Chapter 16: My Name is Su Ruyan

“You, let him go!” Striding forward with her arms crossed, Yu Mei looked down at the two lecherous men with contempt and spoke with a cold sneer.

Su Ruyan raised his eyes to look at the woman. She had delicate features and clear, lovely lines; there was a strength beneath her softness, and her brow carried an air of cold indifference that seemed to look down upon the world. With red lips and white teeth, her cheeks appeared as if brushed with rouge, giving them a rosy glow, and the cinnabar mark on her forehead was as crimson as blood, making her look breathtakingly beautiful. She was truly a stunning woman.

However, why was this woman dressed in bright red robes? Could it be that she was the thirty-eighth concubine being wed into the Xiang Prince's Mansion today? But if she were a new bride, why would she appear in such a place of pleasure?

“Yo, another beauty has arrived!” Seeing that Yu Mei was exceptionally beautiful, one of the lecherous men reached out toward her with a grin.

Yu Mei grabbed his pig-like hand, her eyes flashing with killing intent like a ten-thousand-year-old glacier submerged in a frigid abyss. With just one look, she terrified the two men so much they didn't dare move. “Get lost! I don't feel like killing anyone today!”

“You... you... fine, you're tough!” The two of them shuddered, glared viciously at Yu Mei, and then scurried away weakly.

Su Ruyan raised his gaze indifferently, his eyes as calm as still water without a single ripple. His thin lips parted slightly. “Thank you.” His voice was neither warm nor cold, devoid of any discernible emotion; yet, Yu Mei could detect a faint trace of gratitude within it.

Curving her lips into a smile full of charm, she asked, “Is this how you treat someone who helped you?” Yu Mei suddenly felt a flicker of curiosity toward this man who remained so composed.

Hearing this, Su Ruyan stared at her, his face filled with innocent purity. “Then, what is it you want?”

Yu Mei beamed, the cinnabar mark on her brow blooming with an almost bewitching intensity as she smiled. Looking at this man—at this expression—he was so pure and untainted that he was so clean it made even Yu Mei want to shield him behind her own back...

“I have nowhere to go,” she said softly after her laughter subsided, her thick eyelashes drooping just enough to perfectly hide the fleeting loneliness within them.

Yes, loneliness! Though she had boldly declared that she feared neither heaven nor earth, there was no one behind her. She did not fear fighting alone, but she feared the *feeling* of fighting alone. Though she was strong, who wouldn't hope to have a shoulder to lean on at any given time?

If someone could be her support, even if that person wanted the whole world, she would give everything to fulfill their wish! However, in both her past and present lives, she had never found such a person. She was grateful to the person who had saved her a few days ago, but that was merely a chance encounter, and meeting again would be no easy task...

And at this moment, in front of such a clean man, the fragility in Yu Mei's heart was touched with such ease...

“My humble abode is small, but it is enough to shield one from the wind and rain. If you do not mind, you may stay as you please.” Seeing her so lost, Su Ruyan felt an inexplicable tightening in his chest. He spoke with an extremely gentle tone, one that even startled himself. His voice was naturally clear and calm, making people feel at ease, but with this added layer of tenderness, it was even more soul-stirring.

“Your... home?” She lifted her face and asked in a small voice. When she spoke the word "home," Su Ruyan clearly saw the confusion in her eyes. He smiled bitterly to himself; this woman must also be someone with a tragic fate...

“Miss, my name is Su Ruyan. May I ask your name?”

Hearing this, her lips curled into a smile that reached her eyes. Yu Mei said softly, “My name is Mu... Yu Mei!” She had intended to say the name Mu Yanqing, but the words died on her lips. She did not wish to mention that name. This man was as handsome as an immortal, as clean as the bright moon; if he knew she was the calamity and monster known to all under heaven, he surely would no longer be willing to take her back to his home...