Chapter 146: Caught Red-Handed by Li Qingluo!
"It can't be true... How could Cousin do this to me..."
Wang Yuyan was utterly devastated.
Though only an instant passed in the real world, within the spiritual realm, it felt like an eternity.
Here, she witnessed another side of Murong Fu.
Or rather, she saw the truest side of him that she had previously overlooked.
She always knew that Murong Fu was deeply obsessed with the revival of the Great Yan Dynasty.
In the past, her limited perspective led her to believe that his ambition was grand and noble.
But as she gained more experience and insight, she understood.
Murong Fu's dream of restoring Great Yan was nothing but a fool's errand.
Was the revival of Great Yan possible?
Yes, it was.
After all, some had risen from humble beginnings, starting with just a single bowl, to establish a nation.
And Murong Fu had far more than a mere bowl. He had considerable wealth, a few loyal retainers, and significant renown in the martial world.
Compared to those humble beginnings, his starting point was leagues ahead.
However, Murong Fu's path to reviving Great Yan was flawed from the outset, and he himself lacked the vision and talent of a true leader. Though he appeared busy daily, all his efforts were ultimately futile.
But none of that truly mattered to Wang Yuyan.
She didn't care.
What broke her heart was realizing that Murong Fu never truly held her in his heart.
Compared to the revival of Great Yan, she was insignificant.
For his dream, Murong Fu could discard her without hesitation—even kill her mother.
She found it impossible to believe.
Unwilling to accept it.
But everything within the spiritual realm was so vivid and real that she couldn't deny it.
"Yuyan!"
Zhou Yi cupped Wang Yuyan's tear-streaked, delicate face in his hands, gazing into her shimmering eyes.
"Murong Fu is nothing but trash! He isn't worthy of your sadness and heartbreak."
"The only reason you think you love him is because you've never left the confines of Mandala Manor. You've never experienced the vastness of the world outside."
"With your talent and beauty, if you stepped out into the world, countless men—like that sycophantic Duan Yu—would grovel at your feet like dogs."
"Murong Fu's failure to cherish you only proves his utter lack of judgment!"
Zhou Yi gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. Looking into her eyes, he leaned in abruptly and kissed her ruby-red lips with fierce determination.
"Mm—!"
Wang Yuyan's wide eyes filled with shock as her mind went completely blank. Her entire body froze in place.
Even Murong Fu had never kissed her before—not even held her hand.
Yet today...
Not only was she embraced by this stranger she'd just met, but she was also forcibly kissed?
Her soft hands pressed against Zhou Yi's chest, but it felt as unyielding as a mountain—utterly immovable.
She felt herself completely enveloped by his overpowering masculine presence, leaving her breathless.
After a long moment, Zhou Yi finally released her just as she was on the verge of suffocation.
"Huff... Huff..."
Wang Yuyan gasped for air, her watery eyes filled with a mix of grievance and embarrassment as she glared at Zhou Yi.
Meeting her gaze, Zhou Yi spoke in a deep, commanding tone:
"From now on, you are my woman. I will treasure you as you deserve."
"What? I haven't agreed to anything—!"
Wang Yuyan, who had been sulking silently, was startled by Zhou Yi's domineering declaration. Her heart trembled.
She had never heard such a bold and straightforward proclamation before.
The only "man" she had ever encountered was Murong Fu.
Murong Fu had always appeared gentlemanly and ambitious in her presence.
But he never spoke of love, only discussing martial techniques and theories.
Truth be told, Murong Fu's indifference towards romance was almost saintly, as if his heart truly contained no woman, only his dream of restoration.
Had Zhou Yi been in his place, Wang Yuyan might have already borne him two children by now.
"Who's your woman!"
Zhou Yi's commanding and possessive words sent a numbing sensation through Wang Yuyan's entire body. Her cheeks flushed red as she grew increasingly flustered and furious.
"How can you say such nonsense..."
Stomping her foot lightly, Wang Yuyan turned to flee, overwhelmed by shame and indignation.
But Zhou Yi would never let her escape so easily.
He reached out and grabbed her soft hand, pulling her back forcefully.
Wang Yuyan, having just taken a step forward, was abruptly yanked back and crashed into Zhou Yi's chest once more.
"Ah—! Mm—!"
She let out a startled cry, only for her voice to be muffled as Zhou Yi claimed her lips again.
This time, Zhou Yi was even more assertive, even more domineering.
How could an inexperienced and sheltered girl like Wang Yuyan resist?
Especially after Zhou Yi's illusionary technique had already shattered her attachment to Murong Fu.
At this moment, she was utterly vulnerable, her heart broken, her mind adrift.
It was the perfect opportunity to strike.
Zhou Yi, a man of extensive experience in matters of the heart, wasn't about to let such a chance slip away.
If he waited until Wang Yuyan calmed down, he would have to start his pursuit all over again.
"Don't…" Wang Yuyan gasped softly.
Zhou Yi gently kissed the tears on her cheeks, his expression filled with indulgence. In that fleeting moment, it was as if all worldly matters were forgotten.
Time seemed to slip away.
Suddenly, a mature, voluptuous woman with a striking charm and a face bearing six or seven parts resemblance to Wang Yuyan appeared, her brows furrowed in annoyance.
"Where has that girl Yuyan run off to?"
Li Qingluo's voice was crisp and melodious, her movements graceful and enchanting.
Having just returned today, she had encountered Azhu, Abi, and Duan Yu at the docks.
Duan Yu, with his extensive knowledge of camellias, was promptly sent off to tend the tea flowers.
As for Azhu and Abi, they were locked away under her orders.
Li Qingluo had no regard whatsoever for that ineffectual Murong Fu.
"Descendant of the royal lineage of Great Yan? Ha!"
She spat dismissively.
"That foreign barbarian kingdom was destroyed countless years ago, and yet Murong Fu clings to his pipe dream of restoration. Utter delusion!"
"Hmm…"
A faint, coquettish voice interrupted her thoughts. It came from a distance, soft and intermittent. Li Qingluo's voluptuous figure trembled. She recognized that voice all too well—it was Wang Yuyan's!
But why would Wang Yuyan make such a sound? Could it be Duan Yu, that scoundrel?
"No, that's impossible! Even if Duan Yu were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare harm Yuyan!"
Her heart raced as unease crept into her thoughts.
In this entire Mandala Manor, there should be no other men besides Duan Yu.
"Could it be… Yuyan is reading some kind of forbidden book?"
If there were no man involved, this seemed the only plausible explanation.
After all, Yuyan had reached the age where her heart might start to awaken to certain desires.
Over the years, that heartless scoundrel Duan Zhengchun hadn't visited Li Qingluo even once. Left to her solitude, it was no wonder that loneliness and emptiness would weigh on her.
"Could Yuyan be resorting to handling such matters herself? But where would she even find a forbidden book? Could it be those two wretched maids, Azhu and Abi?"
Li Qingluo's thoughts raced, but her footsteps didn't falter. She quickly made her way toward the source of the sound.
She couldn't let Yuyan be corrupted by the likes of those two maids, who were nothing more than Murong Fu's lackeys.
Soon enough, Li Qingluo arrived at the area where the sound originated.
It was a grove lush with camellias, vibrant and flourishing, an explosion of vivid blossoms competing in beauty.
"How did the camellias here suddenly grow so abundantly? And they're all blooming too?"
A flicker of doubt flashed through her captivating eyes, but this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
She reached out to part the dense flowers blocking her view and peered inside.
In the next instant—
Li Qingluo froze as if struck by lightning. Her body shuddered, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she stood there, utterly stunned.
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