Chapter Thirty-Eight: The War Behind Them (2/2)

Faye was completely useless, the tea she prepared was also spilled, and her luck was so bad that even Chu Ge had appeared. The fresh and pure image that she had painstakingly built up was almost half-destroyed.

Today was considered a wasted trip – she suffered a double loss instead of making a gain; what rotten luck.

“My apologies, seems like today wasn’t appropriate to discuss our engagement banquet. We’ll speak again next time, Mr. Yan.” Fan Xiaoge naturally and unrestrainedly said her goodbyes as if that clown that had been performing earlier was not her at all.

She knew that Yan Jin did not like her; he even hated her. Which was why no matter what she did, she was just asking to be ridiculed.

But so what?

She would surely become the mistress of the Yan family. Yan Jin was powerless to defend himself right now. The only way out would be to marry her. No one else could help him.

The business community was a cruel environment. Compared to those imaginary emotions, a marriage tied to beneficial gains was clearly a better security measure. Friends? Lovers? Those were all a mirage that could be easily erased. Her attitude was obvious enough, and Yan Jin was an intelligent man – he would not reject the offer.

At that moment, Fan Xiaoge never would have expected that even though Yan Jin was indeed controlled by the Yan family, there was someone out there who would fight for Yan Jin despite sacrificing their own interests to forcefully erase Fan Xiaoge’s existence from this smokeless battle.

Under the dictatorship of the major commercial brands, were there really no genuine feelings? Not really.

That was where Fan Xiaoge had lost.

……

That was the first and last time that Fan Xiaoge had ever met Nan Chan.

The impression that Fan Xiaoge got from this woman was very different from the rumors – the Nan family’s princess, who was ignorant of worldly affairs, and a persistent girl who only insisted to be married to Yan Jin.

Fan Xiaoge was drugged by someone. When she woke up, she found herself battered up on the floor. The surroundings were so unfamiliar that it momentarily made her unsure of where she really was.

There were ring-shaped glass panels and a wide view that showed all of S City’s night scenery – a brightly lit city that never slept.

She widened her eyes in surprise.

She recognized this place – this was S City’s highest building, the commercial building that was built on the most expensive piece of land. She had visited this place with her parents in her younger days when this building had not been renovated into a commercialized one yet.

But why was she here now?

“You’re awake?”

Fan Xiaoge followed the source of the voice and traced it to a young lady dressed in a cheongsam. This person was leaning on the railings as she lazily watched her.

“My apologies, today’s schedule was completely packed, so I had no choice but to invite you here.”

Fan Xiaoge could not feel any strength in either of her legs, so she had no choice but to stand up by using the wall as a support. She did not know what had happened, but fear was consuming her, strangling her like an invisible pair of hands.

“No need to be afraid. I mean no harm. I just wanted to chat with you. After all, I have no one else to speak with.”

The young lady took two steps forward as her shining black heels landed on the glass surface, creating a melodious ripple.

Fan Xiaoge’s head felt heavily giddy as the drug continued their effects on her body. She may have woken up, but her thoughts were still in a mess. Fan Xiaoge watched as the young lady before her opened her mouth to speak, but she could not make out anything she said.

“The Yan family will be attacking Brother Yan no matter what. Why? If Brother Yan had to do everything, when would they ever be satisfied?”

“The Nan family sure is stupid. No wonder they couldn’t outwit the Yan family after all these years. Can’t they see that I’m already obediently becoming their marionette? Why can’t they be satisfied? I can forgo everything, but they insist on touching and messing with my Brother Yan of all people.”

“In my younger days, I had three brothers. They were all good guys. But the good guys never had good endings. So, I’ve decided to become the bad person.”

“When I lost big brother, I did nothing. When I lost my second brother, I couldn’t do anything.”

“This is punishment, which is why I’m going to lose Brother Yan as well.”

The young lady made a sudden, big stride forward and stretched her hand outwards for a slap, which landed harshly on Fan Xiaoge’s face.

Fan Xiaoge flinched towards the wall like a pile of dirty mud. Before she could slide onto the floor, her collar was caught by someone else.

“Nobody can snatch Brother Yan from me! No one!”

“Much less a woman who harbors unfathomable motives like you. Brother Yan is such a good person, what the hell are you!?”

Fan Xiaoge tried her best to see the lady’s face – maybe she knew who this person was.

But, why…

Wasn’t the Nan family’s heiress a pretty puppet with no authority? Why?

Weren’t the Nan and Yan families competitors that couldn’t coexist? Why?

“Let me ask you, do you like Yan Jin? Do you love him?”

As her chin was gripped firmly, overwhelming pressure flooded Fan Xiaoge’s senses, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Her teeth chattered as Fan Xiaoge replied while trembling: “I-I’m sorry, I just, it’s for the Fan family. I-I don’t like him. I’m r-really sorry.”

The young lady smiled from the bottom of her heart: “So that’s the case. How nice.”

Fan Xiaoge had no memories of when she was let off. When she woke up the next day on her bed, she thought that everything that happened last night was just a ridiculous nightmare.

Except for the painful sting on her face that served as a reminder and the last sentence that the young lady had said.

“If there’s still a chance, could I bother you to inform Brother Yan? His little sister has grown up.”