Tang Si had always been accustomed to a life of ease and freedom. He felt no restraint when facing anyone or anything, yet in front of Shi Ran, he found himself a little nervous.
The simple sentence, "Ran Bao’er, I want to marry you," had been practiced silently by him countless times.
As he spoke, Shi Ran’s bright, beautiful eyes turned to him.
Beneath her long, thick lashes, her eyes, which held a myriad of stars, shimmered. Tang Si thought he saw a hint of entanglement, struggle, hesitation, and resistance in them.
Initially, her eyes sparkled with starlight, and a faint joy was even visible on her face. But gradually, those eyes dimmed, losing their luster.
Finally, Shi Ran lowered her head, turning her gaze to the window. “I don’t want to marry you.”
Yes, she didn’t want to marry him.
“Why?”
Tang Si felt a flicker of unwillingness. “You were worried about Zhao Wuyan before. Now, the Zhao and Huo families pose no threat to you. What else are you worried about?”
He had once indulged in the pleasures of life, believing he would never encounter true love, and more importantly, he believed in the saying, “Brothers are like limbs, women are like clothes.” But now, it seemed, everything was not as he thought.
Shi Ran didn’t reply, only turned her head to look out the window.
“Our child will be born in a few months. Do you want the child to be born without a father and without a mother? That wouldn’t be fair to the child.”
He argued his case, hoping to make Shi Ran change her mind.
“Tang Si!”
Shi Ran called his name, interrupting him.
Her fair cheeks were clouded with gloom, making the reddish-brown scar stand out more, making it seem uglier. “I don’t love you.”
When it came to love and not loving, she didn’t have much say.
In the past, Shi Ran cared about the disparity in social status between them. Now, she cared about her own appearance, about whether she was worthy of standing beside Tang Si.
To be with Tang Si, he had to defeat the Zhao family.
But if one obstacle, the Zhao family, preventing her marriage into the Tang family, were to fall, what about his parents? Would they truly allow her to marry Tang Si?
She was an ugly monster, unworthy.
Truly unworthy.
As Shi Ran finished speaking, their eyes met.
Shi Ran clearly perceived anger in Tang Si’s eyes.
Bang—!
The man angrily slammed the table, demanding in a near-roar, “I’ve already done so much. What more do you want me to do?”
After roaring, Tang Si paused, likely surprised by his own emotional outburst.
Then, he composed himself. “If you’re worried about my parents stopping us, there’s no need. Because I broke ties with the Zhao family, they have severed their father-son relationship with me. From now on, I, Tang Si, am no longer the young master of the Tang family, but just an ordinary person.”
“Oh, right…” Tang Si nodded as if struck by sudden realization, and spoke to himself. “There’s one more thing. Wait for me.”
Saying this, he turned and walked out.
Shi Ran stared blankly in the direction of the door, unsure of what Tang Si was going to do.
She opened her mouth, wanting to call his name, but her throat felt as if it were choked with a stone, making it impossible to utter his name.
Tang Si had done a lot for her, and Shi Ran saw it all. She was genuinely touched, but real life wasn’t something that could be solved merely by being touched.
Just as his decision to break ties with his family to be with her not only touched Shi Ran but also made her feel increasingly guilty.
Creak—
Before long, the room door opened, and someone walked in from outside.
Shi Ran’s face was dejected. Glancing sideways, she saw a pair of familiar leather shoes. She knew it was Tang Si entering, but she didn’t know how to face him, so she simply didn’t look up.
“Ran Bao’er, like this… would you be willing to be with me now?”