285: Chapter 65 Wang Yuyan Loses Her Temper

Seeing that Mu Wanqing ignored her and walked toward Canhe Village, Qin Hongmian, already displeased by Duan Zhengchun's attempts to smooth things over, immediately became furious and instinctively wanted to scold her.

But before she could speak, Meng Li interjected first, saying, "The events unfolded suddenly. Wan'er is probably finding it hard to accept right now."

"I will go check on her. Please make yourselves at home for now."

With that, he strode off to catch up with Mu Wanqing.

Duan Zhengchun gently patted Qin Hongmian's hand a few times and said, "Young Master Murong makes sense. We arrived too suddenly and need to give Wan'er a moment to compose herself."

Qin Hongmian shot him a look and said nothing.

Li Qingluo saw the interaction between the two and felt it was pointless. She turned to A Bi and A Zhu and asked, "Where is Yu Yan?"

A Bi replied, "Suihan Courtyard."

Li Qingluo nodded slightly, preparing to go find Wang Yuyan.

But just as she took a step, Duan Zhengchun spoke, "A Luo..."

The habitual term of endearment came out, causing Li Qingluo's face to turn cold. She looked over with eyes like knives: "Call me Madam Wang!"

Duan Zhengchun froze.

He didn't believe Li Qingluo would truly sever all ties, but then he remembered they were at Canhe Village, and Meng Li's maidservants were present. His address was indeed inappropriate and could cause a bad impression, so he changed his address as requested: "Madam Wang, might I have a word with you privately?"

Have a word privately?

Li Qingluo frowned slightly, instinctively wanting to refuse.

However, Duan Zhengchun's next words choked back the refusal that was already on her lips.

"There is something I need to verify, and it concerns your daughter."

Related to Yu Yan?

Could it be that he already knows?

A wave of shock and suspicion washed over Li Qingluo's heart.

A Zhu and A Bi once again caught the scent of gossip.

Duan Yu, who had been distraught after learning that Wang Yuyan was engaged to Meng Li, also had his attention drawn.

A moment later, Li Qingluo said to Duan Zhengchun, "Follow me."

Not long after, the two arrived at a pavilion connecting the reception hall to the central courtyard.

"Speak. What is it you need to verify?" Standing in the pavilion, Li Qingluo got straight to the point.

Although Duan Zhengchun wanted to reminisce about their past affection, he understood the gravity of the situation. Hearing her words, he directly asked, "I want to know if Yu Yan is my flesh and blood."

"She is not.", Li Qingluo answered without hesitation.

Duan Zhengchun's gaze sharpened, and he pressed further, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

"What are her birth characters?"

"The Xin Chou year..."

Li Qingluo realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth and quickly stopped, then said coldly, "Why should I tell you?"

"Because she is very likely my daughter."

"You're spouting nonsense!"

As soon as Duan Zhengchun finished speaking, a delicate shout came from a nearby corner.

Immediately following, a graceful figure swiftly darted forward and struck out a palm toward Duan Zhengchun.

Duan Zhengchun was completely unprepared and was sent flying backward, crashing into one of the pavilion pillars. He then slid to the ground, spitting blood.

Seeing this, the graceful figure did not stop, intending to deliver another blow to finish Duan Zhengchun.

Li Qingluo snapped out of the shock of the sudden change and hurriedly cried out, "Yu Yan, no!"

The striking figure was none other than Wang Yuyan.

After Meng Li went to meet the guests, she had gone to Suihan Courtyard as usual to teach Zhu Jian and Mei Jian Martial Arts. Since the two had already made progress, she only needed to offer some guidance before being free. She had intended to come over to see what was happening with Meng Li, never expecting to overhear the conversation between Li Qingluo and Duan Zhengchun.

Normally, she wouldn't have paid it any mind, but Duan Zhengchun's words not only concerned Li Qingluo's reputation as a married woman but could also affect her relationship with Meng Li.

This was something Wang Yuyan found difficult to accept or tolerate.

Thus, anger flared within her, even inciting murderous intent.

Hearing Li Qingluo call out to stop, Wang Yuyan paused her movement and asked with a frown, "Why? He is slandering us!"

Li Qingluo: "..."

Seeing that she remained silent, Wang Yuyan prepared to attack Duan Zhengchun again.

Li Qingluo panicked in her heart and blurted out, "He is your biological father!"

Wang Yuyan felt as if struck by lightning from a clear sky. Her mind went blank with a thunderous roar. When she recovered, her eyes turned red, and she turned her head, staring fixedly at Li Qingluo: "You are lying to me! Mother, you are lying to me, aren't you? Tell me, you are lying to me!"

"Say something!"

Li Qingluo saw her distress, closed her eyes painfully, and said mournfully, "Mother is not lying to you."

"I married into the Wang family only after I was already pregnant with you."

"Your aunt and I have a terrible relationship precisely because she felt the timing of your birth was wrong, suspecting me of being unchaste."

Upon hearing this, memories flashed through Wang Yuyan's mind like a revolving lantern. Many things she hadn't understood before instantly had answers.

No wonder her aunt had always targeted her mother.

No wonder sometimes when her aunt looked at her with a smile, it still gave her an uncomfortable feeling.

No wonder her aunt would interrupt whenever she and her cousin were playing together, and would unintentionally reveal disgust toward her.

No wonder her aunt, just like her mother, forbade her from interacting with her cousin.

... It turned out all the problems stemmed from her mother and herself.

Her mother got pregnant before marriage, was unchaste, and disgraced her nominal father and the Wang family.

To the Wang family, and even to the Murong Family, she was a bastard.

If her cousin knew about this, how would he look at her?

With contempt? Disgust? Hatred...

Thinking that Meng Li might harbor these emotions toward her, Wang Yuyan felt her breathing become difficult, coupled with a sharp, intense pain in her chest, as if she might explode at any moment. Her face turned pale, her body swayed, and she collapsed onto a nearby stone stool.

"Yu Yan!"

Li Qingluo noticed her condition was wrong and called out with concern.

Wang Yuyan seemed not to hear.

Her mind was now filled with only one thought—she absolutely could not let Meng Li know her true parentage!

Absolutely. Not. Allow. It!

With the thought settled, Wang Yuyan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, suppressed all distracting thoughts and emotions, and then looked at Li Qingluo, asking expressionlessly, "Since you were carrying his child then, why didn't you marry him, but instead married into the Wang family?"

Li Qingluo's expression froze, then she glanced at Duan Zhengchun on the ground, bitterness laced with resentment in her voice: "Because he already had a wife at that time."

"His wife was Dao Baifeng, a noble lady from the Dali Baiyi Tribe."

"I didn't know this at first. I only found out after I had given myself to him."

"I asked him to kill Dao Baifeng and marry me, but he not only refused but simply left."

"After he left, I discovered I was pregnant with you. To prevent the news of my premarital pregnancy from spreading, I had no choice but to marry into the Wang family."

Duan Zhengchun was speechless in rebuttal, shame coloring his face.

It was true that when he was young and flirtatious outside, he intentionally concealed the disadvantageous fact that he was already married. Otherwise, no matter how good his circumstances or how high his status, it would have been difficult to make numerous women dedicate their hearts and bodies to him knowing there was no future.

After hearing this, Wang Yuyan immediately reacted: "He is the Town South King Duan Zhengchun?!"

Li Qingluo nodded.

Wang Yuyan immediately sneered: "As expected, like father, like son."

Duan Zhengchun was startled, then asked, "Yu Yan, what do you mean by that?"

Hearing the name "Yu Yan," Wang Yuyan's face turned icy, and she said coldly, "Shut up! To be born yet not raised is to be less than human. You have no right to call me by my name!"

"As for what I mean, ask your son Duan Yu and you will know."

Then, she looked at Li Qingluo and Duan Zhengchun, emphasizing every word: "I do not wish for a fourth person to know about my origins. You two had better keep it buried."

"Otherwise, don't blame me for not being polite."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Yuyan struck the stone table with her palm and swept away with her sleeves.

The moment she left, the stone table behind her began to creak, spiderweb-like cracks appearing, before it shattered into pieces on the ground with a loud bang.

Li Qingluo: "..."

Duan Zhengchun: "..."