Published: March 8, 2025
Chu Yang suddenly felt a deep sense of embarrassment.
Tie Butian was right; not a single word she said was incorrect, and her rhetorical questions left him speechless.
Did he like her? Did he love her? Was it merely a sense of responsibility? Was there any romantic feeling involved?
Tie Butian's lips trembled: “I like you, Chu Yang; I love you! I like you to the extent that I almost lose myself; every night, you appear in my dreams... I can do anything for you and I am willing for you to do anything to me! But... I don’t want to be seen as your responsibility, do you understand? I don’t want to be a burden to you, do you understand? And I absolutely do not want to be treated as a tool for your release! Do you understand?”
“I want to be a complete woman! Even if you don’t like me, my love remains whole! I just don’t want you to trample it carelessly.”
Chu Yang's face turned pale.
“I’ll say no more,” Tie Butian exhaled, apologetically saying, “I’m sorry, Chu Yang; I shouldn’t have spoken to you like this. I don’t want the man I like to feel pain because of me.”
She paused and continued, “I’m done speaking. Chu Yang, it’s true that I like you and love you; but it’s also true that you don’t like me and don’t love me; that’s all there is to it. If you still want to do something to me, I won’t resist; if you insist on having me, I will give myself to you. I will do everything I can to make you happy. But this is because I like you, not because you like me.”
She closed her eyes and said, “Chu Yang, if you want to do something, then what are you waiting for?”
Chu Yang staggered back, trembling as he said, “Don’t push me.”
Tie Butian stood there with her eyes closed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I admit, I hadn’t seen you before; I felt guilty after learning about your situation; even if there’s love involved, it stems from that guilt; treating you this way is, as you said, because we already have a child together, and I think nothing of it. But I didn’t consider that it would deeply hurt you.”
“Today’s actions were excessive on my part!” Chu Yang said heavily. “I apologize to you.”
“I’ve never loved you before. I admit that I didn’t have any romantic feelings for you! Right now, I only have carnal desires and a sense of conquest towards you, and I admit that!”
As Chu Yang spoke, Tie Butian closed her eyes in despair, her heart feeling as cold as ice.
“But…” Chu Yang raised his head, looking at her with clear eyes: “No matter how you say it, what we share is already inseparable; that is a fact. You are my woman, and that cannot be changed; we have a child together, and that cannot be denied.”
“Bu Tian, I will work hard to like you, even just a little; I will make myself fall in love with you!” Chu Yang stepped forward gently, wrapping his arms around Tie Butian. He softly said, “I will make you a happy woman; you will feel that your love for me is not in vain. And at that time, you will be able to tell whether my feelings for you are sincere or feigned; whether they come from my heart or from the child and responsibility.”
“If I can’t achieve that, I won’t touch you or even a strand of your hair. So please give me some time.” Chu Yang gently embraced her, whispering in her ear: “I, Chu Yang, am not a good person, but… can you let me be a complete rogue, do you believe me?”
Tie Butian smiled through her tears, softly saying, “I believe.”
She lifted her head, opening her eyes, and looked at Chu Yang: “Aren’t you a rogue?”
Chu Yang smiled back: “When I fall in love with you, you will find that my rogue side is something you cannot bear.”
Tie Butian’s face immediately flushed red, and she shyly looked down.
Their conversation was serious, but in the last two sentences, they both unconsciously relaxed their tone, harmonizing to ease the tension between them.
Both were intelligent people; they would never let their relationship reach an irreparable state. As Chu Yang said, what had happened could not be changed; the child's existence made them inseparable.