Chapter 285: Unable to Resist
"You... You agreed?!" Nalan Yanran was taken aback upon hearing this. She hadn't expected the previously very excited boy to now so calmly agree, leaving her momentarily confused. She couldn't understand what Xiao Yan was thinking at all.
However, what Xiao Yan thought didn't seem to matter to her. As long as the engagement was called off, everything else was secondary.
With her goal achieved, Nalan Yanran's attitude softened a little. She wasn't someone who liked to cause trouble, but when it came to matters of her own future marriage, she couldn't help but get a little emotional. That's why she had used her master as leverage, to speed up the process.
People were like that, losing some rationality and composure when their own interests were involved.
"Do I have any other choice besides agreeing? As you said, you, Nalan Yanran, are the little sect leader of Yun Lan Sect, and your master is the Sect Master. I, Xiao Yan, am just a nameless nobody from a remote city, I truly don't deserve you!" Xiao Yan said, his gaze as cold as ice, speaking softly.
The hand hidden in his sleeve was tightly clenched, his nails almost digging into the flesh, using the pain to numb the anger within. He feared he would lose control and kill the woman in front of him.
The humiliation he suffered today would be remembered in his heart. One day, he would make Nalan Yanran and Yun Lan Sect pay the price!
He was still young, he still needed time to grow.
Even if not for himself, he had to consider the Xiao family!
"Sorry, maybe these words hurt your pride, but they are ultimately the truth." Nalan Yanran was silent for a moment, her cold eyes showing a hint of apology as she softly spoke to Xiao Yan, "There's no future between us. I might have been a bit improper in how I acted when I came to the Xiao family, but when it comes to my own future, I can't compromise. If you're willing, I can offer compensation to you and the Xiao family."
Nalan Yanran, how long do you intend to insult Xiao Yan like this... Xiao Yan's anger flared up, and he forced a cold laugh, suppressing the murderous intent within him. His face was twisted with grim determination as he said, "Enough. From now on, Nalan Yanran and I, Xiao Yan, are no longer connected. The engagement is off... You and your people can leave! Don't force me to kill you here!!"
His expression was fierce, and it was clear that he was on the edge of erupting.
What Nalan Yanran had done today had almost trampled Xiao Yan's dignity into the ground, even humiliating the Xiao family and his father. If not for Yun Lan Sect's name holding him back, he would have been ready to fight to the death!
"Yan'er!" Xiao Zhan stepped forward, grabbing Xiao Yan's body, afraid that his son might do something reckless. But seeing the slight trembling of Xiao Yan's body, he couldn't help but feel guilty and heartbroken.
Nalan Yanran was also startled by Xiao Yan's expression, stepping back involuntarily. She didn't realize how extreme her actions had been today, but seeing Xiao Yan's face now made her realize something was wrong.
Ge Ye stepped forward to protect Nalan Yanran, frowning as he looked at the twisted expression of the young man. He knew Nalan Yanran had made an enemy for herself today. The hatred of a young person was the hardest to erase, especially when it was a deep-seated humiliation. If the other party didn't have talent, it would have been one thing, but with Xiao Yan's talent... this matter would likely have to be reported to the Sect Master. It was beyond his ability to handle.
"The three of you have achieved your goal, you may leave!" Xiao Zhan stood firmly, placing himself between Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan, his cold gaze fixed on Nalan Yanran and the others.
"Uncle Xiao, Nalan Yanran may have made some mistakes today, and I apologize for that. In the future, if you have time, please come to the Nalan family as our guest!" Nalan Yanran bowed to Xiao Zhan with a polite gesture, then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, she turned and left with Ge Ye and another young man.
As soon as Nalan Yanran left the room, Xiao Yan knelt on both knees, bloodshot eyes staring at his father, and slowly said, "Father, the Xiao family has been humiliated because of Xiao Yan today. In the future, I, Xiao Yan, will make them pay back this humiliation a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"
Xiao Zhan hurriedly reached out and helped Xiao Yan up, his voice full of pain, "It's my fault! If only the Xiao family..."
He couldn't finish the sentence. If his father hadn't disappeared back then, perhaps Xiao Yan wouldn't have suffered such humiliation at this age. It was ultimately the Xiao family's weakness that caused all this. Perhaps they should have severed the engagement with the Nalan family long ago.
He should have known better, and he should have acted accordingly. But he had always believed in Xiao Yan's talent and hoped that if Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran married, Xiao Yan would have a great advantage in the future. But now, that advantage was gone, and instead, they had made an enemy.
In the end, it was his fault as a father for not thinking things through.
"Today, no one is allowed to speak of what happened!" Xiao Zhan held Xiao Yan tightly, his fierce eyes sweeping across the room as he issued his command, "If I find out who spreads this, they will be expelled from the Xiao family!"
...
Outside the window, Yao Yan had already taken Gu Xun'er away. The drama had ended, and the plot had changed considerably compared to the original. There was no longer the three-year agreement. However, the future would certainly be even more exciting. Once Xiao Yan had enough power, he would definitely take revenge on Nalan Yanran.
The hatred of youth was always the most intense. In the world of adults, people might consider the gains and losses, but the youth wouldn't care about anything when their blood was up.
It was just unclear if Yun Lan Sect would allow Xiao Yan to grow.
Nalan Yanran herself wouldn't do much, but the old man by her side might not be as restrained. If this matter was passed up the chain, they wouldn't even need Yun Yun or the others to hear about it. The people below would take care of it. Xiao Yan had a tendency to endure, but if he had the strength, he would never let something like this slide. If he had to, he would kneel.
Perhaps that was the difference between adults and youths.
"Flowers bloom and fade, but people never stay young," Yao Yan sighed inwardly, as if reminiscing about his lost youthful days. He then looked down at Gu Xun'er, who was also in deep thought, and smiled, "What are you thinking so seriously?"
"You said you had an acquaintance, right? I'm a little curious about who that acquaintance is. Could it be Nalan Yanran?" Gu Xun'er's elegant eyes shone with a hint of curiosity as she looked at Yao Yan and asked.
Earlier, there hadn't been anyone else in the room, and since Gu Xun'er didn't think Yao Yan had any interaction with Ge Ye or the young man, the remaining candidate was obvious. She couldn't help but suspect.
Could it be that her fiancée still had some connection with Xiao Yan's fiancée?!
"When she was young, I met her once. I do have some connections with her master." Yao Yan said, not even thinking about it, and without changing his expression, he explained naturally, "I didn't expect this little girl to have an engagement with Xiao Yan."
"A little girl? She's a few months older than me. By your definition, am I also a little girl in your eyes?" Gu Xun'er blinked, her cold tone carrying some questioning.
"If I said I treated you like a daughter, would you be upset?" Yao Yan pretended to think for a moment, asking seriously.
"Then you can go tell my father!" Gu Xun'er rolled her eyes at Yao Yan, frowning.
I just want you to call me father... Yao Yan murmured mischievously in his heart, but he would never say that out loud, for fear that Gu Yuan might overhear and slap him. Smiling, he continued holding Gu Xun'er's hand as they walked to her small courtyard. As they reached the door, he let go of her hand.
"Tomorrow, I'll take you to the lake."
"We'll talk about it tomorrow, I may not be free." Gu Xun'er changed her mind, then like a lively butterfly, ran into her small courtyard.
Yao Yan watched her disappear before turning and heading to his own room to continue his cultivation research. This was one of the most important tasks for him in the coming years.
As Gu Xun'er entered her courtyard, she didn't immediately return inside. Instead, she secretly watched Yao Yan's departing figure, then glanced at the chain on her wrist, a different color flickering in her eyes. It seemed she thought of something interesting, and she covered her mouth with a soft chuckle.
"Miss doesn't seem to dislike him?" Hua Yi's figure appeared behind Gu Xun'er, and seeing her expression, she slightly furrowed her brows and asked.
"He's quite interesting," Gu Xun'er smiled faintly, speaking softly.
"People from the Hun Clan usually have extreme personalities and underhanded methods... Miss, you need to be cautious when interacting with him, in case you're deceived," Hua Yi reminded her. This wasn't badmouthing Yao Yan, but the Hun Clan had a terrible reputation, and they were rarely involved in matters that normal people would engage in.
Gu Xun'er's cold eyes moved slightly, her smile fading, and she nodded, acknowledging the advice. Then she spoke, "Hua Yi, go to Yun Lan Sect and warn them not to be so overbearing."
"Because of today?" Hua Yi was startled, then immediately understood Gu Xun'er's intention.
"The Xiao family and the Gu family have old ties. Now that the Xiao family has fallen so low, we can't just watch as Yun Lan Sect bullies them." Gu Xun'er said softly, then walked towards the house, stopping just before entering. She casually added, "By the way, help me find out whether Nalan Yanran's master is male or female."
Hua Yi: ...
...
The next day, the sky was clear and bright.
The azure sky reflected perfectly in the water below.
A small boat glided across the calm water, creating gentle ripples. At the bow, a handsome young man in black held a bamboo rod, fishing. Beside him sat an elegant and beautiful young girl, her delicate feet dangling in the water, gently swaying.
Those small, delicate feet even caught Yao Yan's attention. Beautiful women were always the same—no matter how beautiful, even their feet were perfect, with slightly curled toes, making them appear cute.
"We've been here almost the whole morning..." Gu Xun'er reached over to the fish basket, looking inside to find it empty. She turned to Yao Yan, curious if he was here to fish or just to sunbathe.
"The fish in the lake aren't many," Yao Yan calmly adjusted the bamboo rod, explaining.
"Then what about these?" Gu Xun'er tugged at Yao Yan's clothes, pointing at the school of fish swimming alongside the boat, her eyes filled with suspicion. She held back a smile, asking softly, "Aren't you bad at fishing?"
So, there's something he's not good at!
"Whether I'm good at it or not doesn't matter. The real issue is that these fish aren't cooperating. If they keep ignoring me like this, I'll just drain the lake dry!" Yao Yan's expression stiffened for a moment before he said seriously.
Gu Xun'er couldn't hold it in any longer, bursting into laughter. "You're about to become a Dou Saint, and you're arguing with a bunch of fish~"
"It's different! These fish are being rude!" Yao Yan said angrily. The joy of fishing was in the thrill of the catch, but after a whole morning without even a shrimp, and a whole school of fish swimming nearby, how could he tolerate that?
"Then dive in and catch them!" Gu Xun'er said with a smile.
"Sure!" Yao Yan nodded, then, to Gu Xun'er's surprise, he pulled her hand and jumped into the lake. The sudden action startled her, but once they were in the water, there was no feeling of suffocation or water flow.
When she opened her eyes, the world of the lake unfolded before her. It felt as though an invisible membrane was protecting her, separating her from the lake water. It was like being in a world beneath the lake, and a strange feeling filled her heart.
This strange sight was something Gu Xun'er had never seen before.
"Is this spatial power?" Gu Xun'er asked curiously.
"To be precise, it's the power of heavenly flame!" Yao Yan raised his hand, and a strand of azure flame rose up, as blue as the sea. As it surged, it resembled rolling waves. With the growth of his strength, his control over heavenly flame also deepened, allowing him to perform many abilities that were once unimaginable.
"Heart Flame?" Gu Xun'er recognized the heavenly flame. As the little princess of the Gu Clan , she had been well-educated since childhood and was aware of information that outsiders could not easily access.
"Pick one, and we'll have it for lunch." Yao Yan asked.
"Let's catch the biggest one!" Gu Xun'er's eyes lit up as she pointed to a large fish in the distance.
Yao Yan nodded, following her direction and pulling her hand as they chased after it.
"That one!" The girl said excitedly.
Just as they were about to catch it, Yao Yan suddenly let go of her hand, startling Gu Xun'er, who quickly wrapped her arms around his waist. In the moment that he lost his grip, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her slender waist, feeling the soft, delicate figure pressed against him.
"Don't be scared, I'm here, it's fine!" Yao Yan reassured her softly.
When she heard this, Gu Xun'er realized she was already in his embrace. Her face instantly turned bright red, and she froze for a long moment before weakly muttering, "Let go... let go of me!"
Yao Yan released the shy girl, seemingly not noticing her flushed face. He loosened his grip on her waist and continued to hold her hand, chasing after the fish they had been targeting. At this point, Gu Xun'er couldn't focus on the fish anymore. Her mind was in a whirl, and she was clearly unable to resist.
It had only been two days since their first meeting. (END CHAPTER)
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