Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 169: Everyone Just Made a Mistake Any Adult Would Make
There was no response from the man across from her.
Song Lianhe fidgeted with her handkerchief, unsure how to bring up the matter.
She was a little bothered by what had happened that night in the dilapidated wooden hut, but it had all started because the original owner of this body had tried to frame the story’s heroine. Since she had transmigrated into this mess, she couldn’t really complain about the consequences. After all, she had taken over someone else’s body, so it was only fair that she bear the consequences for its previous owner.
She chose to confess because they were now married. It was better to get it out in the open now than to let it become a ticking time bomb later.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent, and Song Lianhe grew restless. "It’s a long story, but I’m definitely not the promiscuous woman you might think I am. Besides, I’d actually forgotten all about it."
A glint flashed in the man’s eyes, like the sharp edge of a blade. "You’d forgotten?"
Song Lianhe said seriously, "Since it was a mistake, why should I keep remembering it? I’ll just pretend that on that day... I was possessed!"
’Well, wasn’t I possessed? Otherwise, this would never have happened...’
"Heh... heheh..."
Zhou Cangyan laughed again.
His laughter made Song Lianhe’s skin crawl. "Er, Your Highness... did I say something wrong?"
’I’ve been so honest, what more could he be dissatisfied about?’
She wasn’t worried that Zhou Cangyan would spread the story. At the very least, she was now his Princess Consort in name. Even if they were to divorce, he wouldn’t want to be known as a cuckold.
Zhou Cangyan suddenly stood up.
Song Lianhe watched him, holding her breath.
"It’s getting late. This Prince has official matters to attend to. The Princess Consort should rest early."
The door slammed shut with a BANG.
Song Lianhe let out a sigh of relief.
’Looks like they’ve reached an agreement.’
She picked up her chopsticks again, already ravenous. Just as she was savoring her meal, Shuang Ye came in.
"Miss... why did the Prince... why did he leave?"
"Oh, he said he had official business."
Song Lianhe rolled up her sleeves and grabbed a chicken leg with her bare hands.
"Official business?" Shuang Ye exclaimed. "But tonight is your wedding night... Who handles official business at a time like this?" She then looked at Song Lianhe suspiciously. "Miss, did you say something you shouldn’t have again and anger the Prince?"
Song Lianhe wagged a greasy index finger. "You’re really wronging me this time. I was incredibly honest with him!"
"Then why did the Prince leave?"
Shuang Ye seemed to find it even more unacceptable than the bride herself, stomping her foot on the spot. "Oh dear, if word of this gets out, how will you ever hold your head high in the Prince Mansion?"
She understood Shuang Ye’s worries. For the groom to abandon the bride on their wedding night—it showed just how much he disliked her and how dissatisfied he was with the marriage.
However, Song Lianhe was thinking that the more at odds they appeared, the safer Zhou Cangyan would be. At least, Emperor Cheng Xiao would surely be pleased to see it.
"You’ve been busy all day and haven’t eaten, have you? Come eat with me."
"Miss... *Sigh*, never mind. I should still send someone to check on the Prince."
Song Lianhe said Shuang Ye was worrying for nothing. What was there to check on with Zhou Cangyan? ’He’s such a sharp and clear-headed person; he’ll definitely weigh the pros and cons and know what to do!’
’Is being a villain that easy? You can’t do it without some grit!’
Having eaten and drunk her fill, she got up to take off her cumbersome wedding attire.
Looking at the wedding dress laid out on the bed, she thought, ’It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t belong to me.’
She chuckled softly, then turned to call for Shuang Ye to prepare her bathwater...
Suddenly, a man in black appeared before her. A dark cloak shrouded him completely, and a hood covered his head, obscuring his face.
Song Lianhe was about to let out a terrified scream, but the man opposite her was faster. A throwing dart whizzed past her face and embedded itself in the bedpost behind her.
HISS!
"Scream, and I’ll kill you."
The voice was deliberately disguised, low and hoarse.
Song Lianhe clapped a hand over her mouth, her face pale as she nodded frantically.
The man took a step, walking toward her.
Song Lianhe’s heart leaped into her throat. Her panicked eyes darted around, searching for a makeshift weapon. "Who-who are you? Do you know where you are? This is the Prince Qing Mansion, and I’m Princess Qing! If you dare touch me, Prince Qing won’t let you go!"
The man slowly lifted his head, revealing a cold, silver half-mask that gave off a chillingly strange aura.
A mask...
Song Lianhe suddenly remembered something. She pointed a trembling finger at him. "You-you-you... you’re..."
He walked to the bedpost, casually plucked out the dart, and toyed with it in his palm. His sinister gaze remained fixed on her. "It seems you still remember me."
’How could there be such a coincidence in this world?!’
Song Lianhe felt like crying but had no tears. Not only did she remember him, she had just been idly reminiscing about him tonight!
"You... how did you find me here?"
For him to appear here so suddenly, he was clearly no ordinary person. There was no point in denying it.
"I heard you got married," the man said, standing before her. His powerful, grim aura was like a storm cloud pressing down, making it hard for her to breathe. He closed in step by step, enunciating each word, "So, you’ve forgotten about the wooden hut?"
"N-No!"
Song Lianhe kept backing away, her legs feeling a little weak.
Beyond fear, she was mostly just guilt-ridden!
’She thought that Chapter was closed, but who would have expected him to come looking for her himself?’
’And on her wedding day, of all nights!’
"You should go! This is the Prince Qing Mansion! If you’re discovered, you’re a dead man!" Panicked and cowardly, she could only pace on the spot. "Let me tell you, that Zhou Cangyan is no ordinary person! Don’t be fooled by his lack of real power, acting like some idle Prince. In reality, he’s scheming, sinister, and ruthless! If you fall into his hands, you’ll be in for a world of hurt!"
The man gave a cold smile. "Scheming and sinister? Ruthless? You really know him well."
Seeing him unmoved, Song Lianhe grew desperate and pressed her palms together, pleading, "I know about that incident... er, it was my fault. I’m the one who took your innocence... But-but it’s not like you got the short end of the stick!"
She pressed her lips together and looked away, murmuring, "I’ve never been with another man. You were the first... We’re both adults. We just made a mistake that adults make. Why do we have to cling to it? Why don’t we... just consider it an immature moment in our memories and let it go!"
Suddenly, her cheeks were seized.
Song Lianhe’s eyes went wide with shock. Her lips were forced into a pout, and as she tried to speak, they opened and closed like a goldfish out of water, blowing bubbles.
The man wore black leather gloves. His grip was so strong it felt like he could crush her jaw with just a little more force.
He slowly leaned in, his masked face looming larger and larger. "You were the one who burst into the hut. You were the one who ruined my innocence. And you were the one who made a promise you couldn’t keep. What if... I refuse to let it go? What will you do then?"
"I..."
Staring into the man’s dark pupils, Song Lianhe listened to his description of her. ’Why do I sound more and more like a scumbag the more he talks?’
’And the worst part was, she couldn’t even refute a single word!’
