Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 23 - 20: Closure

Chen Wanqing thought of the past, her gaze turning distant.

Meng Jintang, however, was more outwardly emotional. The rims of his eyes were red, and a layer of mist welled up in his gaze, which was filled with exhaustion and sorrow.

To prevent Chen Wanqing from seeing him lose his composure, he turned away, took a deep breath, and swallowed back his tears.

"Wanqing..."

Chen Wanqing spoke, her tone trembling slightly. "You should call me Miss Chen. It’s no longer appropriate for you to use my given name."

It was just a simple sentence, yet it felt like a knife twisting in Meng Jintang’s heart. For a moment, his expression shattered, as if he himself were about to break apart.

His tightly clenched fist squeezed even harder, and the Dragon and Phoenix Pendant in his palm nearly cut into his skin.

He had promised her this Dragon and Phoenix Pendant when he went to the Prefecture to take the Provincial Examination.

At the time, Chen Wanqing had already come of age, and their wedding was imminent. He had wanted a "double happiness"—for her to marry him with the prestigious title of a scholar’s wife, so that others would look up to her. That was why he had poured all his effort into going to the Prefecture.

But he was young, after all—barely seventeen.

Although he was known for his talent from a young age and had already become a Scholar, the county and Provincial Examinations were worlds apart. He had no absolute certainty he would pass.

Therefore, before leaving, he had told Wanqing that if he was fortunate enough to pass, the Dragon and Phoenix Pendant would be their wedding gift. If he failed, it would be his apology for getting her hopes up for nothing.

Now, he had brought the Dragon and Phoenix Pendant back, but she no longer needed it.

A pain like death by a thousand cuts tore through Meng Jintang’s heart. The agony was so intense it turned to numbness, leaving him in a daze, barely aware of what he was doing.

’But how could I not know?’

It was precisely because he knew all too well what he had completely lost that he felt so powerless, so full of hatred, and so helpless.

Meng Jintang tugged at the corners of his mouth, managing to force a smile. But it was a smile uglier than a grimace of tears, painful for anyone to see.

Chen Wanqing still said nothing, merely waiting quietly for him to speak.

"Perhaps I shouldn’t have come, but I feel that since I failed you and nearly cost you your life, I owe you an explanation."

He bowed low to Chen Wanqing in a deep salute, remaining bent over for a long time.

When he finally straightened up, his voice was choked with emotion. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but after repeated attempts, he couldn’t manage to speak a single complete sentence.

A bleak autumn wind swept through the mountain forest, silencing even the chirping of insects and birds. The brilliant sunlight seemed to vanish, and the atmosphere grew suddenly grim.

After a long while, Meng Jintang spoke with a bitter smile.

"Wanqing, just let me call you Wanqing a few more times. When you were in the flower of your youth, I begged my parents to arrange our betrothal. I thought we would marry, stay by each other’s side, and grow old together. But who could have known that fate would be so cruel, that things would end up like this."

"It’s all my fault! If I hadn’t been so stubborn about going to the Prefecture back then, I wouldn’t have fallen into the water and lost my memory. I wouldn’t have wasted years of your youth, caused you to be plagued by vicious rumors, and certainly wouldn’t have nearly gotten you killed."

"Wanqing, my parents’ transgressions are my transgressions. I can understand that they loved me so deeply they couldn’t bear the thought of me being lonely in the afterlife, but they didn’t raise you. For them to treat you so cruelly, to even scheme to take your life... their crimes are heinous. You didn’t report them to the authorities. Instead, you sympathized with their pain of losing a son and let them go. This is yet another debt I owe you..."

Meng Jintang had been wanting to say these things for a long time—ever since he recovered his memory and returned to Qingshui County with his wife and children, ever since he learned from his family and servants what had happened over the years.

He was ashamed, he was guilty, he hated the cruel twists of fate, and he ached with the knowledge that he couldn’t turn back time.

But he couldn’t voice this agony. If he did, where would that leave his wife, who had spent her family’s fortune to save his life?

Where would that leave his lively and well-behaved children?

And where would that leave his parents, whose hair had turned white overnight from the grief of his supposed death?

Tossing and turning at night, he hadn’t slept for days. After thinking it over and over, he realized she was the only one he could say these pent-up words to.

’But she’s the biggest victim in all of this!’

With his eyes full of hot tears, Meng Jintang bowed deeply once more.

"Wanqing, I have come today to atone for my sins. First, for the sin of breaking my promise. Second, for the sin of nearly costing you your life. And third, for the sin of ruining your reputation."

Chen Wanqing was eighteen and still unmarried, and the Meng Family had put great effort into making it so behind her back.

First, they spread rumors that she was a jinx who brought misfortune to her husband. Then, they claimed she couldn’t remain chaste.

Vicious gossip kicked up like dust, easily capable of crushing a young woman in this worldly society.

If Chen Song hadn’t later become an arrest officer at the county government, causing people to fear his official authority and stop their gossip, he couldn’t even imagine what state she would be in now.

’But I’ve already brought her so much harm, yet my parents still refuse to let her be.’

’To drive away my current wife, they wanted to drag Wanqing back into this mess. How ridiculous.’

Thinking of this, Meng Jintang couldn’t help but laugh for real. He laughed and wept as he bowed to Chen Wanqing yet again.

"I won’t say any more; I’m afraid you have no desire to hear it anyway. You don’t need to worry about the Meng Family. I will handle everything... From now on, I will be returning to Guiyang with my wife. This visit is our final farewell."

A flicker of confusion appeared in Chen Wanqing’s eyes. "You’re not staying in Qingshui County?"

Meng Jintang smiled, a look that was hard to distinguish between exhaustion and relief.

"No, I’m not. My brother has already taken over the family business, which I was never fond of anyway. This way, I can focus on the imperial examinations... I swore to my father-in-law on his deathbed that I would treat his daughter—my wife—well for the rest of my life. Since I have made that vow, I will honor it. My word is my bond, and I will see it through."

’I’ve already failed one good woman; I can’t fail another.’

’A man must know when to let go.’

’Wallowing in romantic sentiment will only bring her more harm.’

With a trembling hand, Meng Jintang took an object from his pouch.

It was a small jade Buddha.

The jade Buddha was small, but the quality of the jade was excellent and its design was elegant. It was carved in the shape of the Maitreya Buddha and strung on a red cord. Judging by the wear on the cord, it was clearly a treasured possession.

And indeed, it had once been Chen Wanqing’s most treasured possession.

Years ago, when her father rescued her mother from a river, the Jade Pendant she wore shattered. But the jade was of fine quality, and her father couldn’t bear to throw it away, so he carefully collected the pieces and brought them home.

After she was born, her father hired a craftsman to meticulously carve the remaining jade into a Maitreya Buddha for her to carry always.

Later, when they were betrothed, this Maitreya Buddha was given to Meng Jintang as a token of their engagement.

Looking at the Maitreya Buddha, Chen Wanqing’s heart stirred, and emotion finally flickered in her eyes.

She took a step forward and held out her hand.

His hand trembling, Meng Jintang placed the Maitreya Buddha in hers.

"I suppose this can be considered returning it to its rightful owner... Wanqing, I’m giving you back the Maitreya Buddha. From this moment on, you are free. This ill-fated bond of ours will no longer be a stumbling block in your life. I hope you will meet a good man in the future and share a life of mutual love and deep affection."

Chen Wanqing clutched the Maitreya Buddha in her palm, her chest feeling as if it were stuffed with cotton.

Her first betrothal, after years of trials and tribulations, had finally come to an end.

Unfortunately, this conclusion had come far too late.

"My mother already returned your thumb ring to the Meng Family."

"I know. My family told me... Wanqing, please take this casket. Consider it my apology to you, as well as a contribution to your dowry."

Chen Wanqing looked at the casket before her. To call it a casket was perhaps an overstatement; "box" would be more accurate. It was only the size of her palm and could easily be hidden in a sleeve, unseen by others.

Being so small, it was obvious what it contained.

Chen Wanqing pushed the box back. "Though you have wronged me, it wasn’t intentional. Your parents tried to take my life, and my parents helped me strike back. Because of that, the Meng Family lost several business deals. We can consider that settling the score. Take the box back."

"Please, take it. My heart won’t be at ease if you don’t."

"But if I take it, I’m afraid I’ll be reminded of this matter for the rest of my life. You wouldn’t want me to be troubled by this for the rest of my days, would you?"