When the words came out of Tang Zizheng's mouth, they became cold and unfeeling words.
"I will not change my mind. My marriage engagement to Duan Yixin is over. She spent the night outside, and no one knew whether she was still innocent or not. The thought of marrying a dirty woman like her makes me feel disgusted."
Just when he finished saying this and closed his eyes in despair and frustration, the door of the ancestral hall suddenly opened with a bang. Everyone looked towards the door and saw Liang Jiaying standing there with tears in her eyes. Before Tang Zizheng could react, she was already running toward him while sobbing.
Liang Jiaying knelt beside him, held his hand, and said softly, "Elder Brother Zheng, please don't disobey your family because of me. It's all my fault that you broke off your marriage engagement with Miss Duan. I should just die together with my family so that I won't be a burden to you."
Listening to her monologue and looking at her fake tears, Tang Zizheng felt disgusted in his heart. He glanced at Liang Jiaying's hand that was holding his, and his stomach was churning. Tang Zizheng was clenching his teeth and had no intention of speaking, but the words still flowed out of his mouth softly, as if he was afraid of scaring the woman in front of him.
"Ying'er, this is not your fault. It was Duan Yixin's fault that caused me to break the marriage engagement. You shouldn't blame yourself. I feel sad when I see your tears. Please stop crying, all right?"
After saying that, he shut his mouth and said no more. His handsome face turned cold with frustration.
Unaware of what was happening to him, Liang Jiaying looked at Tang Zizheng affectionately and said shyly, "Elder Brother Zheng, you are so kind to me."
Seeing the blatant display of affection between the two of them, Tang Sanniu slapped the table and shouted furiously, "Someone, come! Drag that shameless woman out and lock Erlang in the darkroom! When he admits his mistake, that is when he will be released!"
After saying that, he stood up and left the ancestral hall angrily. The elders looked at Tang Zizheng for a moment, then shook their heads in disappointment and followed Tang Sanniu out.
Seeing everyone leaving the ancestral hall one after another, Eldest Madam Tang could only stare at them blankly. Eldest Madam Tang's heart dropped when she saw her husband walking out without even looking at herself or her son.
When the two grandsons of Tang Zizheng's second granduncle saw their eldest granduncle was serious, they walked up to Liang Jiaying and roughly dragged her out.
Seeing Tang Zizheng kneeling there motionlessly while she was being dragged out, Liang Jiaying stretched out her hands to him and shouted pitifully, "Elder Brother Zheng, save me! Elder Brother Zheng!"
Hearing her plea, Tang Zizheng suddenly had the sudden urge to rush over and save Liang Jiaying. Knowing that this unexplainable impulse was the cause of his current problem, Tang Zizheng closed his eyes, clenched his hands into fists, and forced himself to ignore Liang Jiaying.
When the door of the ancestral hall was closed behind him, the strong impulse suddenly disappeared without a trace, together with Liang Jiaying's voice. Feeling a lightness in his body, Tang Zizheng gasped for air and coughed uncontrollably.
Eldest Madam Tang was startled when she saw that his face was pale and his body was covered in cold sweat. She touched his forehead and asked with concern, "Erlang, what is wrong with you? Are you alright?"
Tang Zizheng shook his head in response to his mother's question and thought, 'It seems that I only act impulsively when I am around Liang Jiaying. Since this is the case, then I must stay away from her before she causes more harm to my life.'
After his breathing calmed down, his two cousins came back and said, "Zizheng, let's go."
Tang Zizheng looked at his mother and said, "Mother, can you do me a favor?"
Eldest Madam Tang held her son's hand and said, "You don't need to ask. Just tell your mother."
Tang Zizheng lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Mother, can you go and see how Xin Niang is doing? I–"
He paused for a moment and then continued, "Please tell her that I'm sorry, but I didn't mean to break off our marriage engagement. Mother, please let her know that I'm going to see her and explain to her. I just hope she gives me a chance to explain everything."
Eldest Madam Tang couldn't hide her surprise when she heard what he said.
She looked at her son in confusion and asked, "Erlang, don't you want to break off your engagement with Xin Niang? Why are you doing this now? Marriage is not a child's play and should not be taken lightly."
Tang Zizheng's hands that were holding his mother's hand tightened as he whispered, "Mother, I can't explain it to you now. Please help me convey my words to Xin Niang."
Seeing her son's desperate look, Eldest Madam Tang thought for a while, nodded, and said, "All right. Mother will visit and tell her immediately. Remember to admit your mistake to your grandfather as soon as possible and then explain everything to Xin Niang. The longer this matter drags on, the less likely she will forgive you."
"This son understands." Tang Zizheng replied with a heavy heart.
After they finished speaking, Eldest Madam Tang watched her son walk to the back of the ancestral hall with his two cousins. When Tang Zizheng was kneeling in the darkroom, Liang Jiaying was glaring at the tightly closed door of the Tang clan's ancestral hall.
Liang Jiaying stared at the closed door for a long time with her eyes full of hatred. She gritted her teeth and said, "Just wait for me! I will make all of you pay for the shame you brought to me today!"