Yan Liuâer was utterly terrified. The fear distracted her and the teacup in her hand fell to the floor and shattered!
The noise definitely caught Old Lady Wangâs attention. She slowly tilted her head up and looked at Yan Liuâerâs face. A creepy smile spread across her face as she said, âYou saw everything, didnât you?â
Yan Liuâer pretended to be calm, but she could not hide the fear in her eyes. She tried to look normal as usual. âWhat are you saying? What did I see? Hehe, Iâll take my leave first. The thing you mentioned just now, Iâll think about it at home.â
Upon saying that, Yan Liuâer turned to leave, but the wooden door was impossible to be opened.
Yan Liuâer was now anxious, even her hands were moving quicker, like a mouse scampering for dear life.
The old voice that resembled a dead person became more overbearing. âLiuâer, youâve disappointed me so much. I never thought that you would be just like those other girls, you all love the rich and despise the poor. No matter how nice you pretend to be on the outside, you still care about wealth on the inside...â
This time, Yan Liuâer did not reply Old Lady Wang. She kept shaking the wooden door with both hands, all she wanted was to leave this scary place.
She tried to scream for help, but she felt weak throughout her body. The voice that came out of her was so small that it could barely be heard.
It was the tea that she drank!
Her tea was spiked!
Yan Liuâer slumped against the wooden door before she crumpled to the ground. There was no strength in her fingers, only her consciousness remained. She saw Old Lady Wangâs face, which was covered with livor-mortis, getting nearer and nearer. She tried desperately to keep away from her.
Old Lady Wang slowly raised her arms...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Just then, a man in a scholar outfit stood sideways in front of Yan Liuâer, blocking her. He looked into Old Lady Wangâs eyes, pleading, âMother, you know Liuâer is not that kind of person. She probably just havenât thought it through, please give her more time to consider.â
âBrother Ling!â Yan Liuâer felt like she finally met a normal person. She grasped onto his arm like it was a lifeline, and asked quietly, âWhat happened to Old Lady Wang? What are those things on her hands and face?â
Wang Ling did not know how to answer Yan Liuâer, so he just shook his head.
Yan Liuâer was so terrified, her face had turned pale. Yet she continued, âBrother Ling, I know you always obeyed Old Lady Wang, but...â
Old Lady Wang could not hear Yan Liuâerâs words, she just glared at Wang Ling with displeasure in her eyes. However, she finally stopped her choking gesture, and her eyes darkened.
âAh Ling, youâre perfect in every way, but not steely enough.â Old Lady Wang laughed coldly, then turned to Yan Liuâer, âForget it, according to my principles, girls like you are not qualified to be Ah Lingâs wife, but Ah Ling likes you anyway. Plus I donât have much time left, thereâs no need for you to go home and consider. Tonight is a good timing, Ah Ling, go get that pair of wedding outfits that I made. You wear one and let Liuâer wear the other one. Seeing that she had always cared about me, if she behaves and completes the wedding ceremony with you, weâll be a family from then on.â
Wang Ling did not move, as if he was hesitating.
Yan Liuâer grabbed his sleeve tightly. âBrother Ling, please let me go home. Marriage is not a thing to be taken lightly. Besides, Old Lady Wang is not normal right now, you canât follow her craziness, Brother Ling!â
âLiuâer,â Wang Ling cut her off, instead he held her hands with eagerness. âActually, ever since you sent us those cotton robes, Iâve fallen in love with you. Youâve always been close to me since we were young, I know you have feelings for me as well, right? You donât need to care what other people would say. Although I have nothing right now, there will be a day when Iâll be a high official and theyâll all see it. Please just see it as fulfilling my motherâs wishes, and marry me tonight.â
Yan Liuâer widened her eyes, staring at Wang Ling like he was mad. âBrother Ling, you know very well I donât have such feelings for you!â
As if Yan Liuâerâs words hurt him, Wang Lingâs eyes dimmed. Despite that, he did not give up, and reached his arms out to hug her. âFeelings can be cultivated, Liuâer.â
Yan Liuâer only felt disgusted as she tried to block him with a hand. âBrother Ling, youâve been studying for so many years, and the only thing you learnt is how to force other people?â
Wang Ling was a simple man, apart from his unrealistic fantasizing where everything would eventually fall perfectly into place, he had no ill intentions.
To be honest, not many women would like to marry a man like this.
Apart from studying, he would not do anything else. While he was overly ambitious, he was not a hardworking person. Moreover, due to the fact that he was spoilt by Old Lady Wang, he had no concept of hard work and labour.
However, Yan Liuâerâs words made him stopped his advances. He stood to the side and did nothing else.
The reason he came out was to protect Yan Liuâer, but he really could not understand why Liuâer would refuse him. Of course it left him feeling somewhat dismayed and angry.
On the other hand, Old Lady Wangâs face had turned abnormally frightening upon hearing Yan Liuâerâs words. âAh Ling, stop talking nonsense with this woman. Bring the wedding outfits right now and get married! Those two people from this morning were weird, to disguise as Feng Shui specialists and visit the Yan family. I suspect they were people from the official authority, but they were much more impressive than those officials, and clever too. To play it safe, after you both get married tonight, Iâll leave tomorrow, so they wonât come back and find out about anything that could affect you. I have few wishes in my life, all I want is to see you get married, then Iâll be at peace.â
As she spoke, Old Lady Wangâs voice turned gentler, and she seemed to be in a good mood. âTodayâs Four Pillars of Destiny are dark, which is suitable for you two to get married. Liuâer, I advise you to cooperate, or else you might end up...like these people!â As she spoke, Old Lady Wang pulled back the curtain behind her to reveal three corpses hanging from the beam of the roof. All the corpses were extremely pale, and their faces were so horrifyingly familiar.
Horror-struck, Yan Liuâer stumbled backward heavily. All the strength she had tried so hard to muster was used up at once. Her pupils shook violently in fear, even her breathing became panicked and unsteady.
She never imagined that the culprit behind the cases of disappearance in the past few days was her neighbor, Old Lady Wang!
Yan Liuâer felt like her heart had been chained by a weight, it was sinking downwards rapidly as chills gnawed at her core.
She might have had a chance to run before, but now that she knew everything, there was no way for her to escape.
Even Wang Ling would not let her go unless they became a family!
She felt as if her blood was flowing backward, to a certain point, all that was left in Yan Liuâer was fear. She was not even aware that a dark red wedding gown was fitted over her...