As Zhao Lan watched Liu Chen climb through her window, her heart raced with uncertainty. He looked just as handsome as she remembered, but the vulnerability in his eyes stirred conflicting emotions within her. "What do you want, Liu Chen?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
Liu Chen took a deep breath, clearly grappling with his words. "I came to apologize, Zhao Lan. I never wanted to hurt you. I… I thought I was making the right choice, but I see now how wrong I was." His gaze fell to the floor, and Zhao Lan could sense the weight of his guilt.
"You think apologies can fix everything?" she shot back, her voice sharper than she intended. "You and Zhao Mei have shattered everything I believed about us."
He stepped closer, his expression earnest. "I know I messed up. But what happened with Zhao Mei… it's not what you think. I was trying to protect you."
Zhao Lan scoffed. "Protect me? By betraying me with my own sister? Do you think that makes any sense?"
Liu Chen ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It was never meant to happen! Zhao Mei is—she's complicated. She came to me with this story, and I was too weak to push her away. But I love you, Zhao Lan. I always have."
"Love?" she echoed incredulously. "What does that even mean to you now?" Zhao Lan's heart ached at his words, but she couldn't let him see that. "You've shown me nothing but deceit."
Seeing the fire in her eyes, Liu Chen reached out, gently taking her hand. "Please, just listen to me. I want to make this right. I came here tonight to tell you that I don't love Zhao Mei. I tried to make it work, but it only made me realize that I want to be with you."
The warmth of his hand against hers sent a thrill through Zhao Lan, but she quickly snatched her hand back. "How can I trust you again? You let me believe that you cared, while you were with her."
"I know I don't deserve your trust," Liu Chen admitted, his voice low. "But I'm willing to fight for it. I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you that my feelings for you are real."
Zhao Lan's resolve wavered. Part of her wanted to believe him, to forgive him and pretend none of this ever happened. But the betrayal cut deep, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Zhao Mei's jealousy still loomed over them like a dark cloud. "What about my sister? She won't just let you go."
Liu Chen looked away, his expression clouded with uncertainty. "I don't know what will happen with Zhao Mei. But I'll face her if that's what it takes. I want to be honest with you, Zhao Lan. I can't let her manipulate me anymore."
The tension in the room crackled as Zhao Lan absorbed his words. Liu Chen's vulnerability was disarming, and the flicker of hope in his eyes ignited something within her. But how could she open herself to him again after everything?
"And what if I'm not ready to forgive you?" she challenged, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Then I'll wait," Liu Chen replied, determination etched on his face. "I'll wait as long as it takes. I can't walk away from you."
Their eyes locked in a moment of intense silence, and Zhao Lan felt her heart race. But just as she opened her mouth to respond, a loud crash echoed from outside.
Startled, they both turned toward the window. The sound of shouting filled the air as shadows moved in the garden below. "What is happening?" Zhao Lan whispered, her instincts kicking in.
"I don't know, but we should check it out," Liu Chen said, urgency in his voice. They moved to the window together, peering out into the darkness.
To their horror, they saw a group of men confronting Zhao Mei, who was shouting angrily at them. "Get away from me! I don't want anything to do with you!" she yelled, her voice laced with panic.
"You think you can just walk away?" one of the men sneered. "You owe us! Don't forget that you made a deal."
Zhao Lan felt a chill run down her spine. What deal? She exchanged a worried glance with Liu Chen, who looked equally perplexed.
"We need to help her," Zhao Lan said, her heart racing. Despite their recent conflict, the thought of her sister in danger was unbearable.
"Are you sure?" Liu Chen hesitated. "What if it's a trap?"
Zhao Lan shook her head. "I can't just stand by and do nothing. She may have betrayed me, but she's still my sister."
Without another word, they quickly climbed out of the window and made their way down the trellis, determined to confront whatever chaos awaited them below.
As they approached, the tension in the air thickened. Zhao Mei's face twisted with fear, and the men loomed ominously around her. "What do you want?" Zhao Lan called out, stepping in front of Liu Chen, ready to protect her sister, even after everything that had happened.
One of the men turned to face her, a sneer on his lips. "Ah, the little princess finally decides to show up. Your sister has a debt she hasn't paid, and we're here to collect."
Zhao Lan's heart dropped. "Debt? What are you talking about?" She felt a surge of anger at the sight of her sister's distress.
"Don't involve yourself, Zhao Lan," Zhao Mei spat, her eyes flashing with anger and desperation. "This is none of your business!"
But Zhao Lan stood her ground. "It is my business if you're in trouble! What have you gotten yourself into?"
The man chuckled darkly. "Let's just say your sister thought she could play us, and now she needs to pay the price. Unless, of course, you're willing to settle this another way…"
Zhao Lan felt her blood run cold at the implication. She couldn't let Zhao Mei pay this debt alone, nor could she allow anyone to threaten her family. The chaos of the evening had escalated into a dangerous game, and she was right in the middle of it.
"I'll do whatever it takes to help her," Zhao Lan declared, her heart racing as she prepared for the confrontation that could change everything.
Liu Chen grasped her arm, concern etched on his face. "Zhao Lan, think this through. We don't know what they want."
But she was resolute. "I can't stand by while she suffers. We're family, no matter what."
Just then, the lead man stepped closer, a gleam in his eye. "How noble of you. But understand this: in our world, loyalty has a price."
As he spoke, the tension in the air grew thick, and Zhao Lan knew she was on the precipice of a much larger conflict than she had anticipated.