The Lovely Wanwan

Wanwan was a young lady from a collateral branch of the family, living under someone else's roof. She was breathtakingly beautiful and as delicate as a flower. Since childhood, she had been raised to become the wife of the Gu family's Third Young Master, and once she came of age, she was to marry him.

Later, Gu Sanlang passed the imperial examinations with flying colors. On the day the results were posted, he rode home in a bright red robe as the new top scholar, basking in his success. Wanwan waited happily at the gates of the residence for him to come home, but all she received was her cousin's cool, distant gaze.

Gu Sanlang thought Wanwan was beautiful, but she was not worthy of him. As the newly crowned top scholar, he could make a better choice.

Later, when the palace began selecting young women, Old Madam Gu said to Wanwan, "You're young and beautiful, and everyone has their eye on you. Even if Sanlang married you, he might never feel at ease. You'd be better off entering the palace. At worst, you could serve a noble lady, and even that would make you more privileged than the mistress of an ordinary household."

Wanwan glanced at Gu Sanlang, her eyes glistening as if with tears. She smiled softly. "All right."

Gu Sanlang turned away, suppressing his regret.

-

Later, at a banquet in the palace, Gu Sanlang suddenly realized that the dazzling, peerlessly beautiful young woman doted on by the Crown Prince was the very cousin he had once abandoned.

Wasn't she supposed to be a lowly maid in the Eastern Palace?

When they met again, there was no longer any light in Wanwan's eyes when she looked at him.

The Crown Prince lounged against a long table, his noble features cold and detached. Rumor had it that he was domineering, ruthless, and anything but benevolent.

One cool glance from him, and Gu Sanlang's back was already slick with sweat.

The man seated above them swirled the wine in his cup and drawled, "Top Scholar, do you still want to keep those eyes of yours?"

[Bonus Scene]

On the first night, the man lazily glanced at the young woman trembling on the bed, her hairpins and ornaments in disarray, and scoffed, "Do you know what a palace tutor is for? You're here to teach me, not the other way around."

Later, she studied the little booklet he had given her over and over, until at last she understood.

That night, the man's eyes were bloodshot, the madness in them impossible to suppress. Through clenched teeth, he forced out a few words: "For the rest of your life, you can only do that for me. Otherwise... I'll cut out your tongue and have it with my wine."

[Screen capture archived on 20220222]

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