Volume One, Chapter 18: She Will Deal with Willow First

Rong Yue, the youngest master of the Rong family, was the old man’s cherished son, born in his twilight years and spoiled beyond measure. Unlike his brothers, who were all calm and discreet, Rong Yue was a notorious troublemaker, a wild spirit who relished chaos and feared nothing.

“I’m talking to you—cat got your tongue?”

His voice was vibrant and forceful, surging like an untamed river, brimming with arrogance and youthful confidence. Among his brothers, he was not only the youngest, but actually two years her junior.

Yan Qiuning took a deep breath. She reminded herself that she had never wronged Rong Yue. She’d always treated little Rong as a younger brother, stood by him in everything, and whenever there was conflict among their group, she was the first to defend him.

She’d always thought their relationship was as close as real siblings. Only after Li Qingran’s arrival did she realize how naive she’d been.

“You’ve got the wrong person. I’m Yan Qiuning.”

With that, she hung up.

Immediately, the call came through again.

She blocked the number.

Once, she’d been entangled with these men in ways too complicated to count, but now she wanted nothing more than distance—even if one of them truly was the biological father of her child.

He didn’t deserve to be a father.

Elsewhere, the lush, blossoming Xiangshan remained a secret garden, closed to outsiders.

A group gathered on the lawn—barbecue, wine, games—everything one could wish for. The blaze lit up the entire hill.

“Damn it, that woman’s grown wings—she actually dared to hang up on me!” Rong Yue, never one for patience, hurled his phone straight into the fire.

Li Qingran, sucking on a lollipop, kept her eyes glued to her laptop. “There are still people who dare defy you, Little Master Rong.”

Rong Yue ran over to peer at the dense lines of code on her screen. “Ranran, can you really find that person for me?”

Li Qingran smiled with easy confidence. “Of course. In this day and age, as long as you’re alive, you leave a trail. Even if you don’t use a smartphone—even if you’re a caveman—sooner or later you’ll be found.”

“There it is.”

She sent him the location.

Rong Yue gazed at her with open admiration. “Ranran, you’re amazing! So this is what hacking is like. You’re not just a doctor, you’re a computer genius too!”

She patted his head affectionately. “I have many talents.”

Her eyes drifted to Shang Lu, who was speaking to someone else. She picked up a plate of grilled meat and walked over. “Sixth Brother, is there still trouble with the administrative review?”

Shang Lu, his expression dark, had no appetite. “It’ll be resolved in a few days.”

He glanced at Rong Yue, who still hovered around Li Qingran like a shadow. “Didn’t you call her already?”

At the mention of that woman, Rong Yue’s face soured. “Sixth Brother, she claims to be Yan Qiuning now. She promised before—if she wanted to play with us, she couldn’t go back to the Yan family. Now she’s blocked us outright. She’s so damn snobbish, pregnant with some bastard and seducing men everywhere.”

He grew more agitated as he spoke, cursing freely.

Li Qingran listened, feigning indifference. “Perhaps she thinks she has nothing left, so there’s no point competing with me. She went back to seek protection. With Qin Zhan’s power in the capital, it’s natural for her to follow him.”

Rong Yue snorted. “Ranran, how could she compare to you? Don’t worry, we’re all here for you. For years she’s lived off your life, acting like she owns it. If she likes being a Yan, I’ll make sure the Yan family never raises their heads again.”

Shang Lu’s gaze lingered on their faces, then he turned to Li Qingran. “And your father—how is he?”

A subtle light flickered in Li Qingran’s eyes. “Sixth Brother, you know my skills. He’s physically fine, but he keeps wanting to see his daughter.”

“Li Qiuning is such an ingrate. The Li family raised her for years, and she changed her surname just like that. Her adoptive father is on his deathbed and she won’t even see him. At least we saw through her long ago—she’s disgusting,” Rong Yue declared, his loathing plain.

Shang Lu glanced at his phone—the message he’d sent had bounced back with an exclamation mark. He felt a hollow pang, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

How tactless.

“If the Li family has any trouble, let me know.” With that, he signaled his assistant to wheel him away.

Rong Yue called after him, “Sixth Brother, what’s going on? We agreed to a monthly gathering at Xiangshan, but none of you show up anymore. Is it because Li Qiuning isn’t here? Ranran really cares about—”

Li Qingran shot him a sharp look. “Enough. I see Sixth Brother all the time. The party isn’t important. Besides, he’s busy—he has the whole Qin family to deal with.”

Rong Yue grumbled, but he always listened to her.

Shang Lu said offhandedly, “If no one comes, there’s no need to keep meeting.”

Li Qingran’s expression shifted minutely, but she replied considerately, “Everyone’s been busy lately.”

“I’ll take you home,” Shang Lu offered, his gentlemanly demeanor returning at her thoughtfulness.

Li Qingran gathered her things. “Rong Yue, the person you’re looking for is connected to Yan Shu. Don’t be reckless.”

It was more of a suggestion than a warning.

...

“Our young master has specially invited you to discuss the marriage contract—you should be grateful,” Li Mei snapped, her tone sharp. She stood to one side, eyeing the luxurious, custom-made gowns in the wardrobe and imagining how they’d look on her—surely better than on this woman.

Yan Qiuning’s brow furrowed, her icy gaze sweeping over but offering no rebuke. For a mere servant to behave so brazenly, she must have more than just the Shang family’s backing.

After all, distant allies are no help in a crisis. If the Qin family discovered her intentions, it would be simple enough for them to intervene.

“Whether I’m grateful or not is one thing—but you certainly won’t be. Shang Lu knows this child isn’t his, yet insists on clinging to me. Is it love, or just reluctance to let go? If I really marry him, will you still have a chance?”

“The Shang family’s coming to negotiate with the Qin family over the engagement. Do you really think they’ll look down on me as before? If I rise in the world, you’ll be the first I deal with.”

She arranged her hair in the mirror, unhurried and composed. What did it matter if the Shang family had sent people? She wouldn’t be foolish enough to believe they truly valued her.

Madam Shang would do anything for her son; what should have been an insult to their family had instead become an obsession with fulfilling the engagement. The reasons behind it sent chills down one’s spine.

Li Mei glared at her with spite. Sitting there, she was the very image of a demure lady. “Don’t get cocky. Madam wants to see you, but don’t think you’re so important. If it weren’t for—”