Xiao Lan, being dragged along affectionately by Liang Huan, walked to the street corner, to a spot where her mother presumably couldn’t see. She quickly withdrew her hand:

“Tell me, what are you planning?”

Liang Huan looked at Xiao Lan and had to admit she was truly beautiful – no wonder Fan Zhen Chuan was attracted to her and valued her so highly. Previously, if her countryside cousin had spoken so rudely, Liang Huan would have retaliated with sarcasm. But now things were different – her cousin was about to become Fan Zhen Chuan’s wife… Liang Huan thought about mending their sisterly relationship.

Liu Fang hadn’t spoiled this daughter in vain – Liang Huan wore different masks for different people.

With those more powerful than her, she knew how to act sweet and nice, which was why Fan Zhen Chuan’s mother liked her so much.

“Cousin, I have good news to tell you, hehe… but never mind, it won’t be a surprise if I tell you. Someone wants to meet you, and you’ll understand everything after meeting her.”

Being deliberately courted by the Fan family’s housekeeper was treatment even Liang Huan hadn’t experienced. She truly believed this was good news, and her confident expression showed no malice, which made Xiao Lan even more suspicious. She was already wary of Liu Fang and her daughter, given how thoroughly Liu Fang demonstrated her “social climbing” nature, and with Grandmother Yu’s warning, Xiao Lan suspected Liang Huan was trying to lure her to some deserted place.

Liang Huan wasn’t lying – someone was indeed waiting at the alley entrance.

It was a young woman in her twenties, dressed modestly. When she saw Liang Huan bringing Xiao Lan, her gaze fixed on Xiao Lan and wouldn’t move away.

“Here, I’ve brought my cousin. You can ask her yourself.”

Liang Huan wanted to stay and listen, but worried about embarrassing Xiao Lan, she thoughtfully let the young maid ask in private.

If this wasn’t a busy alley entrance and if Liang Huan hadn’t brought her to meet a woman, Xiao Lan would have already stunned Liang Huan with her electric shock device.

Liang Huan was acting like a procuress!

“You’re truly beautiful, no wonder he likes you.”

Xiao Yu spoke softly, seeming slightly dazed. Xiao Lan’s beauty was like a sharp dagger, capable of piercing any man’s heart, right? Even Fan Zhen Chuan, who had been living freely since his wife’s death years ago, wanted to marry after seeing Xiao Lan.

Xiao Lan’s mood soured at this resentful tone. “What’s wrong with you? If you have something to say, say it. If not, excuse me.”

Xiao Yu choked.

The mood she had just built up was violently interrupted by Xiao Lan.

She quickly adjusted her way of speaking:

“I came to meet you today because we’ll have to get along in the future. You may have the official position, but I’m not a pushover. It’s just that I can’t marry Zhen Chuan, otherwise he wouldn’t be marrying you… I’m a bit older than you, but I won’t bully you. In the future, we should coexist peacefully, not interfering with each other’s existence, serving Zhen Chuan together. I can do it, can you?”

This woman must be either crazy or stupid.

Xiao Lan couldn’t understand what she was talking about. Though her rambling revealed a lot of information – who was going to marry her?

Zhou Cheng had mentioned marriage, but Zhou Cheng was her official boyfriend – regardless of her pace, his proposal made sense. But a strange woman appearing and spouting nonsense – was she mentally ill? Serve who together? Was it the kind of “serving” she was thinking of?!

“Stop, stop, stop. Can’t you speak properly? Even storytelling should start from the beginning! Who is Zhen Chuan, and who are you? This is ridiculous – I don’t even know I’m getting married, and here you are warning me to behave after entering the household… I must correct you on one thing – you look well into your twenties, not just a bit older’ than me.”

Xiao Yu’s face went pale.

The pitiful, gentle act was meant for men – trying it with Xiao Lan was like showing off one’s trivial skills to an expert.

She hadn’t expected Xiao Lan, who looked so delicate and charming, to have such a mismatched personality.

Repeatedly going off script left Xiao Yu speechless!

Xiao Lan wasn’t wrong, and the “twenty-something” Xiao Yu gritted her teeth: “Why are you pretending? Don’t you know you’re going to marry Zhen Chuan?”

Xiao Lan shook her head honestly. “Who’s that?”

“Fan Zhen Chuan from Hedong County!”

Even after hearing the full name, she didn’t know – truly an ignorant country girl! How hateful that this village girl had such a bewitching face, appearing so deceptive.

Xiao Lan couldn’t even name all the important people in Anqing County, let alone neighboring Hedong County. She didn’t feel she needed to remember these figures – people aim high, and Xiao Lan’s stage wasn’t in this small county town. While Anqing could be called her hometown, Hedong County had no connection to her. But the woman before her thought differently. The Liang family was from Hedong County, and Aunt Liu Fang’s persistent matchmaking must have been for this “Fan Zhen Chuan” – Xiao Lan found it absurdly funny. She had never agreed to anything, so what gave the man’s side the impression she had accepted the marriage?

Yet here was a woman seeking her out.

Wanting to negotiate about their future coexistence.

“You must be Fan Zhen Chuan’s woman? I don’t care about your affairs. I’m hearing about this person for the first time and won’t marry him. Rest assured, no one will fight you for your man.”

It must be Aunt Liu Fang deceiving both sides.

Xiao Lan had nearly become “problem-solving obsessed” lately, her mind full of nothing but practice problems and Liu Fang was dragging her into this melodrama. Xiao Lan was angry enough to hit someone.

Xiao Yu could see she wasn’t lying.

Could she not know?

Of course – if she knew she was to marry Fan Zhen Chuan, no woman would remain unmoved by such provocation.

But knowing or not knowing made little difference. Fan Zhen Chuan had many women, including Xiao Yu, and several weren’t with him willingly. Whether the woman herself agreed didn’t affect the outcome.

“He wants to marry you, you’ll end up marrying him eventually. If you don’t want to marry, then run away quickly… the further the better.”

Xiao Yu had no confidence in defeating Xiao Lan. Upon seeing her in person, she knew her fall from favor was inevitable. Unless Xiao Lan didn’t exist – so Xiao Yu tried to persuade her to run away.

Would Xiao Lan run?

She still didn’t know Fan Zhen Chuan planned to hold the wedding in May – it must be that the girl herself was unwilling to marry, and her family was arranging it behind her back.

After saying this, Xiao Yu left. If Xiao Lan was smart enough, she would inquire about Fan Zhen Chuan’s reputation. If Xiao Lan chose to “escape the marriage,” Xiao Yu would be glad to see it.

Perhaps she would even help with travel expenses.

Xiao Lan watched her leave, knowing this must all be Liu Fang’s doing. Returning to the store, she found Liang Huan playfully sweet-talking Liu Fen. The anger in her heart couldn’t be suppressed. She stepped forward and grabbed Liang Huan’s arm, making her stagger:

“What a good cousin you are! Tell me, for what price did your mother sell me? I’m getting married, but I don’t know about it?”

So much for staying calm and unmoved by honor or disgrace.

With this ridiculous situation, Xiao Lan found herself in, she wanted to handle it roughly – she didn’t want to let Liu Fang off easily by staying calm!