Chapter 6: He Is Not Worthy

He feigned composure and said, "Xi'er, you know I love you. Do not be willful; I have already given you a chance—do not squander it."

Reborn into this life, he could actually lie without his face flushing or his heart racing.

"You love me? By mocking me with a rooster? Your love is truly something to behold."

"I merely caught a sudden chill and cannot face the wind. Since you are so bothered by it, I shall bow with you in person. Are you satisfied now?"

Lu Lanci gave a light laugh. In her past life, he had manipulated her, and she had joyfully married into the Marquis of Dongyang’s estate. And the result? Nothing but schemes and calculations.

She had always believed he was truly impotent, only to learn later that he had been keeping himself pure for Lu Wanhe. To take revenge on her, he hadn't even spared the innocent Baizhi.

This was the love he spoke of—a love that had cost her her life. She no longer craved it.

"Young Miss, please, do not believe him. He is deceiving you; you cannot marry him."

Baizhi leaned in, whispering softly into Lu Lanci's ear, her voice trembling with unshed tears. She felt truly aggrieved on behalf of her mistress. As an observer, she had long seen clearly that Zhuang Huaijin did not love her mistress. She had heard rumors that his kindness toward her was merely treating her as a plaything to win a wager against Lu Wanhe and her circle. But human nature is easily influenced by its surroundings, and her mistress, starved of love since childhood, had been blinded by his hypocrisy, willing to fly toward the flame like a moth.

"Baizhi, rest assured. My eyes are no longer clouded; he is not worthy."

Lu Lanci narrowed her eyes, her lids reddening. Baizhi was the only person she trusted now. In her past life, Baizhi had tried to warn her more than once, but she had been too blinded by her own obsession. Some things cannot be taught; they must be learned through the sting of experience. People cannot be awakened by words; they only wake up when they are pained. Yet, the price of this awakening had been far too high.

In this life, she knew that a heartless man was not only someone she could not entrust her life to, but someone she had to destroy with her own hands. She would have to step over his corpse to find peace of mind. There was only hatred between them, no love—a battle to the death.

"Zhuang Huaijin, to humiliate me on our wedding day? If I were to swallow my pride and marry you, who knows how your family would abuse and degrade me in the future?"

"Lu Lanci, don't go too far! You killed the rooster and want to eat it; do you intend to eat me next? I have already shown you enough face—do not push your luck." Zhuang Huaijin was losing his patience.

"Heh, is that so? Though I am a daughter born of a concubine, I know the meaning of dignity. My father’s mansion is a house of scholars; I cannot allow myself to be trampled upon and lose the integrity of a literati. Besides, aren't chickens meant to be eaten?"

Framed by her crimson wedding robes, Lu Lanci was so beautiful it was blinding.

"Xi'er, stop being stubborn. There should be a limit to your temper."

"Is it me acting on a whim? You keep saying you love me—do you dare swear it to the heavens?"

Zhuang Huaijin gritted his teeth. Having just returned, he found himself unable to grasp Lu Lanci's current temperament.

"Stop the pretense. Let us speak plainly: it is clearly my eldest sister, Lu Wanhe, that you love. Do you dare deny it?" Lu Lanci asked coldly, rolling her eyes.

At these words, Zhuang Huaijin felt a sharp pang in his heart. Since she had pierced the veil, there was no need to keep up the charade.

"You are right. It is Wanhe I have always loved. I agreed to marry you only for the sake of your reputation—a woman's honor is paramount. If you insist on breaking the engagement, I have nothing more to say. That is all I can do for you."

His heartfelt declaration moved many, who praised his broad-mindedness and declared him a man worthy of a lifetime's trust.

"You need not play the hypocrite. I, Lu Lanci, am calling off this engagement." Her tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

"You brazen, rebellious girl! Who gave you permission to break this marriage?" Hearing the commotion at the wedding banquet, Lu Wuwei, accompanied by Li Xianyue and Lu Wanhe, hurried in through the gates.

Lu Lanci curled her lips and stepped quietly toward Zhuang Huaijin, whispering, "Zhuang Huaijin, do you not love Lu Wanhe? Did you not suffer for love in your past life? Since you have been reborn, why repeat your mistakes? Be a man and stop acting like a coward. Go marry her. You needn't feign concern for my honor; consider it a favor from me. And you need not fake your death to harm me again. In this life and the last, we are even. From now on, stay away from Baizhi."

Seeing Lu Lanci still appearing to care for him, Zhuang Huaijin hesitated. In truth, Lu Lanci was far more beautiful than Lu Wanhe; her features were those of a true beauty, and even with light makeup, she was intoxicating. But he had met Lu Wanhe first. Feelings do not have right or wrong, nor a matter of who comes first. Most importantly, he vividly remembered Lu Lanci biting off his ear before she died. Her curses haunted him, and he knew that in this life, there was no future for them.

When he looked at Lu Wanhe, his heart raced, and he felt breathless. She was his true wife, the woman who loved him best. In this new life, he would not miss his chance with her again. He would marry her, promise her a life of devotion, and make amends for the debts of his past life.

"Third sister, you and Brother Huaijin have already shared intimate moments. If you break the engagement now, are you not cutting off your own path? Who in the capital would dare marry you? You cannot be so willful." Lu Wanhe wore an expression of deep empathy, tears shimmering in her eyes—a sight that would stir pity in anyone.

Zhuang Huaijin gazed at his beloved with unbridled affection.

"Wanhe is right. If you hadn't been so shameless, your sister wouldn't have had to give him up to fulfill your wishes. Now that you have what you wanted, what are you causing a scene for?" Lu Wuwei roared at Lu Lanci, though he refused to look her in the eye. From the moment he first saw her, he had felt a strange familiarity. Later, he felt a nameless dread because her face did not resemble her mother, Ye Nanzhi, but rather that other person. He often wondered if that person's soul had been reborn in Ye Nanzhi's womb to take revenge on the Lu family. He regretted and hated that he had ever let her see his face, a regret that robbed him of peace every day.

"Indeed, Xi'er. If your sister hadn't begged me with tears, how could a concubine's daughter like you ever marry into the Marquis's estate? Your sister pities you and cannot bear to see you wronged; that is why I agreed to this match. How can you be so ungrateful?"

Heh. They were birds of a feather, all masters of performance.

"He was perfectly fine, yet he sent a rooster to bow with me. This is not just an insult to me; it is an insult to the entire Ministry of Rites mansion, and it is a slap in your face, Minister Lu. Can you really let the entire capital laugh at you and point at your spine? If you are that spineless, then I have nothing more to say."