Chapter 62: Lu Xuanheng is Going to Marry Her

Inside the Lu Manor, Jiang You'an slept from the afternoon until the next morning after fainting.

Seeing her wake up, Qiulan was overjoyed and hurriedly helped her up. "How is the young lady feeling now?"

Pressing her temples, Jiang You'an asked Qiulan, "What happened to me?"

"You fainted yesterday, miss. The doctor said you were suffering from qi and blood deficiency. Stay lying down for a moment while I go fetch you some food. You can take your medicine right after eating."

Instead, Jiang You'an got straight out of bed. "Qiulan, go prepare the carriage. I need to make a trip to the Marquis's Manor."

Qiulan quickly tried to persuade her, "Miss, your body is still weak. You should rest instead."

"No, I must see Mingxiu right away. There must still be some room for negotiation regarding the marriage."

"Given Madam Su's attitude yesterday, I'm afraid... even if you go to the Marquis's Manor now, you probably won't be able to see Young Master Su."

Jiang You'an had already dressed. "No matter what, I cannot just lie here doing nothing. I fought hard for this marriage; it cannot just fall through like this."

With that, she made to walk out.

To her surprise, the moment she opened the door, Lu Xuanheng was standing outside, blocking her path.

"Your illness hasn't healed yet. Where are you going?"

Hearing that she had regained consciousness, Lu Xuanheng had come to see her immediately. He had not expected that the first thing she would do upon waking up was to go find Su Mingxiu. Even after the Su family had demanded to call off the engagement, she still refused to give up. Did she really care for Su Mingxiu that much?

Not wanting to waste words with him, Jiang You'an tried to push past him and walk out. "I am going to the Su family."

Lu Xuanheng grasped her arm, pulling her back into the room. "You just fainted yesterday, and the doctor told you to rest quietly. What are you running out to stir up trouble for?"

"Mind your own business!"

"If I don't mind your business, who will? The Su family spoke so harshly. If you go there now, won't you just be thrown out?"

Without another word, Lu Xuanheng picked her up directly and tucked her back under the covers. "Rest properly and don't go anywhere."

Jiang You'an said with displeasure, "Lu Xuanheng, are you gloating over my misfortune? My engagement being broken off suits you just fine, doesn't it?"

"That's right," Lu Xuanheng said. "It's for the best that your engagement is broken. From now on, you'll obediently stay by my side, and at the very least, I can protect you."

Jiang You'an sneered. "Protect me? Where were you when your fiancée and Li Zhengfu joined forces to bully me? The last time at the Prince's Manor's flower-viewing banquet, I was almost stung and disfigured by the poisonous bees Li Lianzhu released, and this time I was trapped in the Prince's Manor by the two of them playing along with each other, nearly unable to get out again. Is this how you protect me?"

Lu Xuanheng's expression turned gloomy. "You never choose to mention these things to me proactively, because you have never trusted me. If you had truly complained to me, could I have ignored it?"

"How would you want to manage it? Could you possibly lean toward helping me in front of your fiancée? You want me to stay by your side—as a concubine or as a kept mistress? And when Li Lianzhu holds a grudge against me in the future, how do you plan to protect me then?"

Lu Xuanheng stared intently at Jiang You'an, his gaze burning, and slowly asked, "What if I call off the marriage with the Princess? If I marry you, would that be enough to protect you? Would you be willing then?"

Jiang You'an was stunned for a moment, then said with disdain, "Who cares for your protection? Stop putting on the act of a good person here."

Gripping her wrist, Lu Xuanheng said with a sincere tone, "I am asking you to be my lawful wife. Are you willing? It will be just the two of us, and in the future... in the future, once we have children, our family of three will live together."

Jiang You'an found it laughable in her heart.

Clearly, he loathed her, trapped her here to torment her, denied everything about her, and had never given her a single kind look—yet now he claimed he wanted to marry her?

He had lost his mind, but she certainly had not.

Looking at Lu Xuanheng, she parted her lips coldly, "Even if I cannot marry Su Mingxiu, I will never marry you. Not even in death!"

The merciless words struck Lu Xuanheng's heart like a sharp sword, shattering his illusions.

He suddenly remembered when they were young, back at the Jiang Manor.

He had been staying there alone out of boredom when Madam Jiang spotted him, took him by the hand, and led him to find Jiang You'an.

Beneath a tree, Jiang You'an was sitting alone on a swing, swaying back and forth.

He had walked over and smiled, saying, "Younger Sister You'an, let me push the swing for you."

Yet the moment Jiang You'an saw him, she turned fierce, immediately jumping off the swing. "Country bumpkin, I won't play with you! Stay away from me!"

Madam Jiang scolded her, "You'an, you are not allowed to be so impolite."

Jiang You'an hugged Madam Jiang to act spoiled, glancing at him with a look of utter disgust. "I just hate him. Mother, when is he leaving? I don't want to see him!"

Madam Jiang had dragged her away to lecture her, while he stood in place, staring at the empty swing for a long time.

She had never thought well of him—not in the past, and not now either.

To her, being with him seemed like the most painful thing in the world.

Lu Xuanheng released Jiang You'an's wrist, abandoning any further talk of marrying her. He merely said, "Get some good rest. Do not go out at all for the next few days."

Glaring at him angrily, Jiang You'an burrowed under the covers and refused to look at him again.

Lu Xuanheng walked out toward the door, summoning two maidservants to watch over Jiang You'an.

Jiang You'an angrily kicked the blankets a couple of times.

Still having official business to attend to today, Lu Xuanheng left the Hall of Longevity and headed out of the manor.

As he reached the front gates and was about to board his carriage, he heard someone calling him.

"Young Master Lu!"

Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw it was none other than Su Mingxiu.

Su Mingxiu had jogged all the way here, bareheaded and wearing casual clothes. Judging by his disheveled appearance, he must have fled hastily from home.

So they truly held each other in their hearts.

A surge of restlessness rose within Lu Xuanheng. "Young Master Su, why have you come?"

Panting, Su Mingxiu asked, "Young Master Lu, is You'an in the manor? How is she? I wish to see her."

Lu Xuanheng's expression remained neutral. "She probably does not wish to see you right now. Didn't your esteemed mother already propose calling off the engagement? Since that's the case, we shouldn't drag things out excessively. It is best to part ways amicably."

Su Mingxiu asked anxiously, "Is this You'an's wish?"

"Mm," Lu Xuanheng replied. "A young lady naturally values her pride."

"Calling off the engagement was solely my parents' decision; I never agreed to it. Young Master Lu, I want to see her and clear things up face-to-face. Time is pressing, can you help pass along a message for me?"

Watching Su Mingxiu's earnest and sincere expression, Lu Xuanheng clenched his hands behind his back into tight fists.

They loved each other so deeply, yet he was the one tearing them apart. He truly felt like a villain akin to Li Zhengfu now, but if he didn't play the villain, who would?

Lu Xuanheng offered a slow smile. "Very well."

He turned to Xiuzhu and instructed, "Go to the young cousin's quarters and ask."

Xiuzhu glanced at Lu Xuanheng, bowed, and acknowledged the order.

Entering the manor, Xiuzhu stood near the base of the wall for a short while before jogging back out. "Young Master Su," he reported, "the young cousin says she does not wish to see you."