Chu Yu looked at him quietly. At the moment she heard those words, her hand trembled slightly, but she controlled herself and only smiled, saying gently, “Why have you returned so early?”

“I missed you,” Wei Yun said with difficulty, smiling. The rain had soaked his clothes, washing away the blood stains on his body. He spoke hoarsely, “As soon as there was a lull in the fighting, I missed you, so I didn’t rest and rushed back.”

“I wanted to see you as soon as possible.” Wei Yun’s eyes reddened, and he forced a smile, “See, I’ve made it, haven’t I?”

Chu Yu didn’t speak. She looked at him struggling to maintain his smile, quietly waiting for her. Finally, he seemed unable to hold on any longer and said tremblingly, slowly, “A Yu, the rain is too heavy tonight. Let’s go back, shall we?”

However, after saying this, he was the first to cry.

He covered his face with his hands, lying on the horse, and let out a low whimper. He didn’t need her answer; when he heard she had left, he already knew her answer.

He knew Chu Yu’s personality well. Once she left, she never looked back. If she were to look back, she wouldn’t have left in the first place.

But he still chased after her, wanted to say these words, even if he couldn’t get a response, even if he was rejected, he still wanted to tell her.

He wanted to keep her, he didn’t want her to leave.

Chu Yu looked at Wei Yun’s state and said with some helplessness, “If I stayed for you, would you let me stay?”

Wei Yun was slightly stunned. He didn’t move and then heard Chu Yu say gently, “I would stay in the Wei Manor, enduring your mother’s anger day after day. I respect her as an elder and wouldn’t defy her, but I would keep all the resentment in my heart. One day, two days, one year, two years.”

“Huai Yu,” Chu Yu chuckled, “I’ve experienced this kind of life in my previous life. Even the most beautiful feelings would become unrecognizable under such wear and tear. I like who you are now, and I also really like who I am now. I’m not leaving you, Huai Yu.”

Chu Yu’s voice was gentle, “I just want to love you differently, that’s all.”

Wei Yun didn’t speak. He slowly raised his head, looking at her with reddened eyes.

Chu Yu stared into his eyes and slowly said, “Is that okay?”

She didn’t wait for an answer and could only sigh, lowering the carriage curtain and saying to the driver, “Let’s go.”

As the carriage swayed and was about to pass Wei Yun, he suddenly turned around and jumped onto the carriage.

The horse reared up in fright. Wei Yun rushed into the carriage and grabbed Chu Yu’s wrist. Chu Yu looked up with a frown, words of rebuke on her lips, when she heard Wei Yun speak hoarsely, “Take me with you.”

Chu Yu’s eyes widened in surprise. Wei Yun held her hand, trembling slightly. He stared at her, gripping her wrist tightly, desperately controlling his emotions as he said, “If you can’t stay, then take me with you.”

“What about Bai and Kun provinces?”

“I don’t care about them.”

“What about the Wei family?”

“I don’t care about them either.”

“Then where will you go with me?”

“Wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be.”

“Wei Yun,” Chu Yu chuckled, “Do you know you’re talking about marrying into my family?”

“Fine,” Wei Yun stared at her seriously, “I’ll marry into your family.”

Chu Yu was slightly stunned. After a moment, she gently pushed his head, saying helplessly, “You’re talking nonsense again.”

“Then what can I do?” Wei Yun stared at her, his voice trembling, “What do you want me to do?!”

“A Yu,” Wei Yun buried his face in her hand, kneeling before her. His tears fell into Chu Yu’s palm, so hot that she couldn’t help but flinch. Wei Yun spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “Loving someone means missing them, wanting to be with them, wanting to accompany them. I know why you want to leave, I know you’re not abandoning me, but I’m afraid…” His body trembled slightly, but holding her hand, he felt countless strengths surging up. He raised his head, looking at Chu Yu, and said hoarsely, “Promise me…”

As he spoke, he stared at her intently, “Promise me, and I’ll believe you.”

“Promise what?”

“Promise me,” Wei Yun said seriously, “that you’ll wait for me.”

Hearing this, Chu Yu chuckled.

“Of course, I’ll wait for you.”

She raised her hand to stroke Wei Yun’s hair, in this person’s embrace, smelling his scent, listening to her calm and composed tone, “Huai Yu, I shouldn’t have been someone to stay in the inner courtyard in the first place. Waiting is mutual. You wait for me, and I’ll wait for you too.”

“When I miss you, I’ll come to see you.”

She seemed to be a source of warmth, giving him countless comforts and strength on rainy nights. Wei Yun closed his eyes, listening to her soft voice, “When you miss me, you can come find me too. My feelings for you won’t change.”

No one spoke. He just held her quietly. After a long time, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, “Alright.”

As he said this, as if afraid he might regret it, he suddenly stood up and lifted the carriage curtain to walk out. Chu Yu heard the sound of horses neighing outside, the sound of horses galloping. After a moment, she finally spoke, somewhat numbly, “Has he left?”

No one answered. Chu Yu was a bit puzzled. She rolled up the carriage curtain, but at that moment, a great force came from outside, grabbing her hand and pulling her over forcefully. Then a warm pair of lips pressed against hers. He sat on the horse, pressing her head, kissing her passionately and roughly.

Regardless of how many people were around, regardless of the heavy rain pouring down, the rain dampened her eyelashes. She closed her eyes, enduring all his force, feeling the tears and reluctance between his lips and teeth. After a long time, when she even felt pain on her lips, he finally let her go, breathing heavily. His forehead pressed against hers as he said seriously, “Chu Yu, I promise you—” his voice was hoarse, “One day when I enter Huajing, I will come with a grand procession to ask for your hand in marriage.”

Chu Yu opened her eyes, her gaze deep. Wei Yun stared at her and said hoarsely, “Say something.”

“Say what?”

“Whether you accept or not, say something.”

“If you dare to come,” Chu Yu laughed, “then I dare to marry you.”

“Good.” Wei Yun looked at her smile, his voice becoming gentle, “Then let’s wait.”

As he spoke, he placed his hand on her face. He smiled, but his eyes were full of reluctance, “Don’t worry,” he spoke hoarsely, “When you come back, all your concerns, I will have resolved them.”

If he couldn’t give her a stable and smooth future, how could he dare to ask for her hand in marriage?

After saying this, he looked at the sky, afraid that if he delayed any longer, he really wouldn’t be able to let go. He closed his eyes, said “Take care,” and then truly turned around, whipped his horse, and galloped away.

Chu Yu stood at the front of the carriage, looking back at the young man who didn’t turn back in the night. After a long time, she raised her hand to wipe the rain from her face and returned to the carriage.

She closed her eyes and calmly said, “Let’s go.”

As soon as Wei Yun returned home, he saw Wei Ying standing at the door waiting for him.

He was originally Wei Zhong’s secret guard, and after Wei Zhong’s death, he stayed by Liu Xueyang’s side. He was of Wei Yun’s uncle’s generation. Although he was a family servant, Wei Yun usually gave him enough face.

He seemed to have been waiting for a long time. As soon as Wei Yun entered, he raised his head and said calmly, “The Old Madam has fainted from crying.”

Wei Yun was slightly stunned. After a moment, he calmed down and immediately turned to walk towards Liu Xueyang’s room. Liu Xueyang was lying on the bed, being fed soup by Gui Mama.

When Wei Yun entered, he was holding a whip. Seeing Wei Yun come in, she struggled to sit up, anxiously saying, “A Yu, she…”

However, her words were cut short by Wei Yun’s expression.

Wei Yun’s expression was very calm.

Although he had been crying, at this moment, there was no expression on his face. This calmness made Liu Xueyang a bit afraid. She spoke tremblingly, her voice hoarse, “Xiao Qi…”

Wei Yun ignored her. He held the whip in his hand and walked up to Liu Xueyang.

“Xiao Qi… what are you doing?”

Liu Xueyang’s voice was a bit hoarse. Wei Yun calmly said, “I know you think A Yu and I are wrong. You are my mother, I can’t defy you, but I also can’t defy my own heart. If I’ve done wrong, then I should be punished. After the punishment, please, Mother,” as he spoke, he kowtowed, saying hoarsely, “forgive us.”

“What exactly are you going to do…”

There was fear in Liu Xueyang’s eyes. Wei Yun’s expression was calm, “The feelings between Chu Yu and me, the fault is all mine. If punishment is due, it should be mine.”

“I’ve wronged Elder Brother by liking her first, this is the first mistake.”

As he spoke, Wei Yun suddenly raised the whip and struck himself. Liu Xueyang’s eyes widened, and she hurriedly went to pull him, “What are you doing!”

Wei Yun’s expression didn’t change, he just said, “Pull the Madam away.”

Wei Qiu and Wei Xia hesitated for a moment, and then Wei Xia stepped forward. The two sides were in a tense standoff. At this moment, it was Jiang Chun, who was serving by Liu Xueyang’s side, who stood up, grabbed Liu Xueyang’s hand, and pulled her away.

Without Liu Xueyang, Wei Yun lowered his eyes and continued, “Liking her and not being able to control it, wanting to disturb her, this is the second mistake.”

As he spoke, the whip suddenly lashed across his body. Wei Yun counted one by one.

Disturbing her was wrong, forcing her was wrong, making her like him too was wrong, and secretly hiding her was wrong.

Marrying her without proper betrothal gifts was wrong, and thinking of enduring silently was wrong…

He had a thousand wrongs, ten thousand wrongs.

But being with her was not wrong.

He spoke sentence by sentence, the whip lashing down one by one. His clothes tore open, revealing flesh and blood. The wounds were hideous, blood flowing freely. His face was pale. Liu Xueyang watched from the side, crying and wailing uncontrollably, but Jiang Chun firmly held her down, saying calmly, “Mother-in-law, this is Xiao Qi’s choice.”

“What choice!” Liu Xueyang suddenly turned around, crying out in pain, “Is this him admitting his mistakes? He’s punishing me!”

He knew he was her only son, knew he was the only meaning in her life. He couldn’t raise a hand against her, so he used this method, hurting himself seven parts to hurt her three.

Liu Xueyang often heard others say Wei Yun was ruthless, but this was the first time she discovered that her son was truly ruthless.

Jiang Chun didn’t speak. She lowered her eyes, just holding Liu Xueyang down, watching Wei Yun complete ninety-nine lashes.

This was the rule set by Wei Zhong when he was alive. Ninety-nine lashes were the heaviest punishment for the young masters of the Wei family under family law.

After the ninety-nine lashes, Wei Yun had no strength left at all.

Blood and flesh mixed as they fell to the ground. He gasped, supporting himself, and slowly standing up.

“My mistakes, I admit,” he raised his head to look at Liu Xueyang, “I’ve admitted all my mistakes,” he said, looking quietly at Liu Xueyang, “Shouldn’t Mother admit her mistakes too?”

Liu Xueyang didn’t speak. Wei Yun chuckled lightly.

“My father once said,” there was a hint of desolation in his expression, “It’s not serious to make mistakes, what’s feared is not knowing one’s own mistakes, and even more feared is knowing but not correcting. We Wei family don’t have such people. You are the Old Madam of the Wei family,” Wei Yun’s tone was calm, “Shouldn’t you set an example?”

Liu Xueyang’s body trembled. After a long time, she pulled out a whip from the side and suddenly lashed it across herself!

There were cries of alarm from the side. Liu Xueyang gritted her teeth and opened her eyes.

“Being ungrateful, that’s my mistake.”

“I should apologize to her.”

“To whom?” Wei Yun pressed on.

Liu Xueyang gripped the whip tightly and said word by word, “Chu Yu.”

Hearing this, Wei Yun seemed to suddenly become tired.

He nodded and turned around.

He didn’t say a word, didn’t make any gesture, just turned around and walked out, tired and disheveled.

No one had expected him to do this, making it seem as if everything he had done before was just to get this one apology to Chu Yu.

Liu Xueyang stared blankly as Wei Yun walked out. Just as he was about to turn the corner and leave the doorway, she finally couldn’t hold back and called out to him, “Xiao Qi!”

Wei Yun stopped and turned back to look at Liu Xueyang.

“You did all this…” Liu Xueyang spoke hoarsely, “just to seek justice for her?”

Hearing this, Wei Yun smiled.

“Not just to seek justice for her,” he turned his head to look into the distance, his tone light, as if talking about something trivial, but the weight of his words made everyone fall silent.

He said, “It’s also to love her openly and righteously.”

“For the mistakes of the past, I take responsibility,” Wei Yun raised his eyes to look at Liu Xueyang, “But Mother, from today on, my love for her will be open and aboveboard, righteous and dignified.”

“No one can stop it, not even you.”