Song Yue's heart sank heavily.
So… he believed them after all.
She straightened her back, stubborn fire flashing in her eyes. "You want to know what the Duke and I did?" she said coldly. "Fine. I'll tell you."
Before Nie Rougang could react, she grabbed his sleeve and dragged him upstairs. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. She shoved him into her room and slammed the door shut behind them.
"Song Yue, that's enough!" Nie Rougang snapped, his temper finally breaking. "Let go."
"I'm not done," she shot back, her grip tightening. "Didn't you want the truth?"
She stepped closer, so close that neither of them could look away. And then she locked her lips into his before stepping away with a smile. "This happened."
The room fell into silence.
Nie Rougang stared at her, anger and restraint colliding violently in his gaze. His chest rose as he breathed deeply, trying to regain control.
Song Yue met his eyes without flinching, her own breathing uneven.
Let's see, she thought bitterly, who gives in first.
Nie Rougang was truly angered.
She was the girl he had pampered for eighteen years. The one he had protected with almost obsessive care. And yet, the moment the image of Song Yue kissing Li Meiran flashed through his mind, something dark surged inside him, violent and uncontrollable. It made him want to tear the entire room apart.
He pulled her into his arms suddenly, holding her tight.
"Don't provoke me anymore," he said hoarsely. "Do you understand? Or else—"
Or else what?
Even he didn't know.
There was nothing he could threaten her with. He couldn't bear to hurt her. His heart felt trapped in a tightening net, suffocating no matter how hard he struggled.
The little vixen in his arms still refused to calm down. Song Yue struggled fiercely, her fingers clawing at his chest, leaving shallow red marks behind.
"And what are you going to do about it?" she snapped. "You believed Song Weisha! Why did you believe her and not me?"
The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt.
She had already endured Li Meiran's bullying. And now even Nie Rougang didn't believe her. The man she trusted most had doubted her.
Her eyes reddened, tears gathering, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
She had always been like this. When she pretended to cry, it was acting cute. When she truly wanted to cry, she clenched her teeth and endured it alone.
Nie Rougang endured her scratching without a sound. The pain on his skin was nothing compared to the ache spreading through his chest.
"It's not that I don't believe you," he finally said, his voice low and strained. "It's just that…"
It was just that he cared too much.
He tightened his arms slightly and gently caught her hand. "Careful," he said softly. "Your nails will crack. You'll cry again if they hurt."
That gentle tone shattered the wall Song Yue had built with so much effort.
Her strength drained away all at once. She collapsed against him, and the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over. Her sobs broke free, shaking her shoulders.
The girl who rarely cried broke his heart.
The girl who cried like this frightened him.
He had never seen her cry so helplessly.
"What happened between you and the Duke?" he asked urgently. "Did Li Meiran harrassed you? Tell me. I'll kill him."
He cupped her face, wiping away her tears with trembling fingers.
Song Yue buried her face into his shoulder, her tears soaking through his clothes.
"No… no one dares bully me," she said shakily. "If someone bullies me, I bully them back."
She paused, her voice breaking.
"I was just upset because you took Weisha's side. You believed her. That's why it hurts."
She didn't dare tell him everything.
The last time Nie Rougang had confronted Li Meiran for her sake, the scene had left her shaken for days. The anger in his eyes, the tension in his body—it had terrified her. She couldn't bear the thought of him risking himself again, especially not over something she could still endure on her own.
Nie Rougang was quiet for a moment, his arms still around her. Then his voice softened. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "I shouldn't have doubted you."
He paused, then asked, "But… why did you meet him again?"
Song Yue sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "He wanted to donate to the school library and laboratory. The principal asked me to accompany him to lunch. I drank too much, threw up all over him, and he bought me new clothes."
As she spoke, her eyes drifted toward the bathroom. The trash can beside the sink was still there. Inside were her stained school uniform and Li Meiran's ruined shirt. The memory came back in broken fragments, sharp and unpleasant.
Nie Rougang frowned.
Li Meiran… donating to the school?
"Tomorrow," he said firmly, decision already made, "I'll go to your school myself and donate to the library and laboratory. I won't give him another chance."
How could he allow that man to keep circling around her?
Song Yue pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "Uncle… are you really going to donate?"
He reached out and wiped the remaining tears from her face, his movements gentle. "When have I ever lied to you?"
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Then can you ask the principal to waive Lan Xia's tuition fees?"
"Of course," Nie Rougang replied without hesitation. "Whatever my Yue'er wants, she'll get."
The principal wouldn't dare say no.
With the misunderstanding finally cleared, Song Yue relaxed completely. She studied the man in front of her, her gaze lingering on the familiar lines of his face, on the expression she had known since childhood.
"Uncle," she said softly, "I want one more thing. Will you agree to that too?"
"No," Nie Rougang replied immediately.
She froze.
"Not now," he continued, already turning away. "I need to shower. It's almost dinner time."
He walked toward the bathroom, his back tense, his steps quick. Just before closing the door, he added coldly, "And listen. I'm worried about you marrying the wrong man. If you dare meet Li Meiran again, I'll deal with you myself."
The bathroom door shut.
Song Yue stood there, completely stunned.
She rolled her eyes.
What was she supposed to do with this man?
He didn't want to marry her.
But he also didn't want her marrying anyone else.
Mixed signals everywhere.
She grabbed her phone and messaged Lan Xia.
Song Yue: If a man doesn't want to marry you, but also won't let you marry someone else, what do you do?
Lan Xia: Haven't you heard? Men are greedy. Otherwise, where did the legend of Zhen Huan come from?
Song Yue sent a sweating emoji.
Song Yue: My uncle doesn't have that many women.
Lan Xia: Is your uncle sick?
Song Yue: Get lost. You're the sick one.
Lan Xia: Then does he have a mental disorder?
Song Yue frowned at the screen. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked toward the closed bathroom door.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
Something… wasn't right.