Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was terrifyingly strong.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I saw the marks covering Xie Xuechao’s body.

I was utterly doomed.

That was the second, when Xie Xuechao opened his eyes and fixed me with an unwavering stare, his gaze as cool and dark as black jade.

I swallowed.

“L-listen, let me explain. I’m a victim too… Someone drugged me…”

“Yes! It happened right here in your family home!”

“Come to think of it, as the heir, you bear some of the—”

My voice dwindled.

The young man who had sat up showed no reaction at all. His eyes were black and still, like a deep, secluded pool.

Seen this close…

Xie Xuechao was somehow even more handsome than my fiancé, whose looks were said to be unrivaled in the capital.

He was simply too grave and too rigid. Whenever the young ladies ranked the capital’s most eligible gentlemen, they never bothered including him.

My mind wandered for only a moment before his low, hoarse voice pulled me back.

“You are Lady Liao?”

I nodded.

“Lingchao’s betrothed,” he said flatly.

After a brief hesitation, I nodded again.

In truth, I had come to beat Xie Lingchao senseless and break off our engagement—but surely his elder brother did not need to know that.

Especially not after I had just forced myself on said elder brother.

Xie Xuechao fell silent.

His chest, barely covered by his inner robe, rose and fell sharply. At last, he released a long sigh, lowered his eyes, and stepped past me.

I followed him uncertainly with my gaze.

Meticulously, he put on his outer robe. Meticulously, he tied up his long hair. Meticulously, he took out a strip of white silk. Then, just as meticulously, he stepped onto a round stool and tossed the silk over a roof beam.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

I sucked in a breath and charged.

“W-what are you doing? Calm down! We can talk about this!”

Things became rather awkward after that.

I had meant to pull Xie Xuechao down. But I held on, he struggled; I tightened my grip, he struggled harder.

Somewhere in the tussle, I yanked loose the sash of his trousers.

He stopped clutching the white silk.

Now he was clutching his trousers.

“Lady Liao, release me!”

He glared at me through gritted teeth. Anger flushed his pale cheeks pink, and humiliation set the body beneath his brocade trembling.

“I’ll let go, but you have to come down first.”

He closed his eyes. “I have committed an outrage against morality with my younger brother’s betrothed. How can I still have the face to live?”

“Th-this isn’t your fault…”

Guilt gnawed at me. “I was the one who forced you.”

Xie Xuechao shook his head, long lashes lowering and trembling like butterfly wings.

“You are young, and as Lingchao’s intended, you should properly call me Elder Brother. I failed to reason with you and stop you. The fault is mine.”

“You couldn’t have stopped me anyway. You’re so weak you can barely truss a chicken…”

My voice shrank again.

It truly was not his fault. I looked slender, but I had been born with monstrous strength. Even the massive bow my older brother struggled to draw came easily to me.

Xie Xuechao must have tried to resist. He simply had not succeeded.

The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt. My voice choked.

“Xie Xuechao—Brother Xie—please calm down. Have you considered what will happen to me if you die? Or do you expect me to kill myself with you?”

“I… had no such intention.”

“Then come down.”

He held my gaze for a long time before finally closing his eyes and sighing.

“Let go.”

I loosened my grip warily.

He retied his sash and stepped down from the stool.

After a great deal of chaos, we were finally dressed and seated across from one another. I sat on the couch by the window; he perched on a round stool five paces away.

Had I not pointed out that we would have to shout if he went any farther, I suspected he might have retreated to the opposite end of the room.

“I’ll start,” I said with a sigh. “Yesterday, I came here intending to beat Xie Lingchao—ah, discuss matters with him—and then end our engagement.”

Xie Xuechao frowned, but after a moment, his expression eased.

“Why do you wish to end it? What has Lingchao done?”

I hesitated.

“Do you know his study attendant?”

He nodded. “Zhuming.”

For no reason I could name, I felt something inside me loosen.

“Not him. Lingchao left home with Zhuming, but once he reached the Imperial Academy, he replaced him with someone else.”