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Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Love and Revenge
Mu Yan leaned back against the chair, elegant with a hint of unrestraint, smiling as he said, "Okay."
Zhan Lan did not expect him to agree so readily and looked at him suspiciously.
Curiously, Mu Yan looked at her and asked seriously, "Are you hesitating to make a decision in front of Wang Qingchen and me?"
Zhan Lan’s pupils dilated. What does this have to do with Wang Qingchen?
Could it be that Mu Yan misunderstood her?
Frowning, Zhan Lan asked, "Are you following me?"
Mu Yan chuckled, "No, just happened that a friend saw you meeting him privately... and it seemed quite pleasant."
"You’re overthinking. I don’t like Wang Qingchen," Zhan Lan clearly told Mu Yan.
The corners of Mu Yan’s lips lifted into a handsome curve; Zhan Lan could tell him straight that she didn’t like Wang Qingchen.
But when Mu Yan asked, Zhan Lan avoided answering; she did not say she didn’t like him.
Zhan Lan’s attitude towards him was probably between not particularly liking and not disliking.
Mu Yan was in a good mood, believing that one day he could win Zhan Lan’s heart.
He tidied up the stray hair on her forehead, his fingers gently sliding down her cheek, a turbulent look in his eyes, his voice hoarse, "I’m sorry, I was almost mad that night."
Zhan Lan looked down, her eyelashes trembling lightly; so Mu Yan had been acting weird during the past few days because of Wang Qingchen.
Mu Yan moved closer and asked earnestly, "Don’t you like me even a little?"
Zhan Lan looked up at him, seeing a rare look of anticipation on his usually cold face, but she couldn’t provide the answer Mu Yan wanted now.
In her past life and this one, she had never considered being with Mu Yan.
Before Si Jun killed her, he appeared respectful and caring on the surface.
Therefore, she couldn’t trust Mu Yan; she couldn’t make the same mistakes in this life and needed to be extremely cautious with emotions.
If she had to choose between love and revenge, she would choose revenge without hesitation.
Looking into Mu Yan’s affectionate eyes, she stated seriously, "Mu Yan, life shouldn’t just revolve around love. My life won’t change just because I got your love. I am first and foremost myself; I aim to fulfill my mission. Then, I can think about who I love..."
Mu Yan nodded, "I agree."
Zhan Lan sighed in relief; she didn’t want to enjoy Mu Yan’s affections without giving him an answer.
"By the way, those actors are your people, right? Did you inform Zhan Hui?"
Mu Yan looked out the window, "There are some things I can’t explain clearly now, but trust me, one day, you will understand."
Those actors were all skilled, undoubtedly his people. Most of those who watched the actors were noble ladies and some noble sons inclined towards homosexuality; all actors were Mu Yan’s eyes and ears, gleaning secrets from guests every day.
But now was not the time to inform Zhan Lan, and he didn’t want her to take risks with him.
However, it was indeed him who had informed Zhan Hui, originally planning to have Zhan Hui bring them both out.
Unexpectedly, jealous Zhan Hui had only taken Chu Yin out.
Mu Yan hadn’t expected that Zhan Lan would actually enjoy it, listening to music by herself; he couldn’t resist and went to take action.
Zhan Lan’s eyelids fought each other; she stood up and said, "Thanks for the soup, I’m leaving!"
With one hand supporting his cheek, Mu Yan watched her leaving figure, hooked his lips slightly; speaking some words had made him feel much better.
...
Zhan Lan returned to her room and saw Chu Yin lying sprawled on the soft bed, having kicked the blanket to one side, sleeping soundly.
Zhan Lan watched her rosy cheeks puff up cutely in sleep, looking very peaceful.
She picked up the nearby blanket to cover Chu Yin, then also washed up and went to bed.
The next morning, Chu Yin got up groggily, rubbed her eyes, and looked around, "Zhan Lan, when did you come back?"
Zhan Lan looked at her, "Last night. Did my brother get jealous?"
Chu Yin looked confused, "I drank too much, I don’t remember."
Zhan Lan helplessly shook her head, "You should go to those places less in the future."
Chu Yin raised three fingers and swore, "I really didn’t, I swear this was my first time. If it weren’t for the fact that you were nearing marriageable age and still clueless, I wouldn’t try to let you experience that kind of ambiguous atmosphere to stimulate you a bit..."
Zhan Lan: "..."
She looked at Chu Yin’s reddened cheeks and advised, "Don’t go to such places again, and don’t talk nonsense there."
Chu Yin nodded blankly, "Okay."
Zhan Lan pinched her cheek and said, "Let’s go out to eat and have some tea afterwards."
Chu Yin nodded, "Sure! I want to eat mustard chicken noodle soup, my stomach feels so uncomfortable."
The two of them left the house and went to a restaurant on the main street.
Meanwhile, Li Changlong dressed in the bridegroom’s festive attire, beating gongs and drums as he led people to the second branch of Zhan Family for the wedding procession.
However, this bridegroom had come in a sedan chair.
Since the day Mu Yan arrived, Li Youshui did not dare to delay and immediately prepared all the betrothal gifts.
The very next morning, he came to marry Zhan Liluo.
The Li Family had calculated everything meticulously to establish a dependent relationship with the second branch of Zhan Family, and they rented a mansion in Ding’an City for their son.
Zhan Liluo was being attended by maids as she dressed and put on makeup, but she couldn’t feel any happiness and her face still bore two trails of tears.
She was completely unwilling to marry Li Changlong, but now that she was pregnant, not marrying would only result in more rumors.
What saddened her most was that she could never have imagined that marrying Li Changlong was a forceful demand from Mu Yan.
The man she had loved for so many years was actually offering her personally to someone like Li Changlong, a worthless man.
Zhan Liluo was nearly driven mad with jealousy towards Zhan Lan, wondering why Mu Yan had repeatedly intervened to protect Zhan Lan!
As Zhan Liluo’s throat churned with emotion, her stomach began to hurt from the anger.
Madam Zhang tenderly wiped her tears at her side, "Luo’er, mother is sorry."
Zhan Liluo looked at her mother, who was the initiator of her current situation.
If it weren’t for the Love Flower Poisonous Insect, perhaps she would not have been reduced to such a state.
Zhan Liluo ignored her mother, seeing everyone around her as malicious.
The beating of drums and the sound of firecrackers announced her departure; Zhan Liluo was taken by the Li Family in a bridal sedan.
As the sedan passed through the main street, Zhan Lan, from above in the teahouse, heard the sounds.
Zhan Liluo, supported by two maids in the bridal sedan, had a gloomy face. Now a married daughter, her father, who was recovering, would surely be busy fathering sons with the concubines.
Soon, she would be even more insignificant.
A wave of hatred surged in Zhan Liluo’s heart, but she felt powerless.
The locals watching the procession looked at the bridal sedan with disdain.
Yesterday’s scene at the mansion’s gates, witnessed by the crowd, had spread through the city, revealing the true face of the second branch; they were merely parasites clinging to the achievements of the main branch of Zhan Family.
No one sympathized with Zhan Liluo, who was harsh and malicious, and sneers continued without end.
"Wow, congratulations! Truly a match of equal talents, a perfect pair indeed!"
"Indeed, Miss Zhan Liluo has a splendid marriage, so joyful and congratulatory!"
The mocking voices from the crowd infuriated Zhan Liluo, making her grip the hands of the maids tightly. What splendid marriage! What match of equal talents!
If it weren’t for her mother’s fear of losing face, preparing ten trunks of dowry, and Li Family’s mere three boxes of shabby betrothal gifts, wouldn’t it be humiliating?
Her nails dug into the flesh of the maids, causing them pain as they frowned, yet they dared not retaliate.
Zhan Liluo secretly lifted the curtain of the sedan and saw the schadenfreude on people’s faces.
She lowered the curtain, her face somber.
In the restaurant, Chu Yin was eating noodles and looked outside, "Oh, Zhan Liluo is getting married? I heard she married a cripple?"
Zhan Lan smiled without answering.
Chu Yin happily ate another dumpling, "That’s satisfying, who told her to humiliate you in public, she brought it upon herself!"
"Ever since we were young, I’ve disliked her; always troubling you, trying to feel superior over you. In my opinion, she’s just jealous of you!" 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
Zhan Lan peeled a tea egg and stuffed it in Chu Yin’s mouth, "Eat up, little fatty."
Chu Yin bit into the egg and said, "Hey, I’ve lost weight now, very slim, even Zhan Hui has carried me."
Zhan Lan leaned closer, "Didn’t you say you don’t remember what happened last night?"
