Disgusting Revelation

Cheng Yi sought refuge at the inn, his parents' indifference pressing on him like an unyielding weight. The murmurs of Yun Yuhua and her brothers provided a rare peace, something his own home had never known. For the first time, he questioned whether there was a place for him beyond the shadows of his family's expectations.

One evening, Yun Yuhua stepped outside to find him beneath the moonlight, his voice thick with sorrow as he sang softly to himself.

"You should come inside, Sir," she said, her tone gentle.

Cheng Yi glanced up, his eyes dull and glassy. A bitter chuckle escaped him, his voice slurring as he spoke.

"You're the first to see me as more than a mistake," he murmured, almost to himself.

Her brow arched slightly. "How do others treat you?"

He scoffed, the words coming out with a cold bitterness. "Like a parasite."

Her smile faltered. "That's harsh."

He leaned into her shoulder, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "Every time my mother looks at me, I see my father's cruelty in her eyes. I was never meant to be more than their mistake. But here... with you... I almost feel like I could be someone worth caring for. You have a family, something I've only dreamed of."

She spoke softly, her voice quiet with the weight of her own loss. "At least you still have parents. I never knew mine."

Cheng Yi blinked, surprise flickering in his eyes. "I heard... something happened to her." He exhaled, his voice low. "If I ever find out who did it, your brothers won't be the only ones seeking vengeance."

Yun Yuhua let out a soft laugh, though it held a touch of sorrow. "Enough with the vengeance. You'll regret this tomorrow. I'll make a remedy."

Cheng Yi smiled lazily, eyes half-lidded, his movements almost childlike. "Goodnight," he murmured, waving dismissively.

She returned his wave with quiet warmth. "Goodnight."

The moment lingered between them, simple and still, as if the world itself had paused. But it was brief. As the night deepened, the peace within the inn contrasted sharply with the storm that brewed just beyond its walls.

The next morning, Cheng Yi, Tian Ke, and Qian'ai stumbled into the kitchen, nursing hangovers. Yun Yuhua was already at the stove, handing out cups of honey water. They drank in silence, the warmth soothing their pounding heads. After a quick breakfast, they set to work, preparing the inn for another day.

At the Lui estate, Madam Lui stood rigid, her fingers tightening around the table. Frustration twisted in her chest, amplifying the silence around her. Why hadn't he returned? Her pulse quickened as anger began to build.

The silence broke when Madam Lui called out for her lady-in-waiting, her voice strained with urgency. "Where has Cheng Yi been all night?"

The servant hesitated, discomfort flickering across her face. "At a nearby inn, madam. With commoners."

A sharp heat flared inside Madam Lui, her pulse racing, a bitter taste rising in her throat. "Prepare the carriage. I want him home now."

As the carriage rumbled through the streets, her thoughts churned violently. How dare he? After everything I've done for him, he dares to cast me aside? The idea of him among people so far beneath him made her skin prickle. But beneath the anger, a deeper fear began to stir.

The thought of him finding solace at the inn—of him being happy there—unsettled her more than she cared to admit. It felt as if he were slipping away from her grasp, inching toward a life she couldn't control. The weight of it settled heavily on her chest.

Madam Lui's entrance was a silent thunderclap. The patrons stiffened, sensing the cold tension that followed her.

Yun Yuhua, ever composed, greeted her calmly. "Welcome. How can I help?"

But to Madam Lui, it felt as though she had stepped into another world. Her gaze locked on Yun Yuhua's face—and froze.

For a moment, everything tilted. Memories she'd buried flooded back. The resemblance was unbearable.

Her breath caught, and for a moment, the world paused. "You…" Her voice cracked, betraying the storm inside.

Yun Yuhua smiled softly. "I'm Yun Yuhua. I help Auntie run this inn."

Madam Lui's gaze faltered, her face draining of color. The resemblance was undeniable—grief twisted in her chest.

"I… forgot something," she muttered hoarsely, then fled. Her heels echoed sharply against the floor, frantic, driven by something she couldn't control.

Yun Yuhua stood frozen, confused.

Outside, the cold night air did little to calm Madam Lui's dread. Beneath the inn's sign, she gripped the carriage door, her heart pounding. Could it be? The same shadows? The past felt closer, clawing at her mind. Was it fate—or something darker—pulling her back?

With a sharp intake of breath, she turned and stormed away, her steps faster now, pulling her deeper into the shadows of the past.

When Cheng Yi returned to the estate, his mother wasn't home. The steward mentioned she was coming to fetch him. Moments later, Madam Lui stormed in, frantic, and slapped him without a word.

"What was that for?" Cheng Yi asked, stunned.

Her voice trembled with fury. "Who is the woman at the inn?" Her gaze drilled into him, demanding answers. Realization hit—she meant Yun Yuhua.

"She's just a friend. Did you... hurt her?" Cheng Yi asked, unease coiling in his gut.

Madam Lui recoiled, her words sharp, tinged with something darker—fear, perhaps. "Ruthless, am I?" she spat.

_Cheng Yi's cheek still burned from her slap. "I was wrong," he said quietly. "I let my emotions get the best of me." _

She stared at him, unreadable. Then, without a word, she turned and swept away. Her silence stung more than any words.

Cheng Yi stood frozen, a weight settling in his chest. It wasn't just her anger that unsettled him—it was the depth beneath it.

Nearby, Hao Jian watched the exchange from the shadows. His eyes narrowed, recognition flickering in his gaze.

"Someone who looks like Xian Lian?" he murmured to himself.

"She works at the same place…" Madam Lui's voice faltered, thick with grief. "The same place Xian Lian worked."

The lady-in-waiting paled. "Madam, if Master hears—"

But it was too late. Hao Jian smirked darkly, his mind spiraling back into a past he'd buried.

"He's nothing like you," Madam Lui whispered, as if to convince herself. "He must never be."

Hao Jian turned away, his gaze hardening. His thoughts churned, a storm gathering inside him. Each step through the empty hall echoed his inner turmoil.

She looked just like Xian Lian. The resemblance was unbearable—a haunting echo from the past that stirred something dark within him. It was as if the essence of Xian Lian had returned in a new form. He couldn't escape the pull, the deep hunger that gripped him.

Memories flooded back—Xian Lian's beauty, her laughter, her vibrancy—all lost to him. But now, that life, that spark, had returned in a girl who carried the weight of those memories.

He felt it then, a shift in him. His obsession was taking root again. This wasn't just resemblance. It was a twisted rebirth. He didn't want her—he needed her. His fingers twitched, his body aching with the longing to possess, to mold, to control.

He would not lose again.

As Hao Jian slipped into the market's shadows, his gaze fixed on Yun Yuhua, radiant in the sun's fading light. She moved with a grace that deepened the illusion—so full of life, so unburdened. But when she tilted her head, when her smile curled just so, it was Xian Lian's ghost he saw. The same grace. The same eyes.

And yet, there was something more. A depth to her that Xian Lian never had. A dangerous hope stirred within him—that he could reclaim the past.

He couldn't tear his eyes away. His thoughts spiraled into obsession. She could be the answer. She could fill the void Xian Lian left. But there was work to be done. He would bend her, shape her.

He stayed hidden as dusk fell, watching her close the inn for the night. His gaze weighed heavily on her. When she finally caught sight of him, her discomfort was palpable.

Yun Yuhua quickly locked the door, but Hao Jian's presence lingered in the air, suffocating.

That night, obsession gnawed at him. He rose early, mind still thrumming with the dark need to possess. In the dim study, he summoned Cheng Yi, his cold gaze sharpening as he asked, "Have you set your heart on someone?"

Cheng Yi stiffened. "I have."

A slow smirk curled on Hao Jian's lips. "Then bring her here. A man of honor takes what is his."

Cheng Yi hesitated, unease twisting in his gut. "Father... I won't impose where I'm not wanted."

Hao Jian's eyes darkened, fury rising. "So weak-willed?" His voice dropped to a growl. "A man doesn't wait for destiny—he shapes it!"

Cheng Yi's spine stiffened under the raw force of his father's words. Wordlessly, he rose, gaze lowered. "I have matters to attend to."

Hao Jian watched him leave, smirk fading into something colder. "Useless," he muttered. "A chance stands before him, yet he falters..."

As his mind twisted with dark thoughts, Yun Yuhua's face, her beauty, her grace, refused to leave him. She was no mere reflection of Xian Lian. No—there was something more. The flame of reclaiming the past flickered before him.

Perhaps he could marry her. She was the one who could fill the void Xian Lian had left behind.

As the night stretched on, Hao Jian's resolve grew stronger. The solution was simple. She would be his, no matter the years between them. The past and the future would be his again.

Cheng Yi fled the estate, his father's words echoing in his mind. He glanced toward the inn but couldn't bring himself to go. He didn't want to pull them into this.

He wandered until he reached the river, the cool wind brushing his face. Staring into the water, he asked himself—how could he face parents who refused to see him for who he truly was?