No, a lover’s words, she should have found ways to curry favor with Gu Xiuyu, to win his affection. This reaction now, however, made it seem as though she had been kidnapped.
Chen Yaping glanced back, seeing Gu Xiuyu walking towards them. The questions she wanted to ask dared not be voiced.
"Steward Chen, you should go back to your room and rest," Gu Xiuyu instructed.
Chen Yaping dared not disobey. She nodded and withdrew.
Ye Ziyu stood her ground. As Gu Xiuyu approached, she finally spoke, questioning, "He and Di Mingjue are the legally married couple. Do you think by having people around you call me 'madam,' our relationship transforms into that of husband and wife?
Gu Xiuyu, can you stop deceiving yourself? Let me be perfectly clear now: I don't just dislike you anymore, I hate you. I hate you so much I want to kill you!"
She clenched her fists, pressing them downwards with all her might. Every inch of her body strained.
Gu Xiuyu looked at Ye Ziyu's puffed cheeks, as if she could truly bite him to pieces.
Did she really hate him that much? Or was it the arrogance of being pampered, believing he wouldn't force her?
Their gazes met. In that instant, Gu Xiuyu decided he no longer wanted to proceed slowly in fostering their feelings.
The wedding scheduled for three days later had long since passed. His words were like a gust of wind, spoken and then forgotten, having no effect.
A breeze whispered past her ear. Gu Xiuyu suddenly appeared beside her. Ye Ziyu felt her arm being grabbed and resisted fiercely, "Let go!"
"You believe we have no relationship, then I will solidify our relationship now." Gu Xiuyu pulled Ye Ziyu towards the nearby sofa.
His brute strength was too much for Ye Ziyu, who hadn't eaten for days and was experiencing her menstrual period. She was pushed onto the sofa like a porcelain doll.
A warmth brushed against her neck and shoulder. Gu Xiuyu leaned over, pinning her down and holding her struggling hands. Ye Ziyu used all her strength to evade him, unwilling to become a submissive beneath him.
Their arms collided fiercely. Gu Xiuyu was filled with strength, his body as unyielding as stone. Ye Ziyu, however, was soft all over. Even when she exerted force with her arms, her body retained a hint of pliability under the great pressure.
Her delicate skin was bruised in several places from the collisions. Gu Xiuyu, however, was oblivious and showed no sign of stopping.
His hot lips landed on her cheek, and Ye Ziyu burst into tears.
She was tainted…
In that moment, she ceased struggling, lying like a dead fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of whoever wished to slice her life away.
A moist liquid fell upon her lips. Gu Xiuyu snapped back to reality. He looked at Ye Ziyu, whose eyes were vacant and whose actions were numb. He looked down and saw the bruises on her arm, finally realizing what he had just done.
*Slap!* He struck her across the cheek.
"I was wrong. Hit me. As long as it makes you happy, I won't resist however you want me to," Gu Xiuyu said, grabbing Ye Ziyu's hand and pressing it to his own face.
Gu Xiuyu himself controlled the force of the slap landing on his cheek. Ye Ziyu was like a puppet on strings, showing no reaction.
Her state made Gu Xiuyu fearful.
"Ziyu, I love you so much that I can't be my true self. When I think that your heart belongs only to Di Mingjue, I lose control of my reason," Gu Xiuyu said, hitting his own head in self-mockery. "I know in your heart I'm a wicked villain now. But the thought that we can't live together, can't be the envied couple, terrifies me."
"Enough, I don't want to hear it. Stop talking!" Ye Ziyu covered her ears.
Whatever confessions or explanations he offered were merely a beautification of his sins.
Since his words were useless, Gu Xiuyu dropped all pretense. "Our wedding is set for the day after tomorrow. Rest well these two days, and on that day, you will be the most beautiful bride."