Shang Ruyi was shocked: "What are you doing?!"
Yu Wenye said nothing, just tightly gripped her wrist and pulled her to the bed, pointing to it with a blank expression: "You sleep here."
Looking at his stern expression, Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a burst of anger: "Where I sleep is none of your business, let go of me!"
Yu Wenye didn’t say another word and threw her onto the bed!
Shang Ruyi fell onto the bed. Although the mattress was soft, her back still had whip wounds, causing her to let out a low cry of pain. Before she could get up, Yu Wenye had leaned down, seizing her wrists and pinning them to the bed, one leg half-kneeling on the edge, his whole body leaning over her.
"What, what are you doing!?"
Shang Ruyi was both pained and anxious, especially feeling their current posture, her face turning red and white. She wanted to struggle, but Yu Wenye’s hands were like iron pincers, holding her tightly, making it impossible for her to move.
Shang Ruyi gritted her teeth and said, "Let go of me!"
Yu Wenye slightly raised an eyebrow, looking at her without moving.
Their eyes met, and Shang Ruyi suddenly realized something, her face flushed crimson all at once.
Because she found that even though they were in such an ambiguous position, Yu Wenye’s gaze as he looked down at her was as cold as ice, without even an extra move to touch her.
Instead, it made her resistance seem so unnecessary, even ridiculous.
Yu Wenye looked down at her, his voice deep: "Listen carefully, even if you are not my wife, I, Yu Wenye, would not take advantage of a woman."
"We are in a transaction, not opposition."
His words, calm to the point of being devoid of warmth, made Shang Ruyi’s heart tremble.
She did have something to ask for, and what she sought could only be given by the Yuwen Family!
Even if this marriage was just a transaction, they should cooperate well rather than oppose each other.
She realized then that her previous anger was a mix of anger and shame—ashamed that before she could even voice her reluctance, she found the other party had no "willingness" at all.
She turned her face to the side, her ears burning hot.
Yu Wenye slowly released her, then straightened up and stood by the bed, looking at her. Shang Ruyi’s face flushed red and white, sitting up slowly, she said: "I lost my composure earlier."
"You’re right, we are partners and shouldn’t be adversaries."
Seeing her calm down, Yu Wenye said nothing more, turned around and walked to the low bed, and lay down on it.
Shang Ruyi also slowly lay back on the bed.
The room instantly fell quiet.
Her chest was still aching from the intense heartbeat earlier. Lying on her side, with a glance, she could see the flickering candlelight casting Yu Wenye’s handsome face on the wall. Even in outline, it carried his cold aura.
Just like earlier, it was a bucket of cold water poured over her wishful thinking, chilling to the bone.
Shang Ruyi turned, her back to him.
That night was the most agonizing of her life.
She didn’t even know when the red candle burned out and went out, when the bridal chamber turned pitch black, only felt like she was a drifting leaf, falling into a chaotic dream.
In a daze, she found herself in a strange yet splendid mansion, at a loss, when suddenly, war broke out!
The dream turned into a living purgatory.
She heard the horrific screams of those around her, saw those lovely women falling one by one into pools of blood. The fear and helplessness made her whole body cold, even more terrifying, her family members also...
Shang Ruyi, terrified beyond words, cried out desperately: "I’m not, I didn’t follow him—, I already—"