Chapter 124


    An audience


    What the hell was Lanfen doing there?! And why did she show up at the same time that we were


    supposed to meet Aren’s grandfather?! I couldn’t help but think that it was all carefully nned. But the


    real question was, was it her n or Lan Jing’s form to test Aren and me?


    I observed Lanfen making herselffortable sitting on the sofa in a ce where clearly I was


    supposed to sit. Her innocent mask was perfectly glued to her face, just as I remembered it from our


    chat at the cafe. She was dressed in a humble dark blue long-sleeve dress with a round white cor.


    Her ck hair was tied in a sleek ponytail, making her look like a high school girl. It was obvious that


    she had the old man wrapped around her little finger. I wasn’t sure what kind of lies she told him, but


    judging by the kind expression Lan Jing gave Lanfen, he bought everything she told him. My jaw


    clenched and I wished I. could grab her hair and smash her smiling face against the coffee table.


    Lan Jing looked at Aren and pointed at the empty spot on the sofa. “Xiaohouzi,e and sit next to


    Lanfen.”


    Aren inhaled through his nostrils, rage more than obvious in his expression. “I will sit only next to my


    wife. If you don’t have a ce for us to sit together, then we’d rather stand.”


    Lan Jing got up from his seat and hit the table with his fist. “Ni zemne gan?!” he roared.


    I had no idea what Lan Jing said, but I could see that Aren was about to explode in fury. I would dly


    let him, but it would only ruin everything we hade here for. I was already mad at myself for what


    I was about to do, but this one time, I had to y Lanfen’s game. Of course, I wasn’t going to give her


    all she wanted. I ced my hand on Aren’s arm while putting the other one on his heart, trying to calm


    him down, but, at the same time, stating that he was mine. He nced at me, startled, and I smiled as


    innocently as I could.


    “It’s fine, honey. Your grandfather already had a guest before we came. I’m sure he didn’t mean to


    upset us. Please sit with Lanfen on the sofa. I will take the chair”-I shifted my gaze to Lan Jing and


    smiled at him-“if I may.”


    Aren’s grandfather widened his eyes on me, and I could see his lips curve into a faint smile. Then he


    cleared his throat and pointed at a seat for me. “Of course, Ms. Bell. I wanted to talk to you just as


    much as I wanted to talk to my grandson.”


    11


    Aren stepped closer to the sofa and sent Lanfen an icy re, making her flinch. He smirked, seeing her


    shift in her seat further to the edge, leaving more space for Aren to sit. Once he made himself


    comfortable, his eyes turned to his grandfather. “I’m not certain if Grandfather remembers, but Cora is


    my wife and has my name already.” Aren’s sarcastic remark instantly put a deep frown on Lan Jing’s


    face.


    Iughed nervously before ring at Aren. I was getting miles away from myfort zone trying to act


    obediently and hyper-politely, and, as much as I was aware that Aren was trying to do that for me, he


    was actually ruining it all!


    “Mr. Lan, perhaps it would be easier if you just call me by my first name?” I suggested, keeping a


    dumbly innocent smile glued to my face before finally sitting on the chair on the old man’s left.


    Lan Jing’s frown slowly faded, giving way to a warm grin. “I will call you haizi, which means a child


    since I can already tell that I’m going to treat you just like my grandchildren. I call all my grandchildren


    that way… except for your stubborn husband. I call him xiaohouzi-a youngster because he wants to be


    taken seriously but asionally acts like a spoiled brat,” Lan Jing exined andughed.


    Aren rolled his eyes, but, fortunately, decided not toment. I chuckled, gently covering my mouth


    with my hand before ncing at Lanfen. She gave me a vicious re, clearly annoyed that I had drawn


    Lan


    Jing’s attention. She let out a high-pitchedugh that quickly turned the old man’s eyes toward her.


    “Yeye, ni yao buyao zaii dian cha?” she asked, reaching for the teapot while smiling at Lan Jing.


    That was a low move. Not only did she decide to say it in Chinese so that I wouldn’t understand, but


    the one thing I did understand was that she called Lan Jing “grandpa”! Lan Jing seemed surprised, but


    he didn’t scold her for her boldness. He smiled briefly and waved his hand, rejecting her proposal,


    which I think was about pouring more tea.


    Lanfen put the teapot back and bowed before she looked at me and gasped theatrically. “Oh my, I’m


    sorry. I forgot you don’t speak Chinese. I apologize if I made you feel awkward…” She lowered her


    head.


    Aren nced at her with disdain and chuckled coldly. Would you stop with that farse already? I didn’t


    rip your head off because you are my grandfather’s guest, but I dare you to disrespect my wife once


    more.”


    Lanfen leaned back, unable to hide the shock caused by Aren’s words. Her reaction seemed oddly


    sincere. Didn’t she realize that Aren’s hatred for her had never stopped running in his veins? Unlike


    her, I inwardly sighed in relief, seeing Aren like that. I couldn’t express how d I was that his attitude


    toward Lanfen didn’t miraculously change as soon as he saw her. Nheless, I couldn’t help but


    wonder what she was counting on.


    Lan Jing looked at me and chuckled. “I can see that my grandson is very protective of you,” he said,


    smirking at Lanfen and Aren. “He even got angry at his first love because of you.”


    I froze hearing Lan Jing’s words about Aren’s first love. There was no doubt that it was Lanfen who told


    him that. It must have been a simr story to the one she told me. And I had just appeared in that love


    story as well… as a viiness who stood in the way of Aren’s and her true love.


    I smiled at Lan Jing despite the painful squeeze in my chest. “Aren and I care about each other deeply,”


    ! said before shifting my gaze to Lanfen, “and, as far as I know, my husband and Lanfen didn’t end their


    rtionship on friendly terms.”


    Lan Jing pped his hands. “And now it is time to do something about it!” he eximed, grinning.


    My eyes widened as chills ran down my spine. I didn’t like where this was going, and judging by Aren’s


    tense jaw, he didn’t like it either. I nced at Lanfen; a triumphal smirk painted her lips.


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    “Now, my dear Cora, I would like you to leave us alone for a while.” Lan Jing smiled at me, gently


    gesturing at the door.


    “Absolutely not,” Aren hissed. “She is not leaving. I don’t keep secrets from my wife.”


    Lan Jing frowned and cleared his throat. “Very well then, but don’t me me for honesty.” He locked


    his eyes on Aren. “I’d given you a condition and you got married. That is why I will introduce you


    officially as my grandson tomorrow at my birthday party, and I will give you thepany shares that I


    promised.”


    Aren bowed. “Thank you, waigong.”


    “As for your marriage,” he continued, shifting his gaze to me, “I can see now that Cora is a truly


    beautiful and politedy… but she isn’t suitable to stay as your wife if you want to be my heir.”


    “What?!” Aren got up from his seat. “You can’t be serious! You agreed that I would choose the one I


    marry, and Cora is the one I want!” he roared.


    “Calm down, xiaohouzi,” Lan Jing said, his voice even and cold. “I am a businessman, and so are you.


    You must be aware that non-Chinese cannot be the wife of a man who runs one of the biggest


    companies in the country.”


    | sat in my seat, paralyzed. The sound of those words suffocated me. My heart pounded frantically, and


    I wanted to scream at how unfair it all was. My heartache increased by the second. I nced at Lanfen


    and met her eyes locked on me. A vicious smirk crossed her lips while she satposedly as if she


    was


    greatly enjoying the whole situation.


    “I am a half-American myself. What’s the fuck is wrong with that?!” Aren thundered.


    Lan Jing sighed. “You need a bnce, and that is why you need a Chinese wife. I knew you’d never


    ept an arranged marriage, so I devised a different n.”


    “What other way?” Aren squeezed through his teeth, his hands fisted, and his knuckles turned white.


    Lan Jing straightened in his seat. “I will make you the Lan family’s heir, but you need to divorce your


    current wife”- he turned his gaze to Lanfen and smiled at her-“and marry this finedy,ing from a


    good Chinese family.”