Volume One, Chapter Eight: The Unfaithful Couple

Qi Yuan was forced to take a day off, which led the other servants, who had been watching from the sidelines, to treat Song Yue with noticeably more respect.

Song Yue sat in the dining room eating breakfast, the table spread with all her favorite dishes. Mother Yang stood beside her, watching the scene with a softened heart.

"Third Miss, after you finish breakfast, shouldn't you go to the hospital to check on the Fourth Miss?"

Song Yue remained silent.

Just as Mother Yang was about to urge her further, the sound of a car engine reached them from the main gate.

"The Master and Madam have returned."

Mother Yang looked nervous for a moment and urged Song Yue, "Third Miss, why don't you go to the door to greet them?"

Song Yue set her spoon down with measured calm. "Mother Yang, whether I go or not no longer matters."

She picked up her fork, speared a piece of fruit, and put it in her mouth.

Soon, a commotion erupted at the entrance.

"Song Yue, you still have the nerve to eat breakfast!" Song Siyan strode in, heading straight for her.

Song Yue didn't look at him, but rather at the person behind him.

Wen Huaiye was carrying a pale-faced Song Min inside. He didn't even glance in their direction, marching straight toward the stairs. Behind the two of them followed the rest of the Song family, their expressions equally grim.

Jiang Zhiyi followed them upstairs, while the remaining members of the Song family crowded around Song Yue.

Song Siyan slammed his hand onto the table. "Look at the mess you've made!"

Song Yue sat in her chair, tilting her head to look up at him. "What have I done?"

"Hah!" Song Siyan let out a cold laugh, his gaze dark as he leaned in close. "It was intentional, wasn't it?"

"Song Yue, I underestimated you. You deliberately let Minmin overhear your conversation with Wen Huaiye?"

"You did it to provoke her, didn't you?"

Song Yue looked up at the furious Song Siyan. "Why would my conversation with Wen Huaiye provoke her?"

She retorted, "Why would she be so provoked that she fainted just from hearing me talk to my own fiancé?"

She emphasized the word "fiancé" firmly.

Song Siyan’s expression shifted visibly; his eyes bulged, and his chest heaved with rage.

"Yueyue, regardless of the circumstances, you intentionally turned off your phone and let Wen Huaiye reach out to Minmin—that was wrong of you," Song Sinian said, frowning with dissatisfaction. "You’ve only just returned home; are you already so desperate to assert your authority?"

"If something is yours, no one can take it away."

"If it isn't yours, no matter how much you assert your authority, it's useless."

Song Sinian’s words were clearly loaded with deeper meaning.

Just as Song Yue was about to press him, Song Siyan scoffed, his face full of disdain. "Is there any point in saying so much to her? Minmin is hospitalized because of her harm, yet she stays here, sleeping soundly and eating happily."

"Does she have even a shred of concern for Minmin?"

Song Sinian interjected, "Big brother, don't say that. Yueyue isn't that kind of person."

He looked at Song Yue. "Actually, Yueyue is very worried about Minmin deep down, isn't she? Perhaps she just doesn't know how to express it?"

He watched her with expectant eyes.

Not only him, but even Song Lin'an gazed at Song Yue with the same expectation. Song Siyan, who had turned his face away to avoid looking at her, also kept a side glance fixed on her.

Song Yue felt a chill crawl down her spine under their collective gaze.

What they wanted wasn't just for her to be worried about Song Min. They wanted her to confess her guilt after admitting that concern. They had an agenda.

"Yueyue, you harmed Minmin; you feel very guilty and uneasy inside, don't you?" Song Sinian asked again.

Song Yue’s eyes swept over the Song family. What exactly did they want to drive them to play this game of good cop, bad cop?

"Yueyue, isn't that so?"

Her silence made Song Sinian impatient.

"Your second brother knows you can't bring yourself to say it, but I understand. If you feel guilty, then you should show more care and make it up to Minmin. She..."

"I don't feel guilty," Song Yue interrupted.

"You just take Wen Huaiye..." Song Sinian stopped mid-sentence, stunned. "What did you just say?"

He stared at her in disbelief.

Song Yue continued, "I did not harm Song Min, so I have no need for guilt, nor do I need to compensate her."

"As for her fainting, you were all there to accompany her the whole time. I am not the least bit worried."

The more she spoke, the uglier the expressions of the Song family became.

"Song Yue!"

Song Siyan raised his hand to strike her, but his wrist was caught mid-air by a firm grip.

It was Wen Huaiye. He had arrived at some point.

Song Siyan faced him and sneered. "What? Here to play the knight in shining armor so soon? Can you even keep up with all your responsibilities?" He glanced toward the stairs.

Wen Huaiye shook off his hand. "If the Song family cannot treat Song Yue well, I will take her away. Bringing her back to the country surely wasn't for the purpose of physically attacking her, was it?"

"You want to take her away? Where to?" Song Sinian mocked, his face full of sarcasm. "To where you live? To keep her out in the open as your mistress? To fulfill the desires of you two shameless adulterers, is that it?"

Wen Huaiye’s expression turned instantly cold.

Song Yue looked from Wen Huaiye to Song Siyan. "We are an engaged couple. How are we 'shameless adulterers'?"

"What engaged couple? You and him have long since..."

"Song Siyan!" Wen Huaiye barked a warning.

Meeting Wen Huaiye’s warning gaze, Song Siyan gritted his teeth in fury. He turned his head sharply and glared at Song Yue. "Are you feeling very smug?"

Song Yue looked confused. "What would I be smug about?"

"Smug that I was scolded for talking to my own fiancé?"

"Smug that my own family called my fiancé and me 'shameless adulterers'?"

"What is there to be smug about in that?"

She looked at Song Sinian and Song Lin'an. "Father, Second Brother, should I be smug?"

Without waiting for their answer, she turned to Wen Huaiye. "Are we adulterers?"

Her eyes turned red—partly from anger, partly from the hurt—and glistening tears welled up, which she fought hard to suppress, refusing to let them fall.

Seeing her like this, Wen Huaiye’s eyes softened with pity. He gently took her hand and said softly, "We are an engaged couple, of course we aren't adulterers. Yueyue, I’ll take you away from here."

"Pack your things; I’m taking you now."

Holding her hand, he turned and walked toward the stairs.

He only made it two steps before stopping, his hand slipping away from hers in an instant.

At the top of the stairs, Song Min was leaning weakly against the railing. Her face was as pale as paper, two trails of tears sliding from her eyes. Her body swayed as if she might collapse at any moment, her gaze fixed on Song Yue and Wen Huaiye.

Song Yue looked down at her hand that had been released, then at the silently weeping Song Min. A chill ran down her spine.

She turned her head slowly, her movements mechanical, to look at Wen Huaiye.

Before her eyes could even land on his face, she heard him say in a steady, unhurried voice, "I have booked a hotel for Yueyue."

Song Min’s tears flowed even more heavily, her body teetering as if she were about to faint at any second.

"Minmin!"

Jiang Zhiyi rushed over and caught her. "The doctor specifically said you need to rest and must not be subjected to any stress!"

The rest of the Song family rushed over in a panic.

Song Yue watched Wen Huaiye.

He didn't move toward them, but turned his head to look at her tenderly. "Yueyue, go pack your things. I’ll take you away."

Song Yue felt a tightness in her chest. "Wen Huaiye, what is your relationship with Song Min?"

Wen Huaiye’s expression became even more gentle. He looked at her with doting eyes and reached out to stroke her hair. "Yueyue, you're overthinking it again. What kind of relationship could I possibly have with Song Min?"

His eyes were full of affection, just as they had always been.

They were no different from when they were eighteen.

Yet, just a minute ago, his feet had instinctively shifted toward Song Min.