LUO FAN
He smirked. "Here you are, all set for a wedding, and she's still keeping secrets from you."
I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. I could have handled this information had Jinjing told me herself. What stung most was that I had to hear it from someone else—someone like Ruan Yanjun.
"The child's eight now. His grandparents have been raising him in their hometown, and Jinjing's been sending him a monthly allowance."
"How do you know all of this?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think I'd let the legitimate crown prince of Kan Empire marry just anyone without checking? Of course I investigated. That's what I found. If you doubt me, you can always ask her."
My anger flared, but I held it in, forcing myself to stand and steady my breath. "Lord Ruan, thank you for the information. I'll take my leave now." I bowed stiffly and turned to leave.
He didn't say a word, but I could feel his smirk cutting through the air—no doubt relishing the fact that the ideal marriage I had envisioned was starting to fall apart.
RUAN YANJUN
I couldn't suppress the wicked smile that tugged at my lips.
It was pathetic, I knew. Using that information to try and drive a wedge between the two lovers felt beneath me, but if they wanted to call me a devil, then I would embrace it fully. I'd be the most devious devil of all devils. It didn't matter how petty it seemed. After all, evil was still evil.
Luo Fan would break off the engagement, of that I was certain. He'd leave the house—too proud to return to the uncle he'd turned his back on, and even less likely to come back to me. He'd be homeless, wandering from village to village, selling the cheap medicines he'd been producing.
How far he'd fallen. Once revered as the Divine Mage, now reduced to making medicines for the poor. With his talent, he could have achieved much more, but this was the path he'd chosen. I wouldn't intervene.
It wouldn't take long before his life spiraled further. The fake crown prince of Kan would surely place a bounty on his head, and mercenaries and cultivators alike would hunt him down like a helpless rabbit. His pathetic first-level cultivation would offer him no protection, and eventually, his pride would break. He'd come crawling back to me, begging for my help.
I chuckled darkly, rearranging the pieces on the chessboard.
My A-Fan would return to me soon enough. And by then, he'd realize I was the only one who could protect him, the one he truly needed.
I sighed, feeling a pang of self-pity.
I never imagined I'd become this person—reduced to such underhanded schemes just to reclaim my property. And for what? To compete with a rival who was nothing more than an ordinary-looking former prostitute.
When had I sunk so low?
*****
The moment I returned home, I found Jinjing cooking.
She turned and smiled at me. "Where did you come from?" she asked while she stirred the soup. "I've been looking for you."
Without saying a word, I sat on the chair before the table. "Jinjing, come over here for a moment. We need to talk."
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Yes, there is."
"Alright. I'll just lower the fire."
A moment later, she sat on the chair from across me. "What is it?"
"Is it true?" I asked.
"What is true?"
"Did you have a child with the widower that you told me about before?"
She froze, and even with my poor vision, I saw the color drain off her face.
"W-who told you?" she asked.
"So it is true," I concluded. "Is that the reason why you did not want to show me the letter from your parents? Because they mentioned about your son? Is he sick?"
When she did not speak, I rose to my feet.
"Fan." She went to her knees before me and held my hand. "I did not mean to keep it from you. I tried to tell you before but I saw that Lord Ruan was there I did not want him to hear it."
"We had spent a lot of time alone together. Since I returned, we've been together for the last six weeks. Why did you not tell me? Why must I hear this from another person?"
"I tried, but… I was afraid that if you knew, you will not want to marry me anymore. I'm sorry."
I sighed and pulled my hand off her grip. "I'll just take a walk."
"Fan." She followed me to the door. "At least tell me that you're coming back home. You're not leaving me for that, right?"
I did not say a word and continued to the gate.
"Fan, it's alright if you break up with me, but come back home so I won't get worried."