Chapter 18

Ji Wenmu easily led the troops up the mountain. I just tore a piece of cloth to simply stop Liang Ji’s bleeding. Seeing them arrive, I wanted to pull Liang Ji away to properly apply medicine.

But our path was blocked. Ji Wenmu grabbed my arm. “I have something to say to you.”

His grip was too strong. Let alone breaking free, it actually hurt.

I looked back at Liang Ji. He just watched me quietly. The watery light in his eyes seemed to dim, and he gradually lowered his gaze.

My heart ached slightly, and I blurted out, “Wait for me to come find you.”

Then, Ji Wenmu walked faster. I stumbled for a bit before catching up to his pace.

“What are you doing?”

Just as the words left my mouth, he slammed me against the wall, caging me between his arms and the stone.

It was an extremely oppressive posture.

I felt uncomfortable and tried to push him away. He pinned my hands down, his brows lowered deeply. “Do you really like him?”

How embarrassing was it to say that out loud?

“What does it have to do with you?”

I used to think my martial arts were on par with his, but right now, I actually couldn’t break free. Annoyance flooded my heart. “You!”

“Didn’t you… like me?”

I froze, both because of his words and his slightly choked-up voice.

“I, when did I like you? Aren’t we brothers?”

He suddenly pulled me into his embrace, as if trying to embed me firmly into his body. “Remember, please? I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been unable to get past the hurdle of us being ‘brothers.’ I shouldn’t have watched you get hurt. I thought we still had a lot of time, that we were the most perfectly matched pair. When I get back, I’ll tell my mother to prepare our wedding.”

“What is wrong with you?” I struggled fiercely to push out of his embrace.

Pushed away by me, his gaze fell on my wedding dress. He suddenly ripped a piece off, producing a harsh tearing sound.

I covered my clothes and dodged. “Are you crazy?!”

“I am very sober!” He stopped his movements, crumpling the torn piece of the wedding dress in his hand. “When I saw you wearing the same wedding robes as him, I was more sober than ever.”

I looked at the torn spot; my inner garments were exposed.

“Liu Min, you liked me first. How could you forget? How could you like someone else?”

He kept insisting that I liked him. Memories fragmented and rapidly pieced together in my mind—the fifteen years I spent liking him, along with the sourness that flooded my heart.

I clutched my chest and leaned against the wall. He swayed slightly and asked me carefully,

“Amin, did you remember something?”

I took a deep breath, and that painful feeling vanished like passing clouds.

“Ji Wenmu, it’s already too late.”

I looked up at him. For the fifteen years I liked him, my feelings were unwavering. Even after confessing, I secretly hoped he would change his mind.

Unfortunately, I waited a long time and could only force myself to let it go.

“Right now, I only see you as a brother.”