Chapter 88 Distress

"Is there no room for maneuver?" Zhu Qingyan asked worriedly.

Chen Ziming shook his head with a gloomy look and said with a wry smile: "If I follow me and eat simple meals in the future, would you be willing?"

Zhu Qingyan fell into a brief silence.

Wasn't she trying her best to improve her and her mother's lives and stop being trampled on and bullied?

I thought everything would be fine after marrying into the Chen family, but why did God play such a joke on me?

Chen Ziming is handsome and gentle, and is the dream lover of countless girls in the academy. Zhu Qingyan also loves him from the bottom of her heart.

Finally, Zhu Qingyan gritted his teeth and made a decision.

"Brother Ziming, I like you, no matter you are rich or poor.

Even if you have nothing, I will stay with you!"

There was a determined gleam in her eyes as she said this.

Yes, you can earn money slowly if you lose it, but if you miss the person you like, it will be hard to meet him/her again.

"Qingyan, you are so nice." Chen Ziming was touched.

The mother was an experienced person and was worried that Zhu Qingyan approached her only because he was attracted by the wealth and glory of the Chen family.

He followed his mother's instructions and tested to see if Zhu Qingyan was sincere to him.

He knew he was not wrong. After all, with his charm, there was no reason for Zhu Qingyan not to like him.

Facts have also proved that Zhu Qingyan is truly devoted to me, and is willing to share the joys and sorrows with me even without the power of the Chen family.

…

It was another day off, and Zhu Qingyan left the Chen residence early as usual, hiding outside the window of Ji Wuya's thatched cottage with ease.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Lan and the others didn't come until the evening, so Zhu Qingyan had to wait in the cold wind for a whole day, sniffing his nose pitifully.

He looked extremely miserable.

Zhu Qingyan was outside the window, taking notes tremblingly in the candlelight coming through the window.

Smelling the aroma of food coming from the house, tears were about to flow from the corners of my mouth.

Hearing the sound of Zhu Lan and others preparing to say goodbye and leave, Zhu Qingyan hurriedly packed up the paper and pen and hid aside.

At this time, the sky had completely darkened, with only the bright moonlight in the sky.

Zhu Qingyan hid behind the thatched hut, ready to come out after Zhu Lan and the others left.

Zhu Lan was walking with Qin Yuwei and Qiao Youyou when he suddenly remembered that his pen was left at Ji Wuya's thatched cottage.

"You guys go first, I'll go back to get something and then catch up with you."

Just as Zhu Qingyan was about to leave, he saw Zhu Lan hurriedly returning, so he had to retract his body.

Zhu Lan returned to the thatched cottage, found his brush, and went to chase after Qiao Youyou and the other person.

Everyone was going back to the academy. Zhu Qingyan walked behind Zhu Lan, keeping a distance from him that was neither too far nor too close.

Zhu Lan continued walking along the original route and came to an alley. A fork in the road appeared in front of him. Both directions led to Longchang Academy, but he didn't know which road Qiao Youyou and Qin Yuwei took.

But it doesn’t matter. At worst we can meet outside the academy’s gate later.

Zhu Lan randomly chose a familiar road and walked into the alley.

Ji Wuya's thatched cottage was on the outskirts of Jiangzhou City. The area nearby was not prosperous, and was where many homeless people and beggars gathered.

Zhu Lan walked forward along the alley and came towards two staggering drunks.

Even from a distance, their dazed gazes were fixed on Zhu Lan.

Zhu Lan lowered his head, enduring the strong smell of alcohol, and just wanted to pass by the two people quickly.

Just as they were about to pass each other, one of the drunk men suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhu Lan's arm.

"Hey, which academy is this young lady from?"

"Let go." Zhu Lan forced himself to remain calm and said in a cold voice, glancing around quickly to find a way to escape.

"Brother Liu, don't be so rude. I'm a scholar!" said another drunk with a smile.

"My dear, I have a poem, but I don't know what it means.

Just tell us, and we will let you go."

Zhu Lan was annoyed. Facing two adult men, she knew she would never be able to defeat them.

And if I anger them, I would be in danger.

I had to suppress my nausea and frowned as I asked, "What poem?"

The two drunks looked at each other, their smiles becoming more unbridled, and one of them said jokingly:

"It's that line... the effect of the wine is getting stronger and my spring thoughts are surging, the mandarin duck embroidered quilt is turning red waves.

Oh, I really don't understand. How can this mandarin duck quilt cause red waves?

How do you translate it? Can you show us?"

Anger instantly surged from the bottom of his heart, Zhu Lan gritted his teeth and forced out a sneer.

"How did you translate it? Do you want to go back and ask your mother how she translated it?"

To such people, showing even a hint of shame and anger will only make them more excited and presumptuous.

"Damn it, he has quite a temper!"

A drunk man, not knowing whether he was happy or angry, pushed Zhu Lan to the ground!

Zhu Lan's leg was hit by a stone on the ground and the pain was so severe that she almost cried.

"If you don't leave, I'll call for help!" Zhu Lan threatened with pain, secretly reaching a hand into his sleeve.

…

Zhu Qingyan walked nearby and heard Zhu Lan's voice, just in time to see her being pushed to the ground.

Zhu Qingyan's mind went blank for a moment and he became panic-stricken.

I actually... met a lecher!

Do you need help?

But the other party are two big men. If I help them, I will probably end up like Zhu Lan!

Zhu Qingyan's legs felt a little weak as he thought about it.

If something happens to Zhu Lan, won't there be no one to compete with her in the future?

Now everything Zhu Lan has will be his!

There is no one else around here, so even if I stand by and watch, no one will know I have been here.

Zhu Qingyan's thoughts became clear and his eyes turned to another road leading to Longchang Academy.

…

"You can shout, but there's no one around here. No one will come to save you even if you shout your throat out!"

The two drunks grinned and slowly approached Zhu Lan on the ground. Zhu Lan's figure was soon submerged in the figures of the two men.

Just as the face of one of them was getting closer and closer to Zhu Lan, a hint of cruelty suddenly flashed in Zhu Lan's eyes.

She never thought that the "anti-wolf powder" Qin Yuwei gave her would actually come in handy!

At this moment, another drunk man suddenly screamed, squatted on the ground in pain, covering his head, and blood flowed out from between his fingers.

After he fell down, Zhu Lan saw Zhu Qingyan holding a big stone, his face pale and his lips trembling.

While the other person was still in shock, Zhu Qingyan threw away the stone and pulled Zhu Lan up from the ground.

“Run!”

The two ran as fast as they could to the other end of the alley.

Unfortunately, Zhu Lan's leg was injured and he could not run fast, so the drunk man behind him quickly caught up with him.

Zhu Lan suddenly turned around, and the white powder in his hand flew towards the man's face with the wind!

The drunk man immediately let out a heart-wrenching scream, fell to the ground, covering his eyes, and rolled over in pain.