Bai Yu Yan was taken aback by what Lu Tong Xiao said. Although he had turned the table against them and didn't fall into their trap, he was the one who was schemed against and it was true that he was the victim even if he didn't seem like one. But he was telling the Bai family that it was Bai Yu Yan they had wronged and she was the one they should apologize to.
She understood the man was passing the sword to her, silently implying that she was the one with the power. He was giving her a chance to exact her revenge on them but somewhere she felt he also wanted to see how she would deal with this situation. Basically he was telling her it depends upon her however she wanted to deal with them. His words that he had told her in the carriage while coming to the Bai manor rang in her mind. No matter what happens he would always have her back.
"Yu Yan, forgive your sister. I know you have a big heart, let it go this time." Madame Bai looked at Bai Yu Yan and although she was unwilling to be in this position where she was at Bai Yu Yan's mercy, she still pleaded for her daughter. After all, if Bai Yu Yan decided to punish Chun Hua, no one could do anything about it in Lu Tong Xiao's presence.
Bai Yu Yan lowered her eyes to look at the three people kneeling on the ground. Master Bai who was a nobleman, a respectable official in the palace also wasn't spared from it. Finally, she looked at Bai Chun Hua who didn't seem to have any more hope in her eyes. From her blank expression, it was clear that she didn't think Bai Yu Yan would spare her.
To be honest, Bai Yu Yan didn't see any point in forgiving or not forgiving them. Moreover, there was a more pressing matter in hand which was Lu Tong Xiao's rising temperature.
She took a step forward and clutched Bai Chun Hua's jaws in her hand, jerking her head upwards so that she could look directly in her eyes. In a cold voice, she warned, "Bai Chun Hua, consider this as my last favour to the Bai house for the food, clothes and roof they had given to me while growing up. Remember that this will be the last. If you ever dare to lay your hands on my man again, you will see the worst of me," with firm eyes, she said, "And I promise you, you haven't seen anything yet."
Hearing her claim him as her man, standing on the side, Lu Tong Xiao felt a jolt in his heart as his grip on her hand increased. But he didn't interrupt her and just quietly stood by her side.
Bai Chun Hua was waiting for Bai Yu Yan to use this opportunity to strike her for everything she had done to her in the past. When he heard her words, she raised her head and looked at Bai Yu Yan in wariness, unable to believe she was letting her go so easily. But all she saw was warning in her firm eyes, without a hint of smugness or disgust.
After a moment, Chun Hua scoffed, "Don't pretend to be generous. I know that in your heart, you want to kill me a hundred times right now. If I was in your place, I wouldn't hold back." Her eyes were provocative looking at Bai Yu Yan, along with her words.
"Preposterous! What are you saying? Quickly apologize for your insolent behaviour," roared Master Bai as he glared at his foolish daughter. They were already reduced to this state and she was still seeking death while Bai Yu Yan was giving them an escape. He hurriedly looked at Bai Yu Yan to see if her words had offended her.
However, Bai Chun Hua didn't see the expression she had expected to see. Instead, Bai Yu Yan met her eyes and the corner of her lips slowly tilted upwards, "That's why Bai Chun Hua, you'll never be in my place where you want to be the most."
The provocative smile on Chun Hua's face slowly slipped off. A complex emotion surfaced in her eyes as she looked at Bai Yu Yan. Suddenly, she got up from the floor and ran out of the room. Seeing this, Master Bai said his word of thanks and bowed towards Lu Tong Xiao one last time before dragging Madame Bai out like they were escaping before Bai Yu Yan changed her mind.
Just before they left the room, Bai Yu Yan said, "I think grandmother has some strange illness. She was suddenly throwing things around in her room. Father should invite a doctor to check her before it gets worse."
Briefly shocked, Master Bai gave Bai Yu Yan a last look before nodding his head and going out.
After the three left the room in a hurry, Lu Tong Xiao closed the door and turned back to Bai Yu Yan who was still standing in the same position looking at him. He walked towards her and before he could say anything, Bai Yu Yan reached out her hands and hugged him, completely taking him by surprise. Her hands were wrapped around his waist and her head leaned on his muscular chest.
Lu Tong Xiao forgot the words he was about to say as he silently stood rooted on the ground. He was afraid that she would hear his wildly thumping heart. Holding her arms on both sides, he looked at her for a moment before he took her to the nearby couch and sat beside her.
Looking at her closely, he pushed back the strand of hair from her face and asked, "Why did you let them go?"
Bai Yu Yan ran her cold fingers on his forearms that were firm and strong. She thought about it for a moment before answering, "Forgiving or punishing them wouldn't make any difference if they later decide to come at me. It's better to have people indebted to you than make enemies out of them." Besides there was a more important thing at hand, she thought while feeling the high temperature on his body but didn't say it out aloud.
Lu Tong Xiao was slightly taken aback by her words. He didn't know she would think that far ahead in the future. But what surprised him the most was her understanding of human behaviour. She had chosen neither to forgive nor to punish them. Her forgiveness would only encourage them to take advantage of her in the future. But if she chose to punish them, with the kind of people they were, they would do anything to take revenge on her after this matter was over. Corner a dog and in a dead-end street and it will turn and bite.
He raised his hand to pull the hairpin securing half of her hair in a complicated bundle. His movements slow and gentle. Without the support of the hairpin, her silk-like black hair fell on her waist. Suddenly he thought if he had been underestimating her all this while. He was afraid that she would have a difficult time taking the things that came her way with becoming his wife but now he could see that his wife wasn't a frail woman who couldn't solve problems on her own. At least from the way she handled the matter earlier, he could say that she was not an impulsive woman who acted on emotions.
A/N: Don't forget to read the author's note.