Chapter 191: It Seems He’s Not So Obsessed Anymore

Chapter 191: It Seems He’s Not So Obsessed Anymore

Ranks are one thing, and positions are another.

Cheng Yunshuo still held the position of a guard in the Imperial Guards.

A rank is more like a symbolic title, similar to a noble honor, rather than an actual administrative position with real power. The title of Imperial Guard of the Fifth Rank was just that—a title.

However, this title was still somewhat useful.

For instance, thanks to Cheng Yunshuo's rank, Lu Lingyun could now claim the official status of a Fifth-Rank Consort.

Before Cheng Yunshuo inherited the marquisate, he was just the heir, and Lu Lingyun had no official title of honor.

She could only wait for Cheng Yunshuo to inherit the title and become the Marquis, at which point she would become the Marquis's Wife and gain the corresponding title of honor for the Marquis's Mansion.

With Cheng Yunshuo receiving this rank, Lu Lingyun also gained the title of Consort, albeit a lower one compared to that of the Marquis's Mansion.

Even so, it made Cheng Yunshuo extremely happy.

As soon as he returned, he went straight to Lu Lingyun's courtyard to share the good news. His excitement was contagious, and even Lu Lingyun, who usually kept her emotions in check, found herself smiling along.

"Well done, Heir," Lu Lingyun praised.

"It was just luck," Cheng Yunshuo humbly replied. He had never been very interested in a career in government service.

In his younger years, he had disdained those who worked in official positions. He had always felt that life shouldn't be so rigid and dull. Why spend your life stuck in such rigid, endless routines?

But at some point, as he gradually took on responsibilities and experienced promotions, he began to find some different kinds of joy in it. He even started to think that wasting his life on indulgence had been a boring endeavor.

Over the past year or so, he had transformed from an idle aristocrat to a member of the Imperial Guards, and now he had earned a Fifth-Rank position through his own efforts, and a title of honor for Lu Lingyun. He thought this wasn't too bad.

Cheng Yunshuo didn't have grand ambitions, and his future remained uncertain, but he felt content with where he was in life.

Lu Lingyun smiled at Cheng Yunshuo’s satisfaction over his modest success and congratulated him.

She even suggested they throw a feast for the whole household to celebrate.

Cheng Yunshuo was very pleased.

After checking in on their three children, he went to the rear courtyard to inform others.

The first person he thought to notify was Du Ruo.

Cheng Yunshuo strode to Du Ruo's courtyard, but unlike usual, when he arrived, Du Ruo didn't come out to greet him with small, quick steps.

"A'Ruo, I have good news to tell you."

Cheng Yunshuo pushed open Du Ruo's door and saw her lying in bed in broad daylight.

"What's wrong with you?"

Du Ruo looked at him but didn't move an inch.

"Sick again?" Cheng Yunshuo walked to Du Ruo's bedside and reached out to feel her forehead. Du Ruo didn’t pull away as his hand rested there.

She remained silent, and Cheng Yunshuo asked, confused, "You don’t have a fever, right? What’s going on? Did someone upset you?"

Hearing his insensitive words, Du Ruo’s eyes filled with tears, and she bit her lip hard, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.

Cheng Yunshuo seemed to remember what had happened yesterday and softened his tone, trying to soothe her. "Was I too harsh with you yesterday?"

Du Ruo shoved him away, her eyes brimming with tears, and glared at him bitterly. "You only come to comfort me when it suits you, but when you’re upset, you push me aside. What am I to you?"

"What are you going to do to me now?" Du Ruo sat up, wiping her tears while glaring at him hatefully. "I, Du Ruo, dare to act and take responsibility. I did steal the item. Just tell me how you're going to punish me!"

"I’m not going to punish you. Nothing bad happened, so you don’t need to act like this."

"Ha! If something had happened, you would punish me, right?"

Cheng Yunshuo: "......So, what is it that you want?"

At this, Du Ruo’s tears burst forth like a dam breaking. "I just want you to explain yourself!"

She took deep, shaky breaths, her eyes locked on him with a mix of anger and hurt. All she wanted was to hear one thing from him.

Du Ruo wanted Cheng Yunshuo to tell her that no matter what, he wouldn’t punish her.

Because what she cared about was his attitude.

Upon hearing her words, Cheng Yunshuo fell silent for a moment, frowning as he said, "Then tell me, why did you take that snuff bottle in the first place?"

In that moment, Du Ruo’s heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

Why?

Wasn’t it all because of my foolishness?

She had never felt so utterly humiliated and betrayed in her life.

Yes, she had been delusional.

Mistakenly thinking that the snuff bottle was specially sought out for her by Cheng Yunshuo.

Mistakenly thinking that her words could make him care.

Mistakenly thinking that he had only her in his heart and even showing it off.

It was one thing for others to laugh at her and mock her, but for Cheng Yunshuo to question and humiliate her!

To humiliate her delusion!

The bitterness now was as intense as the sweetness had been when she first received the snuff bottle!

She had been delusional, so she deserved to die, right!

"You can’t explain it, can you?" Cheng Yunshuo’s face turned cold as he chided her. "Why did you take that thing without asking? If you wanted it, you could have just told me. Is there anything I wouldn’t have gotten for you? You took it yourself and almost ruined something important, and now you're acting like you're the one being wronged. How did you become like this!"

Each word was like a bloody knife, piercing Du Ruo’s heart.

"Fine, it’s all my fault. I’ll die, okay? Maybe that will make things right."

Du Ruo bit down hard on her lip, pulled a dagger from her sleeve, and lunged it toward her heart.

Cheng Yunshuo was startled by this and swiftly grabbed the dagger from her hand, knocking it out of her grasp with a loud bang.

"Are you crazy!"

"Why won't you let me die! Let me die! If I die, I can make up for everything!" Du Ruo shouted loudly.

Seeing Du Ruo in such a frenzy, Cheng Yunshuo felt a strange familiarity, as if he had seen this before. He furrowed his brows tightly, "No one wants you dead! What happened to the real Du Ruo? I remember you used to say whatever was on your mind and hated nothing more than the unreasonable behavior of women who always act like they're trapped in their own world. How have you become like this now!"

"I don't like you like this. If you continue, go back to your parents' home! I can't deal with your drama anymore!" Cheng Yunshuo scolded her harshly, and after finishing his words, he left.

Tears streamed down Du Ruo's face as she watched him walk away.

She desperately craved love.

She longed for love from everyone, especially all of Cheng Yunshuo's affection.

She yearned to see his special regard for her, to satisfy the desperate need for love in her heart.

Why should every girl be gentle, virtuous, polite, and submissive, so sensible and reasonable, just like Lu Lingyun, never getting her hopes up unnecessarily.

All she wanted was for Cheng Yunshuo to love her and recognize her place in his heart.

What was so wrong with wanting to be loved?

Yet, in that moment, her heart ached with a dull pain as she realized that Cheng Yunshuo didn't love her as much as she needed.