes it's a prayer plaque tied to the wishing tree in the temple, and sometimes it's this peace charm for praying for safety.
Just as Ruan Xingzhu was about to turn and leave, she was suddenly stopped by a voice.
"Miss Ruan." The voice came from afar, sounding somewhat familiar.
Ruan Xingzhu turned her head and immediately saw Liang Yejing walking towards her.
Liang Yejing came to offer incense and saw a figure that looked very much like her, so she came looking for her.
Seeing Liang Yejing approach, Ruan Xingzhu showed no emotion, simply nodding in acknowledgment before turning to look for Gu Qingsu.
However, Liang Yejing seemed to have inadvertently blocked her path.
For some reason, Ruan Xingzhu felt a strange resistance to his action. She subconsciously took a half step back, a hint of suspicion flashing in her eyes as she looked at him warily.
Seeing this, Liang Yejing secretly thought that things were not good and was afraid that she would misunderstand that he had any ulterior motives. He quickly explained, "It is like this, Miss Ruan Xingzhu paid for me that day, and I just happened to run into her today, so I returned the money to Miss Ruan."
As he spoke, he handed the silver coins in his hand to Ruan Xingzhu, a hint of expectation unconsciously appearing in his eyes.
Ruan Xingzhu looked at the silver in his hand, thought for a moment, and then, without hesitation, reached out and took it.
Looking at her fair and delicate hands, Liang Yejing felt a surge of emotion, and a dark current seemed to well up in his eyes. However, he forced himself to suppress it and deeply concealed the emotion that should not have been there.
But as he watched Ruan Xingzhu turn to leave, he couldn't help but ask, "Miss Ruan, haven't you thought about leaving?"
Ruan Xingzhu stopped abruptly, looking at him with a surprised expression.
Liang Yejing had already vaguely guessed what was going on. Gu Yun'an's repeated obstruction of Ruan Xingzhu's marriage was quite obvious.
Ruan Xingzhu didn't want outsiders to know about the complicated and subtle relationship between her and Gu Yun'an, and her expression panicked for a moment, but she quickly calmed down and said firmly, "I don't know what you're talking about?"
Liang Yejing quietly observed her, and he could clearly sense that Ruan Xingzhu was quite different from before. Previously, she always radiated brightness, but now, she seemed shrouded in a faint melancholy, carrying an indescribable sense of loneliness.
At this moment, he only hated himself for being so useless, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of that powerful force, unable to resist it.
But seeing her so pitiful, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache, a feeling of wanting to protect her but being powerless to do so.
Ruan Xingzhu didn't know what he was thinking, but instinctively she didn't want to linger here with a stranger, so she wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.
However, she had only taken one step when Liang Yejing grabbed her arm.
Liang Yejing couldn't bear to see her continue to be trapped in this predicament, so he said urgently, "If Miss Ruan wants to leave, I can help you."
He completely forgot his own meager strength, which was of no help to her at all in this complicated entanglement.
His words didn't stir the slightest ripple in Ruan Xingzhu's heart. Even Gu Qingxu couldn't help her, let alone him, who was already threatened with being forced to step down.
Feeling the warmth from his arm, Ruan Xingzhu felt a strong sense of resistance. She subconsciously tried to push him away.
Suddenly, a deep, cold voice rang out from somewhere, asking, "What are you doing?"
The voice seemed to carry the breeze of the mountains, yet it also carried a hint of chill, falling directly into Ruan Xingzhu's ears.
The familiar voice made her body stiffen instantly, as if she had been frozen in place. Instinctively, she quickly pulled her arm away from Liang Yejing's grasp.
Liang Yejing felt her movement and was startled. He looked in the direction of the sound and couldn't help but feel a little scared.
Beneath the pine tree, Gu Yun'an stood dressed in a magnificent black brocade robe, resembling a king in the night, exuding an innate majesty and domineering aura.
He slowly approached Ruan Xingzhu, each step seemingly touching Ruan Xingzhu's heart.
Ruan Xingzhu felt a slight tremor in her heart as she looked at the tangible threat emanating from him. Before she could explain, Gu Yun'an seemed to have lost all patience, his eyes sharp and menacing as he stared directly at her.
"Come here." Those two short and cold words seemed to carry a hidden sternness.
Ruan Xingzhu, who was just a few steps away from him, was so frightened by what she heard that she froze on the spot.
Seeing Gu Yun'an's increasingly cold and gloomy expression, she panicked and quickly and without hesitation stood obediently behind him.
Seeing the person obediently hiding behind him, Gu Yun'an was undoubtedly somewhat satisfied. However, the scene he had just witnessed—the two of them struggling and Liang Yejing's boast that he would help her leave—was like a thorn in his heart, making him extremely displeased and jealous.
His gaze was filled with disdain, shooting towards Liang Yejing like an ice blade, and his tone showed no mercy whatsoever: "Liang Xueshi really doesn't learn his lesson, does he?"
Liang Yejing paused slightly, naturally understanding the meaning behind Gu Yun'an's words. Recalling his previous experiences, his impulsive thoughts were instantly extinguished as if doused with cold water, and he calmed down in an instant.
Seeing Ruan Xingzhu hiding behind Gu Yun'an as if he were the heinous villain, a hint of self-mockery flashed through his mind. His lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't utter a word.
Seeing the undisguised anger on Gu Yun'an's face, Ruan Xingzhu was terrified and dared not utter a sound.
If I speak up to defend Liang Yejing now, Liang Yejing's fate will only be more tragic, and I will only further enrage Gu Yun'an.
Seeing that Ruan Xingzhu ignored his sarcastic remarks about Liang Yejing and made no attempt to defend him, Gu Yun'an's anger subsided slightly.
But his eyes were still full of sarcasm, and his words were laced with undisguised threat: "If you don't remember, I wouldn't mind teaching Liang Xueshi a lesson again."
After speaking, he treated Ruan Xingzhu as if she were an insignificant ant, not even sparing her a glance, and directly took her wrist before turning and leaving.
Liang Yejing's lips were as white as paper, and the veins on his forehead bulged with anger. As they walked away, the resentment and helplessness in his heart finally turned into a self-deprecating sigh, and the veins on his forehead slowly subsided.
On the gravel path, the man seemed deeply affected by what had just happened, his steps quick and powerful. Ruan Xingzhu, wearing a long skirt, could not walk easily on the rugged path and could only follow him with some staggering steps.
He pulled hard on her slender arm, as if he were going to tear it off, causing her to feel waves of excruciating pain.
She practically jogged to keep up with him. The pain in her arm was becoming increasingly unbearable, and she couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
"Fourth brother...it hurts." The voice was tinged with grievance as she called out to him.
Gu Yun'an, who was striding forward, was suddenly stopped by this soft, coquettish voice. He turned around abruptly and noticed that her hair was slightly disheveled, with a few strands of hair falling beside her cheeks, and her eyes filled with aggrieved pain.
But none of this was enough to soften his heart. Just thinking about how intimately she had been tugging at another man and talking about leaving him filled him with jealousy.
He tightened his grip, holding her slender wrist as if trying to meld her into his own body. His tone was as cold as winter frost, filled with sarcasm and accusation.
"Xingzhu feels pain too?"
How could her pain compare to the tearing agony in his heart? The person he cherished and pampered so much was talking to another man about leaving; how could he not be in pain?
She kept saying she was there to pray for blessings, but in the blink of an eye she got entangled with other men. If he hadn't secretly investigated, he wouldn't have known that she had been in contact with someone a few days ago when she went out.
The pain in her wrist intensified, as if it were tearing her very soul away. Ruan Xingzhu had never seen him so angry and terrifying before, and a flicker of fear crossed her eyes. Suppressing her tears and overwhelming grievances, she whispered, "Fourth Brother..."
Seeing the slight grievance on her small face caused by pain, Gu Yun'an realized that he had used too much force.
But the anger in his heart grew like a flood that had burst its banks, becoming increasingly difficult to contain.
He snorted inwardly, then simply released her wrists and picked her up by the waist.
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