He knelt on the ground, holding her tightly.
His usually clear voice sounded so harsh and unfamiliar at this moment.
Wei Qingge slumped in his arms, pushing him away in a rage.
"You admit it, you admit it, right?"
Li Qiongyu made no response, his gaze falling on her face filled with a crazed fervor.
Wei Qingge had never seen him like this before.
Her eyes widened, staring at Li Qiongyu, who seemed like a completely different person, as if her vision had blurred.
For so many years, he had been a carefree, profligate dandy, unrestrained and flamboyant.
So, was this the true face she had never seen?
The more she looked, the more terrified she felt. Furious to the point of madness, she desperately pushed him away.
"Li Qiongyu, I want to break off our engagement."
As the words fell, the surrounding air grew colder.
Li Qiongyu remained silent. His fingertips twined around strands of hair by her ear, and his peach-blossom eyes fixed on her with a look of greedy possession.
Wei Qingge, unaware of his change, began to bite him as she couldn't push him away, cursing him angrily.
"I truly misjudged you. I never want to see you again."
You damned lunatic, you bastard, daring to drug and kidnap me.
Back then, she had cried so miserably, yet you didn't let her go, always bullying her, and then feigning to find an assailant for her, playing with her. Was it fun?
The more Wei Qingge thought about it, the angrier she became. The overwhelming rage and distress seemed to consume her, leaving her breathless.
She started kicking and struggling wildly.
But Li Qiongyu wouldn't let go, the darkness in his eyes deepening.
When she had cried and struggled enough, he picked her up by the waist and held her, whispering coaxingly in her ear.
"Qingge, I love you. I've loved you for many years. I was bewitched, and I don't expect you to forgive me, but our marriage has been announced to the world, and it cannot be changed—"
Wei Qingge had lost all reason and refused to listen. She slapped him hard across the face and shouted angrily.
"Li Qiongyu, I never want to see you again. Break the engagement!"
Her force was so great that it directly turned Li Qiongyu's head, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The wind blew, carrying the scent of lotuses for miles. The startled magpies on the branches fluttered their wings, circling in the air.
Li Qiongyu touched his numb and aching cheek with his tongue, his alluring peach-blossom eyes calm and indifferent.
After a moment, he lowered his gaze and glanced at her faintly.
"The betrothal gifts have been exchanged. We cannot break it."
"I don't care. I won't marry you, you damned liar. I want to have nothing to do with you ever again."
You crazy person, you actually drugged and kidnapped me. And I trusted you so much.
The more Wei Qingge thought about it, the more distraught she became. The surging pain in her heart made her whole body ache.
She hated deception, hated it most of all, yet he had deceived her.
It was him!
The pervert she hated to the bone was him!
"Li Qiongyu, I hate you to death. I will never marry you again."
She wiped her tears forcefully and struggled to kick him.
Hearing her words, a surge of violence welled up in Li Qiongyu's chest. He lowered his eyelids, hiding the wild possessiveness.
"You're just a liar, a crazy person, just like Tantai Ye. I will never believe you again."
Her crying and cursing reached him. He closed his eyes, suppressing the surging dark emotions.
"Qingge, it was my fault."
Wei Qingge ignored him, her eyes red as she desperately pushed him.
"I'll tell my grandfather as soon as I get back that I want to break off the engagement. Return my betrothal token."
Li Qiongyu was silent for a moment, his arms holding her tightening.
Wei Qingge hit him, "Did you hear me?"
"I'll escort you back to your manor first."
He scooped her up and strode out.
Wei Qingge couldn't bear to look at him now. The thought of all the sordid things he had done behind her back made her feel uncontrollably unwell.
Her mind was in a daze, she simply couldn't believe it!
She had never imagined, not even in her wildest dreams, that Li Qiongyu would do such things to her.
Someone as proud and unrestrained as him, to be capable of such deeds behind her back, completely overturned her understanding of him.
"I don't need you to escort me. I'll have my grandfather return the betrothal gifts. Once the engagement is broken, I will never want to see you again."
After speaking, Wei Qingge struggled to jump down from his arms.
Li Qiongyu suppressed the dark thoughts furiously growing in his heart and held her tightly.
"Get in the carriage first."
"I don't need you to escort me. Get lost—"
But no matter how she struggled, he held her tightly, unable to break free.
Once they were out of the manor and in the carriage, he finally released her.
Wei Qingge was so angry she wanted to jump out, but the carriage had already started moving. If she fell now, she would surely get hurt.
She sniffled and turned away, sitting as far from him as possible.
Li Qiongyu looked at her bright almond eyes filled with tears, her chest heaving violently, clearly very angry.
He offered her a handkerchief.
"I know you're angry now and won't listen to me. When you calm down, we'll talk properly."
Wei Qingge ignored him completely and did not accept his conciliatory gesture, turning her back stubbornly.
Li Qiongyu placed the handkerchief in front of her and poured a cup of tea, his eyes filled with lingering affection, intertwined with surging greed.
He lowered his eyelids and said no more.
The carriage fell silent for a moment.
Wei Qingge, whose mind was still a mess, took the opportunity to review everything. The more she thought about it, the more terrifying and infuriating it became, especially with the culprit sitting beside her.
She felt so suffocated by her anger.
"Li Qiongyu, I truly wish I had never met you!"
She had never dared to imagine that he had been drugging and playing with her behind her back for more than half a year. Was he crazy?
Li Qiongyu's expression was indifferent, his usual frivolous demeanor gone, which was inexplicably frightening.
"Mm."
His calm response made her feel as if her punch had landed on cotton.
Wei Qingge widened her tear-filled eyes, biting her lip in anger as she turned away.
She would break off the engagement as soon as she got back. She would never marry this insidious liar.
The carriage slowly drove through the bustling long street and stopped at the entrance of the Wei Manor.
Li Qiongyu reached out and grabbed her as she was about to alight.
"You pervert, let go of me."
She glared back at him angrily.
Li Qiongyu said, "When you've calmed down, I'll explain."
"You won't fool me again. I'll never believe you."
Wei Qingge said indignantly, then forcefully shook off his hand and jumped out of the carriage.
Li Qiongyu did not follow. He lifted the carriage curtain, watching the furious figure disappear into the manor, without any sign of panic.
"Jingyu."
Jingyu, who was driving the carriage, heard the voice and immediately replied, "Young Master."
"Is Old General Wei still in the palace?"
"Yes."
"Send a signal to have him stopped and kept in the palace."
After speaking, Li Qiongyu watched until the slender figure disappeared from view. He lowered the carriage curtain and said,
"Turn around, head to the palace."
"Yes."