“Why are you here? Where’s Brother Yan?”
Yan Yu crossed her arms in front of her body and gave a teasing smile. “Didn’t you hear what they just called me? Your Brother Yan only married me yesterday. At this hour, he hasn’t even gotten up yet.”
Shen Wan said, “Brother Yan was fine with me just a few days ago. How could he have married you?”
Hearing from Yan Yu that Zhou Yan had already married left Shen Wan in utter disbelief.
She refused to believe Yan Yu’s words.
Yan Yu turned slightly, motioning for her to look around the courtyard.
Bright red silk hung from the eaves, golden lantern tassels swayed gently in the breeze, and in the yard were more than a dozen tables covered with red cloth, still holding leftover food from yesterday.
Yesterday, this place had clearly hosted a wedding banquet.
“The Zhou family only has Zhou Yan as their sole heir. Everything in the Zhou family will belong to him in the future. My cousin holds military power as the governor. If Zhou Yan hadn’t brought me in, who do you think it would be? You really think I married in just to be your Brother Yan’s concubine?”
Shen Wan’s unease instantly ignited into anger at Yan Yu’s words.
If it were Yan Xiao, he had the ability to make the Zhou family obey and marry Yan Yu.
Shen Wan clenched her fists until her fingertips turned white from pressure, her voice trembling. “You… really got married?”
Brother Yan wouldn’t abandon her.
Yan Xiao must have done this to force her into submission, making Brother Yan marry Yan Yu to make her give up hope!
Yan Yu smugly lifted her chin, absentmindedly twisting the curls resting on her shoulder. Under her fair arm, a vague red mark stood out.
Shen Wan saw it.
Yan Yu saw that Shen Wan had seen it and let out a sigh. “Ah… Zhou Yan doesn’t have much muscle on him, but last night, at my insistence, he kept hurting me again and again.”
She had never imagined that Yan Xiao would leave such a trick up his sleeve…
During the three years her brother was away, Zhou Yan had treated her very well; he had been her emotional support. And now, Yan Xiao was cutting even that off!
He wanted her.
She wouldn’t let him have his way!
After Shen Wan left, Yan Yu returned inside.
On the altar in the room sat a pair of dragon-and-phoenix candles. Four white jade plates in front of the candles held red dates, peanuts, longan, and melon seeds.
Hanging from the eaves by a rope was a filthy, disheveled man.
Yan Yu casually grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the plate and eyed Zhou Yan. “You really are handsome. No wonder Shen Wan was so infatuated with you. But who told you to compete with my cousin for a woman?”
Zhou Yan’s hands were bound behind him, hanging like a slab of dried meat. Dried blood coated him, staining the bright red wedding robe in an eerie yet striking way.
His wounds had bled all night, forming a small pool beneath his feet.
His battered consciousness gradually returned, and from his parched throat came two faint words: “Wanwan…”
Before dawn, Shen Wan arrived at the train station.
Looking at the ticket in her hand “Destination: Shanghai” she was to take a plane from Shanghai to Germany to find her brother.
Zhou Yan was the sole heir of the Zhou family. If Yan Xiao wanted his life, it could bring unnecessary trouble to her.
For now, Zhou Yan was safe.
She needed to meet her brother first, then contact Zhou Yan!
Shen Wan pressed her hat low, hiding most of her face. Her heart pounded like a drum; every step felt like walking on a blade’s edge.
“Miss, are we really going to Shanghai?” Xiao Cui followed closely, her voice trembling. “If the master finds out, we’ll be in big trouble!”
“Shut up!” Shen Wan hissed, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, afraid of being recognized.
She knew the journey to Shanghai would be long and uncertain.
Yan Xiao had crushed her hope she had no way back.
She would never marry Yan Xiao!
“Xiao Cui, don’t be afraid. Once we reach Shanghai, we’ll be safe,” Shen Wan whispered, softening her voice to comfort Xiao Cui, while also encouraging herself.
As for the Shen family’s affairs, once she found her brother, he would surely help her.
Xiao Cui hesitated but ultimately swallowed her words.
The two hurriedly passed through the waiting hall and reached the platform.
The whistle blew. A black steam train slowly entered, puffing clouds of white steam that obscured everything.
Shen Wan’s heart leapt. She grabbed Xiao Cui’s hand and ran toward the train.
Just as they were about to reach the carriage door, a large hand suddenly shot out from behind, grabbing Shen Wan’s arm and yanking her back violently.