Once again, Churong heard everything he thought.
She became even more confused. The voice seemed to be coming from Linghu himself, and while she could tolerate him insulting her, she did not understand why he was speaking badly about Beichuan, or what Beichuan had to do with becoming a hero. She began recalling how Beichuan had always protected her and reassured her in the past. That had nothing to do with what she was hearing now, which made her wonder whether this was some kind of rumour or misunderstanding.
Meanwhile Linghu was completely unaware of any of it, and simply served the tea.
His grandfather laughed, thinking the two of them were only being shy. Then he suggested that it might be time for them to get married.
Churong stood up at once and refused. She apologised respectfully, but made it clear that there was no relationship between her and Linghu, and that she did not love him.
Linghu agreed with her right away. She was right, he said, and forcing the marriage would be wrong. It was better for both sides to go their separate ways.
That confused her even more. His behaviour was completely different from before.
A man, presumably Churong's father, tried to smooth things over, saying that she was only being immature and that Linghu shouldn't take her words seriously. Linghu firmly disagreed and insisted that she was actually very mature for making her decision clear. Then, panicking, he insisted over and over that the marriage must not happen.
Churong was left completely confused. Just a day before, he had sent her a very long letter expressing his feelings, and now he was acting like a completely different person.
Her father became emotional. To him it looked as though Linghu was willing to stay by his daughter's side even without the engagement, which made him seem admirable. Linghu realised that the man was great in business and a complete blockhead when it came to relationships.
Turning to Churong, her father told her to recognise how much effort Linghu was putting in for her, and insisted that the marriage would go ahead.
Hearing this, Linghu dropped to his knees and begged. He did not want to marry her, he said, and he asked for their understanding.
Churong heard his thoughts again. In them he complained that she was always the one rejecting him before, and yet now she was strangely quiet. He insisted that she throw a tantrum. Big idiot.
Churong, on the other hand, seemed to have made up her mind. She smiled, and her whole attitude changed. She said she finally understood him. All of his talk about not wanting to marry her had actually been his way of protecting her. She then declared that even if they did not have feelings for each other now, they could develop them later, and she agreed to the marriage.
Linghu was completely stunned. He could not understand what was happening and began to think that something must be wrong with her.
She teased him then, asking whether he no longer liked her. Without thinking, he blurted out that he did — while inside his head he was extremely frustrated, swearing and cursing with every word that came to mind.
Churong found all of it amusing. She had never realised he had so many thoughts hidden inside him. Watching him struggle like this was actually entertaining.
Seeing her reaction, Linghu got annoyed, grabbed her arm and said they needed to talk outside. On his way out he asked his grandfather's permission. Both men simply laughed, thinking this was just young love.
Once outside, he told her directly that this relationship would not work, and that she could still refuse the marriage.
Churong simply rejected the idea. Now that she knew he did not want it, she suddenly wanted it even more. Since the marriage had been arranged by their families, she saw no reason to refuse.
Linghu tried to reason with her. She should marry someone she truly loved. He reminded her that she had always treated him badly, and asked her to show a little mercy by cancelling the engagement.
She answered playfully. Even if she did not like him now, she might start liking him later.
He panicked internally. If this continued, the main protagonist would definitely come after him.
Churong heard that too, and became confused all over again. She could not understand why he kept mentioning Beichuan, or why he would be afraid of him. After all, Linghu was one of the top young masters in the city, and Beichuan was only a bodyguard.
At that moment Linghu paused and began thinking deeply. There was no way out any more. It was already too late.
He slammed his hand against the wall and asked her one final time. Would she accept the marriage, or refuse it?
Churong smiled calmly and said she accepted. Then she asked what he planned to do about it.
He froze on the spot, because there was nothing left that he could do.
Soon after, the celebration began. Glasses of wine were raised and everyone congratulated the couple. The entire hall buzzed with excitement. An alliance between the Linghu family and the Shao family was seen as something powerful. Many people were surprised, because they had always believed Churong had no interest in Linghu, so all those rumours now seemed false.
Beichuan stood there in shock, unable to understand what had just happened. His anger exploded. He crushed the glass in his hand and declared that he opposed the marriage.
Linghu panicked inside. The moment he had feared had finally arrived.
Churong's father looked at Beichuan and asked who he was. Beichuan confidently told him to look carefully. While Churong's father squinted at him, the crowd began buzzing, thinking Beichuan must be some hidden rich tycoon. Then Churong's father finally remembered that this was his daughter's bodyguard. That made the situation even more ridiculous — a mere bodyguard, trying to interfere in a marriage.
The entire hall grew noisy as people began mocking him. Linghu could only curse this damned background character for trying to upset the main protagonist.
Churong's father quickly lost patience and ordered Beichuan to leave, adding that he was fired. Beichuan refused to back down. He declared that he would not allow Churong to be forced into something she did not want, and insisted that her marriage should not be decided like this.
Churong was obviously speechless. If her father's words did not matter in her own marriage, what gave a mere bodyguard the right?
Her father also got angry and ordered the guards to throw Beichuan out. Instead of leaving, Beichuan challenged them, saying it would take more than a few men to stop him.
The guards moved in and a fight broke out instantly.
Beichuan attacked first, landing a powerful punch that sent one guard flying. The rest hesitated for a moment, then rushed him together. He moved quickly, striking one after another, and then released a burst of energy that sent everyone crashing across the room. He stood there confidently and challenged anyone else to step forward.
Linghu watched all of it in shock, realising just how strong the main protagonist really was.