Chapter 94: Turmoil

The girl's voice was like a string of jade beads scattered, light and pleasant to the ear, yet clear and strong, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Any normal man who heard her words just now would likely have been so agitated that he would jump up in excitement. A graceful lady is a gentleman's ideal, but... a beauty of Liuyan's caliber, who could rival the most beautiful in the land, was not someone just anyone could touch. In fact, it was almost impossible to find a man in the entire world who could match such a fine lady.

For a long time, the "two beauties" of Northwind City, with their unparalleled charm, had been a topic of endless discussion throughout Yunzhou and the surrounding feudal lords.

People often said, "To win the heart of one of these girls is like a gift from heaven; what more could one ask for in this life?" This was not just an empty saying.

It was known that if one were to talk about business scale, Liu Gu in Northwind City could at most be considered a third-rate merchant, or even less than that. However, because he had a daughter like Liuyan, who was adored by countless young nobles and talented youths, his status was elevated several times over. Many officials and nobles near Northwind City wanted to deepen their ties with him, and their purpose was invariably the same: they all believed that Liuyan would eventually join a great power, and at that time, they could also benefit from Liu Gu's connections.

From this, it was evident how much Liuyan was adored in Northwind City and even throughout Yunzhou. With her beauty that could make the city walls crumble, even the Marquis of Northwind, Dantai Qingshan, showed special favor to the Liu family, even going so far as to let his beloved daughter, Dantai Wanning, become close friends with her...

But now, facing the girl, who could be called a beauty of the world, and her words that seemed to offer herself, Chen Chen felt no joy at all. In fact, he was somewhat regretful for playing too recklessly last night!

Given the situation, how could Chen Chen not guess why the girl had been so preoccupied earlier? It turned out she had been thinking about the words he had blurted out in anger last night.

What made Chen Chen even more speechless was that after much deliberation, the girl's conclusion... was to push herself to the brink. She was already seventeen or eighteen years old, yet she couldn't see the bigger picture. Could she really not guess that what he said was in anger and not to be taken seriously?

"Cough, cough... Miss Liuyan, I think you've misunderstood. Last night, I was just angry at your father's treachery, so I said some things in anger. Please don't take them seriously. Matters like this cannot be decided on a whim..."

Chen Chen, with a black line on his forehead, repeated his stance, fearing that the girl would misunderstand again. He spoke each word clearly and even tried to persuade her earnestly.

However, after hearing his explanation, Liuyan did not feel relieved. The determination on her beautiful face instantly turned into a deep sorrow. Her large, ethereal eyes began to mist over, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"Why must you be so, young master? Whether you meant it or not, since I have said those words, I will not go back on them!"

Tears finally streamed down Liuyan's face, her eyes misty and touching. She seemed to have pushed herself to the edge of a cliff, and the words Chen Chen had just said clearly hadn't registered with her. Her brows, filled with sorrow, also showed a hint of stubbornness that tugged at the heart.

With tearful eyes, she took out a white jade heart, as smooth as snow, from her sleeve. After a final, reluctant glance, she placed it on the round table along with a red string.

Suddenly, the girl wiped away her tears, walked silently to the door, paused briefly, and without turning back, softly said, "This jade heart is more precious to me than my life. I hope you will keep it well." Then, she disappeared down the inn's corridor, her sleeves fluttering, leaving behind a trail of sobs.

"Hey? Liuyan, you're here too? I was just about to invite you and Brother Chen Chen to go shopping at the night market..."

At that moment, Dantai Wanning happened to pass by the door, seemingly looking for her "Brother Chen Chen." She saw Liuyan's back just as she was about to enter and faintly heard the sound of crying.

"Wanning?"

Dantai Wanning's sudden appearance startled Chen Chen, who was still in a daze in the hall. He quickly picked up the jade heart from the table, but before he could explain, the girl who had just entered the door saw the jade in his hand.

"Brother Chen Chen, you...?" In an instant, Dantai Wanning's eyes misted over, and she was too agitated to speak.

She had grown up with Liuyan, and they were like sisters. She knew very well what that jade meant to her good sister.

At that moment, even Dantai Wanning, with her elegant and detached nature, felt a tremor in her heart. Her eyes turned red, and tears quickly wet the light veil on her face.

"Wanning, you... you... don't misunderstand, it's not what you think, please listen to me!" For some reason, seeing the girl so upset, Chen Chen, who was usually unflappable, became flustered and spoke incoherently, rushing to support Dantai Wanning's delicate body, fearing that she would run off like the previous girl without any explanation.

"Then, Brother Chen Chen, explain yourself..." Dantai Wanning's cheeks under the veil puffed up slightly, and large tears continued to fall, making her look both angry and charming.

"Wanning, listen to me. This jade heart, Miss Liuyan gave it to me herself, it has nothing to do with me!" Chen Chen shook his head and quickly explained. The girl's appearance was so touching that any man would be moved. She was only a teenager, yet she already had such a captivating presence; how much more charming would she be when she grew up...

"Really?" The girl looked at him with doubt, clearly knowing there was more to the story!

Chen Chen, already exhausted by Liuyan's earlier actions, was now completely defeated by this little girl. He wiped his sweat and recounted the entire story in detail, leaving out no detail, fearing that the girl would cause more trouble.

However, after listening to Chen Chen's explanation, the girl did not feel relieved. Her eyes filled with even more tears, and she glared at Chen Chen, trembling with anger. "Brother Chen Chen, how could you make such a demand to Liuyan's father? You... you are simply too despicable!"

"Wanning, I..." Chen Chen was truly at a loss, having never seen the girl so angry before. Even when he bullied her as a child, she would always return to his side, clinging to him like a little cat.

But now...

Chen Chen was completely baffled. He had explained everything clearly, so why was the girl still so upset, and even calling him despicable for the first time?

Chen Chen's thoughts were in chaos.

He naturally didn't dare to argue with the girl and quickly lowered his stance, trying to comfort her. "Wanning, what did I do wrong? Can you explain it clearly? You're making me feel wronged!"

"Hmph!" Dantai Wanning seemed genuinely angry, pouting and turning her head away.

Seeing this, Chen Chen felt a headache and was at a loss. He tried his best to comfort the girl, but he was not good with words, making him feel even more awkward.

Fortunately, Dantai Wanning was only thirteen or fourteen years old. Although she was already very mature, her heart was still soft like a little girl's. Seeing Chen Chen sweating and struggling to explain, her angry face gradually softened, and she began to listen to him again.

"Brother Chen Chen... what you did was really despicable..." The girl's voice was low and filled with sorrow, her brows showing even more sadness.

"Ah..." Chen Chen sighed, feeling tired. He reached out and gently removed the veil from the girl's face, placing it aside, and began to clumsily wipe away her tears. Perhaps because he was too tired, he no longer focused on the girl's beautiful face, acting more like an older brother comforting a little girl...

"Brother Chen Chen, are you angry with Wanning?" Seeing Chen Chen's tired face, Dantai Wanning's heart softened, and she suddenly felt guilty, her mood shifting from anger to self-reproach.

"No, I just feel that this matter is not as clear as it seems..." Chen Chen shook his head, feeling even more regretful about his actions last night. The incident seemed more complicated than it appeared, and some of his words or actions might have touched on the girl's taboos.

"Brother Chen Chen, if you hadn't made that demand, Liuyan might have hesitated, but since you did, it's not surprising that she would push herself to this extreme..." Dantai Wanning said softly, her eyes filled with a complex light.

"Ah..." Chen Chen looked puzzled, scratching his nose.

"Brother Chen Chen, you don't know. Liuyan's mother, Lin Ruyu, was once a well-known lady in Northwind City. However, the Lin family later fell into ruin, and to avoid poverty, Lin Ruyu's father arranged for her to marry Liu Gu, who was already a successful businessman."

Dantai Wanning explained, her eyes filled with sadness. "But at that time, Lin Ruyu already had a lover who had done a great deal for her. After much consideration, she chose to let go and sacrificed herself for the Lin family. For the next few decades, she was always melancholic, always looking forward, and never forgetting the regret of her past. She felt she had wronged her lover. On her deathbed, she tearfully instructed Liuyan, 'No matter what your future holds, do not leave any regrets in your heart.' It could be said that Liuyan's current gentle and weak nature is influenced by her mother's tragic life..."

"But what does this have to do with the matter at hand?" Chen Chen laughed awkwardly, feeling guilty, clearly seeing the connection...

"Hmph! Brother Chen Chen, you're such a blockhead, how can you not understand a girl's heart?" Dantai Wanning glared at him, scolding, "With Liuyan's gentle and compliant