Xiao Lingzhao looked down at his little wife who had defended him against the accuser, the corners of his lips curling upward.
He had thought his wife was a delicate and easily bullied young lady. He had assumed she was soft-spoken and incapable of scolding anyone. Who would have guessed he had misjudged her?
It seemed their family need not fear arguments anymore.
With a father who was clumsy with words, a mother who was easily taken advantage of, and himself who was not particularly articulate, they had finally welcomed a daughter-in-law capable of reducing others to tears with her words.
Xiao Lingzhao couldn’t express how much he adored this girl. He gazed deeply at Shen Yuanwei, his voice low but just loud enough for Song Suihuan to hear—
“Yuan Wei is right. She has delayed us for too long. I’m quite anxious—with just one final bow remaining, I will become Yuan Wei’s husband. Until that bow is completed, my heart remains suspended and unsettled.”
He then turned to Song Suihuan. The tenderness he had shown Shen Yuanwei was now replaced with utter coldness.
“Miss Song, please leave. You are truly disturbing us.”
“…”
Song Suihuan stared blankly at Xiao Lingzhao before clenching her fists tightly, her heart burning with raging fury mixed with traces of sorrow and grievance.
How infuriating!
That bitch Shen Yuanwei chased her away, and now Xiao Lingzhao was helping that bitch drive her off too?
She and Xiao Lingzhao were childhood sweethearts! When they played together, that bitch didn’t even know where she was!
If not for her family’s misfortune, she and Xiao Lingzhao would have been engaged. She should have been Xiao Lingzhao’s fiancée—how could that bitch have the right to flaunt her status and curse at her?
Song Suihuan turned to look at Shen Yuanwei, whose face was hidden behind a fan.
Hah, was Xiao Lingzhao so eager to marry this woman?
Did Xiao Lingzhao truly love this woman?
No…
Impossible.
She had been back in the capital for two months and hadn’t heard a word about Xiao Lingzhao having a beloved. This woman had appeared out of nowhere today—there was no way Xiao Lingzhao could love her that much…
Suddenly, an idea flashed through Song Suihuan’s mind.
She understood! This woman was someone Xiao Lingzhao found to retaliate against and provoke her!
It had to be.
Xiao Lingzhao didn’t want Xiao Zhen to commit suicide, yet he couldn’t endure the torment of his illness and sought to deceive her, the Miracle Doctor, into treating him. So he deliberately found a woman to marry to provoke her, hoping she would lose her rationality in heartache and jealousy and immediately compromise to save him!
Thinking of this, Song Suihuan suddenly laughed.
She stared at Xiao Lingzhao and said slowly, “Stop pretending. I’ve seen through this act you’re putting on today. You don’t love this woman at all—you just brought her here to provoke me, right?”
“…”
Xiao Lingzhao frowned deeply as he stared at Song Suihuan, somewhat baffled by her insane ramblings.
Shen Yuanwei was also taken aback by Song Suihuan’s bizarre train of thought.
Had this Miracle Doctor been praised too highly and become overconfident? Did she think everyone had to revolve around her and couldn’t survive without her?
Song Suihuan said arrogantly, “Hah, the esteemed General of Agile Cavalry has resorted to such childish tricks? Stop the act—it’s quite pathetic. I’ll give you one last chance. If you cancel the wedding now and have your father kneel and beg me, I might mercifully save your life.”She changed her tone, “But if you insist on continuing and using such a foolish method to provoke me, let me tell you, you’ll be disappointed. I’m not that impulsive. I won’t fulfill your wishes. I won’t be heartbroken or lose my mind just because you’re getting married today. I’ll only sever all ties with you. In the future, even if you’re suffering unbearably and beg me on your knees in tears, it will be useless. I won’t spare you another glance. I’ll coldly watch you die right in front of me!”
She confidently glanced at Shen Yuanwei and then told Xiao Lingzhao, “So, think carefully now—whether to proceed with the wedding ceremony or cancel it. After all, I’m only giving you this one chance to live.”
After Song Suihuan finished speaking, the Xiao family fell into an eerie silence.
Ah…
I feel a bit embarrassed for this Miracle Doctor lady.
Does she really think Ling Zhao is marrying to provoke her? It has absolutely nothing to do with her!
She believes Ling Zhao can only rely on her and can’t survive without her? But Ling Zhao already has someone who can save him.
The Old General lowered his gaze to his knees, then glanced at his daughter-in-law, secretly relieved. Thankfully, his daughter-in-law could save Ling Zhao, or else his old legs would have been forced to kneel again.
The Old Madam also felt relieved. Her daughter-in-law was truly better—she saved her son and even kowtowed to her and the old man, unlike some people who one moment threaten violence and the next demand her old man to kneel and kowtow…
As for Xiao Lingzhao himself…
He felt even more grateful.
He thanked the heavens for bringing Yuan Wei to his side, sparing him and his father from enduring Song Suihuan’s repeated coercion and humiliation.
“Have you lost your mind?”
He tightened his grip on Shen Yuanwei’s fingers, his cold eyes fixed on Song Suihuan.
“I don’t know where you get so much confidence, thinking I’m marrying to provoke you. But you’re overthinking it. I don’t need you to save me, and you’re not worth me putting on an act. I’m marrying Yuan Wei because I adore her. I want her as my wife. I want her to spend the rest of her life with me. It has nothing to do with you—”
“Please leave. I don’t need the chance you’re offering. I don’t need you to save me, and I won’t cancel the wedding. If you want to sever ties, then so be it. There was never much affection between us to begin with.”
Song Suihuan didn’t believe it at all.
She said calmly, “Now that I’ve seen through your act, you’re still being stubborn? Let me tell you, Xiao Lingzhao, my patience is limited. Don’t pretend to be cold and say these harsh things until you’ve exhausted my patience and regret it later. I, Song Suihuan, don’t need you specifically—there are plenty of men who want to marry me.”
Xiao Lingzhao was momentarily speechless.
Shen Yuanwei couldn’t help but chuckle.
Overconfidence can be quite laughable.
She said, “Miss Song, is it possible that Ling Zhao isn’t pretending to be cold or being stubborn? Is it possible that everything he said is sincere? He truly doesn’t need you to save him. He truly believes there was never much affection between you. He genuinely wants to sever ties with you. He’s really tired of you.”
Song Suihuan glared coldly at Shen Yuanwei and snapped, “When I’m talking to him, who gave you the right to interrupt? We were childhood friends—where were you back then? How could you understand him better than I do? Whether he’s being stubborn or not, I know very well. He’s just using you to provoke me. You’re the one who’s too immersed in your role, really thinking you’re the young madam of the Xiao family!”
Shen Yuanwei looked at Song Suihuan in astonishment.Are childhood sweethearts so special? If you’re really childhood sweethearts, why didn’t you save him when he was in danger?
She couldn’t stand anyone flaunting their superiority in front of her.
Since Song Suihuan insisted on using their childhood connection to show off, then… she would let Song Suihuan see that the childhood sweetheart she cherished so much was now her man…
Shen Yuanwei curved her lips, her slender fingers tracing Xiao Lingzhao’s lips. “Ling Zhao, let me touch them. Miss Song said she’s your childhood sweetheart, that she knows you better than I do, and that she knows best whether your lips are firm or not—”
After stroking his lips twice, Shen Yuanwei glanced sideways at Song Suihuan, feigning surprise. “Miss Song, are you really sure? Ling Zhao’s lips are actually quite soft, not firm at all. If you don’t believe me, why don’t you come and feel them yourself?”
Xiao Lingzhao was caught off guard by the touch on his lips. After a moment of stunned silence, his cheeks suddenly flushed red.
What was Yuan Wei doing…
A hint of shyness flashed in the tall man’s eyes as he stood there obediently, head slightly bowed, allowing his wife to toy with his lips.
He even leaned in slightly, as if wanting her to apply more pressure.
“…”
Song Suihuan stared at Shen Yuanwei’s actions, utterly dumbfounded!
She couldn’t believe Shen Yuanwei would actually touch him so boldly in front of everyone!
Even more unbelievable was that Xiao Lingzhao showed not a trace of resistance or disgust when touched—instead, he seemed pleasantly surprised, then bashful as if enjoying every moment!
This was completely different from his reaction when she had touched him!
A few days ago, when Xiao Zhen had invited her to check Xiao Lingzhao’s pulse, she had seen him drenched in sweat and reached out to wipe it away. But Xiao Lingzhao immediately turned his head away, saying men and women should maintain proper boundaries and that she should respect herself!
Hah…
Respect herself…
He told her to respect herself, yet he allowed that wretched Shen Yuanwei to do whatever she wanted?
Watching Song Suihuan’s face darken, Shen Yuanwei chuckled lightly.
“Miss Song, do you still think Ling Zhao married me just to make you jealous? Do you still believe he doesn’t truly love me? If you need more proof, shall I kiss him right here for you to see?”
Song Suihuan’s expression turned ashen.
Xie Junlin, who had been observing quietly, gradually straightened his posture.
He never expected to witness Shen Yuanwei playing with Xiao Lingzhao’s lips in public. His dark eyes covertly fixed on Shen Yuanwei and Xiao Lingzhao.
Watching Xiao Lingzhao’s lips being gently pressed and caressed under those slender fingers, Xie Junlin unconsciously pursed his own lips.
He thought, This bride is quite bold, to act so brazenly in front of everyone…
He also wondered, No woman has ever touched me like that. What would it feel like for a man, usually in a position of dominance, to become the one being played with?
Taking in Xiao Lingzhao’s flushed shyness and the faint trembling of his fingers hidden behind his back, he concluded, It must be… quite pleasurable. Ling Zhao seems to be enjoying himself immensely right now.