Aromatic Flesh

“I refuse to marry Tang YingShao.”

The woman, whose beauty resembled that of a graceful lily, had a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Her expression was both anxious and apprehensive as she looked up at the man before her.

“You are aware of the extensive coverage in the newspapers about our families, aren’t you?”

Qian YunSheng silently wiped away the tears from her face, fully aware of the situation. However, what could he do? Despite his outward appearance of glamour, he lived a humble life in the underbelly of Shanghai. The prospect of a marriage alliance between two powerful warlord families… How could he possess the qualifications or influence to dictate anything?

Having cleared the traces of tears from Gu MingYue’s face, Qian YunSheng took a step back and turned his head, creating a distance of about three feet between them. He lowered his gaze, hoping to evade the woman’s penetrating stare that revealed his innermost thoughts. With a heavy and hoarse tone, he softly acknowledged, “Yes.”

“I…I refuse!” Gu MingYue repeated, her voice filled with determined courage as she emphasised her unwillingness. With a fervent expression, she took a resolute step forward towards Qian YunSheng.

Qian YunSheng found himself in a whirlwind of confusion, unsure of what to say or do at that moment. He grappled with the expectations placed upon someone of his social standing, leaving him standing silently like a statue rooted to the ground.

“YunSheng…” The woman’s voice carried a gentle tone mixed with a sense of urgency and a pleading emotion that puzzled Qian YunSheng.

How could she innocently expect me to have any influence in this matter? I am the one who lacks the right to decide even my own destiny… A faint smile slowly curved at the corners of Qian YunSheng’s lips. His eyes, as luminous as glass, gradually lifted, and in an instant, his expression bloomed with a cheerful warmth. “Allow me to extend my congratulations, Miss Xue. You and Young Master Tang are a perfect match, a union of exceptional talent and exquisite beauty destined by fate.”

The words he spoke felt like a double-edged sword, piercing the woman and himself at the same time…

“You, you!” Gu MingYue’s face twisted with disbelief and resentment as her voice trembled with anger. With hurried steps, she extended her arms and forcefully pushed Qian YunSheng, causing him to stumble and fall heavily to the ground. In a swift motion, the seemingly delicate and vulnerable young lady positioned herself astride him, her presence filled with a commanding aura.

The position they found themselves in was undeniably immodest, yet at that moment, neither of them paid it any mind. Qian YunSheng was taken aback by Gu MingYue’s sudden display of assertiveness, and he allowed her to take control without resistance. While Xue HeZe had shown some spoiled and willful tendencies, always proclaiming herself as a modern woman, she had still maintained a certain degree of feminine shyness in their interactions. He had never seen her act such boldly and uninhibited before.

Qian YunSheng stared at Gu MingYue’s face in bewilderment, witnessing the transformation of a woman who had forcefully pushed him down and now pinned him. Her expression carried a mixture of anger and sorrow, revealing a fragile vulnerability tinged with a sense of despair.

“You jerk! You knew all along that I had feelings for you! You were the only one I wanted to marry! YunSheng… YunSheng, you have feelings for me too, don’t you? Why would you say such hurtful things… Qian YunSheng… I…I love you…”

Qian YunSheng, I love you.

Even though he had known it all along, hearing her say those words with such conviction felt like a monumental weight crashing down on his heart.

A profound sense of powerlessness overwhelmed him. He despised this society that valued power and influence, he despised Xue HeZe’s innocent and wholehearted affection, and he hated himself for being powerless and lacking influence, while also engaging in dirty transactions driven by money and desire.

Veins protruded as he clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. Slowly, Qian YunSheng released his grip, feeling like a deflated balloon in an instant. He lay on the ground, his gaze empty and lifeless as he stared at the ceiling.

“Would you still love me if my face was disfigured and my voice was gone?”

“…No.”

As expected, their love was shallow and cheap… Qian YunSheng thought blankly.

“For me to fall in love with you at first sight… Your looks definitely played a decisive role in that.” Gu MingYue admitted blatantly without attempting to deny the truth and her words carried no hint of defence, “If your face was disfigured and your voice hoarse from the beginning, I’m not sure if I could have loved you, or might have never noticed you in the first place… But since I have already fallen in love with you, even if your face is disfigured in the future, or even…” She hesitated, as the implications were too foreboding to express. “I would still love you.”

Qian YunSheng listened to Gu MingYue’s soft and tender confession, his expression a mixture of sadness and joy. Silently, he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes.

“Let’s elope, to the ends of the earth if need be. As long as I can be with you, I’m not afraid of anything.” It was as if all the courage had converged into this single sentence, the tension in the woman’s body softened as she sat on top of Qian YunSheng, quietly awaiting his response.

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