I Refuse This Marriage

The room buzzed with activity.

Servants moved in and out carrying trays of jewelry, embroidered fabrics, and delicate cosmetics. The moment Xiao Lan announced that her mistress was ready to be dressed, the entire chamber seemed to come alive.

Li Ruoxi sat silently before the bronze mirror.

Although she had already accepted the reality of her situation, seeing dozens of maids bustling around her still felt surreal.

One maid carefully combed her long black hair until it flowed like silk down her back. Another selected the finest hairpins from a tray of gold and jade. One by one, the ornaments were woven into her dark hair, creating an elegant style worthy of a noble lady.

Ruoxi watched everything through the mirror.

The woman staring back at her looked nothing like the person she remembered being.

She was beautiful.

Painfully beautiful.

Her skin was fair and flawless. Her eyes were bright, framed by long lashes. Even before the maids applied any makeup, her appearance was enough to attract attention wherever she went.

No wonder Li Ruoxi had been described as one of the most beautiful women in the capital.

A maid lightly brushed crimson powder onto her lips.

Another adjusted the golden phoenix crown resting atop her head.

"Your Highness is truly breathtaking today," one of the maids whispered.

The others immediately nodded in agreement.

"Young Master Shen is fortunate."

"If I were him, I would never look at another woman."

Ruoxi nearly laughed.

If only they knew.

The novel's Li Ruoxi had spent years dreaming about this marriage.

Yet the man she was about to marry loved someone else.

The irony was almost painful.

Soon, the wedding robes were brought forward.

Layers of crimson silk embroidered with golden threads shimmered beneath the candlelight. Tiny phoenixes and flowers seemed to come alive upon the fabric.

The maids carefully helped Ruoxi into the robes.

When they finally stepped back, the room fell silent.

Even Xiao Lan looked stunned.

Standing before them was a woman who looked as though she had stepped out of a painting.

Elegant.

Noble.

Untouchable.

For a brief moment, Ruoxi almost forgot that this beauty belonged to a villainess destined for tragedy.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Miss."

A servant bowed respectfully.

"The wedding procession has arrived."

The room immediately erupted into excitement.

Ruoxi's heart sank.

It was time.

Outside the Li Manor, countless guests had gathered to witness the grand wedding. Red lanterns decorated every corner of the estate. Musicians played festive melodies while servants welcomed noble guests from across the capital.

The wedding hall was already filled.

Officials.

Noble families.

Military officers.

Even members of the royal family had sent representatives.

Everyone was eager to witness the union between the Li and Shen families.

As Ruoxi approached the entrance, whispers immediately spread through the crowd.

"Miss Li has arrived."

"I heard she has loved Young Master Shen for years."

"They truly are a perfect match."

The words followed her wherever she went.

Ruoxi lowered her gaze.

If only they knew how wrong they were.

At the center of the hall stood a tall figure dressed in dark ceremonial robes.

Shen Mochen.

His posture was straight and dignified.

His features were sharp and handsome.

With a single glance, Ruoxi understood why so many women admired him.

Unfortunately, she also knew exactly how this story ended.

The matchmaker smiled brightly.

"The bride and groom may now proceed with the ceremony."

Ruoxi slowly raised her head.

Her gaze met Shen Mochen's.

For a moment, the hall fell strangely quiet.

And then—

A thought flashed through her mind.

If she completed this ceremony today...

Everything would begin.

The marriage.

The suffering.

The betrayal.

The death awaiting Li Ruoxi.

Her fingers tightened beneath her sleeves.

No.

She could not allow it.

Not this time.

The matchmaker smiled brightly.

"The bride and groom may now proceed with the ceremony."

A servant stepped forward and handed Ruoxi one end of a red silk ribbon. The other end was already held by Shen Mochen.

The crowd watched eagerly.

Some smiled.

Others looked jealous.

Everyone in the capital knew how much Li Ruoxi adored Shen Mochen.

For years, she had followed him like a shadow.

For years, she had dreamed of this very moment.

Yet as Ruoxi stared at the crimson ribbon between them, all she felt was dread.

'One step.'

'All it takes is one step forward, and my fate will be sealed.'

The thought made her grip tighten.

Across from her, Shen Mochen remained expressionless.

Not once had he looked happy.

Not once had he smiled.

Seeing that, Ruoxi almost laughed.

'You don't want this marriage.'

'And neither do I.'

The matchmaker raised her voice.

"Prepare for the first bow!"

The musicians began to play.

The guests straightened in their seats.

Ruoxi's heartbeat thundered inside her chest.

She could feel hundreds of eyes watching her.

Waiting.

Expecting.

Believing they already knew how this story would unfold.

But they didn't.

Because this wasn't their story anymore.

It was hers.

The matchmaker continued.

"The bride and groom shall now—"

"No."

The word wasn't loud.

Yet somehow it silenced the entire hall.

The music stopped.

The servants froze.

Even the wind outside seemed to fall silent.

The matchmaker blinked.

"Pardon?"

Ruoxi slowly lifted her head.

Every gaze in the hall landed on her.

She could hear her own heartbeat.

Feel the weight of every stare.

But for the first time since arriving in this world, her mind was calm.

'If I stay silent now...'

'I'll become the villainess who dies.'

'If I speak...'

'At least I'll have a chance.'

Taking a deep breath, Ruoxi stepped forward.

Then she released the red ribbon.

The silk slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground.

Gasps erupted throughout the hall.

"What is she doing?"

"Has she lost her mind?"

"Did the bride just drop the wedding ribbon?"

The whispers spread like wildfire.

Ruoxi ignored them.

Instead, she looked directly at Shen Mochen.

For the first time, his expression changed.

Only slightly.

But enough for her to notice.

Surprise.

The great Shen Mochen was surprised.

Good.

Let him be surprised.

The entire capital was about to be surprised.

Ruoxi straightened her back.

Her crimson robes swept elegantly across the floor.

Then she spoke.

"I refuse this marriage."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Nobody spoke.

It was as though the entire hall had forgotten how.

Then chaos exploded.

"What?!"

"Did I hear that correctly?"

"She refused?"

"Li Ruoxi refused Shen Mochen?"

"Impossible!"

The guests stared at her as if she had grown another head.

Several noble ladies looked ready to faint.

One young woman nearly crushed her teacup.

After all, countless women in the capital dreamed of marrying Shen Mochen.

Yet the woman who had finally succeeded was rejecting him?

It made no sense.

At the front of the hall, the matchmaker looked ready to collapse.

"Miss Li, this is a royal-approved marriage!"

"I know."

Ruoxi's answer was calm.

Which only shocked everyone more.

The elders of the Li family were already turning pale.

Some of the Shen family members looked furious.

Meanwhile, the gossip had spread through the hall like a raging fire.

"Has she gone mad?"

"She chased him for years!"

"Wasn't this all she ever wanted?"

Ruoxi heard every word.

But she didn't care.

Because none of them knew the truth.

None of them knew that the wedding they were celebrating was the first step toward her grave.

Her gaze slowly shifted back to Shen Mochen.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, unexpectedly, Shen Mochen took a step forward.

The whispers instantly died.

His dark eyes remained fixed on her.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unreadable.

And then he asked a question that made Ruoxi's heart skip a beat.

"Li Ruoxi..."

"Do you even know what you're doing?"

To be continued...

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