Pei Ling’an said he wanted to break off our engagement again.
This time, it was because I refused to give the golden hairpin I had won for my poetry to my younger cousin.
“The Shen Family has fallen. No matter which daughter I choose to marry, Shen Tongzhi wouldn’t dare say a single word against it.”
He rested his chin on his hand, looking at me with a faint, mocking smile. “Break the engagement, or give the hairpin to Yuchi. Shen Yusu, the choice is yours.”
Everyone was waiting for me to bow my head.
Just as I had done countless times before.
But this time, I only tightened my grip on the golden hairpin and said softly,
“Then let’s break the engagement.”