Duan Tiantian wiped away her tears, about to make a few more promises that she would never do anything so foolish again, when the phone in her handbag suddenly vibrated.
She glanced down. The caller ID read Lingling.
It was like grabbing hold of a lifeline.
Looking cautiously at Lu Yannan, she whispered, “It’s Lingling…”
His expression didn’t change. He merely lifted his chin slightly, signaling for her to answer.
Fumbling nervously, Duan Tiantian accepted the call.
Before she could say a word, Meng Shuling’s excited voice exploded through the phone.
“Tiantian! Tiantian! Guess what? It’s over! It’s completely over!”
Duan Tiantian froze. She instinctively glanced at Lu Yannan before hurriedly lowering her eyes again.
“What do you mean, it’s over?”
“The engagement! My engagement with Lu Yannan is dead!”
Meng Shuling’s voice was so loud it seemed determined to let the whole world hear. Even over the phone, Duan Tiantian could picture her grinning from ear to ear.
“You have no idea! I told my parents that Lu Yannan can’t… you know… function. The look on my dad’s face—he looked like he’d swallowed a fly! Even my mom was completely stunned! Hahaha! Let’s see how they try to force me to marry him now!”
Duan Tiantian’s scalp went numb.
“…”
She secretly looked toward Lu Yannan.
He was still leaning lazily against the sofa, his handsome, aloof face showing almost no reaction.
Even so, she felt as though disaster was moments away.
Panicking, she reached to end the call, but her hands were shaking so badly that the phone slipped in her palm. Instead of hanging up, she accidentally tapped the speakerphone.
Meng Shuling’s voice instantly filled the silent living room.
Every word rang out crystal clear.
“I’m telling you, my parents’ expressions were priceless! I could laugh about it for a whole year! You should’ve seen my dad wondering how Lu Yannan could possibly have that problem. I nearly died laughing!”
Duan Tiantian felt as though she were sitting on needles.
She wanted to hang up, but after seeing Lu Yannan’s expression, she didn’t dare move.
Meanwhile, Meng Shuling continued laughing away, blissfully unaware of the danger she was in. She had completely convinced herself that Lu Yannan was incapable, conveniently forgetting how completely she’d fallen apart in his arms that night.
“That cold-faced devil always acts so untouchable. I thought he was supposed to be amazing, but it turns out he’s just all show and no substance—a silver spear with a wax tip, pretty to look at but useless!”
She snickered.
“Do you think he actually likes men? Is that why he’s never gotten married? What a waste of such a handsome face. He can just stay single forever. That cold-faced devil doesn’t need a wife anyway! Hahaha!”
Duan Tiantian stood there frozen, clutching the phone as though it were a burning coal.
She didn’t dare look at Lu Yannan.
Several agonizing seconds later, a deep, measured voice finally broke the silence.
“Finished?”
Lu Yannan remained seated on the sofa, one elegant hand resting casually on the armrest.
His posture was relaxed, but beneath those unfathomable eyes lurked the faintest trace of a smile that carried a dangerous chill.
On the other end of the line, Meng Shuling paused.
“Huh? Tiantian… why is there a man’s voice?”
“L-Lingling…” Duan Tiantian stammered, trying desperately to warn her.
“Who’s that?” Meng Shuling asked suspiciously. “Is someone with you?”
Lu Yannan cast Duan Tiantian a casual glance.
She immediately understood.
With trembling hands, she handed him the phone.
Instead of holding it to his ear, Lu Yannan simply set it on the coffee table before speaking calmly.
“Miss Meng. It’s me.”
Silence.
A full ten seconds passed.
Then came Meng Shuling’s weak, uncertain voice.
“…Lu… Lu Yannan?”
“Mhm.”
His voice remained calm, the slightest upward lilt at the end.
“I hear you’ve developed a few misconceptions about… my physical condition.”
Another long silence.
Duan Tiantian could practically picture Meng Shuling’s face.
It was probably just as green as hers had been moments ago.
Meng Shuling tried to sound composed, though panic leaked into every syllable.
“W-What misconception? I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“I heard every single word you said just now.”
Lu Yannan interrupted her unhurriedly, sounding as though he were discussing an ordinary business deal.
“‘A silver spear with a wax tip.’ ‘Pretty but useless.’ ‘Cold-faced devil.'”
“The range of your vocabulary is quite impressive, Miss Meng. Your choice of words is especially… precise.”
“I’m honored to receive such an evaluation from you.”
A loud thump came from the other end.
It sounded as though someone had dropped the phone onto the sofa before scrambling to pick it back up.
Meng Shuling hurriedly tried to explain.
“I… I only meant… Well… Anyway… that’s not what I really meant…”
Lu Yannan gave her no chance to continue.
Tilting his head slightly, he spoke with deliberate clarity.
“Originally, I intended to take full responsibility for the trending scandal. It was my oversight that dragged you into it and caused you unnecessary trouble. I planned to compensate you properly, apologize in person, and put an end to any discussion of a marriage alliance between our families.”
Standing nearby, Duan Tiantian felt both relieved and regretful.
Regretful that the marriage alliance seemed to be over.
Relieved that her cousin was still being perfectly reasonable.
Then Lu Yannan changed direction.
“But…”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
On the other end, Meng Shuling immediately panicked.
“What do you mean? Changed your mind about what?”
Lu Yannan leisurely picked up the glass of water from the coffee table.
His long fingers curled around it as he slowly rotated the glass.
“Since you have such serious doubts about my physical abilities, and you’ve even taken it upon yourself to publicize them…”
“I can only assume that you were too drunk last night to remember anything.”
“If I don’t personally clear up this misunderstanding…”
“Wouldn’t I simply be confirming the rumor?”
Duan Tiantian’s face turned bright red.
She knew better than anyone that although Lu Yannan always appeared distant, refined, and indifferent to women, beneath that composed exterior lay overwhelming pride and an intense need to stay in control.
Nothing irritated him more than someone trampling on his dignity.
This time…
Meng Shuling had truly stepped on a tiger’s tail.
“I wasn’t spreading rumors!” Meng Shuling protested. “I only told my parents! Besides, I wasn’t exactly wrong. You’re twenty-eight years old and you’ve never even had a girlfriend. Isn’t that because—”
“Because what?”
Lu Yannan asked evenly.
Meng Shuling’s voice caught in her throat.
He didn’t press further.
Instead, he said with unmistakable authority,
“Three days from now. Noon. Jingyi International Hotel.”
“If you’re available, Miss Meng, let’s sit down and discuss the details of our marriage.”
“I refuse.”
Meng Shuling rejected him immediately.
Lu Yannan ignored her outright.
“As for the question you’re so concerned about…”
“When we meet…”
“I’ll personally prove to you whether I’m capable or not.”
The line went completely silent.
Duan Tiantian clamped both hands over her mouth, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
What on earth had she just heard?
Several moments later, Meng Shuling’s furious voice exploded from the phone.
“Who wants you to prove anything, Lu Yannan?! I’m not going! I absolutely refuse! Don’t even think about it!”
Lu Yannan answered calmly,
“I’ll be waiting for you in three days.”
“If you don’t come…”
“I won’t mind paying a personal visit to the Meng residence and repeating, in front of your entire family, every single thing you said about me today.”
With that, he ended the call without giving Meng Shuling a single chance to argue.