If there were no one in her heart that she deeply loved, then marrying according to her parents' wishes and the matchmaker's words would be acceptable.
But now, with Bao Sinian in her heart, Wandie could never let go of her feelings for him.
That man, who seemed to draw the essence of heaven and earth, always appeared in her mind during the midnight hours.
He wore a moon-white silk robe and a slightly worn white top hat, standing tall and elegant. He smiled at her, calling her name over and over again, his voice gentle and lingering, like an otherworldly hermit transcending the mundane.
In this way, Wandie could no longer wait. She feared that if she delayed any longer, she would truly be separated from him for eternity, wandering alone in the world.
Finally, seizing an opportunity, Wandie stealthily carried a bundle to the backyard of her home in the pitch-black night. It had been abandoned for many years, rarely visited by anyone. She intended to elope with Bao Sinian, to be together no matter where they went.
“ Sinian, are you here?” she called his name cautiously, her voice trembling with unspoken nervousness and excitement, quivering softly in the stillness of the night.
No one responded. She called out a few more times, but as she stepped forward, she lost her balance and fell directly into someone's embrace.
“ Sinian, you’re here! Take me away, please take me away!” Wandie tightly wrapped her arms around the waist of the person before her, burying her tear-streaked face deep into his chest. Though they had not seen each other for just a few days, it felt as if they had been apart for a thousand years.
“ Sinian?” Not receiving a reply from him, she tilted her head up to see his expression. Unexpectedly, his kiss suddenly fell upon her like raindrops—gently landing on her forehead, eyes, nose, and finally on her lips, tender and delicate.
However, gradually his kisses became more intense—domineering and forceful—leaving her breathless.
This overwhelming presence was certainly not Bao Sinian.
Wandie's heart raced in confusion. She struggled to break free from his hold and exclaimed in panic, “You’re not Sinian! Who are you?”
At that moment, the surroundings suddenly lit up with torches, illuminating the backyard. She finally saw his face clearly. "It's you?"
Jiang Haotian lowered his head slightly, twirling the jade ring on his left thumb with his right hand, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Wandie, you can't escape."
His words seemed to mock her overconfidence, causing Wandie to lose her composure completely.
Yet a glimmer of hope remained in her heart. She stepped forward, clutching his sleeve tightly as she pleaded, "Please let me go."
"No!" He gently brushed her hand aside, his tone firm and resolute, extinguishing any thoughts of escape.
Despair washed over Wandie, but she swore she would never betray Sinian.
After a long moment, she suddenly began to laugh foolishly, a tragic beauty in her smile. "In that case, what you marry is nothing but a cold corpse. I would rather die than marry you!"
With that, Wandie charged toward the large locust tree beside her, fully prepared for death. However, she collided with a warm "wall."
She heard his cold voice ringing in her ears: "If you die, I will make sure he accompanies you!"
At that moment, three figures emerged from the abandoned shack.
In the middle was Bao Sinian, his mouth tightly gagged with silk and his body bound with ropes, looking quite disheveled.
The two men beside him pushed him forward step by step, followed by a relentless barrage of punches and kicks.
"Stop, please stop!" Wandie panicked, her heart racing as she desperately wanted to rush forward and intervene. However, her arms were tightly held by others, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't move an inch.
"If it weren't for the fact that I had someone keeping a close watch on your maid, you would have probably run away with this guy by now! Wandie, you have disappointed me greatly!"
Jiang Haotian said, his palm gently resting on her cheek. His hand was warm and broad, but all Wandie felt was danger and fear, a hint of humiliation swelling within her. Yet she did not back down; her eyes shone with defiance.
"I promise you, I'll do anything you want, just stop!" Wandie choked out, unable to resist glancing at Bao Sinian.
Seeing him—who had always been gentle and refined—now bullied by this group of "bullies," filled her with both pain and guilt.
At that moment, her only thought was that she could not let him suffer any longer! Even if it meant humbling herself to plead with the person she hated the most.
Tears, warm and crystalline, rolled continuously down onto Jiang Haotian's hand. Those tears seemed to carry a burning heat, scorching his heart like a raging fire.
He immediately ordered his men to stop and softly whispered in her ear, "Three days from now, if you willingly marry into the Jiang family wearing your phoenix crown and bridal gown, then he can regain his freedom. But for now, I cannot let him go."
After leaving those words, he turned and walked away.
It seemed he had seized upon her weakness, so he was not worried about her attempting to escape again. But Wandie's hope shattered in an instant.
She knew deep down that he was truly a devil, effortlessly striking at her vulnerability, leaving her with no choice but to comply.
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