Chapter 158: A Single Romance Tolerates No Rival

It turns out, Brother Yu, that you are not as deeply devoted as I imagined. Your reaction upon seeing a beautiful woman is no different from that of any other man. What I simply cannot understand is what on earth you see in her. In terms of beauty, she cannot compare to Sister Qin; in terms of grace, she falls short of Sister Shuang. In allure, she is no match for Sister Yan, and as for cuteness, she cannot even begin to compare to Yuanyuan. Besides, I feel I am not inferior to her either. Brother Yu, what on earth are you thinking? Lan Wu had always been a blunt and outspoken person who said whatever was on her mind, but this time she had also voiced the doubts of the others present.

To be fair, the woman depicted on the screen did possess a breathtakingly peerless and alluring countenance, yet just as Lan Wu had said, she was hardly superior to any of the women in the room. At best, she was simply a beauty on par with them. What sort of charm could this woman possibly possess that could cause Yu Shang to temporarily set aside the woman who had always lingered incessantly in his heart, and pour all his thoughts into this never-before-seen woman on the screen? Such a drastic and abrupt transformation was simply too swift!

One had to remember the immense weight that other woman held in Yu Shang's heart. No matter what she had done to hurt him, Yu Shang had still been unable to harden his heart and sever ties, letting that relationship fade away with that woman into a past that could no longer stir any ripples in his soul. Yet, this woman on the screen had not even met Yu Shang face-to-face. By what right could she possibly replace the person who had always been hidden away in the depths of his heart? To be frank, no matter how hard they tried, none of them could make sense of this change, nor did they truly believe that Yu Shang could undergo such a bizarre transformation.

The love of beauty is a universal human trait, and it is entirely normal for us to react this way. Brother Yu has now simply become like the rest of us, returning to the proper path. Why does it sound somewhat vulgar when spoken from the lips of a young girl like you? Could it truly be your wish that Brother Yu spend the precious years of his life reminiscing about someone who no longer exists and is not even worthy of remembrance? Yu Xiaochan softly remarked to the slightly disdainful Lan Wu, yet her words failed to escape and were completely heard by everyone present.

I merely feel that Brother Yu's transformation is somewhat hasty, and his expression when facing that screen woman was a bit frivolous. Moreover, I wish for him to cast aside that painful past, but to forget everything of the past purely on account of beauty is not very responsible either to the woman in his memories or to Brother Yu himself, Lan Wu slowly said. She did not want a reason as fickle as this to tarnish a deeply affectionate soul that all women yearned for. She did not want the poignant, soul-stirring devotion she once looked up to with longing to become so fragile that a mere glimpse of beauty could easily shatter it.

I believe in Brother Yu's true affection for the woman in his memories; it is impossible for such genuine feeling to be obliterated by so superficial a facade. Although I do not know why Brother Yu is going to such lengths to inquire about the woman on the screen, I am certain that he is not captivated by beauty as you all imagine. We have already been through so many hardships together; surely you know what kind of person he is? As for his feelings for that woman, dare any of you say they were not deeply moved? I ask you, how could a relationship capable of touching outsiders ever be defeated by mere beauty? Meng Youyuan suddenly spoke up passionately to the group.

For some unknown reason, whenever she saw someone questioning this relationship, Meng Youyuan would lose her composure and desperately want to champion Brother Yu. Yet whenever Yu Shang and the others blamed that woman, Meng Youyuan felt a sense of injustice on her behalf, feeling that the woman was not as wicked or unfeeling as they believed. She always felt there must be some hidden reason behind it all, forcing her to betray and even hurt the man with whom she had wished to hold hands and grow old together. Perhaps betrayal was an unforgivable fault, but that could not erase the happy and beautiful past these two had once shared, nor their true and sincere feelings for one another.

My dear Yuanyuan, do not be so emotional. No one wishes to equate a deeply devoted love with casual fickleness, nor do we wish to turn the man and woman in this relationship into a laughingstock or a poor example for others. Everyone is merely discussing the matter at hand or trying to make a well-intentioned joke. There is no need to take it so seriously; we are all out to unwind, so do not let negative emotions fill your heart once more and make you so unhappy. Seeing this, Lan Bingxian quickly stepped forward to comfort her. This was not the first time; Yuanyuan seemed even more protective of this relationship than the people directly involved. Although she did not know where this inexplicable emotion of Yuanyuan's stemmed from, she, like Yuanyuan, had full confidence in the relationship between Yu Shang and that woman, believing that it would not be so easily destroyed by such trivial nonsense.

Since you have all finished expressing your heartfelt sentiments, might you now allow me, the so-called person involved, to insert a word? I hold no delusional fantasies whatsoever about the woman on this screen. I simply feel a sense of déjà vu, as if I have seen her somewhere before. This is merely a curiosity regarding this subtle feeling, and it has nothing to do with what you call greed for beauty or infidelity to love. Besides, having spent so much time together, my character cannot be that poor, can it? Yu Shang smiled softly at the group. He was truly at a loss for words with these people; their imaginations were richer than the other's, leaving him utterly humbled!

It is not just this brat. When I first laid eyes on this screen, I too felt that the woman depicted upon it looked very familiar, as though I had seen her somewhere before. Yet strangely enough, the more you try to recall, the less you can remember; but the moment you decide to give up, this woman dances gracefully in your mind once again. She is like someone playing a game with you—when you want to find her, you cannot find her anywhere, but the moment you wish not to see her, she insists on appearing right before your eyes. In short, she is entirely bent on giving you a hard time and never does what you expect! Xiao Yin said with utter helplessness. It seemed he and the brat truly shared a telepathic connection; whatever feelings the other experienced, he would experience as well, completely inseparable.

Does this woman truly possess the magic you all speak of, why is it that I feel nothing at all? I merely think of her as a pleasing sight, nothing more. Perhaps that subtle sense of familiarity can only be felt by the two of you! Yin Boxuan walked up to the screen and observed the woman upon it very carefully. To be honest, he did not feel any of the lingering attachment they talked about. In his eyes, this woman merely possessed fine facial features, but if one were truly speaking of beauty, no one could compare to the Meng Youyuan in his heart. As long as she resided in his heart for a single day, it would be impossible for him to accept another woman.

I feel the same as Brother Yin; I merely consider her a beauty pleasing to the eyes, but she cannot compare to my Yan'er in winning my favor. Perhaps the two of you are indeed the only ones who experience this feeling toward her, whereas in our hearts, there is room only for the person right before our eyes, with no space left for anyone else. Yu Xiaochan teased Yu Shang and Xiao Yin with a mischievous smile. He was clearly stirring up trouble on a whim, trying to wedge a gap between Xiao Yin and his beloved. By claiming to cherish only the person before him, his underlying implication was that Xiao Yin clearly had a beloved of his own, yet remained restless in his heart, still yearning for other women. Even worse, he was unapologetically longing for the woman on the screen right in front of his own woman!

You wicked fellow, racking your brains to pick faults in me—what is your true motive? Why are you so displeased to see Lan'er and me getting along well? Could it be that someone is hoping to hold beauties in both arms and is thus intentionally stoking discord between others, purely so that a rift might form between Lan'er and me, allowing a certain someone to take advantage of the situation? Xiao Yin was never one to mind a lively spectacle, and since this mischievous fellow wanted to see him make a fool of himself, he was certainly going to drag someone down with him. Only then would his heart find peace; if they were going down, they would go down together, so he could not be blamed this time—after all, it was Xiao Yin who had provoked him first!

Tell me, is it truly as Xiao Yin implies, that there is still someone else in your heart? Yan Xuesu forced herself to laugh and asked, pretending she was merely joking with him. In truth, her own heart was a tangle of conflicting emotions. After all, she had witnessed all the kindness Yu Xiaochan showed to Lan Wu with her own eyes, and had even once suspected that he favored this young girl, which was why he constantly protected and cared for her, shielding her from the slightest harm while showing no such excessive displays toward herself. It was only after she poured out her entire heart to him that his attitude underwent a noticeable change.

This was not because Yan Xuesu was overly suspicious; rather, it was a matter that had always weighed heavily on her mind. After all, Yu Xiaochan treated Lan Wu far too well—a warmth that even surpassed the brotherly affection he claimed it to be, resembling much more the way one would treat the person they loved. Yet Yan Xuesu dared not question Yu Xiaochan, fearing that once she could no longer hold back and pierced through this layer of paper, there would be no turning back, and they could never return to their present relationship. She feared Yu Xiaochan would leave her; she feared her sole reliance at present was nothing more than an illusion, a phantom. The harsh reality might well be that Yu Xiaochan did not love her at all, and the person in his heart had always been Lan Wu.

Sister Yan, do not listen to Xiao Yin's nonsense! Brother Yu's feelings for you are as steadfast as the heavens and earth! Unlike this little snake, who holds one in his arms while yearning for another, wishing he could gather all the beauties under heaven to his side and enjoy that imperial, luxurious lifestyle instead of giving up an entire forest for the sake of a single tree! Lan Wu pouted her lips and spoke with a wronged expression, though in her heart, she was already bursting with joy. This little snake deserved to have his tongue so unruly; this time, she would teach him a thorough lesson and completely cure his bad habit of speaking without thinking!

How could I ever think such a thing? With Lan'er by my side, what fish-drowning, wild-geese-alighting beauties could ever compare? They would all taste as bland and tasteless as plain water! You must know that my heart holds only you, and the only one I wish to hold in my arms is you alone. How could I ever care for any other painted and powdered mediocrities? Seeing this, Xiao Yin hurriedly flattered and coaxed Lan Wu with honeyed words. This girl was not someone who could be allowed to lose her temper; when she threw her little tantrums, even someone as skilled at handling people as he was would be helpless! When dealing with anyone else's mischief, he could issue threats or ultimately resort to brute force, but the one throwing a tantrum now was the woman he loved most. Aside from coaxing and loving her, he truly had no idea what else to do!

Since you have admitted your mistake with such sincerity, this young lady shall spare you for now! But if I ever discover that you are truly unfaithful to me, the consequences will be severe indeed! Even if I do not chop you into pieces, I will ensure you have no peaceful days ahead. Do not look at me like that—this young lady is simply this domineering! You, this little snake, can only be mine and mine alone in this lifetime. I refuse to share you with any other woman; either she gets lost or you do—in short, our relationship has no room for anyone else! Lan Wu declared with lofty pride. Although this made her appear somewhat petty-minded, matters of the heart required exactly this; true love truly could tolerate no third person!

It turns out my Lan'er possesses such a domineering side as well, but your lord and master simply adores this little temper of yours! I wouldn't even spare a glance for any other woman, for I already possess the greatest woman in this world, and that is quite enough! Taking advantage of Lan Wu's distraction, Xiao Yin pulled her tightly into his arms and whispered softly. Although Lan'er's love was undeniably selfish, it was also the most genuine existence. She was right: a sincere relationship had no room for others. If a day ever came when they truly fell in love with someone else, it would only mean their fate had come to an end, not that love for each other still remained—because if the love had truly been that deep, they would never have allowed anyone else to intrude upon it, isn't that so?