Chapter 43.1

Yan Zeyang set down his cup and abruptly stood up. He leaned toward Wen Xin and said in a low voice, “Come outside with me.”

Zhao Yan, hearing this, put down his chopsticks and asked, “Zeyang, is something wrong? Let’s go outside and talk.” He assumed Yan Zeyang was addressing him and wanted to discuss something privately, so he immediately stood up.

Yan Zeyang frowned and shot him a glance.

Wen Xin saw the look in his eyes—one of silent exasperation—and for some reason, she suddenly felt amused. She quickly lowered her head to suppress her smile, nudging the stone floor with the tip of her shoe to distract herself.

“You stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.” With that, Yan Zeyang cast a glance at Wen Xin and walked out without another word.

Zhao Yan hesitated, half-standing, looking slightly dazed. He and Wen Xin exchanged a look. She gave him a small smile, then picked up the serving tray and followed Yan Zeyang outside.

If she had to go, she might as well get it over with. Sooner or later, they needed to clear things up.

As she stepped outside, the people at the nearby table caught sight of her. The man who had called out earlier—Wen Xin vaguely remembered his surname was Liu, likely Director Liu—was someone who loved to chat. Every time he saw her, he would ask endless questions.

Smiling, he said, “Wei Xin, let me introduce you to someone. This is an editor at Longzhou magazine—his surname is Guo, full name Guo Fang. He’s twenty-five this year.”

The tall and slender young man sitting beside him, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, immediately stood up. He had a refined appearance, fair skin, and his eyes brightened when he saw Wen Xin. The light reflected off his glasses as he spoke with enthusiasm.

“Hello, Wei Xin, I’m Guo Fang. I heard you’re preparing for the university entrance exam. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.” He nervously adjusted his glasses and added, “I’ll be visiting here often. Please guide me in the future.”

Wen Xin glanced at Director Liu’s round, shiny forehead and then at the nervous young man who was trying to appear composed.

Wen Xin: “……”

Just then, Yan Zeyang, who had already reached the doorway, suddenly turned back and stared at the bespectacled young man. Without a second thought, he let go of the curtain he had just lifted and strode back toward them.

The oppressive aura around him instantly surged, making the air feel thick with tension. Wen Xin immediately knew he was in a bad mood. Normally, the infamous “Yan Demon” was a cautious and composed man, but she had also seen his fiery temper before. She had even seen him crush a telephone receiver in a fit of anger—the sheer strength of it was terrifying.

Fearing a confrontation, she didn’t hesitate. Without saying a word, she rushed forward, blocking his path, and whispered in a voice only he could hear, “Let’s talk outside. We have things to discuss, don’t we? Not here, okay?”

The gold-rimmed glasses youth, already feeling uneasy under Yan Zeyang’s imposing presence, nervously sat back down, completely unaware of what had just happened.

As soon as the two left, someone asked,

“Who was that just now?”

“Not sure, probably a guest inside?”

“Judging by the way he walks, he’s definitely from the military.”

“When he came in earlier, I thought his accent sounded like he was from the capital…”

…

Outside, the sky was damp and misty. Yan Zeyang yanked open the curtain, his anger barely contained. Yet, he still turned back to stare at Wen Xin until she stepped out, only then letting the bamboo curtain fall back into place. The weather had been bad for days, with a persistent chill in the air. As soon as she stepped outside, the cold wind bit at her skin, making her shiver.

The Gu family’s courtyard was enclosed by high walls, with intricately carved eaves and cool flagstone pavement beneath their feet. The stone was icy underfoot. They stopped near the door, just below the small window of the side hall. The window was open.

Yan Zeyang glanced at her, noticing how she shrank into herself from the cold. Longzhou’s winters weren’t as frigid as the north’s, but while the north was a dry cold that numbed the body, the damp chill here seeped into the bones. And what was she wearing? A thin, threadbare sweater with holes in it, her neck exposed to the cold. A pair of snug-fitting pants that clearly didn’t have any warm layers underneath—of course she was freezing.

Blocking the wind with his body, he stared at her. This woman—when he hadn’t seen her, he thought about her day and night. But now that she was in front of him, his suppressed anger flared up uncontrollably. He had been restless for days over some newspaper reporter, and now a magazine editor had appeared? It was choking him, ruining his appetite.

When he had disregarded his injuries and traveled south to find her, what had she been doing? Smiling, cheeks flushed like a blooming flower, serving food and pouring drinks for other men. Did she have no idea what kind of place this was?

And that bespectacled young man just now—his demeanor even resembled that damned newspaper guy. Just thinking about it made Yan Zeyang’s blood boil. He wanted nothing more than to drag him out and beat him to a pulp.

Wen Xin stood by the window, with the open frame on one side and him on the other. She wasn’t cold anymore—he blocked the wind completely. But the space was cramped, and she felt a little awkward. She glanced around, making sure no one was around, then peeked up at him cautiously. From a distance, she hadn’t noticed, but now that they were up close—

He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept in days. His eyes were bloodshot.

Yan Zeyang really hadn’t slept for two nights. Worrying about her, torn between anxiety and anger, he had rushed south. The moment he arrived, he didn’t even check into a guesthouse—he had come straight here. And what did he find?

He found her looking more radiant than ever, happily serving tea and wine, without the slightest sign of suffering. In fact, she looked healthier than she had in the capital.

No matter where she went, there were always people introducing her to men. The possessiveness in Yan Zeyang’s nature couldn’t tolerate others coveting what was his. His heart burned with rage, scorching him from the inside out.

Suppressing his fury, he lowered his voice and said, “Forget everything that happened before. Come back with me.”

Wen Xin was stunned. She blinked at him, then looked into his eyes—dark and intense, locked onto her. His lips were pressed together, his expression both serious and impatient, waiting for her answer.

“Didn’t you see the letter?” she asked softly.

“What letter?” He frowned. “You’re hiding something from me?”

Hearing this, Wen Xin felt her own anger rise, along with a sudden, inexplicable sense of grievance. She let out a sharp breath through her nose, bit her lip, and snapped, “There are plenty of things I’ve kept from you! You wouldn’t be able to uncover them all in three whole days!”

Yan Zeyang had never been talked to like this before. His brows shot up, and he fixed her with a piercing stare. “Then come back with me. Forget three days—I’ll take ten if I have to.”

“I’m not going back. I have nothing to do with your family anymore. I can go wherever I want—you have no right to control me.” Wen Xin turned, pushing the window open to leave. But he immediately grabbed the window frame, trapping her in place.

She tried slipping away along the wall—he blocked her path. No matter how much she struggled, it was useless. She was like a caged bird, flapping desperately but unable to escape.

“You will come back with me!” His tone was absolute, his grip firm around her slender frame.

“I won’t go back! I’m staying right here, and there’s nothing you can do about it!” Wen Xin’s temper flared. Before, she had always met his dominance with softness, using gentle persistence to wear him down. But now? Now, she was just furious. Forget strategy—she was fighting back head-on.

And another thing—he hadn’t seen the letter? Then what exactly had brought him here?

Pity? Sympathy?

Or did he see her as some possession—too valuable to discard, but inconvenient to keep?

She might have had more progressive views on relationships than most women in this era, but her feelings were still precious. She had once been willing to endure hardship, to lower herself for the sake of love. But emotions? Those had to be sincere.

He was calling her back, but his tone felt like charity. That, she couldn’t accept.

And now, he was physically restraining her? Did he think caging her by a window was acceptable? Last time, he had left bruises on her arm—marks that had lasted for days. The more she thought about it, the colder her heart became.

“Come back with me,” he urged again, his voice softer this time. “I won’t hold the past against you. We’ll go back and get married…”

She didn’t hesitate. “No.”

Yan Zeyang’s temper flared instantly. His voice turned ice-cold. “You refuse? And why’s that? Changing your name makes you think you can rewrite everything? Start over? Think carefully—right now, you have two household registrations. If you use this name to apply for university, and your old record gets revoked, do you know what will happen?”

Yan Zeyang had always been calculating, steady. As a soldier, his decisiveness was a virtue. But when it came to dealing with enemies, he was ruthless—merciless, thorough, and exacting. He was the kind of man who struck fast and without hesitation, targeting the most vulnerable points.

When dealing with enemies, he was always as calm and decisive as the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. But in front of Wen Xin, he frequently lost control. It was because his emotions were still so raw and inexperienced that he found himself unable to restrain himself whenever he faced her.