Meng Ya's gaze darkened and burned with fury. "What did you say? A woman like me? Did you think that I am with Renshu because I am blinded by his beauty or that he has money?"

  Tian Meirong wiped her tears. "What else might be the reason? Don't say that you actually like him? I heard everything from the maids. Renshu imprisoned you for some reason, and you have been trying to get out. But that was only initially, right? Now that you know how it is to live in luxury that you could only dream of, you didn't want to let it go. Soon your heart got swayed by this life and you wanted this to go on forever."

  She glared at her. "That's why you were just playing hard to get. You thought that Renshu would notice you more if you acted a bit differently. Typical cliche mentality. You started with a fake relationship that you slowly wanted to make real. And that's what you…" she sobbed. "You finally made your move last night huh? But I had enough…… I beg you, please. Leave Renshu. I am his childhood friend, and I understand him the most. Please let me have him. I love him a lot…"

  "Enough!" Meng Ya was so furious by now that she wished to slap this woman in front of her.

  "You have been talking nonsense for this whole time! You are spouting rubbish as if you know anything about me! Forget me. Do you even know anything about Renshu!?"

  Tian Meirong gritted her teeth. "What do you mean? I am his childhood friend. What could I possibly not know about him?"

  "Oh shut it! Childhood friend this, childhood friend that, I am sick of hearing it already. Do you think that you can get a free pass to do whatever you want just because you are his childhood friend? Come out of your fantasy world! You don't get the right to claim his heart just because you know him for so long. You don't get entitled to decide that you two will surely marry just because you share a close relationship with him! That's not how feelings work. What kind of nonsense ideas have you been living with until now?"

  "Y-you……how dare you speak to me like that?"

  Meng Ya put her hands on her waist. "Because it seems that nobody has bothered to talk any sense into you all this time!"

  Fu Renshu choked.

  Wow, somebody speaking to sis like that……I am impressed, he nodded.

  "What did you say? Give Renshu to me?" Meng Ya clenched her fist, "Do you think he is some fucking vegetable that you are buying at a grocery store!? You are telling me to hand over Renshu to you as if he is not a human, but a doll who is devoid of any life. He is a living and breathing human! Before uttering that nonsense, did you bother to ask him what he wants?"

  "I…" Tian Meirong bit her lip.

  "It's okay that you love him. Having feelings isn't wrong. But did you ask him if he reciprocates your love? Doesn't he have any say and the right to decide in such an important matter about his life? You have gotten way too arrogant to feel that Renshu becomes yours just because you are his childhood friend. You are taking him for granted, and I won't ever tolerate it!" Her nostrils flared.

  "Hah! You say as if you aren't taking him for granted. You cannot possibly mean that you like Renshu for real just as he is, not thinking of his wealth or beauty? Don't kid me," Tian Meirong snorted.

  Meng Ya's heart felt overwhelmed, mixed with inexplicable emotions and she burst out in anger, unable to contain it anymore.

  "Yes, I like him! Do you have any problem with it!?"

  Fu Renshu froze.

  "Why can I not like him? Why is it so difficult for you to digest it? What is so wrong? Renshu is a good man. He is hard-working, diligent and loyal. He has a sharp tongue that makes me puke blood sometimes, but then I realize that I do like having such arguments with him.

  Behind his cold and grim facade, he is an extremely caring man who was just trying to protect me all this time. I was an idiot who couldn't understand it. He went along with my play of being in a fake relationship so that I wouldn't get embarrassed in front of you. He didn't have to. He ate the meal I prepared for him even though he hates seafood so much just so that I wouldn't feel hurt. I was indeed imprisoned here, but he never once abused me no matter how much I went against him. Who wouldn't fall for a man like him?"

  She harrumphed. "His wealth? I would have already accepted his blank cheque and left from here instead of living locked up in his house. Why would I throw it away if I was greedy? Handsome? Is there anything wrong with getting attracted to beauty? Isn't that a part of him? What's wrong if I say that I like him because he is also pleasing to the eye? So stop with your judgemental talk already."

  Silence.

  Tian Meirong glanced at Fu Renshu who seemed to be in a stupor.

  She asked, "Why do I need to ask Renshu if he likes me or not? Because I know that he does. It's pointless."

  Meng Ya was speechless.

  This woman…


  "Right, Renshu?" She looked up at him. "Tell her that you like me."

  Fu Renshu snapped out of his daze and glanced at her. He sighed.

  Meng Ya said, "Sure, let's hear what he has to say! Tell the truth, Renshu. Do you really like her?"

  Fu Renshu stared at her and slowly said, "Yes, I do like her."

  She froze. She felt her heart skip a beat in dread.

  "Wh-what…"

  Then what about last night…? Why did that happen between us if you? I was mistaken……

  Tears pooled in her eyes. "Oh……Haha……I see…" her voice faltered as she trembled. "G-good for you then-"

  But then Fu Renshu cut her off.

  "What other choice do I have other than liking my elder sister?"