Indeed, it's just like in my past life.
Such impressive acting skills. Had I not known everything from my past life, I wouldn't be able to distinguish between what's real and what's not. However, it's truly shocking for Lin Qingyan to realize that Su Chen didn't genuinely like her.
She suddenly felt a tinge of resentment. What a clueless guy! How could he not be charmed by a delicate beauty like me? Isn't a beauty like me irresistible? In any case, I must win him over this time. A smug smile appeared on Lin Qingyan's face. "Since it's our wedding, how can a mere ring represent true feelings?"
With that, she surprisingly pulled out an exquisitely wrapped gift box. Judging by the size of the box, Su Chen felt something was amiss. As expected, when Lin Qingyan opened the box, it revealed a brilliantly shining diamond ring. Lin Qingyan gently said, "Su Chen, why don't you put this ring on me yourself?"
After speaking, the usually cold and emotionless face surprisingly broke into a smile.What's going on? Why is everyone acting out of character? Did I lose my memory? For a moment, Su Chen was at a loss for what to do. "A ring? You want me to put it on you?" Su Chen felt completely bewildered.
He could tell at a glance that the ring was of significant value. It must have cost a fortune, and it was genuinely high-quality, nothing like the fake one Su Chen might have carelessly presented.
Not only that, Su Chen discovered an exceptionally thoughtful design. Inscribed inside the ring was: "Su Chen's Wife, Lin Qingyan." "Hurry up and put it on for me!" Seeing Su Chen standing there in astonishment without taking any action, Lin Qingyan took the initiative, placing the ring into Su Chen's hand. She then stretched out her fair hand and placed it in Su Chen's other hand, her heart brimming with joy.
She had been eagerly awaiting this moment, and today was the day it would finally come true. She found Su Chen's surprised expression incredibly handsome and alluring. Why had he suddenly become so attractive? She had seen many good-looking men, be it fresh faces from the entertainment industry or long-established movie stars, yet none compared to Su Chen. Could this be the phenomenon of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?
In his state of bewilderment, Su Chen genuinely placed the ring, symbolic of their beautiful love, on Lin Qingyan's finger. At that moment, the surrounding crowd was utterly flabbergasted. This wasn't what they had imagined! Wasn't Lin Qingyan known for her cold demeanor? The "Ice Goddess" had always shown disdain for her admirers, with Su Chen being the prime example.
She was so aloof she wouldn't even converse with Su Chen; her past behavior suggested she could hardly stand to glance at him. Now, she was personally letting Su Chen place the engagement ring on her finger. Everyone felt as if their understanding of the world was collapsing. Unbelievable, it was beyond everyone's expectations. Did Lin Qingyan's image crumble after Su Chen's countless confessions? Had she fallen in love with Su Chen? It made no sense! Just recently, she was known to have publicly rejected and humiliated him.
"Could it be due to the Su family's influence behind the scenes?" "Unlikely, the Lin family is also powerful right now, and these families keep each other in check. Could such a situation even arise?" "You country bumpkin, of course, it's not intimidation, it's courting." "They must have offered something Lin Qingyan couldn't refuse, and given her reaction, we can guess how precious it must be." "Poor Su family, their vast fortune might be squandered." Many shook their heads, finding the situation laughable.
Who were Su Long and Chen Jing? Their peers had always lived in the shadows of these two. Yet these formidable figures had produced such a son and even seemed to have lost their sanity because of him. Indeed, every individual has a weakness, no exceptions. The formidable Su family's vulnerability was Su Chen.
Just as everyone eagerly anticipated what would happen next with a mocking attitude, a magnetic voice filled with hostility resonated. "We live in a free society now. The idea of betrothal is laughable. Everyone should pursue love; coercion is pointless." As these words were spoken, the crowd's attention was immediately captured. Someone was challenging the proceedings. Everyone's gaze shifted in that direction.
An exceptionally handsome man appeared unexpectedly at the banquet scene. Even though his attire of flip-flops and a toothpick hanging from the corner of his mouth seemed out of place, his extraordinary aura drew surprise from many attendees. This was Qin Yu, a young man who had recently returned to the country.
However, his past actions had offended numerous nobles. This caused many to view him with dissatisfaction, but they refrained from acting due to the formality of the event. Qin Yu wore a confident smile. Since his return, he had been working on various schemes and investigations to re-enter this circle and accomplish his major plans. The relationship between Su Chen and Lin Qingyan was pivotal to his plan.
In recent years, Su Chen's power had grown substantially, threatening to upset the balance, and the major families had simply stood by and watched. This oversight is a strategic blunder, akin to how Qin Dynasty conquered the other six states in history. Thus, Qin Yu saw it necessary to act, becoming the spark for the other families to wage war against Su Chen.
With a disdainful look, Qin Yu addressed Su Chen casually, "I've heard that Young Master Su is fond of Miss Lin. I hope you wouldn't force her into anything against her will." He continued, "If that's the case, it's disappointing. I've always admired the ancient knights who stood against bullying and injustice."
Those present anticipated a spectacle. Qin Yu, with his exceptional martial prowess and a hint of mysterious background, was about to confront the heir of the powerful Su family. How would this encounter unfold?
Unbeknownst to the audience, Su Chen was delighted. The system had not given him any alerts, and as the protagonist, Qin Yu had made his expected appearance with animosity. The story was progressing as expected. Su Chen wondered what tactics his parents had used to influence Lin Qingyan's actions.
Through 33 story traversals and countless days and nights of meticulous care, Su Chen had come to view Su Long and Chen Qian as his real parents. He didn't want the Su family's downfall. He had devised plans to kill Qin Yu and restore the Su family's glory, but had never put them into action as he had never completed his mission.
Knowing this wasn't the time for contemplation, Su Chen's face displayed anger even if he felt triumphant internally. He retorted, "Why are you intervening? This matter concerns my wife and me. What right does an outsider like you have to interfere?"
Ignoring Su Chen, Qin Yu turned to Lin Qingyan and remarked, "Miss Lin, look at this man. His foul language makes me wonder if his mouth was placed in the wrong spot."
Su Chen saw through Qin Yu's protagonist-like demeanor and his flirty advances. He knew this was a pivotal moment. Soon, Lin Qingyan would likely side with Qin Yu against him. As expected, she smiled at Qin Yu, and together they confronted Su Chen. Unwilling to back down, Su Chen's anger boiled over, and he seemed ready to take down Qin Yu on the spot.
Lin Qingyan promptly slapped him across the face. Thinking about it, being slapped really hurts. "I've been slapped 33 times already," he lamented internally. At this moment, under the anticipative gaze of the audience, Lin Qingyan finally spoke, "Do you even know how to talk?"
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her face was filled with anger. As expected, her words left the audience stunned. The drama had begun. Everyone was looking forward to the unfolding scene. However, what happened next was totally unexpected.
"Didn't you hear? This is a matter between my husband and me. Why are you, an outsider, interfering? Would you like me to have you escorted out?" Oh my god! Lin Qingyan was actually scolding Qin Yu.
And she was clearly very angry. The tone of her voice suggested that she saw herself as a lady of the Su family. It sounded like she was defending her husband, as a wife should, echoing the sentiment of a strong woman behind a successful man. Su Chen felt a chill down his spine, feeling perplexed.
Wasn't he the one supposed to be scolded? Instead, it was the male lead, Qin Yu. "What on earth has happened?" he thought. "I just want to finish my task and go home," Su Chen thought, "I can't go on like this." Lin Qingyan, on the outside, maintained her proud demeanor.
But inside, she was extremely satisfied. "I bet you didn't see this coming," she thought. "Although you, my dear puppy, are incredibly smart and seem to predict everything, you probably didn't expect that I, your wife, have actually traveled back in time."
Lin Qingyan's beautiful eyes were fixed on Su Chen, as if she couldn't wait to devour him.