Cheng Yumo’s momentum suddenly weakened. She had no intention of getting a divorce and only deliberately said so to make Huo Changyuan soften. How could she expect that he would actually tell her to leave!
Cheng Yumo stopped the ruse, but cried even more aggrievedly as a result, “Have you forgotten when you asked me to marry you and what you promised me back then? No wonder mother-in-law kept mentioning concubines again. It turns out that you have this intention!”
So it was about the concubines again. Huo Changyuan was really exhausted. “I swore in front of the Crown Princess that I wouldn’t take concubines. Hasn’t this matter ended? Why do you keep bringing it up?”
When the Crown Princess was mentioned, both of them suddenly fell silent. Cheng Yumo’s heart was full of sourness. Huo Changyuan’s tone was firm and decisive, showing that he really meant his words. Did he keep the promise for his wife or the Crown Princess?
Blinded by jealousy, Cheng Yumo’s words became more and more extreme, “Do you think I like to? Well, since you say that you don’t want to take a concubine, then repeat those words to mother-in-law. Go and say that to her! She has been crazy all day, wanting to stuff you with women!”
Huo Changyuan was furious: “Presumptuous! How dare you say that about my mother?”
Right after the words came out, Cheng Yumo also regretted it, but with Huo Changyuan yelling at her like this, she refused to back down, let alone apologize. She screamed again, “Isn’t she? Which mother is so invasive? Which mother-in-law would ask the details of her son and daughter-in-law’s bedroom matters? Have you never thought that your mother is not normal?”
With a loud bang, Huo Changyuan’s long sleeves swept all the cups on the table to the floor. He pointed at Cheng Yumo, furious: “You, you…”
Cheng Yumo was startled by the shattered porcelain, one of which almost pierced her eyes. She shivered all over. Feeling aggrieved and scared, Cheng Yumo cried again, “You actually threw the cups at me. You actually did this to me! Why don’t you just throw me to death, just like you did last time with our child! If I die, I can reunite with my baby in the underworld. With us mother and child finally gone, no one will hinder you from marrying the person you like!”
When Cheng Yumo mentioned the child, Huo Changyuan’s momentum weakened visibly. Huo Changyuan also blamed himself for the loss of the child. When Cheng Yumo mentioned it for the first time, Huo Changyuan still felt guilty and couldn’t help but relent a lot, thinking he owed her a great deal. But Cheng Yumo used the incident over and over again every time she wanted to get something. No matter how much guilt Huo Changyuan had, it turned into numbness after being pointed out so many times. Gradually, even the numbness turned into disgust… and resentment.
Huo Changyuan fell silent for a long time. Finally, he looked at Cheng Yumo coldly and said with an indifferent tone, “It’s indeed me who was sorry for you. So what do you want? Separation?”
Cheng Yumo was startled. She raised her head, eyes full of disbelief: “What did you say? It’s your mother who forced me to take concubines for you. It’s your family who was sorry for me, yet you want me to leave?!”
Huo Changyuan frowned. His tone was full of impatience: “If you have something to say, speak well. If you involve my mother again, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Cheng Yumo’s eyes widened, and she gradually collapsed: “So, you never think that your mother is at fault, do you?”
Huo Changyuan couldn’t bear it any longer, “You always offend my mother. Cannot you be more mature?”
Although Huo Changyuan didn’t answer the question just now, from his furrowed brows, it was clear that he indeed thought so. He even felt that Cheng Yumo asking this question was akin to an admission of guilt.
Cheng Yumo burst into tears: “Didn’t you say that you like my innocent and carefree self the most? Sure enough, men never cherish what they get. You clearly said that you love my naivety, but now you have married me, you complain that I am not mature enough?”
Huo Changyuan felt his breath suffocated by the heavy air and said in dissatisfaction, “How old are you? You cannot even handle the small things in your own life, yet you feel proud?”
Cheng Yumo, who had calmed down a little, immediately exploded again. She stood up and smashed everything within her reach to the ground before accusing Huo Changyuan in full bitterness: “Do you regret marrying me?! Then who do you think is mature and dependable? Cheng Yujin?!”
As soon as Cheng Yujin’s name fell from Cheng Yumo’s lips, Huo Changyuan hurriedly covered her mouth with his hand. Cheng Yumo screamed and tried to struggle. With lingering fears, Huo Changyuan quickly looked out the window. Only when he saw no one in sight did he let go of the hand on Cheng Yumo’s mouth. He then hissed in a low voice, “Are you crazy?! You dare to talk nonsense — that’s the Crown Princess!”
Cheng Yumo managed to break free from Huo Changyuan’s hand. Still gasping for breath, tears kept falling on her cheeks. Cheng Yumo looked like a lunatic as she laughed between her tears, “Crown Princess. Haha, Crown Princess!”
Another heavy silence fell. The name ‘Cheng Yujin’ seemed to hold magical power. As long as this name was not mentioned, Huo Changyuan and Cheng Yumo could still pretend to be husband and wife, regardless of how many quarrels they had. But today, Cheng Yumo was too shaken by emotions and called out Cheng Yujin’s name in exasperation. In an instant, the beast in the iron cage was released, finally revealing the ugly truth they both desperately tried to cover up.
Both Huo Changyuan and Cheng Yumo thought their relationship was like that of the sky and the moon — even though there were quarrels, it was normal. But once the truth was exposed, they found it full of holes and scars, leaving no intact places. Some people thought that in love, scars and injuries served as a catalyst. The more hurdles were overcome, the deeper the love would be. Over time, even Huo Changyuan and Cheng Yumo also thought so, deliberately overlooking that, in fact, their relationship had become scarred and unsightly.
Cheng Yujin’s name was taboo for them. Especially since this person was now the Crown Princess, and her pregnancy had made her the most precious existence in the world. Any words that might be taken as slightly disrespecting her would bring disaster to the whole Huo family.
Both Huo Changyuan and Cheng Yumo were silent for a long time. In the end, it was Huo Changyuan who couldn’t take it anymore. Leaving just a sentence, “I will sleep in the study,” he hurriedly turned around and left.
After Huo Changyuan left, Cheng Yumo slid to the floor. Alone in the room full of shattered porcelain, she covered her face and cried bitterly.
< Advanced TOC >
