NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Which is the Real Him?
Chapter 4: Which is the Real Him?
The Lu family was not considered a prestigious noble house.
The family head, Lan Jingnan, was the Left Counselor of the Chief Secretary and barely managed to squeeze into the court.
If he were in a local position, he would be a significant official.
But unfortunately, in the capital city filled with high-ranking officials, his third-rank official status was hardly impressive.
Not to mention, he couldn’t compare to Wei Xianzhi, who almost controlled all the “dirt” on court officials.
However, the Lu family wasn’t completely unknown, mainly because Lan Jingnan had a daughter who was “skilled in music and poetry, elegant and unmatched, and exceptionally beautiful.”
These were the words from the book.
The person in question was, of course, Lan Jingyao.
As for why such a well-bred lady would develop feelings for Xiao Feng, a commoner, it wasn’t important.
After all, in all the exciting novels, women would lose their minds upon seeing the protagonist, and they can’t wait to throw themselves into his arms and pledge themselves to him.
Lan Jingyao was no different.
If things had developed normally, she would have been snatched away by Xiao Feng tomorrow, and then she would have broken up with the Lu family, and eventually become Xiao Feng’s virtuous wife, living happily with a group of “sisters.”
It sounded wonderful, but Wei Changtian was planning to intercept this development.
After all, Lan Jingyao was a main female character with a significant role in the story.
As long as he could win her over and make her devotedly follow him…
Tsk tsk, the system points would surely roll in.
…
The curtains slowly drew back.
Lan Jingyao, clad in a thin gauze robe, lay motionless on the bed. Her skin, as delicate as jade, was faintly visible, and her cheeks were stained with tears.
She stared straight at Wei Changtian, her eyes filled with resentment, disgust, fear, and despair, but not a hint of affection.
To be fair, Wei Changtian was actually quite handsome.
The author attested to this— “Of the world’s ten portions of handsomeness, the readers have eight, Wei has one, and the rest of the world shares one.”
However, unlike the talented and handsome readers, Wei Changtian’s good looks couldn’t hide the fact that he was inherently cruel, psychologically twisted, and an uneducated wastrel.
No woman would truly like such a man.
Especially Lu Jingyao, who had some artistic attainments, could not accept it at all.
After all, artistic young women often had a touch of idealism.
The thought of this “wastrel” soon lying naked on top of her, panting repulsively, his body wriggling like a maggot… Lan Jingyao felt nothing but disgust and wished she could bite her tongue and end it all.
But unfortunately, she couldn’t do that.
Forget it…
Just consider it as exchanging the body she intended to keep for Xiao Feng for the lives of the 180 members of the Lu family…
A final tear slipped from her beautiful eyes as Lan Jingyao slowly closed them, unwilling to see what was about to happen.
This was her last shred of dignity.
However, at the next moment, Wei Changtian suddenly said something in a tone she never expected.
“Don’t let your imagination run wild. I won’t touch you today.”
…
From Wei Changtian’s perspective, he could indeed take Lan Jingyao right now.
However, in doing so, he would only get her body, and there was no guarantee that this woman, whose mind was full of Xiao Feng, wouldn’t one day commit suicide to prove her loyalty.
Therefore, complete conquest was the best strategy.
Although it was a bit difficult, it was entirely worth trying for the sake of earning more system points.
Noticing Lan Jingyao’s eyelids twitch slightly, Wei Changtian continued in a deep voice:
“Although I have done countless evil deeds, I never go back on my promises.”
“The reason I came to see you tonight is that there are some things I want to talk to you about.”
“If you’re willing, open your eyes, and I will immediately release your acupuncture points.”
“If you don’t open your eyes after five breaths, I will turn around and leave.”
The evening breeze squeezed in through the window that was never closed, passing like smoke and gently swaying the gauze curtains.
Wei Changtian remained silent, his breathing steady and natural.
On the other hand, Lan Jingyao’s chest was heaving intensely.
One, two, three…
Finally, on the fourth breath, she seemed to muster all her courage and opened her eyes. Although her gaze was still full of disgust, it now held a trace of curiosity.
Without wasting any time, Wei Changtian reached out and tapped several of her acupuncture points, including Fengfu, Tongtian, and Yuzhen, etc.
Internal energy flowed through his fingertips into the points, restoring the circulation of her blood and energy.
“Mm~”
The sudden sensation of relief caused Lan Jingyao to uncontrollably let out a moan, and she immediately closed her eyes tightly again.
Filled with shame and anger, she gradually regained feeling in her limbs, and her brain reclaimed control over her body.
In an instant, she sprang up from the bed like a frightened rabbit.
Her smooth, long legs pulled together tightly, and her lily-white arms hugged her chest firmly.
Curled up into a ball, Lan Jingyao warily looked toward the bedside, but the next second, she was stunned.
Because Wei Changtian was nowhere to be seen.
The yellow gauze curtains covered the bed entirely, and her clothes were neatly folded by the pillow.
“…”
She stared wide-eyed, remaining stunned for a long time before spitting quietly.
“Ptooey!”
…
In the main hall outside the screen, two people sat across from each other at a small table.
Lan Jingyao looked at Wei Changtian, who was calmly drinking tea on the opposite side, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say. After a while, she finally snorted coldly and asked:
“If you untie my acupuncture points, aren’t you afraid that I will commit suicide?”
“Sucide?”
Wei Changtian chuckled and said, “If you really wanted to die, you had plenty of chances before. Why wait until today?”
“You!”
Lan Jingyao’s body trembled, and she suddenly took out a jade hairpin from her sleeve, pressing its sharp tip against her neck.
“I’m not afraid! Before…”
“Heh.”
A disdainful laugh interrupted her argument. Wei Changtian didn’t even lift his head, merely pointing to the empty teacup in front of him and coldly uttered two words.
“Pour tea.”
“…”
The air in the room instantly froze. Lan Jingyao’s eyes widened, her face slowly turning pale.
Wei Changtian, however, was in no hurry. He just lowered his head and waited.
Only when the jade hairpin fell to the ground, breaking into two pieces, and trembling hands poured the tea into his cup did he gently nod.
“Thanks.”
“Clatter!”
The small purple clay teapot crashed onto the table, and Lan Jingyao’s expression was more incredulous than before.
It was obvious to her that the man in front of her should not say these two words under any circumstances.
“You, what are you trying to do…”
“How could I be different from before? Is that it?”
Wei Changtian straightened the teapot and said calmly, “What you see might only be what others want you to see.”
“…”
Lan Jingyao was momentarily stunned.
Without a doubt, this statement had a profound impact on her.
Countless questions flooded her mind, but Wei Changtian didn’t give her a chance to ask further, steering the conversation back on track.
“Enough about me, let’s talk about our marriage.”
“I know you not only don’t want to marry me, but you also despise me.”
“So I came to give you an additional choice.”
“A choice…”
Lan Jingyao looked over abruptly, her brows slightly furrowed.
She had never expected that Wei Changtian would give her any choice.
“Yes, you have a choice.”
Wei Changtian seemed to read her thoughts. He raised his head and looked directly into Lan Jingyao’s slightly flickering eyes, continuing:
“Tomorrow morning, I can go to my father and cancel this marriage, and I will also try to persuade him not to act against the Lu family.”
“But ultimately, what he decides to do, I cannot promise you.”
“If you want to protect the Lu family, then stop making futile struggles and cooperate with the wedding tomorrow.”
“As for what you want to do afterward, I won’t force you, as long as you stay in the Wei family for half a year.”
“During this period of time, we may not be husband and wife in reality, but we must be husband and wife in name only.”
“After half a year, if you still insist on leaving, I will not stop you.”
“This will give both families a face-saving resolution.”
“I have said my piece. Think carefully about whether you want to go through with this marriage.”
After speaking, Wei Changtian lowered his head again and began drinking tea.
Lan Jingyao fell into a long silence, her face showing signs of struggle.
After a long while, she finally raised her head nervously and asked in a low voice, “What about Xiao Feng? What must I do for you to let him go?”
Xiao Feng?
Goodness gracious!
Even at this moment, you’re still thinking about the protagonist!
Is this what it means to be completely devoted?
Wei Changtian understood why Lan Jingyao would ask such a question; she must believe that Xiao Feng couldn’t defeat him, so she was trying to save her beloved’s life this way.
Heh, dreaming.
With a slight squint, Wei Changtian unhesitatingly replied, “He must die.”
“W-what…”
Lan Jingyao’s face, which had barely regained a bit of color, turned ashen once again.
She leaned forward urgently, clutching a silk handkerchief tightly, her once haughty tone now completely gone, replaced with a stammering plea.
“Please, please spare Xiao Feng…”
“I can marry you! I will strive to be a good wife! I will never defy you again…”
“I-I have never been intimate with Xiao Feng…”
“I said, he must die.”
Wei Changtian interrupted Lan Jingyao’s pleading with a deep voice.
Hearing his fiancée beg for another man, his voice carried no anger, just a calm statement: “You have no third option.”
“……”
Lan Jingyao immediately closed her mouth, her large teardrops falling onto the embroidered words on the handkerchief.
Wei Changtian glanced casually at it, his eyes pausing for a moment.
If you don’t let me down, I will not let you down.
“This phrase…”
He retracted his gaze and asked knowingly, “Did Xiao Feng say this?”
“……”
Lan Jingyao clenched the handkerchief tightly, biting her lip in silence.
Wei Changtian suddenly felt that this girl was somewhat pitiful.
In the novel, although Xiao Feng later accepted her, he didn’t care much about her initially.
Even tomorrow’s bride snatch was actually just an accident and was not originally in Xiao Feng’s plan.
So, ultimately, she was just like him, merely a tool for the protagonist to show off.
“Sigh…”
With a light sigh, Wei Changtian said no more. He stood up and walked out of the room.
Perhaps feeling emotional, he uttered a line of poetry that anyone who had undergone nine years of compulsory education could recite.
“I intended to give my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon illuminates the ditch.”
Wei Changtian’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear.
As these words reached Lan Jingyao’s ears, her tears suddenly stopped.
She looked up abruptly, staring intently at Wei Changtian’s back, her expression dazed, confused, and somewhat vacant.
There was also a mix of excitement and sadness that, though contradictory, coexisted.
“I intended to give my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon illuminates the ditch…”
She muttered this line several times, but when she looked up again, the one who spoke it was already gone.
Who is the bright moon? And who is the ditch?
The real moon outside hung high in the night sky, and the entire Wei mansion was quiet, with only a series of gradually fading footsteps.
For some inexplicable reason, for the first time Lan Jingyao felt a trace of emotion towards Wei Changtian beyond hatred and fear.
It was a human curiosity towards something mysterious.
…Why is he so different from the rumors?
…Who is the real him?