Xu Liang sat on the floor of his chamber, the soft candlelight flickering against the intricately carved walls. His surroundings only made the emptiness inside him feel more deeply.
He had locked himself in his room for days, unable to shake the hollow ache that Lin Hua’s departure had left in his heart. His mind replayed the last scene in the garden over and over—the pain in Lin’s eyes as he had walked away, the finality in his voice.
He had failed.
Xu’s chest tightened as he stared at the unopened scrolls and letters from Jiao Ming. The marriage arrangements were underway, and the weight of the Liang family name pressed down on him like a suffocating blanket. But the thought of vowing to the heaven and earth, reciting vows to a woman he didn’t love, made his heart rebel.
Lin had left—disappeared back to his village, or so his mother had said. A world apart from him now. Xu clenched his fists, feeling anger and sorrow collide within him.
There was a knock at the door, and Xu ignored it at first, his jaw clenched. But the knocking grew louder, more insistent.
"Xu Liang!" His father’s voice was stern, filled with authority. "Open the door. Now."
Xu sighed, dragging himself up from the floor. His body felt heavy, as if the sadness had seeped into his bones. Slowly, he unlocked the door, revealing his father, Shun Liang, standing tall and imposing in the doorway. His face was hard, a mixture of disappointment and anger simmering behind his eyes.
"We need to talk," Shun said, pushing his way into the room without waiting for permission.
Xu stayed silent as his father crossed the room, standing by the window as if trying to distance himself from the staleness of the air.
"You've locked yourself in here for days," Shun began. "Do you think this is acceptable behavior? You are the heir to the Liang family, and yet you wallow in your feelings as if you were a child."
Xu's throat tightened, but he said nothing. His father’s words cut deep, but they were expected. Shun Liang was a man of honor, discipline, and duty. Emotions were weaknesses to him—things that needed to be buried for the sake of responsibility.
"You will marry Jiao Ming," Shun continued, his voice growing sharper. "The arrangements are in place. You will fulfill your duty, as I have done, as every man in our family has done before you. This nonsense you’ve allowed to take hold of you will stop now."
Xu’s eyes darkened, a flicker of defiance rising in his chest. "It’s not nonsense," he muttered, barely audible.
"What did you say?" His father turned sharply, his eyes narrowing. "Speak up."
"I said it’s not nonsense!" Xu’s voice cracked, but he straightened his back, forcing the words out. "I’m tired of living a life that isn’t mine. I can’t pretend anymore."
Shun’s face hardened. "You will do as you are told, Xu Liang. You are not like other men. You have responsibilities. This—" He gestured around the room, the scrolls, the silks, the wealth that surrounded them both. "This is your future. You have a legacy to uphold, a family to lead. Do you understand what is at stake?"
Xu’s fists clenched at his sides. "I don’t care about any of that anymore."
His father’s eyes flared with anger. "You do not have the luxury of choice. This… infatuation with that boy has clouded your judgment. Lin Hua is gone, and you will forget about him."
"I can’t," Xu whispered, shaking his head. "I love him."
The room went silent. Shun Liang’s face twisted with a mixture of fury and disbelief.
"Love?" he spat. "You think what you feel is love? It’s a disgrace, a weakness. You have no idea what love is. Love is sacrifice. Love is duty. It is standing by your family, your bloodline, and doing what is necessary to ensure its future. Not chasing after some fleeting desire with a servant boy!"
Xu’s chest heaved. "I’m tired, Father. Tired of pretending. Tired of doing what’s expected of me while ignoring what’s in my heart. I am not like other men, and I won’t live a lie just to preserve the family honor."
Shun Liang stared at him deeply. "You will marry Jiao Ming. You will carry on the Liang name. You will have a family, children. That is what you were born to do. You will not disgrace this family."
"I can’t live like that!" Xu’s voice rose, trembling with emotion. "I can’t keep pretending to be someone I’m not. I am not going to marry her. I won’t! Not when my heart belongs to Lin."
Shun Liang’s face contorted with anger. "You are a fool, Xu Liang. A selfish fool. Do you think your feelings are more important than the hundreds of years of honor, of tradition, that our family has upheld? You think you can throw it all away because you 'love' someone who will never be accepted in our world?"
Xu's breath caught in his throat, but before he could respond, the door swung open, and Lady Mei entered, her face pale but composed.
"Lin Hua is gone," she said quietly. "I’ve dismissed him from his duties as gardener. He has returned to his village."
Xu froze, his heart plummeting. He had known it was coming, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real, a blow he wasn’t prepared for.
"No…" His voice was a broken whisper. He felt as though the world was spinning beneath his feet, his legs weak as he stumbled toward the bed, grasping at the post to steady himself. "No… you can’t…"
"It’s done," Lady Mei said, her tone emotionless. "It’s for the best."
"For the best?" Xu’s voice cracked as tears filled his eyes, his chest tightening with overwhelming sorrow. "How is this for the best? You’ve taken away the only person I’ve ever loved! You think I can just forget him because you don’t approve?"
His mother’s expression softened slightly, but the steel in her voice remained. "Xu, it’s not about approval. It’s about the future. The life you and Lin wanted—it’s impossible. You have responsibilities, a family name to uphold."
Xu’s tears flowed freely now, his heart breaking with every word. "I don’t care about the family name. I don’t care about anything if I can’t be with him. Lin… Lin is everything to me. And you’ve taken him away."
Shun Liang stepped forward, his voice low but commanding. "You will stop this. Now. You are my son, and you will behave as such. You will marry Jiao Ming, and you will carry on this family’s legacy. Do you understand?"
Xu’s hands trembled as he wiped the tears from his face, looking between his father and mother. "You don’t understand," he whispered. "I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired… so tired of pretending to be someone I’m not. I love Lin. I will always love him. And I won’t marry Jiao Ming."
Lady Mei’s face paled, and for a moment, it seemed like she might say something, but she remained silent. Shun Liang’s face, however, grew red with fury.
"You are a disgrace!" he shouted, and slapped Xu. "You will bring ruin upon this family. If you refuse this marriage, if you continue down this path, you will be cut off. Do you hear me? You will no longer be a Liang."
His entire life had been shaped by the Liang name, the honor and privilege that came with it. But in this moment, none of it mattered.
"I don’t care. I don’t care about the family name, or the wealth, or any of it. If it means living a life where I can’t be with the person I love, then I’d rather be nothing."
The room fell into a stunned silence. Shun Liang stared at his son, his face twisted in a mixture of disbelief and rage. Lady Mei looked away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Leave," Shun Liang finally said, his voice cold and final. "Leave this house, and do not come back until you’ve come to your senses."
Xu nodded, the decision made. He had lost Lin, but he wouldn’t lose himself.