In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

"No, no..." he stammered, trying to explain, "I just couldn't help it, I..."

The more he explained, the more confused he became, so he finally shut up and lowered his head.

He began to feel a deep unease.

She was angry.

The carriage stopped in an alley next to the Zhou residence.

As it was time to get off the bus, Cui Yutang's unease reached its peak.

Seeing his helpless expression, Xie Yige's heart suddenly softened.

I'm truly defeated by him.

She lifted the carriage curtain, peeked out, and her large, bright eyes swept around. Seeing that no one was around, she softly called out, "Cui Yutang, come over here."

He paused for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and approached the car window.

"Get a little closer."

Despite his doubts, he moved closer as instructed. Suddenly, her face drew near, and he smelled the sweet, fruity scent emanating from her.

She quickly gave him a light kiss on the corner of his lips, and couldn't resist sticking out the tip of her tongue to lick it, before lowering the carriage curtain.

Cui Yutang was completely stunned.

He stood in the twilight, motionless like a stone statue. His long eyelashes trembled, and the warmth and touch of her tongue still lingered on his lips. His heart felt as if she held it in her hand, a mixture of joy and pain.

And he did it willingly.

He remained standing there, dumbfounded, until Xie Yige's carriage had driven far away.

Bao Yu watched the whole thing from behind and couldn't help but sigh. He stopped the carriage in front of him and whispered, "Master, shall we return to the manor or the villa?"

Cui Yutang then came to his senses. He raised his hand to touch the corner of his lips, his voice somewhat unsteady: "Let's go back to the manor. Father should be back soon; let's go back and see him."

He quietly got into the carriage and remained silent the entire way.

The carriage stopped in front of the Prime Minister's residence. As soon as he stepped out and entered the residence, the guards and servants below were alerted.

He had not returned for more than half a month. Everyone seemed excited when they saw him, and they all bowed to him. Many people even went to inform the various hospitals that were keeping track of his whereabouts.

On his way back to his Liantang Residence, he was stopped by an old servant.

"Young Master, your father requests your presence at Qing'an Hall."

Cui Yutang frowned slightly and quickly followed.

Inside Qing'an Hall, an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a silver brocade robe, sat solemnly at the head of the table. He held a cup of tea in his hand.

"Yutang, pay your respects to your grandfather." Cui Yutang bowed.

"Yu'er." The old man put down his teacup, raised his eyelids and glanced at him. "Now that your imperial examination is over, as the eldest son of the Cui family, your marriage should be settled as soon as possible."

He took a sip of tea and continued, "I think Princess Chaoyang of the Rong'an Prince's Mansion is quite nice, and she has always been fond of you. Grandfather will choose an auspicious day to propose marriage to you."

His grandfather wasn't asking for his opinion; he was informing him.

Cui Yutang felt a chill in his heart and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Grandfather, please forgive Yutang, but I am unwilling." He raised his head, his eyes now indifferent, looking directly at the old man whose face had suddenly turned furious. He couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.

"That's not up to you." The old man's voice turned serious. "You are the eldest son of the Cui family, so you have to listen to me."

"Grandfather, if you insist on coercing me, you will only get my corpse."

"You...how dare you!" The old man smashed the teacup in front of him, shards of porcelain scattering all over the ground, and tea soaking his clothes.

"Father, what are you doing?" Prime Minister Cui Zhinuan had just returned from the palace when he heard the commotion in Qing'an Hall. He strode in, his gaze sweeping over the broken porcelain on the floor, then looking at Cui Yutang, who was standing ramrod straight, and his face darkened.

"What a fine son you've raised!" The old man trembled with rage. "How dare he talk back to his grandfather! He's gone too far!"

"Father, Yu'er just finished his imperial examination, and you're already pressuring him to get engaged as soon as he gets back." Cui Zhinuan's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable force. "Aren't you the more unkind one?"

"You...you unfilial son! The older generation is crooked, and the younger generation is crooked too; it's all your fault for corrupting Yu'er!"

"They are my own children, and I will teach them however I want." Cui Zhinuan's expression turned cold. "Unlike you, Father, who married a lot of women and had a lot of children, giving birth but not raising them, raising them but not educating them."

"You...you..." The old man with white hair and beard trembled with anger, pointing his finger at Cui Zhinuan, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

"Father, please rest now." Cui Zhinuan said coldly. "I'll take Yu'er downstairs first, so he won't be in your way."

He paused, then added, "I hope Father will remember his duty as an elder. Your kindness will inspire respect from your descendants."

After saying that, he took Cui Yutang and left.

The two left Qing'an Hall one after the other and arrived at the flower hall. Cui Zhinuan turned around, glanced at Cui Yutang, and sighed softly.

"You've lost weight," he said. "I'll have Aunt Cui give you some nourishing food these next few days."

"Thank you, Father. I'm fine."

"If you're not comfortable staying at the manor, you can stay at the villa," Cui Zhinuan said, her voice carrying a barely perceptible softness. "Father will visit you whenever he has time."

Cui Yutang choked up, and his eyes reddened.

"This is nothing to me," he said firmly. "Don't worry, Father."

Cui Zhinu nodded, patted his shoulder, and then turned and went back to her study.

The dispute in Qing'an Hall had already reached Liu Ruolian's ears.

Upon hearing the old woman's report, she was overjoyed. She knew her cousin disliked that pretentious woman; besides her privileged family background, what else did she have? She quickly led her maid and ambushed him on his way back to Liantang Residence.

From afar, she saw Cui Yutang, dressed in white, gracefully approaching. The hem of his white robes drew a beautiful arc with his steady steps. The twilight enveloped him, giving him a soft glow, making him look like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Liu Ruolian put on a charming expression and gave Cui Yutang a gentle curtsy.

"Cousin, you're back." Her voice was so gentle it was almost painful to hear; one wonders how long she had practiced it in secret.

Cui Yutang glanced at her, nodded slightly, and walked past her without stopping.

As with countless times, he was always lukewarm towards her, polite but never paying her any attention.

With a heavy heart, she stepped on a pebble she had prepared beforehand and pounced on him.

Cui Yutang quickly dodged and kicked her into the maid's arms.

He left only one sentence: "Please have some self-respect."

He then turned and left.

Only a faint, cool sandalwood scent remained in the air, drifting into her nostrils and instantly breaking her heart.

Two lines of tears streamed down Liu Ruolian's face as she stared blankly at his departing figure.

Why is it so hard to win his heart?

After Cui Yutang returned to Liantang Residence, he immediately summoned Baoyu.

"Send someone to Linshui Pavilion to have Yu Niang come to see me."

Bao Yu glanced at the deep night, which was as thick as ink, with only a few scattered lights swaying in the wind outside the window.

"Now?"

"Um."