Chapter 105: Song Ren

Chapter 105

Song Ren

Mu Rongying watched Kang Wang’s departing figure with sorrowful eyes. Even though she had made her decision resolutely, seeing him walk away made her eyes well up with tears she couldn’t hold back.

Don’t deceive yourself...Kang Wang only asked her to return because he pitied her. She’d already troubled him enough. From now on, she would have to be strong and rely on herself.

The young woman discreetly wiped away her tears. As she glanced down, she saw Bao Bao, now dressed in a fresh blue outfit, crawling toward her. His cheerful presence lightened the sadness in her heart. Bao Bao waved his hands, babbling baby talk that Mu Rongying couldn’t understand, but his serious expression made her laugh.

"Is Bao Bao trying to tell auntie a story?"

She lifted him onto her lap and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Bao Bao shyly raised his hand to touch his cheek, which made her laugh again. Seeing her so happy, the little boy smiled broadly. Just moments ago, it seemed like she was about to cry, and Bao Bao had rushed over to comfort her. His pretty sister must have been teased by Kang Wang. What a mean man.

Nie Shuang felt at ease seeing Mu Rongying smile again. She understood their emotions all too well. Both were attached to each other, but neither could abandon the path they had chosen. Being separated like this must have been agonizing for both of them. But beyond love, there were many other things to focus on in life, weren’t there? Mu Rongying was strong, and her decision reflected that. Besides, just because they were apart now didn’t mean they wouldn’t meet again in the future.

When Kang Wang returned to his palace, his mood was foul, something his attendants could easily sense. There was still a faint trace of her lingering in the room, a reminder of the special nights they had shared. Strange, even though he had lived alone all this time, tonight felt lonelier than ever.

He flipped through a book, but after reading only a few pages, he closed it. His gaze drifted aimlessly.

Even after he had spoken so openly, she still hadn’t thought to return...

A feeling of inexplicable pain and disappointment surged in his chest. It was different from when he learned that Nie Shuang had married Song Qilin. Back then, he knew that his relationship with Nie Shuang was nearly impossible. But with Mu Rongying...she was already his. She was stubborn, yes, but also so pure and innocent. He smiled slightly at the thought.

Very well. Heartache and disappointment weren’t new to him. Since he was fond of her, how could he give up to Nie Shuang? In the end, it wasn’t certain whose heart Mu Rongying would truly soften for. Kang Wang mused, full of determination.

Recently, Nie Shuang had been incredibly busy. She had been preparing to help Mu Rongying, hosting visits from her parents brought by the Hou, and organizing the launch of new products. On top of it all, now that Song Qilin had returned, her rest time had become almost nonexistent. Almost every night, he would sweet-talk her into intimacy. At first, she agreed out of sympathy, knowing he had been traveling far from home. But even though he had been back for almost a week, his energy hadn’t diminished since the first night. Tonight, however, she was determined to go to bed early. No matter how much he coaxed, she would refuse. But before she could even lie down, she noticed Song Qilin entering the room with a sullen expression. He sat by the window, fists clenched on the table.

Nie Shuang rose from the bed, walked over to him, and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. She spoke to him softly.

"Qilin... What’s wrong? Did someone upset you?"

Song Qilin stared down at his hands, seemingly troubled. He hesitated for a moment before she sat beside him, gently taking his hands in hers.

"Tell me, if there’s something troubling you, we can figure it out together."

He shifted his hand to grasp hers.

"Shuang Shuang, Father just spoke with me and told me that the issue with Young Miss Chen has been resolved."

Song Qilin couldn’t even bring himself to mention Chen Yuelan’s name directly. After the incident with her, he had kept his distance, referring to her simply as Young Miss Chen in a detached manner. When Nie Shuang heard the name of her old rival, her posture stiffened. Back then, she hadn’t cared about Chen Yuelan because she hadn’t intended to stay as Song Qilin’s wife. But now, the circumstances had changed. If anyone dared to interfere with her husband, she would not stand idly by.

"If it’s resolved, then why do you still look so troubled?"

She asked, keeping her tone neutral. He squeezed her shoulder and looked her in the eyes, his expression honest.

"I’ve never run away from problems. Regarding Young Miss Chen, I’ve always made it clear that I wouldn’t marry her. I didn’t care if it caused trouble with Father or if he stripped me of my title as Shizi. But now, Father has arranged for Qi Ren to marry Young Miss Chen instead."

"You mean Second Brother?"

Nie Shuang quickly recalled Song Ren, who was the sole person that had treated her kindly when she first joined the family. He was gentle and polite, and if she remembered correctly, he was holding a position in the Ministry of Rites—a promising young man. It was a pity that he was now being forced to marry someone as difficult as Chen Yuelan.

"Mm. I don’t think he should bear the consequences of this mess on my behalf, so I feel very uneasy. Father loves the grandchildren now and doesn’t want to upset you, but he also can’t go back on his word to his friend. Qi Ren isn’t betrothed yet, and though he’s only a year older than Young Miss Chen, he seems like a suitable choice. I just argued with Father about this—such a ridiculous promise!"

As a daughter-in-law, Nie Shuang knew it wasn’t her place to interfere, but she couldn’t help fuming at the thought of Chen Yuelan using her own marriage to pressure others! And the Hou! He cared so much for his friendships that he ignored reason. Nie Shuang could understand why he had initially been against her, wanting to push her out of the family, but now that it was impossible, he still didn’t give up on the idea. Instead, he was trying to dump this burden onto the Second Brother. What a waste for a decent young man like Song Ren to marry someone like Chen Yuelan!

"And what does Second Brother think of all this?"

Nie Shuang asked, her initial intention of comforting her husband now replaced with growing frustration. The Hou, oh the Hou. She had hoped that seeing his grandchildren might soften his attitude, but it seemed he was as stubborn as ever. Luckily, he didn’t dare meddle with her family anymore—otherwise, he’d be seeing neither her nor the grandchildren!

"I don’t know yet. Second Brother is usually easygoing and probably won’t put up much of a fight. Otherwise, Father wouldn’t have come here so comfortably. I heard that next year, there will be the wedding in the sixth month."

Nie Shuang’s tone grew sharper.

"Didn’t Chen Yuelan say she would never marry anyone but you? Why is she now so willing to accept a different groom?"

"Her father made the arrangement with mine. As for her own thoughts on the matter, I’m not sure,"

Song Qilin replied.

"Don’t feel guilty about this. Ultimately, it’s up to Second Brother. If he loves someone else, then the marriage shouldn’t happen. But if he’s not attached to anyone and doesn’t mind following the Hou’s orders, it’s not really our place to interfere."

Nie Shuang tried to comfort her husband, though deep down, she didn’t want Song Ren to marry Chen Yuelan. She didn’t want to be connected to someone with such a troublesome personality. If Chen Yuelan were to marry into the same household as her, it would surely bring constant irritation.

"Do you have any good plans?"

Song Qilin asked his wife hopefully. Nie Shuang shook her head.

"I haven’t thought of anything yet. But let me make it clear: even though I dislike Young Miss Chen, I absolutely won’t resort to any schemes that would tarnish her reputation."

Song Qilin smiled at his wife.

"I also despise such methods."

"Before I head back to the border, I’ll visit my second brother in the capital. If he’s not willing to marry her, I’ll do my best to find a way to prevent this wedding from happening,"He said, his eyes filled with determination.