Forced Marriage: Forbidden Love.

Chapter Four: A Hidden Past and Untold Pain

The night was as dark as ink, and a cool breeze stirred the shadows of the trees in the estate’s garden, whispering secrets too deep to surface. Gu Yunshen draped a light shawl over her shoulders as she strolled down the garden path, the moonlight casting her troubled expression into sharp relief. Married life had stretched on for some time now, but the longer it went on, the more the luxurious estate felt like an isolated island, trapping her in a life she could neither control nor escape.

Lu Zexing’s cold demeanor hadn’t changed; he remained as distant as ever. Every time she tried to approach him, he would push her away with his indifferent attitude. Yet, beneath his unfeeling exterior, she occasionally caught fleeting glimpses of something deeper—a sorrow carefully hidden from view.

That night, she overheard an argument between Lu Zexing and his mother in the study.

“I’ve already fulfilled your demand by getting married. What more do you want?” His voice was icy, laced with restrained anger.

“Zexing, this isn’t for me—it’s for the family! You have a responsibility to bear!” his mother retorted, her tone sharp and commanding, like a dagger piercing through Gu Yunshen’s ears.

In that moment, she realized that Lu Zexing’s coldness wasn’t innate but the result of years of pain and pressure.

A Hidden Past

A few days later, the butler casually mentioned pieces of Lu Zexing’s past during a conversation.

“Young Master wasn’t always like this,” the butler said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “He used to be such a cheerful child, always smiling brightly. But then, his parents divorced, and it devastated him.”

Gu Yunshen froze in place. Lu Zexing had never once mentioned his family to her, let alone such a painful event.

“After the divorce, Master Lu placed all his expectations on the Young Master. He was groomed to be flawless, with no room for failure. And Madam… she was equally demanding, offering him no warmth at all. Over time, he became the person you see today.”

A wave of shock and sorrow washed over Gu Yunshen. So, his coldness wasn’t without cause. It was the result of a life devoid of love and brimming with impossible expectations.

Individual Struggles

At the same time, Gu Yunshen was grappling with her own troubles. Her family’s business was drowning in debt due to poor management. Her father was bedridden, and her mother, weighed down with constant worry, had pinned all her hopes on Gu Yunshen’s marriage.

Whenever she received a call from her mother, she felt as though a heavy stone was pressing down on her chest.

“Yunshen, is there any chance you can ask the Lu family for help?”

“Mom, I…” she trailed off, unable to give an answer. She knew Lu Zexing’s stance all too well and understood that he would never lend a hand to her family. This marriage had always been a transaction, and she had no leverage to renegotiate its terms.

Despite the weight of these burdens, she refused to give up. Somewhere deep inside, she held onto a sliver of determination, desperate to find a way forward.

The Pain Behind the Truth

One late night, Gu Yunshen noticed that Lu Zexing was not in his study as usual. Instead, he stood on the balcony, a cigarette between his fingers. The glow of the cigarette illuminated his face, highlighting the fatigue and desolation hidden beneath his sharp features.

Gathering her courage, Gu Yunshen approached him, her voice soft yet resolute. “Why do you keep locking yourself away like this? Is it because of your family?”

Lu Zexing didn’t turn to look at her. He took a slow drag from his cigarette, exhaling the smoke before speaking in a low voice. “Do you know why I married you?”

Gu Yunshen hesitated, then shook her head.

“Because my mother believed you wouldn’t cause me any trouble,” he said, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “And I needed a wife who wouldn’t interfere with my life.”

His tone was calm, but the weariness in his words was unmistakable. “My life has never been my own. Since I was a child, I’ve been told what to do, how to act, and what to become. I don’t even know what freedom feels like.”

His words struck Gu Yunshen like a bolt of lightning. She had always assumed that Lu Zexing was simply cold and unfeeling, but now she understood—his indifference was a shield, forged by years of unrelenting pressure and pain.

A Growing Compassion

After that night, Gu Yunshen stopped trying to force a connection with Lu Zexing. But something inside her had changed. She began to notice the subtle signs of weariness beneath his icy exterior—the impatience he showed when dealing with business matters, the tension in his jaw during conversations with his mother. Slowly, these pieces came together to reveal a man she had never truly known.

At the same time, her own problems loomed ever larger. The weight of her family’s debts was a sword hanging over her head, robbing her of sleep. But she knew she couldn’t rely on Lu Zexing. If there was a solution, she would have to find it herself.

The challenges of her marriage hadn’t broken her. On the contrary, they were forcing her to grow stronger, and she clung to this newfound resilience as her only lifeline.

An Uncertain Future

The estate was silent as always, the breeze stirring the curtains and carrying a chill into the room. Gu Yunshen stood by the window, staring at the stars scattered across the night sky, her thoughts tangled in uncertainty.

“Lu Zexing,” she murmured under her breath, “perhaps we’re both too consumed by our own pain to see that we might be each other’s salvation.”

But how far away was salvation? She didn’t dare to think about it. Perhaps their marriage truly was an unsolvable puzzle, yet deep within her, she sensed there might still be a hidden possibility waiting to be uncovered.