Miss Truth

Huai Yin had been keeping his eyes lowered when he heard Liu Qingsong’s words, his brows tightly furrowed together.

This was the most profound expression Ran Yan had ever seen on him, more moving than that mundane, indifferent face, no wonder Yang Ying was so infatuated with him. Ran Yan didn’t think that liking someone for their appearance was superficial; humans are visual creatures, all attracted to varying degrees by beautiful things. The key was whether or not, after falling in love with someone’s appearance, you could grow to like everything about them and not have love wane as beauty faded. If one only stayed fixated on the surface, that’s what was truly superficial.

What Yang Ying’s psychology was, Ran Yan did not yet know, only that Huai Yin’s appearance alone was enough to make many women infatuated.

"Yang Ying went to Suzhou alone, I did not see her off. Yet, ultimately, the relationship between Ah Yu and me had not reverted to what it was before but had become more distrustful. In the winter of the seventh year of the Wude era, a heavy snow at the end of the year ended our deadlock."

"Ah Yu fell and injured herself in the snow, and a young gentleman carried her back. They had known each other for half a year; thinking I was Ah Yu’s elder brother, he asked for her hand in marriage. I carefully inquired into the young gentleman’s character and background, and after asking Ah Yu’s opinion, who agreed, I, as her brother, consented to the marriage."

"However," Huai Yin paused, stopping for about five breaths before he continued, "I ultimately couldn’t let go and couldn’t bear to watch her put on her wedding dress and join hands with that young gentleman for a lifetime. Thus, on the day of her wedding, the coward in me fled Jiangning."

Huai Yin’s frown eased a lot as he spoke, seeming somewhat resigned as well.

Liu Qingsong opened his mouth, seeing that he had no intention of continuing, couldn’t help saying, "That’s it? Isn’t there something like, her husband treats her poorly, her in-laws don’t like her, or the young man was actually sent by Yang Ying, who really doesn’t love Ah Yu and just wanted to split you two up?"

To think this story could be so bland! Liu Qingsong, who was all geared up to hear a tale of legendary heartbreak, felt somehow dangling, with nowhere to let his anticipation land.