Chapter 28

Lin Jianran didn't understand why Su Chen's smile was somewhat cold.

Shouldn't he be excitedly hugging himself and spinning in place?

Or should he shout loudly?

How does this smile feel somewhat nauseating?

Lin Jianran really couldn't figure out the reason, yet she still raised her snow-white chin, full of coquettish pride, gave a haughty nod, and responded to Su Chen's words in that manner.

Too bad…

Su Chen laughed even more wantonly, his voice full of mockery: "Your childhood friend gave up on you, so you chose me—the one with the deepest sect foundation among those princes' spares—to be your rescuer, then came over, face full of pride as if granting alms, saying you're willing to marry me."

"Hahaha… Lin Jianran, Lin Jianran, do you really think that if you turn back, I'll forever stay where I am waiting for you?"

"Three-legged toads are hard to find, but women with two legs are plentiful."

"See? This is the love token between me and Liu Liyan. Today I and she are already engaged, and you—this young master doesn't even look at you—you can get lost!"

As these words fell.

Su Chen undid the yin-yang fish bracelet on his wrist, spread it in his palm, and placed it before Lin Jianran—he dropped the pretense and laid his cards on the table!

Afterward… Lin Jianran finally couldn't hold it together, lost her reason, and went mad.

At first she hadn't yet come to her senses from Su Chen's words, but after just now reacting, she stared again at the shape of the bracelet in his palm, and her whole body—even her blood flow—stalled, her body began to tremble and curl up…

When she heard Su Chen was going to the Purple Yang Sect wearing his wide-sleeved fairy robe, she wasn't afraid.

When she learned Su Chen was taking Liu Liyan out to view the lanterns, she still showed no fear.

Even when Su Chen pointed at her nose and scolded her, shameless as she was, she felt no fear.

Finally, at the Flower Rain Pavilion, when Su Chen kissed Liu Liyan in front of her to make her jealous, she merely felt her confidence waver, but still felt no fear.

But now…

A fear unlike any before welled up inside her.

Her head buzzed as if it would explode; it seemed some repressed emotion burst through a dam, scattering her arrogance, her haughtiness, and her unmatched confidence.

Lin Jianran pressed her lips together, feeling her throat blocked, and after a moment uttered a low, hoarse voice: "You… you… you really are engaged to Liu Liyan? Not to make me yield and bow my head, not to trick me into coming over?"

"How… how could you… not love me?"

Su Chen directly rolled his eyes: "Love you? Why would I love you? Just because of your faded-flower looks? Or because of your uneven, lumpy figure—cough! Do you have overconfidence in your charm? Even someone as proud as Ye Xuan could be made to spin around by you? Marrying me is nothing but the blessing of eight lifetimes of cultivation!"

"Alright, take out a mirror and have a look—your mediocre features."

"Liu Liyan is the number one beauty of the Eastern Wasteland, her looks leave you ten streets behind, her cultivation talent is outstanding, and she's the Holy Maiden of the Purple Yang Sect—she outclasses you everywhere. On what grounds do you think I'd abandon her for you? Do you really think that when I used to play around with you before, I was destined to marry none but you?"

Madam Su, hearing these words, felt utterly delighted and laughed out loud: "Miss Lin, I know you can't accept this, but marriage isn't something you can force; Su Chen has indeed already become engaged to Liu Liyan, and you and he have fate but no affinity."

"I'm very pleased with Liu Liyan as my daughter-in-law; as for you, stop living in the past."

Don't live in memories…

Memories…

These words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sending out endless ripples that echoed in Lin Jianran's ears; she racked her brain but couldn't fathom how Su Chen could suddenly stop loving her and reject her so utterly.

Why?

Why didn't he like her, given that before he would pour out his heart for her, and when he saw her wronged he'd care for her as if he himself were about to die?

Why, now that he sees her agony and distress, does he feel nothing, and even the corner of his smile is so bright?

Lin Jianran, seeming to go mad, clapped her hands over her ears and squatted on the ground, letting out a piercing shriek: "Ahhh! No! Impossible! I won't accept it! Liu Liyan isn't worthy of marrying you—she's a demon, the spawn of a heavenly demon!"

"Isn't this the love token? Throw it away, destroy it! I should be the one welcomed through the door by eight black flood dragons as the proper wife—have you been cursed by that wretched Liu Liyan? You weren't like this before!"

"Waa waa waa…"

Staring at that dazzling bracelet before her, Lin Jianran could no longer restrain herself.

Isn't this bracelet the engagement token that Su Chen and Liu Liyan used to attest to their relationship? If she destroys it, she can get back the Su Chen who once liked her.

Then!

What awaited her.

Was a fierce, heavy slap that held nothing back.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

To even things out, he slapped twice.

These two slaps weren't from anyone else—they were from Su Chen, who once loved her to the marrow of his bones.

Then he slapped the blood foam from her mouth, her eardrums rang nonstop, her vision went black, her body pitched forward and she fell straight to the ground; her brain, crashed, couldn't react for a moment to such excruciating pain.

"Ah! Hitting you dirtied my hand—remember, next time it won't be just two slaps. Get lost!"

Su Chen looked down on Lin Jianran from above, personally witnessing her miserable state, personally witnessing her endless tears, and felt not a shred of pity: "Liu Liyan is my fiancée; if I hear even half a word insulting her from your mouth again…"

"... don't blame this young master for being impolite!"

"Get lost, lest you dirty this young master's eyes."

Liu Liyan is his fiancée.

Heh heh!

Then what does she count as?

And how should these three years be reckoned?

Lin Jianran lifted her eyes, already red and swollen from crying, and just stared blankly at Su Chen, hoping to see a flicker of emotion on his face—some pity or love…

Too bad she overthought it.

Not a trace.

Cold, cold—like a lump of ice, devoid of any lover's feeling.

Sizzle!

Something seemed to have been pierced.

It split open.

Lin Jianran pressed a hand to her heaving chest, stumbled to her feet, and no matter what, she could not accept everything she had experienced today.

It was just like having a nightmare.

She shouted with stubborn and obstinate confidence: "It must be Liu Liyan; her eyes, full of ominous and evil, must have bewitched you with her pupil technique!"

"Su Chen, take a good look; standing before me is Lin Jianran, the woman you love deeply, the purest woman in the world!"

"Waa waa waa… I won't quarrel with you unreasonably anymore, Su Chen, please don't be like this, okay? I'm really scared, my heart hurts so much, it feels like being pierced by ten thousand arrows."

Lin Jianran clung tightly to a corner of Su Chen's sleeve.

Su Chen shook her off several times but couldn't shake off this clingy pest.

She obviously regretted it, or rather refused to believe what was happening before her eyes, unable to face or accept the fact that she had completely lost Su Chen.

Still alive, she couldn't get out of the dream she once had.

Not long after.

Lin's mother and Elder Qin, who had come chasing from afar, could hear Lin Jianran's hysterical cries from a distance.

The two had never seen Lin Jianran so demeaning herself; would she weep for Su Chen, or beg him not to leave and not to be contaminated by Liu Liyan's curse?

"Jianran, don't make a scene; hurry back with Aunt to the Lin family."

"Su Chen, how can you treat Jianran like this? She was once your lover unto death, so pure, her talent so outstanding, yet you still let her cry in sorrow. I, I can't bear all this pain—do you know?" Qin Shengzi felt his heart ache so much he could barely breathe.

Su Chen snorted coldly and ruthlessly shook off Lin Jianran.

Lin Jianran still wanted to, lunging at Su Chen, but Lin's mother slapped her awake, her face dark as she shouted: "Enough already—how long are you going to keep embarrassing yourself?"

"The Lin family has lost all face because of you; come back with me, and we can discuss anything once we return to the Lin mansion."

Lin Jianran was forcibly bound by Lin's mother using spiritual power and dragged away, all the while choking out Su Chen's name and giving him a pleading look.

But this time, it disappointed her.

The man who once had her filling his every thought and sight did not turn back, leaving her only an endless backdrop of imagination.

The boy who deeply loved her was lost by her own hand.