Chapter 595 - 495: How does she think he will treat her?

Duan Lan slightly raised his eyebrows: "Do you know who I am?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Xiao Chaihuo looked at him: "I don’t know, but the Wang Family has been dealing with Winding Pavilion for many years. I am quite clear about the nature of the Wang Family. Now, the Wang Family is being forced by a powerful person to deliberately give Winding Pavilion a hard time. It seems that this powerful person has quite a remarkable background."

"Good, now that we know each other’s background, why don’t we talk more openly? I am very interested in Winding Pavilion, and I believe you can have a detailed discussion with me." Duan Lan said with a slight smile.

Duan Lan used to love to smile, his deep dimple at the corner of his mouth revealing infinite beauty when he smiled.

But now, his smile was unfathomable, always making people feel there was hidden meaning, even scheming behind it.

Xiao Chaihuo said indifferently: "But I am not interested in talking to you."

Duan Lan’s expression slightly changed, but the smile on his face remained: "What do you mean?"

Xiao Chaihuo looked up at him: "What I mean is, I’m willing to come here just to get my goods back, not to give you an opportunity to take advantage of me."

"An opportunity to take advantage of me," Duan Lan’s smile at the corner of his lips grew colder as he slowly said, "In that case, you’re likely to be disappointed."

As soon as his words fell, he raised his hand, and nearly ten attendants behind him drew their swords, pointing straight at Xiao Chaihuo.

"Now, do you still want to talk to me?" Duan Lan looked at him.

Xiao Chaihuo’s expression remained unchanged, just his voice became colder: "No."

Immediately, his body flashed, quickly dodging the encirclement of the attendants. The attendants immediately swung their swords at him. Xiao Chaihuo reached for his waist and swiftly drew a dagger, skillfully engaging in a fight with them.

Xin He, who was sitting in the horse carriage, slightly furrowed her brows, her face growing somewhat serious. She peeked through the lifted window curtain, watching the chaotic fight. Fortunately, although Xiao Chaihuo had neglected his studies in recent years, his martial arts skills hadn’t lagged at all and had even advanced rapidly. Even Ling Feng could only barely defeat him by a few moves now.

So, he didn’t seem to be at a disadvantage in this fight, even appearing somewhat at ease.

Xin He’s heart slightly relaxed, knowing that Xiao Chaihuo wasn’t reckless. He must have assessed the opponents’ strength before making a move.

However, Ji Xinhe was startled by a glaring hidden weapon in Duan Lan’s hand. Just as Duan Lan was about to make a move, Ji Xinhe suddenly lifted the curtain and disembarked from the horse carriage: "Ah Nan, don’t be rude!"

Xiao Chaihuo immediately stopped fighting. Perhaps Ji Xinhe’s imposing manner was too strong, even Duan Lan’s men held their hands momentarily, warily sizing up the woman in front of them.

Ji Xinhe wore a veil hat, so her face wasn’t visible.

Seeing her get out of the carriage, Xiao Chaihuo furrowed his brows, walked up to her, and whispered, "Madam."

Xin He looked up at Duan Lan.

Unexpectedly, she saw him staring at her intently, with a hint of surprise and panic in his unfathomable eyes, which usually hid all his emotions.

His eyes were fixed on Ji Xinhe, and the dark chess piece he was holding in his sleeve, almost cutting his palm, couldn’t suppress the pain in his heart.

Six years without seeing each other, during these six years, he had thought countless times about when they could reunite, what he should say to her when they met again. "Are you doing well? Do you think of me? Even - do you regret it?"

But he never thought that the day of their reunion would be in such a situation.

They stood naked on opposite sides, too far apart, clearly familiar with each other but seemingly complete strangers.

Ji Xinhe easily caught Duan Lan’s fixed gaze on her. The complexity of his emotions was evident. He had recognized her.

Ji Xinhe’s eyebrows slightly furrowed, since she was wearing a veil hat, how could he still recognize her? She had only said one sentence just now and had deliberately made her voice harsher. After six years, his memory was still so clear. Wasn’t it a bit too sensitive?

She hadn’t recognized him earlier from his speech.

But Duan Lan could only smile bitterly. Over the six-year-long day and night longing, he had never forgotten her every frown and smile. How could he forget her voice?

Since he had recognized her, Ji Xinhe didn’t need to hide anything. Decisively, she met his gaze and said coldly: "As you said before, you wanted Winding Pavilion’s head to pick up the goods personally. Now that the head of Winding Pavilion has come, you just draw your sword without a word. You are going too far! Do you really not take Winding Pavilion seriously?"

Her voice was cold, with a hint of anger and fierceness.

Even as she spoke, she unconsciously reached for her waist knife.

This small movement might not be found by others, but how could Duan Lan not know? He remembered her habits clearly over the years. When she was in an alert state, she would touch her knife.

Why was she alert? She clearly recognized him, so why did she need to be on guard? Could it be that she thought he would do something to her?

After six years, he couldn’t see the slightest hint of nostalgia for the past in her eyes, just vigilance and defense.

Duan Lan felt suddenly empty inside. The long-awaited reunion that he had been longing for looked like this.

Although Ji Xinhe had already spoken, Duan Lan remained still, his gaze continuously focused on her without moving a single bit.

Ji Xinhe frowned and was about to speak when Xiao Chaihuo stepped forward and interrupted her in an even colder tone: "Either give us the goods or leave. We at Winding Pavilion have never been afraid of making a scene. Stop wasting time!"

Duan Lan’s gaze was interrupted by Xiao Chaihuo and finally seemed to come back to his senses. He quickly reorganized his emotions, and in an instant, there was no trace of his previous distraction.

On the contrary, his gaze at Xiao Chaihuo carried a profound meaning, and the corner of his lips revealed a cold smile: "As I said, I will only negotiate face-to-face with the head of Winding Pavilion."

The current situation was already very obvious. The true mastermind behind Winding Pavilion was Ji Xinhe!

He should have thought of it earlier! Who else could have created such a business miracle other than Ji Xinhe? Yet, he almost believed her false pretense of living a reclusive life in obscurity these past five years.

Ji Xinhe walked out from behind Xiao Chaihuo and said coldly: "There’s no need to talk. Either give us the goods or leave. You should be clear whose territory this Yu State is. Making a scene won’t be good for you."

Duan Lan looked at the coldness in her eyes and felt a sudden pain in his heart. He forced a smile and said, "It’s been many years since we’ve seen each other. Is it not possible for old friends to catch up?"

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