Chapter 4: She's here to take the lead role!
The force of Su Ruan slamming the door splattered their faces with sweat.
Yan Yunye took a half step back, the burning sensation on his face spreading all the way to his ears.
His fist hovered in mid-air, but he held back.
A hoarse growl escaped his throat: "Su Ruan, you've really gotten something out of you."
Yan Yunye gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.
"Yunye..."
Wen Wanwan covered her face and leaned closer, her eyes reddening.
"Ruanruan drank too much tonight, don't hold it against her."
Yan Yunye looked down at her, the fierceness in his eyes momentarily fading.
He reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across her slightly swollen cheek, his voice unconsciously lowering a few decibels.
"Does it hurt?"
Wen Wanwan shook her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, looking both fragile and sensible.
"I'm fine."
She bit her lip, her voice slightly choked.
"Today is also her birthday. I was inconsiderate. I understand that she is upset."
Yan Yunye sneered, his eyes growing even colder.
"She treated you like that, and you're still defending her?"
"Wanwan, you are too pure."
"Not everyone lives as brightly as you; there are plenty of shady, dark places in this world."
"I'll get revenge for the slap she gave you today!"
Wen Wanwan shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"I don't want you to make such a fuss because of me."
"I'll go and comfort her; she just acted impulsively."
Yan Yunye frowned, his tone cold and hard: "No need."
"I'd like to see how long she can keep up this stubbornness!"
"Since you're going to make trouble, let's see who kneels down and begs for mercy first."
Wen Wanwan glanced at the closed door, her tone hesitant.
"Her attitude changed drastically tonight."
She paused, as if carefully choosing her words.
"Could it be that they have something to rely on?"
Yan Yunye's eyes darkened.
The suites on the top floor of Nebula have always been reserved for those who can control the world, with rules so strict they're almost harsh.
Forget about checking the surveillance footage, even asking one more question would be overstepping the bounds.
The Cloud Pavilion where Su Ruan lives is the exclusive suite of her adoptive father, Yan Tingnan.
Yan Tingnan is indeed in Nebula tonight.
How did Su Ruan get involved with him?
Everyone in Beijing's social circles knows that the eccentric and ascetic Master Yan practices a form of silent meditation.
Over the years, her adoptive father has been a prominent figure in the business world, yet he has never been involved with women.
Countless socialites from Beijing's elite circles have tried and failed to even get a glimpse of her.
Just Su Ruan?
Even he couldn't handle that woman, so how could he expect the Buddha to break his vows for her?
Unless the sun rises in the west.
Seeing his changing expression, Wen Wanwan sighed at the opportune moment.
"Yunye, I was just saying it casually, don't overthink it..."
She reached out and tugged at Yan Yunye's sleeve, her tone gentle.
"Don't be angry, let's go back first."
Yan Yunye did not move.
He stared at the door, a dark undercurrent churning in his eyes.
Climbing the social ladder?
He wanted to see just how high she could climb.
...
Su Ruan didn't take what had just happened to heart at all.
She casually tore open the dust bag of the gift box, and the DIOR early spring haute couture suit made her eyes twitch.
Goodness, starting at six figures.
Yan Tingnan truly lives up to his reputation as the male protagonist of this book; he prioritizes financial matters over physical intimacy.
A man's character is revealed in his bedding; this is a reliable man.
Compared to that scumbag Yan Yunye, isn't this more reliable?
Su Ruan slumped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as she reviewed the plot.
In the original story, she wasn't even a proper supporting female character.
Su Ruan, even her name sounds perfunctory, as if she's afraid readers won't know she's an easy target.
The author bestowed upon him a face that perfectly embodies pure desire, yet he's also obsessed with romance.
Despite his divine appearance, he does the work of a cannon fodder and an idiot, serving as a pawn for Wen Wanwan.
Yan Yunye, that silly dog, was completely hooked by Wen Wanwan and ended up becoming the one who took the fall.
She was repeatedly framed by Wen Wanwan to harm the original female lead, ultimately leading to a tragic end.
Thinking of this, Su Ruan laughed in exasperation.
Did the author drink Ganges water before writing this?
Since God has closed her door and her window.
Then she should tear down the roof.
So when she met Yan Tingnan in the elevator, she kissed him, emboldened by alcohol.
She has to mess with the male lead to change her fate and become the female lead!
Unfortunately, that jerk's phone call ruined everything...
But it's alright, she knows Yan Tingnan's weaknesses very well.
To corrupt a male bodhisattva, one must first find his nemesis.
Yan Tingnan's stepmother, Lin Xuqiu, is a perfect, god-level wingman.
In the original storyline, this wealthy stepmother was plotting how to secretly sabotage the engagement between Yan Tingnan and her niece Lin Yiyao.
What a coincidence!
...
In the front hall of the Mountain Hermitage Tea House, Su Ruan stroked her teacup and checked her watch.
Lin Xuqiu comes to this teahouse every afternoon at three o'clock without fail.
Sure enough, at 3:05, a tea master wearing a bamboo-green Hangzhou silk cheongsam bowed and led a noblewoman into the room.
Lin Xuqiu wore a moon-white cheongsam, with a mutton-fat jade hairpin in her hair, and her temperament was as cold as frost.
Su Ruan stared at the figure climbing the wooden stairs, then with a flick of her wrist, spilled half a cup of Biluochun tea.
Three minutes later, she knocked on the door of the Bamboo Pavilion.
The air inside the Bamboo Pavilion was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and Lin Xuqiu paused slightly as he held the teapot.
“Miss, the front hall is over there.” Her voice was clear but distant.
Su Ruan didn't move, but knelt down on the prayer mat.
"Mrs. Lin, I apologize for disturbing you."
Her voice was clear and apologetic.
"The tea and refreshments in the front hall are rather lacking, so I've come here specifically to learn from Madam about tea ceremony."
Lin Xuqiu slowly poured water without even lifting his eyelids.
"Young lady, some of the tea is too hot."
This aloof attitude clearly shows that they are used to those who try to curry favor.
Su Ruan chuckled lightly, her voice unhurried: "Madam is right, some tea is indeed scalding hot."
She paused, then looked directly at Lin Xuqiu.
"Just like the tea from the Yan family, your niece Lin Yiyao can't drink it, and you don't want her to drink it either, do you?"
Lin Xuqiu raised her phoenix eyes slightly, with a hint of wariness.
"What do you mean?"
Su Ruan said calmly, "Back then, Old Master Lin used you to fill the dead eye in the Yan family's chess game, while you guarded a marriage that never even started."
Lin Xuqiu suddenly smiled, poured boiling water into the Jianzhan teacup, and the aroma of tea filled the air.
"Does this young lady think she has figured out something?"
Su Ruan suddenly leaned forward, her gaze intense and sharp.
"Now, Old Master Yan is putting pressure on the Lin family again, wanting them to send another daughter in."
“You couldn’t bear to see your niece repeat the same mistake, and you wanted to set a trap to personally untie the chains around Lin’s neck.”
"Perfect timing, isn't it? You're just missing a variable who can get close to Yan Tingnan?"
In the original storyline, the original female lead, Mu Chuji, appeared a year later and shattered the precepts that Yan Tingnan had upheld.
He repeatedly crossed the line for her, even going against his grandfather Yan Hongyi.
Upon learning this, Lin Xuqiu secretly contacted Mu Chuji and used her to sabotage the marriage between Yan Tingnan and Lin Yiyao.
Therefore, Su Ruan firmly believed that Lin Xuqiu would cooperate with him.
After listening to Su Ruan's words, Lin Xuqiu's phoenix eyes finally rippled.
"What gives you the right?"
"Over the years, countless women have tried to climb the social ladder by marrying Yan Tingnan, but in the end, they all left with their self-esteem shattered into eight pieces."
At this point, Lin Xuqiu's lips curled into a cold sneer.
"Do you think you can match the knowledge of a Columbia University graduate, or the integrity of a ballet principal?"
With a flick of her finger, Su Ruan sent a small sandalwood prayer bead rolling across the tea table.
"But did they tear this off?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
