27: The Yandere Warlord's Substitute Bride 27

Wen Yan was thrown out of the Mahjong Hall, and everyone around her looked at her strangely. Embarrassed, she quickly ran home. She wanted her parents to help, preferably by spreading rumors to ruin Wen Ci's reputation. Then, General Fu would surely detest Wen Ci.

But just as she rushed through the Wen family's front gate, she ran into a terrifying scene: several burly men kicking over the rosewood tea table in the main hall.

She immediately froze in place.

"Wen Yan has finally returned?" The leading man turned to look at her, stepping on a broken piece of porcelain. In his hand, he weighed a blood-stained IOU. "Your father owes our gambling house thirty thousand silver dollars. Today, it's time to settle the debt."

Wen Yan's pupils contracted, and she trembled all over. Only then did she remember that something similar had happened in her previous life.

Her father owed the gambling house a lot of silver dollars, but at that time, she didn't have to deal with these matters at all, and she thought it wasn't a big deal because General Fu could solve it with just a word.

But she hadn't expected the debt collectors to be such a group of fierce and evil people, and from the biggest gambling house at that!

What exactly had her father done!

Wen Yan was so scared she could barely speak. A man grabbed her hair and dragged her inside.

"I, I know General Fu!" She shrieked in pain, forcing herself to lift her head, but her voice was weak and trembling. "How dare you touch me…"

"General Fu?" The man suddenly burst into laughter, slapping her to the ground. "General Fu just issued an order this morning: the Wen family's affairs… he will not interfere! Otherwise, why do you think we're here now? We should have come to collect the debt much earlier. If it weren't for the fact that you're the General's wife's maternal family, do you think we would have given you such a long grace period?!"

Wen Yan's ears buzzed, and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. She lay on the ground, watching her meticulously cared-for nails get stained with mud and break.

Her vision blurred for a moment.

Had she really fallen so low that she needed that bitch Wen Ci to buy her more time? How could she have become so lowly and pathetic, how could she be worse off than Wen Ci!

Through tear-filled eyes, she suddenly remembered General Fu.

In her previous life, she was locked in a golden cage made of brocade by General Fu, resenting him for being too controlling. But now she understood that beneath his confinement lay the absolute safety forged by immense power.

She thought she had gained freedom now, but the result was a small freedom.

Only by his side could she achieve true great freedom.

"Please…" She finally burst into tears, her rouge mixing with tears, smearing her face. "Give me a few more days, I will definitely find a way to pay back the money!"

The man grabbed her hair and dragged her towards the door. "More time? Fine!" His dirty fingers caressed her cheek. "The Hundred Pleasures Door just happens to need someone who can sing."

Wen Yan had never endured such humiliation. In her agony, she vaguely remembered that the jade cup she had shattered in her previous life was brought by General Fu overnight from Myanmar. The brocade she disdained was woven by Jiangnan embroiderers who had ruined their eyesight. Even the imprisonment she hated was his safe haven, protecting her.

She hadn't realized the outside world was so perilous, hadn't imagined that one day she would be so miserable and disheveled.

"I was wrong," she whispered to the void, not knowing who she was speaking to. "I shouldn't have run away."

As Wen Yan was roughly dragged out of the Wen family's gate, her hair was disheveled, her qipao covered in dust. Her parents' screams came from behind her, but she didn't look back. She only struggled to look up, and happened to see the street corner not far away.

Wen Ci was being embraced by General Fu, her waist encircled, as they emerged from the Mahjong Hall. Her beautiful face glowed softly in the sunset, a gentle and warm smile on her face.

General Fu lowered his head, listening to something she was saying, his stern brows softening with a smile. He even personally tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

At that moment, Wen Yan felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

She had actually lost such a good man, when all of this should have been hers.

Although in her previous life she was "imprisoned" in the mansion by General Fu, he had never allowed her to suffer the slightest grievance.

When she complained of boredom, he built a garden. When she complained of being bored, he invited opera troupes to perform day and night. Even when she unreasonably broke a teacup, he personally knelt down and picked up each piece, afraid she might step on it and get hurt.

But she had run away.

In this new life, she had actually given away the immense benefit of marrying General Fu to that bitch Wen Ci! Letting her steal her man!

"General Fu! General Fu, help!" Wen Father suddenly rushed out, throwing himself towards General Fu. "For the sake of us once being in-laws!"

General Fu didn't even lift his head, only lowered his gaze to Wen Ci in his arms, watching her expression to see what response she would give.

Wen Father understood and immediately went to beg Wen Ci, "Ci'er, please help! I'm half your father!"

Wen Mother cried, "Ci'er, please help, we were wrong before, we won't dare to do it again!"

They couldn't understand why the gambling house had said yesterday they were willing to give them more time, but today they showed up without a word and started smashing things.

They had originally thought that with Wen Ci's help, they could definitely get through this, but now, seeing Wen Ci's expression, they were truly starting to panic!

Regret! They regretted not treating this child well in the past, otherwise, they would surely be able to turn danger into safety today!

"Ci'er! Please save us!"

Many onlookers gathered around.

Wen Ci glanced indifferently at the disheveled Wen Parents, then her gaze slowly shifted, landing on Wen Yan's distorted face in the distance, her eyes as cold as if she were looking at a stranger.

She didn't even speak, but General Fu immediately understood. He embraced her and got directly into the rickshaw, not even sparing a glance for the Wen family.

"Let's go," he said to the rickshaw driver, his voice unbelievably gentle. "My wife is tired."

Wen Parents collapsed to the ground, watching the rickshaw gradually disappear, and finally broke down into sobs.

"General Fu!" Wen Yan shouted his name one last time, but only his retreating back answered her.

Wen Yan finally understood.

She had actually pushed away the only man who would unconditionally protect her with her own hands.

All her previous so-called disdain was because she couldn't have him, so she tried to brainwash herself, tried to belittle everyone, but now she understood.

She was truly so jealous.

So jealous of Wen Ci.

Why did Wen Ci have to steal everything that should have belonged to her!

In the rickshaw, Wen Ci leaned lazily against General Fu's shoulder. "Husband, why didn't you ask me if I wanted to help them?"

General Fu played with her fingers. "When my wife narrows her eyes, I know whether to kill or bury."

Wen Ci chuckled softly, unable to resist rubbing his head. "You understand me so well."

"Of course."

General Fu rubbed her palm, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

After Wen Ci and General Fu left, Duan Lin exited the Mahjong Hall and naturally witnessed Wen Yan and her family being dragged away. His eyes immediately lit up, and then he unhurriedly followed them.

It seemed that the complete defense map was within reach.