At this thought, Chen Rong couldn’t help but to be angry with Wang Qilang.
She pursed her lips and fumed: “You’re all a bad lot!”
Sun Yan was bemused by her words. “I’m a man of honor,” he claimed. “And so is General Ran!”
Just then, a woman’s voice came: “Is Ah Rong in? Jiejie has come to see you.”
It was Chen Wei’s voice.
She’s here?
“Ah Yan, leave for now,” Chen Rong immediately said to Sun Yan. “My cousins are the most troublesome.”
Sun Yan nodded, stood up, and turned around to go.
He had just gotten to the gate by the time Chen Wei gracefully came in.
She paused at the sudden meeting with Sun Yan, then glanced at Chen Rong in jealousy before turning to give him a curtsy. “Good greetings, General Sun,” she sweetly said.
Sun Yan snorted, flapped his sleeves, and went out the door without any concern for her.
Chen Wei froze at being snubbed. She turned to watch Sun Yan’s departing back while, slowly, her face grew ugly.
But in mere seconds, Chen Wei forced a smile on her lips and turned to her cousin. “Ah Rong.”
Chen Rong curtsied and smilingly said, “Jiejie, have a seat.”
Chen Wei nodded. She walked over, asking: “Did General Sun come to see you? How kind of him.” Here, she maliciously added: “Did he know you had stayed at the prince’s estate?”
Upon hearing these words, Chen Rong’s face couldn’t help but darken.
Chen Wei felt slightly regretful the moment her words left her mouth. When she saw Chen Rong’s sullen face, she quickly offered a smile. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Chen Rong lowered her head in acceptance of her apology. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. Jiejie, you’re my guest, please have a seat.”
Chen Wei took the seat Sun Yan had vacated. She reached to accept the wine cup, her thin and pale fingers stroking it, but she did not talk.
Seeing so, Chen Rong looked at her with some surprise. She deliberately did not ask when she saw her being bashful.
“Ah Rong,” Chen Wei softly said some time later.
“Hmm.”
Chen Rong’s tone sounded somewhat indifferent.
Chen Wei didn’t notice it, however. She was apparently too distracted, as she was constantly stroking her cup. At length, she finally asked, “You said last time that General Ran disliked women who aren’t frank. Did you mean it?”
Sure enough, she has come for him.
Chen Rong smirked, casually replying: “Aye.”
Chen Wei looked up.
Her face was blushing and her eyes were bright. Her entire being exuded joy and excitement, and even nervousness. She hastened to ask: “Ah Rong, did you know that General Ran has returned to Nan’yang?”
Chen Rong nodded in reply. “So I’ve heard from the servants.”
Chen Wei lit up, happily saying: “Yes, it’s true, the entire city of Nan’yang is talking about him right now. Even the servants who never leave the house know his name. This time, he only brought two hundred soldiers back. Chen Gongrang said it was evidence enough that General Ran truly wants to protect the Hans and this city.”
At this juncture, she bit her lower lip and shyly smiled. Wringing her skirt, she said, “Father says he’ll host another banquet in honor of the general. He also says he’ll bring up the wedding so that General Ran can officially marry me.”