Chapter 167 - 167 Are You Going Back On Your Word Now?

167 Are You Going Back On Your Word Now?

Yu Niaoniao shook her head. “No, I promised Duke Lang that I wouldn’t break the engagement. I can’t go back on my word.”

Shen Junzhi stared at her. “Is it just because of a promise? Can a promise make you willing to sacrifice your lifelong happiness? I don’t believe it.”

Yu Niaoniao was silent for a moment before slowly saying her hidden plan.

“My mother and stepfather died violently. I have to find out the truth. Staying with Duke Lang will make it easier for me to search for clues.”

Not only did the fire back then burn the Feng family residence to ruins, but everyone in the Feng family also died in the sea of flames.

Yu Niaoniao was the only survivor of that fire.

Shen Junzhi also knew about the fire. He had even sent someone to investigate the real cause of the fire, but the result revealed it was an accident.

He advised her helplessly.

“I know you’re still brooding over Teacher and Mistress’s deaths, and I can understand your inability to let go. But you can’t bring the dead back. You have to learn to face reality. That fire was just an accident. There was no conspiracy You don’t have to sacrifice your lifelong happiness for this.”

Yu Niaoniao looked at him steadily.

“Even you think the fire was an accident?”

Shen Junzhi sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to believe you, but the evidence is important in everything. You said that someone deliberately caused that fire. Where’s the evidence?”

Yu Niaoniao was silent.

Indeed, she could not produce evidence.

But she could be sure that the fire had been man-made.

She had told many people her speculations, but no one wanted to believe her.

Everyone thought she was overthinking it.

Shen Junzhi was obviously the same.

Yu Niaoniao knew that she could not persuade Shen Junzhi to change his opinion with her own mouth.

She simply shut up.

Shen Junzhi looked at her stubborn expression and advised gently.

“Even if you really want to find out the truth, you don’t have to marry Duke Lang. Come with me. I can help you.”

Yu Niaoniao still shook her head.

If he didn’t believe her, how could he sincerely help her pursue it?

Now he was just trying to coax her.

“Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need. I can handle my own matters. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Shen Junzhi took two steps forward. “Why won’t you listen to me? I won’t harm you.”

Yu Niaoniao immediately took two steps back.

Her reaction pierced Shen Junzhi’s heart, making him look even sadder.

He lowered his voice, his tone almost pleading.

“Come with me. I’ll take good care of you.”

Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip. “It’s getting late. I have to go.”

She turned to leave, but Shen Junzhi came to her quickly and grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.

Shen Junzhi said word by word, “Don’t leave. Don’t marry Duke Lang. He’s not suitable for you.”

He usually looked gentle and refined. This was the first time he showed his domineering side in front of Yu Niaoniao.

Yu Niaoniao tried to shake his hand off but failed.

She looked up at the man in front of her and suddenly smiled.

That smile was full of mockery.

“Brother Junzhi, if you don’t think Duke Lang is suitable for me, then who is? Could it be you?”

Shen Junzhi pursed his lips and remained silent.

Yu Niaoniao said, “Back then, you stayed in my house. My stepfather saw that you were talented, gentle, and humble and admired you. He even asked you personally if you were willing to take care of me for the rest of your life. Do you remember how you answered?”

For Feng Lianghan, such a question was equivalent to asking Shen Junzhi if he was willing to marry Yu Niaoniao.

At that time, Yu Niaoniao was only ten years old. It was obviously still too early to talk about marriage at this age, but Feng Lianghan really liked Shen Junzhi.

Feng Lianghan planned to ask Shen Junzhi for his opinion first. If Shen Junzhi was willing, he would let the two children settle the marriage and wait for them to grow up before letting them get married officially.

They had talked about it in private then. There had been no one else around.

But what they did not know was that Yu Niaoniao was hiding in the cabinet.

She had wanted to jump out of the cabinet and scare her brother, but she did not expect to hear them talking about her.

Thinking of the past, Shen Junzhi’s body suddenly froze, and his face turned pale.

“Stop talking about it.”

However, Yu Niaoniao insisted, “At that time, you said that you only had feelings for me as a sister and not as a woman.”

Shen Junzhi’s thin lips pursed tightly.

Yu Niaoniao said, “You also said that you would only treat me as a sister for the rest of your life and would never have any other feelings for me. You sounded very determined at that time. You wished you could swear to the heavens to prove your innocence. Why? Are you going back on your word now?”

She gave him a deliberately amused look.

It was as if she would laugh mercilessly if the man in front of her dared to nod.

Shen Junzhi was not someone without dignity. On the contrary, because of his background, his ego was stronger than anyone else’s.

Since the other party had already said so much, how could he continue to shamelessly cling to her? Shen Junzhi slowly loosened his fingers.

“I was young and ignorant back then and wasn’t considerate enough. I hope you won’t be angry if I offended you.”

Yu Niaoniao quickly retracted her hand and took a few steps back. She knew when to stop. She immediately smiled and said sweetly.

“It doesn’t matter. The past is the past. From now on, you’re still my brother. We’ll always be good siblings.”

The words ‘good brother and sister’ pierced Shen Junzhi again.

“I’m in a hurry. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.”

With that, Yu Niaoniao turned to leave.

Shen Junzhi stopped her again. “Niaoniao, if I had promised to take care of you for the rest of your life, would you have been willing to marry me?”

Yu Niaoniao did not look back.

“There are no ifs in this world. Your hypothesis means nothing.”

Shen Junzhi stood where he was and watched her walk away.

That afternoon many years ago, Sir had specially summoned him to the study and asked him what he thought of Yu Niaoniao.

He did not think much of it at the time and answered frankly.

“Niaoniao is a very cute little girl.”

Sir asked him again if he was willing to take care of Niaoniao for the rest of her life.

At that time, he was still young and did not understand the relationship between men and women. His heart was filled with plans for the future.

There was no Niaoniao in his childish plans.

So he gave a refusal without hesitation.

He still had many important things to finish. How could he be delayed by a mere relationship?

Until he left Bashu, every time he thought of his days in the Feng family, the first thing that appeared in his mind was always that bright and pure smile.

Some people didn’t forget because they were separated.

Some feelings did not fade with time.

They took root in his heart and sprouted, growing day by day until they were an inseparable part of his body.