Rong Yan brushed her long hair aside and whispered, “He doesn’t know I followed him there.”
Yan Qing glanced at the despondent Rong Yan through the rearview mirror and encouraged her, “Yanyan, adult love should be more straightforward.”
Rong Yan said, “Qingqing, there is a kind of love that cannot be spoken.”
Zhan Yunduan knew she wouldn’t get an answer and sighed softly, “When it comes to dating, you should choose a sweet, gentle puppy—someone affectionate and not infuriating. Fu Zhan Yu is too arrogant.”
Rong Yan lowered her gaze. Fu Zhan Yu possessed an unyielding pride, and she had once personally shattered every bit of it.
Yet, she still couldn’t win his love.
“The Fu family is like a den of tigers and wolves—not only is there internal family strife, but also a feud between father and son.” Zhan Duanduan linked arms with Rong Yan. “Sister Yanyan, you must have watched too much of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ back then and cried your eyes out, which is why you fell for that arrogant guy Fu Zhan Yu.”
“If you can’t have him, then forget him. How about I introduce you to a sweet puppy instead?”
Rong Yan patted Zhan Duanduan’s little head. “If time could rewind thirteen years, Sister Yanyan would agree.”
Zhan Yunduan pouted. Sister Yanyan’s obsession with Fu Zhan Yu ran too deep.
Yan Qing remembered something. “Duanduan, I heard from Zhan Ge that your uncle and Fu Zhan Yu are life-and-death brothers?”
“That’s right. My uncle is a man who crawled out of hell. Back then, Second Uncle… ugh!” Zhan Yunduan spat angrily. “Back then, Zhan Qingfeng tried to assassinate my uncle multiple times to secure the heir position. If it weren’t for Fu Zhan Yu risking his life to save him during the last attempt, my uncle would have died.”
Rong Yan recalled the moment Fu Zhan Yu hovered between life and death and slowly closed her eyes.
For some reason, when Yan Qing heard Zhan Yunduan’s last words, her heart inexplicably ached.
She rubbed her chest. “So Fu Zhan Yu is a loyal and righteous person, worthy of Yanyan’s affection.”
Rong Yan smiled faintly, her tone tinged with pride. “Fu Zhan Yu is the best person.”
As the car entered the city center,
Rong Yan learned about Yan Qing’s marriage and said angrily, “Zhan Yunduan, of all things to give, you gave her a sweet puppy? Is that something you can just give? And Yan Qing, you… should have restrained yourself.”
Yan Qing was too embarrassed to speak.
The scapegoat Zhan Yunduan whined, “Sister Yanyan, beautiful lawyer, don’t scold us as soon as you return. Duanduan has deeply realized her mistake and will never do such a thing again.”
Yan Qing explained, “Yanyan, although giving a sweet puppy was inappropriate, he finally broke the curse of me being unwanted. It’s fate between him and me, and our whole family is especially grateful to Duanduan!”
Since the two were already married, it was too late for Rong Yan to say anything. She shot them both a reproachful look.
“Sister Yanyan, don’t be angry anymore.” Zhan Yunduan shook Rong Yan’s arm. “I found out Fu Zhan Yu is attending our Zhan Corporation’s banquet tonight. Shall we go join the fun?”
Rong Yan immediately stopped being angry and nodded directly.
Yan Qing sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead. “Duanduan, if Fu Zhan Yu is attending a banquet, you don’t even need to ask—Sister Yanyan will definitely go.”
Rong Yan tapped both their little heads. “You two are coming with me.”
“No problem!”
Seven o’clock in the evening.
The three best friends were at a dress shop selecting gowns and getting their makeup done.
Just as Yan Qing was about to finish her makeup, she received a message from Zhan Yan Chen.
【Wife, I’m at a banquet right now, and they don’t believe I’m married.】
Yan Qing frowned. Instead of studying properly, what was he doing attending some banquet?
After a moment’s thought, she directly forwarded the wedding certificate photo her mother had posted on social media to Zhan Yan Chen.
[Show them the marriage certificate.]
Two minutes later.
[They said the marriage certificate is fake.] Zhan Yan Chen replied, then called her.
“Wife, those women are acting like they’ve never seen a man before. It’s terrifying.”
Zhan Yunduan shrank back in shock. Rong Yan, who had just learned about Zhan Yan Chen hiding his identity, was rarely surprised.
So gentle and soft—was this still the ruthless Crown Prince?
Hearing something off in Zhan Yan Chen’s tone, Yan Qing asked, “Have you been drinking?”
“Mhm, wife, my head is so dizzy.”
Unable to go over immediately, Yan Qing thought of Zhan Yan Chen’s strikingly handsome, almost aggressive face and felt a twinge of crisis. She decided to stand up her best friend and go find him. “Where are you?”
“I’m at Mountain Water Manor.”
Yan Qing frowned. He was also attending a banquet at Mountain Water?
“Wait there. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
At the Zhan Corporation banquet venue.
Zhan Yan Chen put away his phone, his authoritative tone carrying a warning. “Zhan Jiu, notify everyone to keep my identity hidden. If the young madam becomes suspicious, you’ll bear the consequences.”
“Yes, sir!” Zhan Jiu took a deep breath and strode to the microphone on the banquet stage. “Everyone, the young madam of the Zhan family will be joining us shortly. She is introverted and timid, so everyone…”
Ten minutes later.
After drinking a few glasses of wine, Zhan Yan Chen was about to go meet Yan Qing when Su Qianqian, dressed in a black evening gown, approached.
“Yan Chen.” Su Qianqian gazed affectionately at the indifferent Zhan Yan Chen. Even though she had confirmed that Zhan Yan Chen was indeed married, she still refused to accept it.
How could the all-powerful tycoon of the capital’s elite circles be taken by Yan Qing, who was inferior to her in every way?
“Yan Chen, you got married just two days after returning to the country. There must have been unavoidable reasons, right?”
Zhan Yan Chen looked toward the entrance as if he hadn’t heard her, remaining silent.
Just then, three people walked in through the door.
Spotting Yan Qing among the three graceful figures, Zhan Yan Chen’s dim eyes instantly brightened like stars, a soft smile curling at the corners of his lips.
Among the three best friends, Yan Qing was radiant and captivating, Rong Yan was aloof and stunningly beautiful, and Zhan Yunduan was willful and bright.
As soon as Yan Qing entered, her eyes landed on the striking Zhan Yan Chen in the crowd, and she was slightly surprised for a moment.
At the banquet, he wore a dark business suit, his bangs swept back to reveal a smooth, refined forehead and well-defined brow bone.
It seemed like his bangs were his seal—down, he looked like a boy; swept back, he was a man.
Yan Qing’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing Su Qianqian beside him, she narrowed her eyes coldly and walked over.
“Qingqing.” Zhan Yan Chen walked up to Yan Qing and wrapped his arms around her the moment he reached her, plunging the entire venue into dead silence.
Zhan Yunduan and the Zhan Corporation staff were stunned.
The formidable CEO, who had been radiating intense hostility just two minutes ago, was now intimately holding the young madam of the Zhan family, whom they had only seen in the company’s confidential documents.
With one arm around her waist and the other cradling her head, it was an embrace meant to meld her into his very bones—a silent declaration that Yan Qing was his wife.
Just as everyone was adjusting to this, the next moment left them even more shocked than before.
Because the CEO, now donning a sheep’s skin, transformed into a clingy puppy. He buried his face in the young madam’s neck, looking like an affectionate, dependent little dog, shocking the Zhan Corporation staff to their core and making some question their sanity.
“Qingqing, this woman is harassing me. I’m scared.”
Su Qianqian was stunned and shocked. Zhan Yan Chen smiling at Yan Qing was one thing, but actually acting coquettish with her?
Was this still the Zhan Yan Chen she knew?
Yan Qing glanced at Su Qianqian, whose jealousy was barely concealed, and knowing Zhan Yan Chen was pretending to be drunk, she still said, “Don’t be afraid, big sister will get revenge for you.”
Su Qianqian walked over with a wine glass in hand, extending her right hand toward Yan Qing. “Hello, Miss Yan, I’m Su Qianqian, a childhood friend of Yan Chen.”
Zhan Yunduan grew anxious and was about to speak when she heard her devilish little uncle say pitifully, “Wife, I don’t know her.”
Zhan Yunduan shuddered violently, looking at her uncle as if he were a ghost. Mom, this little puppy dog is not my uncle.
Su Qianqian was left in an awkward silence.
The slight bitterness in Yan Qing’s heart vanished completely. She patted Zhan Yan Chen’s head and said, “Good boy, go rest over there for a while.”
“Wife, I’ll wait for you over there.” Zhan Yan Chen obediently let go of Yan Qing, kissed her delicate lips, and then headed to the rest area of the banquet.
Su Qianqian stared angrily and jealously at Yan Qing, who was gently pursing her red lips, and tightened her grip on the glass. “Miss Yan, do you know who the person you’re with is? Do you know how outstanding he is?”