Once a person of gentle disposition like the flowing water, in the end, she revealed her crass nature, no longer showing the pure heart that had once granted salvation to her. Instead, she became sharp-tongued and scornful, transformed into someone completely different. Pei Yu, who had long been staying in the He Mansion, was busy competing with Gao Jian for favor. However, one day after lunch, he inadvertently overheard He Su mention Liang Shujun. It seemed that He Su was secretly paying attention to Liang Shujun. Perhaps she hadn’t realized it herself, but from her words, Pei Yu knew that she felt a strong fondness for Liang Shujun, that she had even fallen for him. This gave him an unprecedented sense of crisis. Realizing his mistakes over the years, he abruptly awoke and started to re-engage He Su. The gratitude for saving a life was like a Death Exemption Token; no matter how many wrongs he had done, he would always be the most special one in He Su’s heart. Thus, it wasn’t long before the two were once again inseparable. But in the meantime, Pei Yu discovered that opposite Liang Shujun’s shop was a teahouse, where He Su frequently visited. Her purpose was obvious, not to appreciate tea, but to catch a glimpse of the man with the striking cinnabar mole on his forehead. Pei Yu worried that He Su would learn the truth and didn’t want her to have too much contact with Liang Shujun. Additionally, He Su’s fondness and liking for Liang Shujun made him mad with jealousy. He Su’s admiration for Liang Shujun had been expressed many times; she said it was not easy for Shujun as a man to be so prominent. She praised his ways with people as impeccable, his deft handling of situations, his wit, and said he was not like other men who would grovel. She spoke highly of him... Eventually, Pei Yu couldn’t stand it any longer. One day, when He Su casually brought up Liang Shujun again, he suddenly covered his face and wept. He Su asked him why he was crying, and he choked out a set of lies, completely reversing the roles of the rescuer and the runaway. In his story, Liang Shujun became someone selfish and utterly despicable. He brazenly slandered Shujun, claiming they came from the same village, talking about how Liang Shujun used to bully him, and even alleging that the cinnabar mole on Liang Shujun’s forehead was an imitation of his own, suggesting it was out of vanity after hearing about his marriage into the He Mansion, aiming to catch He Su’s attention, among other things. He Su’s heart was biased. In her eyes, Pei Yu was her life-saver. As for Liang Shujun, no matter how much she liked him or had a good impression, he was just an outsider. She couldn’t help but lament that she was mistaken, never expecting such a seemingly eloquent and carefree man to be of such petty nature. From then on, He Su’s fondness for Liang Shujun plummeted. Yet, she couldn’t let go of the feelings that, unbeknownst to her, had already taken root in her heart. She indeed liked Liang Shujun, but this affection brought her shame. She thought it was an insult to herself, to have fallen in love with a man so vile. She was torn and even grew to hate him in her heart. Driven by such emotions, He Su’s actions, influenced by Pei Yu’s slander against Liang Shujun, were all ones that drew disdain. Even when Pei Yu learned that the Second brother Liang was seriously ill, that Liang Shujun had sold his shop and was gathering a considerable sum of Silver Tael to buy a Thousand years ginseng for Liang Shuyu’s treatment, he conceived a plan. He was sure of one thing; Liang Shujun’s saving of He Su was a simple act of assistance, one that Liang Shujun did not take to heart, having already forgotten, otherwise he wouldn’t have failed to recognize He Su. He must be unaware that He Su was actually the girl he had saved all those years ago.
