Chapter 44. She made him feel both adorable and infuriating. ...
Ji Wanyuan was stunned and almost didn't react.
What did Wen Yunqin say? He asked her if she wanted to divorce Wen Qiyan, and even said he could help her.
At first, she thought Wen Yunqin wanted to ask about what had happened in the past two days.
After all, he had a bad day with Madam Wen. Wen Yunqin had been staying at home since returning to the capital, so he was bound to hear some rumors. It was normal for him to ask questions out of consideration for their family relationship.
But instead of asking, he guessed that she wanted to divorce Wen Qiyan? Madam Wen didn't realize this, and even at the beginning, Wen Qiyan didn't believe that she really wanted to divorce him.
For a moment, Ji Wanyuan remained silent.
The courage Wen Yunqin had mustered dissipated slightly after he finished speaking, and he couldn't help but feel nervous as he waited for Ji Wanyuan's answer.
After a long silence, he couldn't help but clear his throat. "Sister-in-law...did you hear what I was saying?"
Why isn't she saying anything?
Was she startled by his abruptness, or...did she not hear him clearly?
The turmoil in Ji Wanyuan's heart caused by Wen Yunqin's words gradually subsided, but she still did not speak.
She stared at him intently.
Seeing this, Wen Yunqin not only coughed softly, but his expression also began to look unnatural.
"Sister-in-law..."
Then, Ji Wanyuan noticed that his cheeks were slightly red, and his unnatural expression was quite obvious.
Wen Qiyan once said that Wen Yunqin admired her.
Yes, she had sensed it a long time ago, but she didn't like Wen Yunqin, not because Wen Yunqin wasn't outstanding.
On the contrary, he was outstanding. Wen Qiyan was the most handsome young master in the capital, and his beauty was unparalleled and famous throughout Liangjing. How could his younger brother, who was born of the same mother, be any less?
At that time, she was completely focused on hooking up with Wen Qiyan and couldn't see anyone else, so she ignored Wen Yunqin's attempts to befriend and flatter her.
Wen Yunqin was Wen Qiyan's younger brother. At that time, she was pursuing Wen Qiyan, and Wen Yunqin was useful to her, so she did not deliberately distance herself from him because of his secret admiration. She basically pretended to be deaf and dumb. Fortunately, Wen Yunqin never said anything openly that would bother her.
Back then, she and Wen Qiyan had no relationship. Now that she's heavily pregnant, he's actually revealed his true feelings?
Even after all these years, Wen Qiyan could tell that he still liked her.
After a pause, Ji Wanyuan didn't answer directly, but instead smiled and asked, "Why did you ask so suddenly, Uncle?"
Now that she's pregnant, she gets tired easily, so she simply sits by the lotus pond.
Wen Yunqin said the jade was cold, so he summoned someone to bring her a soft down cushion to sit on.
Ji Wanyuan silently appreciated his thoughtfulness.
Wen Yunqin was very tall. Ji Wanyuan sat around the table, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him.
Seeing this, he became increasingly uncomfortable, so Wen Yunqin simply coughed lightly and sat down opposite her.
"Is it sudden?" Wen Yunqin tried his best to calm himself down.
"My uncle suddenly stopped me, asked if I wanted a divorce, and said he would help me. Wasn't that sudden enough?"
Wen Yunqin was speechless when she asked him a question. He was not usually bad at talking, but every time he faced Ji Wanyuan, he felt like his tongue was tied in knots and nothing he said would make sense.
"It seems...it appears...quite sudden." He thought about her words carefully.
Ji Wanyuan burst out laughing at his serious expression.
“But I’m serious, sister-in-law.”
Before Ji Wanyuan could reply, a question suddenly came from behind, "What is it that you're serious about?"
The two looked in the direction of the sound, and the moment Ji Wanyuan saw Wen Qiyan, the smile on her face gradually disappeared, and she rolled her eyes inwardly.
Didn't he go to the South Study with Father Wen? How come he's here so quickly?
Ji Wanyuan guessed that Wen's father called Wen Qiyan over, most likely to inquire about the events of the past two days, asking what was going on between Wen Qiyan and her, and whether he had received any news.
It must still be related to the mining that my father wanted to explore. The place is called...?
Youzhou, yes, that seems to be it.
The man who strode over walked straight between the two.
Wen Yunqin noticed the coldness in his brother's eyes, but this time, his brother did not show it on his face as he always did. Instead, he smiled, but it was very cold and frightening.
After Wen Qiyan appeared, neither of them spoke.
He wasn't embarrassed. He turned to look at Ji Wanyuan, and when he saw her small face, their eyes met. Neither of them spoke. Wen Qiyan lowered his head and pulled aside her cloak, revealing her protruding belly.
Wen Yunqin naturally saw it too.
How are you today?
He heard his aloof older brother asking her a question, and he placed his long, jade-like hand on her protruding belly. This action was quite jarring to the eye, as if he was deliberately trying to show off something.
Ji Wanyuan tried to pull her cloak up and brush her brother's hand away, but her brother's hand was very nimble. Before she could do anything, it moved to her waist and gently massaged it.
When Wen Yunqin heard the girl he admired exclaim "Ah!", she glared at her brother and asked him what he was doing.
"Didn't you say your back was sore?" In response to her anger, her brother replied calmly, "I'll give you a massage."
"Who said their back aches?"
Her brother and she talked as if no one else was around, as if he didn't exist.
Ji Wanyuan felt that Wen Qiyan's shamelessness was gradually becoming public knowledge. In broad daylight, in front of others, in front of his own younger brother, he actually said these things, and even deliberately mentioned the previous nights.
He shouldn't think she doesn't understand.
She exposed her belly again and talked about what she had told Wen Yunqin the previous nights.
The process of how a child comes to be in the womb!
He used to say she was reckless and frivolous, but now he doesn't even look in the mirror and see how much better he is than her.
"Your uncle is still here, so watch your words."
"So Brother Qin is still here." Wen Qiyan turned around, his broad and tall shoulders completely concealing the girl's petite figure.
Facing his younger brother, who bore a striking resemblance to him, the man's handsome face held a subtle, ambiguous sarcasm.
Wen Yunqin felt the pressure his elder brother was exerting on him, and he couldn't say anything in front of Ji Wanyuan. He simply said, "Since my brother and sister-in-law have something to say, I won't disturb them."
After saying that, he wanted to glance at Ji Wanyuan, but Wen Qiyan wouldn't let him, completely blocking her way. Helpless, Wen Yunqin had no choice but to give up and turn to leave.
But as soon as he turned around, he heard the man behind him call out, "Yun Qin".
Wen Yunqin stopped in his tracks.
Just as he turned around, Wen Qiyan stood up.
Wen Yunqin's gaze unconsciously fell behind him, but he still couldn't see Ji Wanyuan's face, only the hem of her skirt and cloak.
He met his brother's cold and indifferent face.
"There is a difference in ethics between an uncle and sister-in-law. If you have any messages for your sister-in-law in the future, please ask your brother to convey them on your behalf. Please meet with her less often in private."
Having said all that, it's pretty much a done deal.
Did you hear what he just said, brother?
Ji Wanyuan listened, feeling a little uneasy, but mostly calm.
She wanted the Wen family to descend into chaos, ideally with brothers fighting amongst themselves, which would benefit the Ji family.
Father Wen will definitely be too busy dealing with the feud between the two brothers to take care of himself.
Ji Wanyuan wanted to speak, but for a moment she didn't know what to say. Although she had figured it out for the time being, it was another matter when she opened her mouth. The main thing was that she couldn't be too blatant and had to be careful with her words.
"My relationship with my sister-in-law is completely innocent, and I have never overstepped any boundaries."
Wen Yunqin saw the coldness in his elder brother's eyes and smiled faintly, a smile that seemed like teasing but was actually a provocation.
"Brother, are you saying these things out of the blue because you don't trust your sister-in-law, or because you lack confidence in yourself?"
Wen Qiyan narrowed his eyes slightly.
The anger that was suffocating Wen Yunqin felt was somewhat relieved by those words.
After a long while, Wen Qiyan also started to laugh, but his laughter was cold and chilling, even more sinister than before.
He called out to Yun Qin again, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup. Are you trying to test your brother's patience and court death in front of me?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanyuan's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to speak but then choked back her words, not daring to say anything more.
Although Wen Qiyan, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, looked as gentle and refined as jade, his aura was extremely sharp.
She didn't seem to have done much to sow discord, yet the two brothers had already started fighting.
Ji Wanyuan wanted to observe coldly, but she was also a little scared.
"Brother, are you going to attack me?" Wen Yunqin asked back.
"It depends on what kind of wine you choose to drink," Wen Qiyan said meaningfully.
Just as Wen Yunqin was about to speak, a servant came over and said that his father wanted to invite him to the South Study because he had important business to discuss.
The two brothers were at each other's throats for a while before Wen Yunqin finally left.
Long after he left, the atmosphere in the bamboo grove and lotus pond remained tense.
Ji Wanyuan felt a little scared.
Because Wen Qiyan turned around and looked down at her, his handsome face clearly showing coldness.
She tried to remain calm, but she couldn't quite control herself. When she spoke, she lacked confidence, even though her voice was indeed loud.
Why are you looking at me like that?
"Ji Wanyuan".
The man called her name coldly, his voice completely devoid of the deep, tender kiss he had given her just days before.
“I’m not that magnanimous.” He also warned her to stay away from Wen Yunqin, adding that this was the last time.
Ji Wanyuan was annoyed by his oppression, and even though she was afraid, she still resisted. "What's wrong with you now?"
"I can't even talk to my uncle anymore?"
"Speak?" The man narrowed his eyes, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her up. "If it's just a normal conversation, do we need to get away and come to this secluded place?"
“I…” Ji Wanyuan couldn’t say anything at this moment, she stuttered a little.
Wen Qiyan then sneered and asked, "What did you say to him? Why were you smiling so sweetly at him?"
"What, you're not satisfied with me? You think Qin Di is better than me, and you want to divorce me and be with him?"
He lifted her chin and examined her face.
Innocent yet alluring, adorable yet hateful.
Ji Wanyuan caught sight of the dark, turbulent emotions swirling in the man's eyes, and for a moment she was speechless.
She was hesitant to confront Wen Qiyan directly, so she spoke in a roundabout way.
"Not long ago, I told my parents that I would treat them well, but what about now?"
"Have you forgotten the pain once the wound has healed, Wen Qiyan?"
A mocking smile curled at the corner of the man's lips. "Who exactly has forgotten the pain once the wound has healed?"
There are some things he cannot compromise on, not even with his own younger brother, but she doesn't seem to understand.
She wanted to see the drama of brothers fighting, but when she actually saw it, she was too scared to say a word; he had only said a few words.
The two remained silent for a while. Unable to argue further and not wanting to continue the stalemate, Ji Wanyuan decided to leave.
Wen Qiyan didn't let go, and continued to caress her wrist.
"Behave yourself, or I don't know what you might do."
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Author's note: I'll rest for a few more days and finish my period before I finish writing more words. My eyelids are really swollen from the pain.
There are 50 red envelopes dropping in this chapter, first come, first served! Happy Qixi Festival everyone!
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