Wei Chan sobbed as she said, “If only I knew what I had done to irritate him. He sent somebody over here a few nights ago, directly informing me that I was not qualified to be a daughter-in-law of the Lu Family. If I was sensible and considerate, I should ask my elders to stand out and find an excuse to break off the marital engagement between us. Otherwise, he would strike out by himself, which probably would embarra.s.s the whole Wei Family!”

As Song Yixiao heard her words, she was astounded and said, “How come did that happen? How come did he request to break off a public marital engagement without any valid reasons? You'd better think about it discreetly!”

Wei Chan, who was genuinely anxious, replied, “Based on how the current situation goes, if I insisted on playing dumb, I would certainly bring destruction upon myself.” After that, she simply stood up and left her seat. “Bang!” Kneeling down in front of Song Yixiao directly, she clutched at her knees and wept as she said, “Previously, I obeyed Auntie's order and confronted the heir of Marquis Fuyang on purpose at an exact time when he had pa.s.sed by us at Her Highness Dowager Consort's birthday party. The reason why I did so was to make him the enemy of the heir of Marquis Fuyang. However, I didn't succeed in the end and directly returned to the party! Other than that, I didn't do anything else to him!”

“How about my mother? Did you ever send someone to ask her about this?” Although Song Yixiao knew she would have little to expect from Wei Chan's answer, she still asked, “After all, both you and Mother are the daughters of the Wei Family. If your marital engagement was broken off, she would be embarra.s.sed too. If she knew what had happened to you, anyway, she should help you figure it out, right?”

Wei Chan forced a smile and replied, “My mother went to the Prince of Hengshan's mansion in person and requested to present herself in front of Auntie yesterday. However, according to Auntie, Third Young Master Lu was given birth by Prince of Hengshan's first wife and I was her direct niece, making it somewhat inappropriate for her to stand up for me. It was not after my mother implored her over and over again that she finally consented to submit Third Young Master Lu to see her when she was available, inquiring about the reason why he had done so to me. Even so, Third Young Master Lu only gave me a five-day deadline. Auntie might not be necessarily available within the next five days!”

What Wei Chan had said confirmed what Song Yixiao had estimated was true. Wei Chan did have offended Wei Mengying!

“She abandoned me resolutely, her biological daughter, at her will, let alone you, who are simply a niece to her.” Song Yixiao sighed in secret and thought, “Taking Mother's character into account, after suffering such a great loss because of a junior like you, she certainly will teach you a lesson, which you will bear in mind all over your life!”

However, Wei Mengying's plot against Wei Chan would directly break off her marital engagement with Lu Guanlun, which would drive her to a dead-end!

Although Song Yixiao disagreed as to how she had played against Lu Guanlun previously, after all, she was her biological cousin. As Wei Chan cried her heart out, Song Yixiao felt somewhat sorry for her. She hesitated for a while and eased her tone as she said, “If you just can't figure out the reason, I will see whether Xubai can ask Lu Guanlun out to inquire about the details after I am home!”

Song Yixiao's words made Wei Chan say thanks to her consecutively. Song Yixiao asked her to stand up and said, “I will try my best. But I can't give you any guarantee. As the current situation across the royal court goes, Prince of Hengshan's family is somewhat unwilling to communicate with Xubai. I am not sure whether Lu Guanlun will show up.”

“Whatever the result is, I am deeply grateful to you, Yixiao!” Wei Chan continued hurriedly, “Yixiao, never will I forget your great kindness in my life!”

It was not until this moment that Song Yixiao realized that the Wei Family, who was holding a party for celebration, pretended to be tough while clenching at a flimsy chance.

As a result, after enjoying some food, she refused the Wei Family's guest detainment request subtly and went back to Duke of Yan's mansion in a hurry.

By the time Song Yixiao arrived home, Jian Xubai had not got off work yet. She came back to the back hall and got changed with homely clothing. After she removed the hairpins and bracelets, she called Jinxun over to comb her hair as she closed her eyes, pondering on how she should help Wei Chan out.

“Lu Guanlun was always kind to me. Whenever he went out for a trip previously, besides bringing gifts to Lu Chai'er and Lu Kou'er, never did he leave me out. I could do nothing at all if I didn't know how his marriage had been manipulated. But I did. In this case, if I kept standing by, I would feel pretty guilty!”

However, since the news that he had been engaged to Wei Chan had been made public, Song Yixiao dared not do anything merciless if Wei Chan would be thus forced to commit suicide.

She pondered on it for quite a while and made up her mind in the end as she thought, “I will think of a way to ask him out first, figuring out why he insisted on abandoning Wei Chan. Then I will think about what the next step is!”

Although she grew up in Prince of Hengshan's mansion, she was connected to Lu Guanlun neither by status nor by blood. If she wanted to ask him out, she surely had to ask for Jian Xubai's help. Consequently, when Jian Xubai came home a while later, Song Yixiao treated him quite attentively, going forward to help him take off the gown, handing the handkerchief over to him, and so on. She was so enthusiastic that Jian Xubai could not help frowning incessantly.

In the end, Jian Xubai sat on the couch and saw his wife coming to his side with a cup of tea of light green color, saying she had cooked the Erui tea by herself. Jian Xubai, who could not stand it anymore, winked at the servants and asked them to retreat. After that, he questioned solemnly, “Did you do anything unfair to me? Why are you so diffident?”

Never did Song Yixiao expect that her humbleness and obedience would make Jian Xubai doubt her instead. She was so angry that she almost left in anger. However, upon thinking of the promise she had made to Wei Chan, she suppressed her anger and said agitatedly, “So you mean I can't be nice to you in the future, right?”

She thought in secret, “Jian Xubai, to be honest, I am unwilling to b.u.t.ter you up.”

“It seems you want me to do you a favor, right?” Jian Xubai, who was quick-witted, figured the situation out as he heard Song Yixiao's words. He could not help smiling playfully and leaned backward slightly. Putting the cup of Erui tea on the table, which he had taken a sip of, he lifted his eyebrows as he said, “In that case, what you did is not enough. As your husband, you are obligated to serve me with drinks and take care of me after I come back home!”

He glimpsed at his wife and said, “Since what you did is your obligation, it certainly is unreasonable for you to ask for additional favors from me.”

Song Yixiao heard his words and thought, “I did expect you would a.s.sume airs deliberately!”

She gritted her teeth in secret, walked over to his side reluctantly, and clenched her fists gloomily as she pounded his shoulders. However, soon after that, Jian Xubai said that his legs were sore due to a whole day's sitting. She had no choice but to go around to the front of him, knelt down, and struck his legs. After that, Jian Xubai had more tricks, saying due to the dry and arid weather, he had felt so stuffy in the office that he got a headache. According to him, he would like to hang down his hair loosely so that Song Yixiao could comb hair for him.

Song Yixiao forced herself to comb his hair for a while, making the inky black hair radiant, smooth, and silky. As she knelt down on the couch, she saw Jian Xubai's hair pooling down straight like the current, spreading over a large proportion of the couch in a dense ma.s.s. A part of his neck, which was as white as the jade and snow, was vaguely seen among the hair, looking fairer. She could not stand it any longer as she asked, “Can we get down to business now?”

“What kind of business?” Jian Xubai closed his eyes and enjoyed himself the same way Song Yixiao had done when Jinxun had combed her hair. As he heard her words, he finally opened his eyes with faint happiness flas.h.i.+ng across the corner of his eyes. However, he played dumb on purpose and said, “Is it time for dinner? Should we ask the servants to begin serving the dishes?”

Song Yixiao clenched at the comb tightly and stared at his back view for a while closely. All of a sudden, she threw the comb backward randomly and lunged herself forward, forcing herself completely on his back. As she threw her arms around his neck conveniently, she tilted her head slightly, making her red lips brush by his cheek gently. Her motions made Jian Xubai astounded at first. After that, he lifted up the corner of his lips right away as he thought, “She is finally enlightened after playing so many dumb games!”

Who knew that she just bit him in the neck!

Unfortunately, Jian Xubai, who thought his wife was taking the initiative to get close to him, indulged himself in the happiness and didn't come to his senses. Thinking that his wife, who was inexperienced, might be kissing him somewhat anxiously, he didn't feel pain at all while immersing himself in a good mood. Instead, he raised his head obediently to make Song Yixiao kiss him with ease.

Song Yixiao kept biting him until she tasted something b.l.o.o.d.y on the tip of her tongue. After that, she stood up moodily, intending to keep arguing with him. However, Jian Xubai turned around and didn't look angry at all. Instead, a faint smile lingered around the corner of his lips. He looked so happy that it seemed his happiness could flow down the corner of his eyes and eyebrows, making Song Yixiao extremely confused. As she was about to say something, Jian Xubai stretched his arms out and threw them around her shoulders. Exerting his force somewhat forcibly, he turned over and pressed her on the couch, kissing her unscrupulously and fervently…

It was not until quite a while later that Jian Xubai let go of her reluctantly. As he stood up, he asked in a low voice, “Is it a convenient date for you today?”

Song Yixiao gasped and shook her head. Looking disappointed, he bent over and kissed her cheek. With a smile on his face, he held her in his arms and said amiably, “What did you plan to say a moment ago?”

“Can you ask Lu Guanlun out?” Song Yixiao sensed he had changed his att.i.tude bafflingly and considered him a person of incalculable moods. As she heard his question, of course, she would not be polite to him. Leaning on him lazily, she said, “Someone sent a letter to my cousin Wei Chan on his behalf, saying he was unwilling to marry her and she should think of ways to break off the marital engagement. Otherwise, everybody would get hurt if they turned against each other, which would be extremely disadvantageous to her. I couldn't bear to see my cousin ending up miserably. So I consented to help her and think of ways to inquire about Lu Guanlun's opinion!”

Of course, Jian Xubai knew the Wei Family had held a party to celebrate the marital engagement between them and Prince of Hengshan's family. Since Song Yixiao had not asked him to accompany her there and he, who had been busy dealing with Xu Xis.h.i.+'s issue, had to work today, he didn't attend the party.

As he heard his wife out, he smiled gently and said, “I thought it would be something big. Based on my knowledge about Lu Guanlun, he is not someone that will do something like this. Did you ask your cousin what the postman looked like and whether he was confirmed to be someone sent by Lu Guanlun? Could it be that somebody intending to stop her from marrying Lu Guanlun had thought of such a way to get her tricked?”

“Originally, I also thought so.” Song Yixiao forced a smile and added, “However, according to my cousin, the next day after she received the letter, her mother, my eldest aunt, rushed to Prince of Hengshan's mansion in person and discussed it with my mother. It turned out my mother confirmed that it was Lu Guanlun who had sent the postman over! In that case, everything should be true. Isn't it?”

As Jian Xubai heard her words, it was not until he was silent for a while that he said, “To be honest, did your cousin or your eldest aunt ever offend your mother?”

Sensing Song Yixiao's ambiguous att.i.tude, he knew very well in his mind and smiled gently as he said, “Then it may not necessarily be Lu Guanlun who sent the postman. I am afraid it was your mother who intended to teach the Wei Family a lesson by doing so. After all, since the marital marriage was made public, whatever the reason for breaking up might be, it would put the girl in an awkward position. Our step sister is a perfect example. Lu Guanlun is known for his generosity. As long as your cousin didn't do anything bad to him, he certainly wouldn't be so merciless.”

As Song Yixiao heard his a.n.a.lysis, she agreed with him upon looking back on the whole issue. She could not help letting out a long sigh and said happily, “If so, that would be the best! However, since it is such a big thing, we still need to talk with Lu Guanlun. Only after my cousin gets a definite answer from him will she feel relieved!”

Jian Xubai said yes to her smilingly. As he saw her beaming with joy, he could not help kissing her cheek and teased her as he said, “Look at how relieved you are now! In my opinion, it's not a big issue at all!”

“To me, it's indeed big!” Song Yixiao pushed him cutely and prettily as she explained solemnly, “Wei Chan is my biological cousin. Although she is somewhat calculative, after all, it's human nature. I am surely unwilling to see her future being ruined; Moreover, Lu Guanlun treated me nicely, making it difficult for me to trick him for the sake of my cousin! So it would be best if it turned out to be a misunderstanding! Otherwise, I would be in a dilemma.”

“He treated you nicely?” As Jian Xubai heard her words, his tone was somewhat subtle. He asked, “How?”

At that moment, feeling relaxed, Song Yixiao did not overthink it as she heard Jian Xubai's question. She told him everything about how Lu Guanlun had taken care of her in the past dumbly. Unfortunately, nestling up in Jian Xubai's arms, she leaned on his body and placed her head against his chest. Of course, she couldn't see the expression on his face.

So Song Yixiao didn't notice the look on her husband's face was more and more solemn. Instead, she said pretty melancholily as she got to the end of her narration, “There was a period when I admired Lu Kou'er and Lu Chai'er very much. The reason was no more than that they had got such a good brother like Lu Guanlun. Although he did treat me as his sister, after all, we are not connected by blood…”

As Jian Xubai heard her last sentence, he could not control himself anymore. Sneering, he interrupted her as he said, “It is quite easy to be done if you want Lu Guanlun to be your brother. Although there is no hope for you to be connected by blood, he can still be your lover, right?”

It was not until Song Yixiao heard his words that she finally sensed that something had gone wrong. However, before she had time to explain, Jian Xubai pushed her away. He stood up with a cold look on his face and tidied up his robe, which had been crumpled. Glimpsing at his wife out of the corner of his eyes, who was at a loss, he felt more furious. He sneered as he said, “I had been doubting why you were so attentive to me today. It turned out your cousin was no more than a ploy. What you were genuinely concerned about was that your lover would be thus wronged!”

Originally, Song Yixiao planned to talk it out with him. As she heard his words, the look on her face was ghastly. She said, “If I had planned to do so, it would not have been your turn to marry me! We would have taken advantage of the favorable position to be together early!”

Hearing this, Jian Xubai flew into a rage and said, “Taking advantage of the favorable position? Wow! I doubt whether an ordinary master from a prince's mansion dares to fight with me over a girl! You can try it out. Even if you married him in an open manner, he could not protect you at all if I insisted on getting you!”

“You are simply ridiculous!” Song Yixiao explained angrily, “Nothing happened between us at all! He just treated me quite nicely…”

“So you just took him to your heart?” Jian Xubai also knew there should be no personal friends.h.i.+p between his wife and Lu Guanlun. Firstly, Lu Guanlun was well-known to all for his character; Secondly, Song Yixiao was not stupid at all. If she did have done something fishy, she certainly would cover it up. She surely wouldn't have taken the initiative to bring the topic up to him.

However, Jian Xubai, who was in a fit of anger, couldn't avoid saying whatever he liked. So at that moment, he said on purpose, “Even so, why do you always keep him in your mind after marrying me! Did you ever think of me, your husband by the first marriage, constantly like this?”

It turned out his last sentence was what he wanted to convey from the bottom of his heart, indicating he was jealous of Lu Guanlun!

However, Song Yixiao, who had labeled him as a person of incalculable moods, was also in a fit of rage. She certainly wouldn't view the issue from a simple perspective.

As she stared at Jian Xubai expressionlessly, she said, “Since you doubted about my loyalty, you could simply write me a divorce letter. After that, I promise that I will leave here right away in case your mansion will be soiled!” Everything she said seemed to have been dipped by the ice, which sounded so chilly that the coldness crept into their bones.