The War Bride

5 | The War Groom

Under the moonlight, Dai Yichen sat on the edge of a wooden deck right beneath a beautiful plum tree, casually swinging a wine flask in his hand. The front of his robe hung loosely, revealing the apex of his chest muscles. He was staying out late for a solitary drink in the courtyard.

Throwing his head back, he downed another mouthful of wine. The flames from his bride's room didn't faze him, even as they grew and burned down the roof. His gaze was distant, as if he was miles away from home.

But not until faint footsteps entered the courtyard, an angry voice interrupting his drinking session.

"Don't you think it's rather rude of you to not invite your bride for a drink?"

He finally raised his head. Luwen, disheveled after escaping the fire by jumping through a window, stomped up to where he was sitting. Her nostrils flared in annoyance at his nonchalant attitude.

She arched her brow and crossed her arms. "Well?"

He remained silent, breaking eye contact as he gazed into the distance. He was barely acknowledging her appearance, and this only infuriated Luwen even more than she already was.

After all, she didn't escape death just to be ignored by him.

Her gaze lowered to the wine flask that he was holding. He hadn't come to her bedchamber to complete the last step in the nuptial marriage ceremony—to exchange a drink with his newly wedded partner.

Even if he wasn't willing to accept her as his wife, she needed him to survive in this place. If she didn't secure her position in this manor, they would find ways to humiliate or kill her.

She took a step closer to the man, snatched the flask, and drank the last of the wine. The liquid burned her throat and watered her eyes, leaving a bitter aftertaste. She was never someone who indulged or enjoyed alcohol, but it definitely released her pent-up anger.

When she was done, she thrusted the flask back at him with more force than necessary. He watched her with his brows slightly raised.

"My lord," she said in a glacial tone. "We've completed the ceremony. Have a good night."

She turned to leave, but her steps came to a stop when she caught sight of the fire blazing her roof. Embers rose and vanished into the sky. Luwen realized she still had nowhere to return for the night.

This wasn't her home.

Finally, she heard the servants' yells bringing water to extinguish the fire. It took them this long to notice her.

She considered Xia clan the only dishonorable one, but it turned out that others weren't any different as well.

Behind Luwen, a cold, pensive voice came. Dai Yichen set down the flask of wine next to him. "Were you that desperate to be married to me?"

"To survive, yes."

Her honesty spited him. His jaw clenched tightly and his eyes narrowed in resentment. "The matriarch initiated the war, killed many of my comrades, but requested a marriage truce for mercy."

"It irks me," he said angrily, "to get married to the daughter of a murderer. Your mother really pulls the most venomous trick."

He didn't know the truth, but Luwen felt extremely indignant by his words. She swung around, her chest heaving with rising anger, but it was more directed towards the matriarch. "Neither did she ask for my opinion when she forced me to marry you."

A baffling silence ensued. As Dai Yichen quietly took in her words, there was a pinch between his brows and his lips pressed into a firm line. He didn't question her further, but he didn't leave.