Chapter 457: Chapter 454: Wei Zhao! You’ve Got Guts

This... is also a plus?

Yunling thinks it is!

Although there’s not much of an age difference, Wei Zhao is aging faster!

He was satisfied, and then continued the previous topic.

"Don’t be fooled by Xiao Huaian’s intimate ’sister-in-law’ calls, he can really land you in trouble!"

"Though others can’t tell, I can. He thinks you, sister-in-law, are fierce."

Yu Tingwan smiled.

Yunling: "He’s quite unrefined. To please his wife, he dares to drag you down!"

"Why doesn’t sister-in-law make a fuss?"

Yu Tingwan smiled, lovingly.

"Ling boy, the way you put it, it’s as if I’m narrow-minded."

Your mind... is really big?

Yunling frowned.

Shen Zhiyi, who should have returned to her boudoir, sat down on the other side of Yu Tingwan.

Yunling seized the opportunity to talk to her: "That Xiao Huaian is not a good person. We’ve known each other for years. If you can escape, do it early."

Shen Zhiyi chuckled.

"Then would you marry me?"

Yunling was at a loss for words.

Shen Zhiyi remembered how he had just instigated, saying she couldn’t compare to her half-sister, and she was furious.

This Yunling hadn’t learned any lessons from Zhou Yurou, the white lotus, and so she badmouthed him.

"Take a guess why Miss Lu didn’t come."

Yunling was puzzled too.

He saw Mrs. Lu, but not the familiar figure.

"Why?"

Yu Tingwan knew and asked: the girl was on her period, with abdominal pains, so she stayed in.

Shen Zhiyi: "Didn’t want to see you."

Yunling: ???

He stood up abruptly: "Nonsense! You can’t stand to see me happy."

Shen Zhiyi: "As if you could bear to see me happy."

She ignored the frustrated Yunling, turning her attention to the quietly seated Yu Tingwan.

Yu Tingwan hadn’t eaten any snacks, just held a wine cup, gently swirling the liquid, then took small sips.

She tentatively ladled a portion of glutinous rice balls for Yu Tingwan.

Yu Tingwan tilted her head, her gaze steady.

"How can I trouble Miss Shen?"

Shen Zhiyi: ...

Alright, she felt a sudden chill down her back.

The wine’s scent was strong.

Yu Tingwan’s throat burned, but she was frugal and finished the wine before stopping. Her body felt warm, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint red from the alcohol.

She carelessly wiped with a handkerchief, her glance sweeping a certain direction.

Xiao Huaian was pushing Wei Zhao back.

Yu Tingwan retracted her gaze, picked up a walnut, and Fu Meng instinctively presented his forehead. She unceremoniously cracked the walnut into two halves with a ’pop’.

This wasn’t a tiger.

Even a dog wasn’t that obedient.

Watching this, Xiao Huaian... felt a bit panicked.

As he approached, he heard Yu Tingwan’s gloomy words.

"You’ve truly broken my heart."

Shen Zhiyi: "What... what happened?"

"I never knew I didn’t like crystal glutinous rice balls."

Shen Zhiyi: ???

What the hell! I believed you!

Is there anything you don’t like to eat!

You ate two big bowls at the restaurant last time!

"Then do you know what I don’t like to eat?"

Having dined with Shen many times, Yu Tingwan, being observant, had an idea.

"Dishes like toona, which you think have a strange taste."

Shen Zhiyi: !!! 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Yu Tingwan smiled: "Anything else you want to ask?"

"N-no more?"

Yu Tingwan: "Feeling guilty?"

Guilty to death!

Shen Zhiyi thought she was really not a good person.

Yu Tingwan was even crying!

Wait!

That’s not right.

The one at fault was Xiao Huaian!

Oh, man.

Xiao Huaian not only pulled Wei Zhao down but also dragged her along!!!

She had finally become good friends with Yu Tingwan!!! She worked so hard for this!

She better not let their friendship sour because of a man!

Shen Zhiyi wasn’t feeling good.

She gritted her teeth in anger and glared at Xiao Huaian.

"Rest assured, I won’t spare him. I’ll give you an explanation!"

Yunling didn’t expect the sudden turn of events.

He was dumbfounded, eyes wide open.

Across the room, Jiasan, who had been watching, sensed something amiss and saw Gu Wu take a deep breath.

"Mom, I’m going to check it out."

Yu Tingwan hesitated, emulating the uncertain posture of the Shen Family’s illegitimate daughter, her hands having nowhere to rest: "This isn’t good."

"How can something as insignificant as me ruin your relationship?"

Yunling: !!!

In his life, he couldn’t distinguish between real and fake white lotuses. But this time, in Yu Tingwan, he sensed a hint of tea aroma.

Xiao Huaian nodded: "Indeed."

Gu Wu, who had just arrived, though she didn’t know what was happening, her eyes flashed brightly. She admired Shen Zhiyi and Yu Tingwan for becoming good friends despite their past differences.

That was her sister.

She harbored no ill intentions but wanted to see if she could take her place.

"A friendship that can be destroyed over a man isn’t solid, sister, I think..."

Shen Zhiyi ignored Xiao Huaian and interrupted Gu Wu: "What are you talking about!"

In front of others, Gu Wu was quite bold: "If you don’t like me, hit me then?"

That said, she turned her head.

"Sister, look at her, she’s even hitting people, quite fierce. Such a friend is no good."

Seeing Gu Wu almost shamelessly trying to self-recommend, Shen Zhiyi was exasperated.

Too lazy to argue, she grabbed Yu Tingwan’s hand, longing to swear an oath.

"How are you insignificant? Even though we met later, you’re a genuine friend I want to know!"

"Though Xiao Huaian and I are engaged, in my heart, at least right now, you’re more important than him. You can keep me company in cursing people and understand me better. I’m always particularly happy when with you!"

Xiao Huaian: ??

No, he’s still here, and he’s heard.

Yu Tingwan appeared sorrowful: "Don’t say that, he heard, and he won’t be happy."

"Who cares if he’s happy or not. I just want to make you happy now."

Especially seeing Yu Tingwan’s rare pitiful and hurt demeanor, Shen Zhiyi, the best judge of fakes, felt her heart break!!

Yunling, who witnessed everything: ???

Oh, man.

This is not being narrow-minded!

So it’s like this.

After leaving the Shen family, Yu Tingwan felt cheerful, her footsteps light and quick. As she passed by Xiao Huaian pushing a downcast Wei Zhao, she deliberately paused.

"Did it hurt being stepped on?"

There was a footprint on Xiao Huaian’s black boot, left by Shen Zhiyi’s earlier step.

After asking, she let out a laugh and happily got onto the carriage back to the mansion.

Xiao Huaian: ...

No.

He looked at Wei Zhao.

"I’m finished."

Wei Zhao: "I can see that."

That step showed no mercy.

Xiao Huaian: "You’re finished too."

Wei Zhao: "Not necessarily."

Xiao Huaian: ???

He didn’t understand where Wei Zhao’s confidence came from, clearly Yu Tingwan was also indifferent to him.

But...

Xiao Huaian, shameless as ever, squeezed onto the Duke Shun Mansion’s carriage. With no experience in soothing people, he decided to learn a trick or two.

Then he realized, he had overestimated Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao boarded the carriage, sitting motionless like a meditating monk, showing no inclination to act.

Yu Tingwan also showed no intention to converse.

The carriage seemed divided by an invisible boundary.

Man!

Xiao Huaian nudged Wei Zhao, signaling with his eyes.

—Aren’t you going to say something?

Wei Zhao: "No rush."

Xiao Huaian admired his spirit.

You, Wei Zhao! Got guts!