Chapter 2

6

That evening, I sharpened my knife and considered whether to take a true heart back to the mountain or bring the whole person along and get an extra roast dinner out of it.

Just then, Gu Chen arrived.

He embraced me as soon as he entered and murmured soothingly, “An'an, I know you've suffered a great deal in this household lately.”

I pushed him away and told him quite seriously, “I haven't suffered at all.”

He chuckled, gazing at me with tender, utterly confident eyes.

“Of course. I know.”

“I know how good and understanding you are. You've always understood my difficulties.”

“I know your heart belongs entirely to me.”

He kissed my cheek and continued coaxing me.

“Though I love Yaoyao more, you needn't worry. There will always be a place for you in my heart. I will never mistreat you.”

I stared.

What did that mean?

Could a true heart hold two people?

After he left, I gazed at the moon, filled with regret.

I was so stupid.

I had known that true love could change. I hadn't known a human heart could split itself between two people.

How could he keep what was in his bowl and still covet what was in the pot?

I sighed. I really didn't want to give up the true heart that was almost mine.

So I asked Gu Chen for a divorce.

Not a flicker of anxiety crossed his face. He thought I was joking.

“Could you really bear to leave?”

“You married me so far from your home. You even agreed when I took Yaoyao as a concubine.”

“I know I've neglected you lately, but there's no need for these childish tantrums.”

I shook my head. “I really don't love you.”

He didn't believe me. Worse, he tore up the divorce agreement I had painstakingly copied.

Did he think it was easy for an illiterate fox to write with a brush?

I was furious.

The mice climbed onto my table, squeaking out suggestions.

“Boss, you could find someone else. Men hate being cuckolded.”

“They're terribly petty. They can have all the wives and concubines they want, but a woman isn't allowed a second husband.”

“Exactly! Fall in love with someone else and Gu Chen won't love you anymore. He'll hate you.”

I blinked. Only then did I understand what the maids meant when they said I shouldn't keep pining for Gu Chen.

So feelings involved two people. If one had a change of heart, the other should stop loving them too and start hating them instead.

I see.

7

A few days later, all the city's distinguished families gathered for a flower-viewing banquet.

Gu Chen naturally had a carriage ready early, planning to take Song Yao.

He told me to be good and wait at home. He would bring me the most beautiful branch of peach blossoms.

Before I could answer, Song Yao called him away.

Watching him leave, I wasn't angry in the least.

On the contrary, I clapped my hands happily, climbed over the wall of the Gu residence, and went to find Husband Number Two, Xie Jingyan.

When I first descended the mountain, I had decided to cast a wide net to find a true heart as quickly as possible.

I'd save a man here, pick up another there.

Sometimes I pretended to be weak and pitiful, let someone rescue me, then conveniently offered myself in marriage as repayment.

All to round out my collection of “husbands.”

Through considerable effort, I had seduced more than twenty, from the emperor at the top to a celebrated courtesan at the other end.

But the emperor was too controlling, and the courtesan was too clingy.

After I discarded more than a dozen, six remained. Gu Chen was one of them.

As for the others, I waited and waited, but not one brought another woman home.

Only Gu Chen had managed it.

I had carefully chosen today's flower-viewing banquet for my plan.

I wanted to give Gu Chen a shock, force him to give up on me completely, and devote his entire true heart to Song Yao.

Xie Jingyan was gentle and attentive throughout the banquet, supporting me tenderly as we walked.

I drew him along and deliberately crossed paths with Gu Chen and Song Yao as they arrived.

Gu Chen froze when he saw me. The smile stiffened on his face.

He stepped forward.

“Brother Xie, this lady is...?”

Xie Jingyan inclined his head, his introduction laced with sarcasm.

“Young Master Gu, this is my wife.”

“She has been sickly since childhood and seldom goes out. It's quite understandable that you wouldn't recognize her.”

“I hear you've been so blissfully occupied lately that you've forgotten you have a wife of your own who needs her medicine.”

Gu Chen stared at my face in astonishment.

“Your wife looks remarkably familiar.”

I smiled and took Xie Jingyan's hand, giving his wrist a gentle shake.

The jade bracelet Gu Chen had personally given me as our betrothal token now rested snugly on Xie Jingyan's wrist.

Gu Chen's pupils contracted. He stared at it in disbelief.

“Why are you wearing that bracelet?”

I borrowed his own words.

“It's only an ordinary trinket. My husband liked it, so I gave it to him.”

“If you still want one, Young Master Gu, buy another.”

“You were the one who spoke out of turn today. Don't keep pressing the matter. It's rather vulgar.”

That silenced him. He stood rooted to the spot, frowning and trembling with anger.

I ignored his embarrassment, rose slightly on my toes, and kissed Xie Jingyan's cheek.

Xie Jingyan smiled helplessly, caught my restless hand, and murmured, “Behave,” though his eyes were full of indulgence.

Gu Chen was utterly dumbfounded.

He knew perfectly well that I was Lin An.

So how had I become Xie Jingyan's wife?

He couldn't understand.

His wife had always been obedient, with her thoughts and affections revolving around him alone.

Now she had somehow become another man's lawful wife.

She was even nestling against him and flirting.

The difference was so great that his mind went blank. However hard he tried, he couldn't make sense of it.

At the banquet, Xie Jingyan and I sat near the seat of honor. I deliberately leaned against his shoulder with a shy air.

Gu Chen's face was livid. He stared fixedly at us.

Every time I fed Xie Jingyan a bite, his eyes widened a little more.

Naturally, Xie Jingyan noticed that furious gaze. He bent to my ear and teased me softly.

“Do you see that faithless fellow? No wife at his side.”

“Seeing me with such a gentle wife to keep me company must be making him almost unbearably jealous.”

“Wouldn't you say, my wife?”

I turned to look at the glowering Gu Chen. Meeting his resentful gaze, I settled into Xie Jingyan's arms.

“Yes, husband. I love you.”

Gu Chen nearly exploded. He slammed his fist onto the table.

He no longer had any attention to spare for Song Yao beside him.

That was all right. She plainly had none to spare for him either.

Her eyes and heart were busy searching for her lover.

8

Before today's banquet, Song Yao had secretly sent Sun Yan a letter asking him to meet her there.

She wanted to tell him in person that the child was his.

He had been the only man in her heart all along. She was willing to abandon everything and elope with him.

If she left, what would become of my true heart?

Naturally, I couldn't let her succeed.

So I intercepted her letter to Sun Yan and replaced it with a suicide note, written by someone I hired to imitate her handwriting.

Perhaps I had made it too heartless.

Sun Yan had been rather distracted these past few days, according to the mice sent to watch him.

He had even been neglecting Song Shulan.

He stayed up an entire night writing letter after letter, finally chose one he liked, and sent it to Song Yao in the middle of the night.

I received it and examined the contents.

I could barely recognize a word.

Far too flowery.

I couldn't stand it.

So I wrote back in very plain, simple language, giving him a thorough scolding and making it clear that we would have nothing more to do with each other.

After receiving my letter, Sun Yan couldn't sleep.

He hadn't expected Song Yao to stop loving him so suddenly.

Once the time seemed nearly ripe, I found an excuse to rise alone and stroll down a deserted path in the banquet garden.

I deliberately gave Gu Chen the chance to follow.

Sure enough, before long he blocked my way.

Struggling to contain his fury, he demanded, “Lin An, what do you think you're doing?”

“How dare you seduce another man behind my back?”

“What an ugly way to put it. I've simply found the love of my life.”

I tilted my head and smiled.

“You love Song Yao. I love Xie Jingyan.”

“Why not?”

He stared, unable to accept it.

“How could you do such a thing? An adulterer and his shameless whore! You've disgraced the Gu family's century-old reputation.”

“Oh? Your family still has one?”

“Didn't you lose it ages ago?”

I leaned closer and repeated the words the mice had overheard, provoking him one deliberate word at a time.

“Gu Chen, the main problem is that you can't perform.”

“I never loved you. Not even a little.”

“I only married you for your money. I didn't expect you to be so useless—worse than a eunuch.”

“So I had to find my pleasure elsewhere. Only after meeting Xie Jingyan did I discover what it was like to be with a man.”

“I have no idea how Song Yao puts up with you.”

He stared at me.

His face drained of color. He trembled all over, unable to utter a word.

He had always believed I couldn't live without him, that I was utterly devoted to him.

Yet here I was, not only denying that I loved him, but telling him he was no good in bed.

9

“You... How could you... I can't... I...” he stammered, staring at me in disbelief.

“You what? You're useless. Not fit to call yourself a man. Take some medicine.”

“Even for your money, I can't put up with you anymore.”

Without another glance, I turned and walked briskly away.

I left him rigid on the spot, as though struck by lightning.

Only once I was out of sight did I dare laugh freely.

After that performance, he was sure to hate me to death. There couldn't possibly be a trace of affection for me left in his heart.

While I was enjoying myself, I realized I was lost.

Such an enormous place, and not a single mouse to ask for directions.

I climbed up high to find my way back.

By chance, I spotted Sun Yan and Song Shulan leaning together, whispering.

Not far away, Song Yao was crouched behind an ornamental rock formation, secretly listening.

I frowned. Something suddenly seemed wrong.

Song Shulan leaned against Sun Yan's shoulder and cried softly, full of grievance.

“You haven't fallen for Song Yao, have you?”

“I keep feeling that you don't care about me as much as you used to.”

“She's different. She's the principal wife's daughter. She has our parents behind her. I have nothing. Only you.”

“If even you won't help me, who can I turn to?”

Sun Yan hurried to reassure her.

“Don't worry. Everything I've done has been for you.”

“I ruined Song Yao's reputation for your sake. I left her with no way out but to give herself to another man. How can you not trust me?”

“I only comforted her a little because I pitied her.”

Behind the rocks, Song Yao's shoulders shook violently, but she made no sound.

Contrary to my expectations, she didn't rush out to confront them or demand answers hysterically.

She only kept quiet and drifted away, utterly lost.

Her steps were slow and unsteady, as though she might collapse at any moment.

A dark cloud suddenly swept across the sky. Rain soaked her hair.

Without realizing it, she had reached the lake.

The night breeze carried a chill that left her shivering.

Holding the railing, she gazed at her reflection. Tears fell ceaselessly, like pearls from a broken string.

Just then, an equally wretched figure slowly approached.

Gu Chen.

10

At the sight of Song Yao, he seemed to see hope.

He immediately gathered her into his arms and confided in a low voice.

“Yaoyao, you're all I have left. Lin An betrayed me.”

“She has been with Xie Jingyan for ages. I only found out today.”

“All those vows we made mean nothing now.”

Song Yao went still for a moment. An inexplicable sense of shared misfortune stirred inside her.

She patted his back gently.

“I understand. I understand it all.”

“To be betrayed, to be so full of happiness and end up with nothing but emptiness—I know that feeling.”

“To give someone your heart only to be cast aside—I know how much it hurts.”

As she spoke, a clear tear slipped down her cheek.

Gu Chen thought she was crying for him.

Deeply moved, he clasped her hand.

“Yaoyao, I never imagined you would cry for me. I understand now. You love me so much.”

“Don't worry. I will never let you down.”