Chapter 408: Cheng Beize, You Won’t Escape This Lifetime
Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Cheng Beize, You Won’t Escape This Lifetime
Under the cover of darkness, Su Qing arrived near the Fan Family’s villa. There was a small grove of trees nearby. Instead of entering the villa, she controlled the climbing vines within the grove, directing them to snake their way toward the Fan Family’s residence.
At this hour, most people in the Fan household were asleep. Only a single room on the third floor of the villa still had a light on. Su Qing directed a vine to climb up to the room’s window frame, then had it quietly squeeze through a crack and settle on the windowsill inside.
"Mom, I was so humiliated today." There were two women in the room. The younger girl was pouting, her expression aggrieved as she tearfully complained to a middle-aged woman.
Su Qing narrowed her eyes. ’What a coincidence. The young girl is none other than Fan Yuqian.’
"Mommy’s baby, it’s alright. It’s just that Cheng Beize has no taste." The middle-aged woman was Fan Yuqian’s mother, Zhang Meifen. She hugged Fan Yuqian, her heart aching for her daughter, and quickly tried to soothe her. "There are plenty of men in Xiangcheng more outstanding than Cheng Beize. Forget Xiangcheng, even among your dad’s overseas business partners, there are lots of talented young men. If Cheng Beize has no taste, then we don’t want him."
"No! I only like Cheng Beize," Fan Yuqian said, pouting. "Mommy, besides Cheng Beize, I don’t care about any other man. You don’t need to introduce me to anyone; I won’t like them. In this life, I’ll marry Cheng Beize or no one."
"Oh, Mommy’s baby, why are you so stubborn? There are plenty of good men in the world. Why are you so set on Cheng Beize?" Zhang Meifen said, feeling a headache coming on. "Listen to Mommy. Since he’s clearly rejected you, we shouldn’t go chasing after him. A daughter of the Fan Family never has to worry about marriage proposals. For instance, I think that second son from the Qian Family is pretty good."
"I don’t want him," Fan Yuqian said. "Qian Jiafeng isn’t good-looking, and he’s not as tall as Cheng Beize."
In any case, Fan Yuqian felt that no other man could compare to Cheng Beize. In her eyes, he was perfect, the only man she wanted to marry. She looked down on everyone else.
"Oh, you silly child, you just don’t understand. You should find a man who’s willing to spoil you," Zhang Meifen advised. "That second son of the Qian Family has liked you since you were children. He’s always hung on your every word. If you told him to go east, he’d never dare go west. Marrying a man like that is how you’ll find happiness. If Cheng Beize liked you, Mommy wouldn’t say a thing, but it’s obvious he already has someone else in his heart. You saw for yourself how he acted toward that other girl at Cheng Beilin’s wedding banquet. Even if you did manage to marry him, you won’t be happy if you’re not the one he loves."
At the mention of the wedding banquet, Fan Yuqian pressed her lips together tightly. ’She had noticed how differently Cheng Beize treated that woman, Li Huan, when she’d gone to see Cheng Beilin before the wedding. You can’t hide the way a man looks at a woman he likes. And since she was constantly watching Cheng Beize, she had naturally figured out he liked Li Huan. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made a move against Li Huan at the banquet the next day. Her only regret was that the fall had been too minor. If only those glass shards had ruined her face.’
’If that woman were disfigured, let’s see if Cheng Beize would still like her then!’
Though her thoughts were vicious, Fan Yuqian’s face was a mask of innocent grievance. "Mommy, I don’t care! I just like Cheng Beize, and I won’t marry anyone but him."
"You child, why don’t you understand? You should marry someone who loves you, so your life won’t be filled with hardship," Zhang Meifen pleaded earnestly.
"I don’t care." Fan Yuqian stubbornly turned her head away. "I’m going to marry him. No one else will do."
"Sigh, you stubborn child!" Seeing she couldn’t change Fan Yuqian’s mind, Zhang Meifen relented. "Fine, fine. I’ll have your father talk to Uncle Cheng about a marriage alliance. We’ll see if he can make this decision for his son."
"Really? That’s wonderful! Mommy, I love you!" Fan Yuqian’s face lit up, and she threw her arms around Zhang Meifen’s neck. "Mommy, I knew you’re the best! Tell Daddy to have a serious talk with Uncle Cheng. You have to make Uncle Cheng agree to this marriage."
If it weren’t considered improper for a young woman to ask her own father to arrange a marriage alliance, she would have been pestering Father Fan about it long ago. Thankfully, her mother had come through for her, and Fan Yuqian’s heart soared with joy.
"Now, it’s not a done deal," Zhang Meifen sighed. "I’ve heard that Cheng Beize is very strong-willed. I’m afraid even Uncle Cheng might not be able to decide this for him." She wasn’t confident about their chances, but seeing the delighted look on her daughter’s face, she figured all they could do was have her husband talk to the Cheng Family and try his best. ’Maybe... there’s still a chance.’
But thinking of how Cheng Beize had rejected her daughter made Zhang Meifen feel annoyed. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her daughter had been wronged.
"Mommy, go talk to Daddy now. Hurry, hurry!" Fan Yuqian impatiently pushed Zhang Meifen out of her room.
"My, you’re in such a hurry... Alright, alright, I’m going right now," Zhang Meifen said, shaking her head helplessly before hurrying off to find Father Fan.
After pushing Zhang Meifen out of the room, Fan Yuqian sat on her large bed with a smile. She flopped backward, grinning at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. ’As long as Daddy can persuade Uncle Cheng, Cheng Beize will have to obey.’ The thought filled her with the joy of her impending marriage to him.
But after another moment’s thought, a flicker of unease returned. Fan Yuqian pressed her lips together, sat up, and picked up the phone on her nightstand to dial a number.
Su Qing kept the vine perfectly still, her focus entirely on Fan Yuqian’s movements. Seeing her pick up the phone, Su Qing’s interest was piqued. ’Who is she calling?’
"Master!" The call connected, and Fan Yuqian spoke the title softly, with a cautious and respectful tone. "I apologize for calling so late and disturbing you. I hope you don’t mind."
Hearing this, Su Qing narrowed her eyes.
’Master!’
’Could it be that Master Ning?’
Then, she heard Fan Yuqian ask respectfully, "Master, I wanted to ask... is there a medicine that can make a person obedient? Like... like something that could make someone fall in love with me..."
At this, Fan Yuqian’s face flushed. "Ideally, one that would make him love me for the rest of his life."
It was impossible to know what the person on the other end said, but Fan Yuqian’s eyes immediately lit up. "Oh, yes! That’s no problem," she said hurriedly. "I can wait a month. Don’t worry, Master. Money is no object. As long as the medicine works, I’ll pay whatever price you name."
"Yes, yes, thank you for your trouble, Master. Please get some rest."
Fan Yuqian hung up the phone, her face flushed an even deeper red with excitement, her eyes brimming with delight. She covered her mouth and giggled. "Cheng Beize, you’re not getting away from me in this lifetime."