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Chapter 55 — Ambushed

“No—!” Yu Mingyao screamed…

The meal had little flavor.

Pei Shang was animated and talkative, brimming with enthusiasm. Xie Zhuoguang, on the other hand, wore a calm, expressionless face, chewing as if eating wax.

But he didn’t regret coming here at all. Had he not come, how would he have realized just how mercilessly she had moved on?

It was just a meal, yet Yu Mingyao treated Pei Shang with tenderness as gentle as water, thoughtful and attentive — the very image of a virtuous wife. In their past life, she had treated him the same way.

When Pei Shang wanted water, she would hand it to him before he even spoke.

The dishes she placed in front of him and the morsels she picked for him were all his favorites. In such a short time, she had already memorized all of Pei Shang’s preferences.

He recalled overhearing her joking with Yanyue back at the Pei residence in their previous life.

Her face had glowed with joy as she talked about returning to Jiangnan to find a husband. She had said that if her husband’s heart ever strayed, so be it — as long as she had a child, it was enough. Adding another mouth to feed at home was just an extra pair of chopsticks.

He had always thought of her as a young girl; how had she already reached the point where having a child was a necessity?

His mother had died in childbirth, that sea of crimson had lingered in his memory for far too long.

He didn’t want his young lady to suffer that fate. And he feared that… if she had a child, she would cast him aside without hesitation.

A child of the Duke Xie’s household could not be left outside. Yet if she truly grew tired of him, even with a child, she would still be able to let go.

He would rather have her hate and resent him than have the veil of their “loving marriage” torn apart beyond repair.

Xie Zhuoguang thought of the fortune slip he had once crumpled and thrown away.

The marriage from their previous life had been something he had forced. If so, what harm was there in forcing it once more?

He raised his cup and downed the Longjing tea like bitter wine.

Yu Jinnian sat across from him and, seeming concerned, asked, “My lord, is the meal to your liking? You’re a close friend of Brother Shang — we took the liberty of treating you as one too.”

“Brother Shang and I often fool around together, so I know his tastes, but we haven’t dined together much with you. If the food isn’t to your liking, just say so.”

Xie Zhuoguang lifted his eyes indifferently. In his mind flashed an image of Yu Jinnian enthusiastically draping an arm over his shoulder, inviting him to his home to try fine food and wine.

This brother-in-law of his was sincere and meticulous beneath his rough exterior.

He had known he shouldn’t frequent the Duke Xie’s household, yet when Xie Zhuoguang and Yu Mingyao had first married, Yu Jinnian had stubbornly visited every few days to make sure she was doing well — regardless of gossip.

Now, to him, Xie Zhuoguang was just an outsider.

He lowered his eyes. “It’s fine.”

Whether he meant the food or something else was unclear.

Yu Mingyao pretended not to hear and picked out another piece of fish for Pei Shang.

“This caramelized mandarin fish is an authentic Suzhou dish. You don’t have it in the capital — try it and see if it’s good.”

Pei Shang huffed. “What’s with this ‘you’ and ‘us’? We’re all Suzhou and capital people. I don’t like hearing that.”

He forgot he was dining with the Yu family and let his temper show.

Yu Mingyao kept smiling and pinched his forearm under the table.

Too firm — it didn’t faze him.

She didn’t want to bother with Pei Shang anymore.

Seeing her expression, Pei Shang quickly apologized, lowering his gaze and coaxing her obediently.

Everyone at the table laughed at the scene — all but Xie Zhuoguang, whose face grew colder.

—

“Miss, Brother Cheng says…”

Seeing Yu Mingyao freshly washed and about to retire, Yanyue started stammering again.

To be honest, Yu Mingyao was so tired she couldn’t even muster a sigh.

Her face blank, she said, “Speak. What does he want?”

Yanyue glanced at her expression. “The young lord wants to invite you to the bow at the hour of the boar [~9–11 PM] to speak one last time. He says it’ll be the last, and he won’t disturb you again afterward. Brother Cheng also told me that once we dock tomorrow, they’ll return to the capital right away and won’t trouble us anymore.”

Yu Mingyao looked weary. The past felt like a foul, long-winded footwrap — utterly tiresome.

She sighed deeply. Yanyue glanced at her again but said nothing.

The bedding was soft and comfortable, all familiar to her, steeped in her scent.

The lamps were extinguished, with only a dim light left outside.

Staring at the flickering shadows on the ceiling, Yu Mingyao’s thoughts drifted.

The heavy snow had passed; in this deep winter, what more was there to say between her and Xie Zhuoguang?

Hadn’t the past life’s matters all ended? What was there to cling to?

She thought of the final two years of her previous life — waking at night to cold sheets — and grievance surged in her chest.

She was from the south and couldn’t stand the northern cold.

No matter how many warm things she had, nothing could compare to the heat of a man’s body. Pei Shang, at least, would never leave her alone in bed at night to be chilled awake.

He would surely warm her cold feet against his hot body. His devotion to her was truer than gold.

So give it up, Lord Xie.

The boar hour neared. Yu Mingyao heard Yanyue shifting around outside, clearly hesitant to speak.

Though Suzhou wasn’t as cold as the capital, it was still winter, and the winds on a boat were fierce. Someone just recovered from illness could easily fall gravely ill again, maybe even die.

That man always knew how to use people.

Yu Mingyao smiled bitterly. Though her heart resolved this was the last time, her body didn’t move for a long while.

See? She didn’t want to go as little as she claimed.

The boar hour had long struck. Yanyue couldn’t wait anymore and tentatively called, “Miss, are you asleep?”

Usually fearless, she now sounded like a sneaky thief.

Yu Mingyao exhaled. “I’m getting up.”

“Oh, oh.”

Yanyue’s voice clearly relaxed.

Planning not to stay long, Yu Mingyao only donned a jacket and draped a rabbit-fur cloak over it before silently stepping out.

She took a lantern from Yanyue’s hand, not missing the guilt on her face.

“Don’t overthink,” Yu Mingyao glanced at her. “This is between him and me. And it’s the last time.”

Saying that, her slender figure gradually receded from Yanyue’s sight.

Yanyue pursed her lips, feeling on the verge of tears.

It was late, the world silent. The river moon was misty, the water and sky melding into one with only scattered lights.

The Shen family’s boat was large, unmatched by others nearby.

In the deathly stillness, Xie Zhuoguang stood at the bow. He didn’t know how long he’d waited before he finally heard soft footsteps behind him.

Turning, he saw Yu Mingyao holding a lantern.

Shrouded in mist, she approached like an immortal full of compassion.

His frozen, numbed heart healed in that moment.

“You came.”

He still had his usual aloof, cold demeanor, but his gaze held more light than usual as it fell on her.

Yu Mingyao didn’t approach as he expected, stopping a few yards away.

“I don’t see what we have left to talk about.” She turned to face the river, not sparing him a glance.

Xie Zhuoguang wasn’t angered. He nodded slightly, a faint smile on his lips, his frail, sickly form softened by a touch of warmth.

“But you still came.”

Yu Mingyao cut him off immediately: “Say what you came to say.”

Her tone was utterly ruthless, giving him no chance for reminiscing.

Seeing her like this, Xie Zhuoguang changed the subject. “You’re very fond of Pei Shang now.”

“He’s my fiancé. If I don’t admire him, who should I admire?” Her smile was mocking. “You? Aren’t you always the one with the clearest head?”

“I’m betrothed to him; naturally, we’ll have children and build a family. You’re close with him, so you know he’s a man worth entrusting one’s life to.”

Xie Zhuoguang swallowed his pain after a long pause, unable to hide the bitterness on his face.

“Yes, I know.”

Precisely because he knew, in both lives, the person he guarded most warily was Pei Shang.

“Our bond as husband and wife is over. There’s nothing left to say — rest early.”

Yu Mingyao glanced coldly at him, turned on her heel, and left.

A long-awaited meeting ended abruptly.

She didn’t want to say a word more to him.

Watching her decisive departure, Xie Zhuoguang felt a gaping hole tear open in his chest — his entire being plunged into an ice cellar.

“Is there really no way back for us?”

The ever-cold nobleman, who had always masked his emotions, spoke with raw pain for the first time before the woman he loved. If an outsider had seen him, they’d never guess this disheveled man was the aloof heir of the Duke Xie’s household, one of the capital’s famed “Two Absolutes.”

Yu Mingyao paused.

“A broken mirror cannot be mended.”

Just five words shattered the deepest hope Xie Zhuoguang had harbored.

He hated how sharp his hearing was at that moment — he heard clearly the utter lack of lingering affection in her voice.

He had no grounds to call out to the love of his past life again. He watched her figure slowly vanish.

By rights, their encounter should have ended here — but just then, screams erupted from the third and fourth decks. Xie Zhuoguang’s brow furrowed sharply as he saw two black-clad men emerge by the helm, not far from him and Yu Mingyao!

Not good!

He lunged forward, grabbed Yu Mingyao’s arm, and shielded her behind him.

“Out at midnight, secretly meeting, are you? Looks like even you pampered nobles are just ordinary folk.”

“Tonight, we’ll enact heaven’s justice and send you adulterers to hell!”

The two men grinned at each other, gripped their blades, and charged.

Their attack was fierce, their blades gleaming coldly.

Xie Zhuoguang’s heart leapt to his throat. He didn’t miss the blood dripping from one blade’s tip onto the deck.

What was Shen Si doing? The richest man in Jiangnan couldn’t even handle some river bandits?

He cursed inwardly and shielded Yu Mingyao even more tightly.

Having faced danger before, Yu Mingyao held her breath and didn’t drag him down.

Though her heart nearly stopped, her mind spun rapidly.

As long as Xie Zhuoguang dealt with these two, she’d be safe.

Yanyue would surely alert her grandmother immediately, and her brother was nearby — no need to fear.

Only… Pei Shang.

That guy slept so soundly — nothing must happen to him!

Yu Mingyao frowned, anxiety finally showing on her face.

“Well now, such a pretty little lady. Looks like we’re in for a good time tonight,” the bandits leered and rushed them.

At the critical moment, Xie Zhuoguang stepped forward to meet them.

With one sweeping kick to an ankle and an elbow strike to a wrist, it was clear he knew what he was doing.

Just as he was about to subdue one attacker, a blade slashed at him from the side.

“No—!”

Yu Mingyao screamed.

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