Han Si Que looked at the woman standing close before him and couldn’t help but step forward. Su Yaogeng, however, quickly stepped back two steps, creating space between them.
"Zheng’er?" Han Si Que’s voice carried a trace of indescribable bitterness. Must she be so guarded against him? Between them...
Yes, between them, there really was nothing left.
"Lord, please mind yourself. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave." Su Yaogeng turned her eyes away, suddenly realizing that seeing a bit more or less didn’t seem that important anymore. Time truly was the best medicine in the world; no matter how deep the wound, it could gradually be faded in the long river of time.
"Zheng’er, I know that in this lifetime, I have no right to earn your forgiveness." Han Si Que’s heart clenched. He wanted to step forward to embrace the woman he loved the most, but he could not.
Too much separated them; he could only watch her like this, powerlessly.
"Forgiveness?" Su Yaogeng laughed as if hearing a joke, shaking her head. Her bright eyes looked at Han Si Que as if they were poisoned. "Pray tell, Duke Wei, what do we need forgiveness for? For you refusing to marry me back then for the Duke Mansion and your duty as the eldest legitimate son? Or for marrying someone else, having children, and grandchildren? Or for going to the border for over ten years? Han Si Que, what joke are you telling me?"
There never could be forgiveness between them. When he chose the Duke Mansion over her, everything between them—love or hatred—lost its meaning.
Hearing the word "forgiveness" from his mouth now was truly ironic.
"Zheng’er, do we really have to be this way? You know, as the eldest legitimate son of the Duke Mansion, I had no choice. If I could choose... Zheng’er, you know, I had no choice." He, being born as the eldest legitimate son of the Duke Mansion, had responsibilities he had to bear. Between the woman he loved and his family, he really couldn’t choose. Only he could shoulder the responsibility of the Duke Mansion, so he couldn’t marry her.
"Enough!" Su Yaogeng stopped Han Si Que. She’d heard enough of such words back then and didn’t want to hear another word now.
"So what? Han Si Que, in the end, I’m just not as important as your family. Why bother dressing it up so grandly? Difficulties? Who doesn’t have their struggles in this world? After all these years, saying anything now doesn’t matter. In the future, remember, Duke Wei, I’m your sister-in-law. You should know what should and shouldn’t be said." Su Yaogeng sneered.
No amount of difficulties changed anything. Why he gave her up was clear to both of them. So why sugarcoat words?
Su Yaogeng turned away. She was no longer that naive woman. She had no thoughts of using those deceptive illusions to cover up the raw, bloody truth.
She blamed no one; it was her fate. He simply didn’t love her enough. Not loving her enough gave him an excuse, and she perhaps should even thank him for trying to give her an illusion still.
"Zheng’er! I’ve applied to the Emperor to stay in the Capital City! I’m back, Zheng’er, I..."