Chen Wei was on the verge of collapse. Of the tens and hundreds of scenarios in her mind, this was never a result she’d entertained.
Chen Gongrang watched a near-tear Chen Wei whose face was full of despair. He frowned, sternly asking: “Ah Wei, have you affection for General Ran?”
Chen Wei struggled to keep balance. Quite a while later, she sobbed out loud and replied in an astringent voice, “Aye.”
She dropped to her knees and crawled to Chen Gongrang. Holding onto his robe, she tremblingly said, “Uncle, you said you’ll convince General Ran to marry me, you can’t go back on your words. If I can’t be his wife, then I’d rather stay unwed. I don’t care if it takes ten or twenty years. There will be one day when I’ll make him turn around to look at me; he’ll make me his wife, then!”
She was determined in her speech, and was completely serious about what she was saying.
But saying such a thing at this time had sounded rather like a threat. Even Chen Gongrang who had the best temper was displeased.
He stood up, flung his long sleeves, and strode ahead. “Stop causing embarrasment to yourself. Go home.”
Only the young ladies went home, of course. Chen Gongrang could not act inappropriately just because of the girls’ triviality; he had to remain at the banquet until its conclusion.
With the guards’ escort, the girls’ carriages drove on the dark street, their rolling wheels clanking along.
Chen Rong looked at the carriage alongside hers. There, desperate and heartbroken sobs remained. One second they filled her with glee, the next they made her sympathize with the heartache she once knew.
It was fortunate that there were very few vehicles on the streets. With only commoners walking on foot, they did not draw too much attention to themselves.
“I hate you!” Chen Wei all of a sudden blurted.
She was, of course, talking to Chen Rong.
Chen Rong coldly snapped, “Chen Wei, let’s be clear that I’ve never solicited General Ran. He’s the one who says he wants to marry me.”
“It must be you,” Chen Wei screamed. “You must have flattered him whenever you have the chance, you must’ve put on that fake smile and tell him what he wanted to hear, and pretend to be bashful so that he would think that you like him. Why else would he say what he said!”
Chen Rong hadn’t expected her cousin to still understand her so well after two lifetimes.
She inwardly sneered and then unceremoniously returned, “General Ran is a heroic man. There’s no shortage of admirers who blush at the sight of him. Ah Wei, you must know that my name is now completely tied to Wang Qilang. What you need to do is change General Ran’s mind. What use is it to bear a grudge against me?”
Her words woke Chen Wei up.
Instantly, sobbing filled her carriage.
When the blubbering eventually softened, Chen Wei stopped her tears and said, “You’re right.”
How sober, Chen Rong couldn’t help scoffing upon hearing her.
Chen Wei raised her voice again, hatefully saying: “Ah Rong, I’ve never treated you poorly, but you’ve taken the man I love from me. I’ll never forget this wrong!” She spoke so emphatically that it sounded as if she were making a vow.
“The more you’re being this way, the more General Ran won’t like you,” sneered her cousin.
Chen Wei froze.
Chen Rong didn’t want to trade barbs with her. She told the driver: “Go faster.”
“Aye.”
She didn’t really need to tell him. With two mistresses fighting in the middle of the street and giving no thought to propriety, the servants had felt ill at ease and had long sped up out of anxiety.
The carriages soon drove into the Chen estate.
Nevertheless, both Chen Wei and Chen Rong ordered their vehicles to go directly into their own courtyard before getting off.
When she saw Chen Rong come down, Nurse Ping who had been waiting quickly walked up to her. There was a rare gravity on Chen Rong’s face that was illuminated by the lantern light. “What happened, miss?” the nurse asked in apprehension.
“Nothing.”
Chen Rong flapped her sleeve and entered her home.
Shortly, the door slammed shut.
Chen Rong rushed into her bedchamber, pacing back and forth while scolding: “Stupid Sun Yan. Who told you to run your mouth?” The outburst did little to lessen her anger. She took the whip from the wall, lashed into the air and yelled: “How I want to whip you to shreds, stupid, stupid boy!”
Her voice was full of fury.
Deep down inside, Chen Rong knew perfectly well that when Sun Yan had told Ran Min these things, he hadn’t known a man like Ran Min would actually fall for her and furthermore propose in this manner.
Even she had no idea that the one Ran Min liked turned out to be this incarnation of her.
Her lashing slowed down with her train of thoughts. Soon, Chen Rong gasped for breath, slowly retreated several steps and weakly sat down