Chapter 143 Rage

Despite his anger, Ye Mu managed to remain calm on the surface. The red eyes were the only thing that gave him away.

Such detail didn’t escape Gu Qiang’s eyes, but she only took several deep breaths and said nothing.

This was neither Ye Mu’s fault nor hers, thus there was no need for them to play the blame game. Instead of wasting time with this man, she would rather return to the banquet and greet all the guests.

Seeing Ye Mu had no wish to quarrel with her either, Gu Qiang turned back and looked at Gusu Liang, who stepped forward after getting the hint.

But everything suddenly went into chaos before she could ask Ye Mu out.

Ye Mu, once standing still where he was, suddenly leaned forward and seized Gu Qiang at her waist, dragging her into his arms and kissing her at her lips.

With a boom in her head, Gu Qiang instantly understood his intention; she tried to shake him off but failed as this man was too strong and her wounds not properly healed yet. Anxious and scared, she almost cried.

As she could remember, this was her first kiss; but the fact that it was with a man of nobody made her feel like she lost everything.

Keep struggling, she tasted blood as his soft and cold lips were on hers, as though they were cut in the wrestle.

Only pressing his lips against hers, Ye Mu didn’t get a step forward as though he too understood this was not appropriate.

But he didn’t stop, and Gu Qiang couldn’t push him away. When she almost fell into despair, a strong force suddenly came at their back and lifted Ye Mu. With her waist still clutched by Ye Mu, Gu Qiang was also pulled up into the air.

But the hard fall didn’t come. Instead, Gu Qiang landed in a warm hug, where she smelt a faint fragrance of the plum flower; the red coming into her eyes let her suddenly understand who this man was.

He was the master of Yaomeng Pavilion, the man who hadn’t told her his name as she never asked.

Nobody bothered to ask, therefore no one bothered to answer. This might be as far as their relationship could go.

The man lowered his head, smiling the same as ever. Seeing Gu Qiang huddling up in his arms nervously with tears in her eyes, he wiped it out for her with his hand, his fingers were cold but gentle.

“Girl, I didn’t know you have so many pursuers! Hearing that the Emperor has betrothed you to the Ninth Duke, I came here to send my congratulations, who knows that I would run into another romantic affair of yours. Your future husband will tear him up in pieces if he knows this,” said Bai Su, his smile broadened, making him as cynical as ever. He was quite patient as he had rescued Gu Qiang from Ye Mu’s arms.

Ye Mu got up on his feet, with fire burning in his eyes.

Although he was born with rich family background, he was more of a bookish person than a playboy and was never strong. The hug just now had consumed all his strength, but Bai Su easily took Gu Qiang away from him, which pissed him off even further.

“Gu Qiang is mine. How could you break into an unmarried lady’s house in the broad daylight? I doubt that’s appropriate,” said Ye Mu coldly, straightening up his back.

But Bai Su didn’t get his meaning, as his attention fully drawn to the first few words he heard.

“Yours?” said Bai Su as he put Gu Qiang down onto the ground. He moved twos steps ahead, with his eyes fixed upon Ye Mu and his lips curled into the smile he liked best, which made Gu Qiang feel that things wouldn’t be as easy as this.

Had Bai Su been irritated? He indeed had asked Gu Qiang several times to marry him, which she had never taken seriously as she thought he was simply being a lunatic.

Gu Qiang never believed she would fall in love with someone at the first glimpse, no matter she had lost her memory or not.

She didn’t rule out the possibility for her to fall in love with someone, but it must take time.

Therefore, she found it quite amused to see these two men confronting each other; she belonged to neither of them, yet they acted like they were fighting for her.

Was Ye Mu… trying to tarnish her reputation?

Ye Mu’s eyes fell on Bai Su and the round, but cold-faced girl also dressing in red standing behind him; he knew she was a difficult one to deal with simply by a look at her.

As someone who used to buy his way out, Ye Mu suddenly felt that this wouldn’t work in the capital, as he was nothing but a nobody here, and could be trampled upon by anyone.

He was punished the next minute he kissed Gu Qiang. Now he finally realized his mistake and began to regret it.

Bai Su stared at him coldly, his smile disappeared. “Get me all his information,” he spoke to Fu Ling who was standing behind him.

Then he quickly turned back and gave Ye Mu another smile.

Yu Mu shuddered; Bai Su had quite a beautiful face, but with the smile, he looked not only stunning but also scary.

He was like a beautiful snake, or colorful mushrooms; the prettier, the deadlier.

Ye Mu kept in silence, thinking it would be wise for him to give in.

At this moment, the granny serving Ye walked into the yard. Her eyes sneakily swept across the yard and then fell on Bai Su. “Prime Minister Gu and Lady Ye invite you to drink in the back garden, this way, please,” she said to Gu Qiang and Ye Mu.

Having served Ye for a dozen years, she enjoyed quite a high reputation in the Gu Family and hence had always considered herself above Gu Qiang, while today, she finally learned to pay her respect.

Being no guest of the Gu Family, Bai Su gave Fu Ling a look, and then they left together.

Ye Mu patted his clothes and headed out of the yard, with his servants following him.

Seeing Gu Qiang hadn’t recovered after a long time, Ting Feng came forward; she opened her mouth, and finally squeezed a few words out with great embarrassment, “Who knows that Mr. Ye would do this? He seemed a nice guy! How disappointed.”

But how could Gu Qiang be placated by a few words as simple as that? She felt she was going to explode. She would soon be a bride! How could Ye Mu not think in her shoes?

But still, she had to snap out of it. After getting changed with the help of Gusu Liang, she headed for the back garden as well.

The night darkened, which was the beginning of a more colorful life for families like the Gu.

When she walked past the Zuihua Pavilion, she saw Ye Mu stopped by Ziyan through a side glance. They were busy talking about something, but she had no interest to hear.

It seemed a lot of men had been attracted to her simply by her looks. But how could that be enough to secure a long relationship?

At the banquet, the rowdier guests were busy toasting and talking to each other, not noticing Gu Qiang’s appearance. Ting Feng led Gu Qiang to a table, where she joined a lady and a comely looking but skinny girl, who seemed hadn’t had a full meal for a long time.

There was a flash of light in the girl’s eyes as she looked up to Gu Qiang, as though they had been known to each other for years. But Gu Qiang had no memory of her.

The woman held up her cup, beaming at Gu Qiang, “Qiang, I’ve been worrying so long since I heard that you have lost your memory. Fortunately, there was no brain damage.”

Gu Qiang’s eyes squinted; she couldn’t remember who this woman was until Ting Feng told her in a whisper that she was her mother’s half-sister.

Why would a woman who had never shown up before be so kind to her suddenly? She must want something from her as well.

Gu Qiang smiled back but didn’t move her hands. “Thank you for your concern, aunt,” she nodded.

That was too polite a tone for a warm greeting as though there was a great estrangement between them.

Stunned but quite complacent, Jiang Min hadn’t expected Gu Qiang to pay her such profound respect. She elbowed Gu Zhiyan who sat beside her, wishing she could say something more, but the movement was so big that she dropped her chopsticks down the floor.

Seeing there were only several people at this not-very-big table, Jiang Min gave Gu Zhiyan a hard kick impatiently, which made her suddenly slip down the chair and fall on her knees on the ground.

The table trembled with a big sound of clashes. All the ceramic dinnerware on it had broken.

Plates and bowls were pressing against each other, the food serving in them dropped down the table and stained Gu Zhiyan’s clothes as she failed to duck in time.

Gu Zhiyan suddenly fell to the ground, with tears splashing down her face.

Jiang Min looked at her coldly. “Useless girl! How could you not even be able to pick up some chopsticks?”

Gu Zhiyan said nothing back. She just kneeled there soundlessly, her tears kept pouring down, and the stains and smell on her head made her feel she was no longer clean.

With a light flashed in her eyes, Ting Feng moved forward and wanted to carry her up.

Feeling offended, Jiang Min pointed at Ting Feng, her eyes widened where there was more white than back. “Don’t touch her! Put your nose out of my family’s business!” said her in a tone like dripping acid.

Gu Qiang was irritated; she was an Infanta, and Ting Feng was her maid. How could she just watch Jiang Min reprimand her maid in front of her?

She motioned Ting Feng to help Gu Zhiyan get redressed, and then glared at Jiang Min, “What do you mean by that? Trying to give me a head-down blow?”

At this moment, she didn’t know Gu Zhiyan was her half-sister yet as they shared the same name, otherwise, she wouldn’t let go of Jiang Min easily.