"Is it you?" Feng Xueying's icy stare fixed on Chen Fan, her voice dripping with hostility, leaving him momentarily stunned.
"Xueying, what's with that tone?" Feng Jun's expression tightened as he picked up on the hostility in her words, his gaze sharpening with a touch of anger and disappointment.
"Grandpa, I don't want this engagement." Feng Xueying spoke decisively as she looked at her grandfather. The memory of Su Ming's words echoed in her mind, further fueling her already existing reluctance about the engagement that had been forced upon her a year ago. She turned her gaze back to Chen Fan, her feelings only growing colder. Though she was confused by Su Ming voice, she felt that ending this so-called engagement was the most urgent matter at hand.
Hearing his granddaughter's words, Feng Jun's anger flared, his voice booming with frustration. "Is this how I raised you?"
He was well aware of Feng Xueying's discomfort with the engagement, which is why he had planned to help ease the relationship gradually. He believed that, over time, she would come to appreciate Chen Fan. But her sudden outburst was a sharp slap to his face. He never expected his usually calm granddaughter to throw such a childish tantrum.
As the tension in the room thickened, Chen Fan decided to step in. "Grandpa Feng, may I speak with her for a moment?"
Chen Fan had a lot to discuss about the engagement, but after hearing his fiancée's reputation, his curiosity about her deepened. He hoped to establish a better connection with her, even if it meant ending the engagement. He believed they could have a calm conversation about it. However, after observing the current situation, he knew that would be impossible.
Sigh, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment, he thought.
After a brief moment to collect herself, Feng Xueying realized she may have gone too far. She wasn't sure if Su Ming's words were true, but the fact that he knew about her engagement, something only her family was aware of, made her inclined to believe him. This was why her impression of Chen Fan had plummeted—being labeled as a "licking dog" was the ultimate insult for a woman of her pride.
"Xueying, please listen to my explanation."
As Feng Xueying was about to agree to Chen Fan's proposal, a voice suddenly echoed from the door, growing louder with each step until it reached the gate. Behind him, a security guard hesitated, unsure whether to stop Su Ming, knowing his identity.
Everyone in the Feng family, along with Chen Fan, turned to see the source of the voice. Standing there was a handsome man, holding a pile of gifts. At the sight of him, Feng Jun's expression darkened.
"Feng Xueying, what do you mean by this?" he asked, his tone growing cold.
Realizing that her grandfather might have misunderstood the situation, Feng Xueying quickly responded, "I have nothing to do with him," her brow furrowing as she glared at the approaching Su Ming. Clearly, she was displeased by his persistent following.
Su Ming observed the scene before him, realizing that the plot was unfolding just as it was meant to. In the original story, Feng Xueying had many reservations about the engagement. However, out of respect for her grandfather, she initially went along with it. Her plan was to play along at first, but then later speak privately with Chen Fan in an attempt to break off the engagement. By that point, Su Ming would have entered the picture, learning about the engagement and starting to target Chen Fan. If everything was going according to plot, Feng Xueying should have just found out about the engagement now, right?
[Looks like I arrived just in time.]
"WHO?" Feng Yanyan suddenly heard the voice in her head, and couldn't help but shout out in surprise. The loud outburst caused both her mother and father to nearly have a heart attack from the shock.
Smack!
Mo Qinglan slapped her daughter on the head with just enough force to make her tear up a little.
"Why did you slap me, Mom?" Feng Yanyan cried out, rubbing her head.
Hearing the loud shout, Su Ming was naturally drawn to the source.
[So this is the pure and stupid heroine. Compared to her sister, it's such a stark contrast.]
Once again, the sudden voice sent Feng Yanyan into a panic, making her believe a ghost had followed her home. All the tension in the air seemed to vanish in the wake of her fright. With a sharp gasp, she jumped and immediately clung to her mother, seeking comfort.
This sequence of events left her mother stunned.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Mo… Mom, there's something ugly around here. I'm scared." Recalling the ugly, scary ghosts from movies, Feng Yanyan began to cry a little. But after hearing what the ghost had said, she quickly became angry at the unknown voice.
'You're stupid, your family is stupid'
Watching and hearing Feng Yanyan's exaggerated reaction, Su Ming couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
[Damn, do I really look that ugly?]
For a moment, the heavy tension in the room seemed to lift because of Feng Yanyan's exaggerated reaction. However, Su Ming soon felt all eyes on him, waiting for him to explain himself.
With a smile, he decided to introduce himself, seemingly unaware of the emotions behind the stares directed at him.
"My name is Su Ming. I'm—"
"What are you doing here?" Feng Xueying interrupted coldly, her patience thinning with every passing second. Su Ming, aware of how disruptive his actions had been, couldn't help but smirk. After all, his goal was to create tension and become enemies with the protagonist.
[Tsk, tsk. She's angry. It seems that unconsciously, she doesn't like her time with her beloved protagonist being interrupted]
[The scent of a "licking dog" is strong with this one.]
"I said, what are you doing here?" Feng Xueying's anger reached its peak as she demanded an answer.
Feng Jun, who had initially thought there might be some ambiguity in their relationship, began to realize the truth about their connection. He quietly waited for Su Ming to clarify himself.
"I'm sorry, Miss Feng," Su Ming apologized softly. "I thought something I said earlier might have upset you, and I wanted to apologize. Please don't be angry."
"There's no need. Get out of here," Feng Xueying commanded coldly, trying to push him away.
"Okay, okay, please don't be angry." Su Ming tried to placate her. "This is the gift I brought. I hope it can—"
"No need. Get out now," Feng Xueying repeated, her voice firm.
"Okay," Su Ming said with a wry smile and began walking out, his shoulders slumped like a defeated dog.
Just before he reached the door, Feng Jun spoke up.
"You're Su Ming from the Su family, right?" he asked.
Su Ming paused, intrigued. Hm? What's this old man going to do? he thought inwardly.
Outwardly, he appeared like a well-behaved dog awaiting his master's command. "Yes, Grandpa, what do you need me to do?"
This sudden change in Su Ming's demeanor slightly stunned Feng Jun. What a talent, he thought inwardly.
"You don't need to pursue Xueying anymore. She has a fiancé," Feng Jun stated.
"Fiancé?" Su Ming's eyes widened in exaggerated surprise as he glanced between Feng Jun and Feng Xueying. Even Feng Xueying hadn't expected her grandfather to reveal the engagement to an outsider. Although she knew Su Ming was aware of the arrangement, it was a different matter entirely for her grandfather to publicly confirm it.
"Is it you?" His tone held a hint of hostility toward Chen Fan.
Su Ming muttered to himself silently, only Chen Fan able to hear him. "I remember you."
"Wait!"
Just before he exited, Feng Yanyan called out, halting him in his tracks.
"What is it, Sister—Miss Feng?" Su Ming's response came automatically, as if subconsciously waiting for her orders.
Truly a talent, everyone thought inwardly, even Chen Fan.
Feng Yanyan, too, was taken aback but quickly refocused, she immediately looked at Su Ming again, wanting to clarify something. The previous words she heard made her believe that the voice was Su Ming's inner voice. This made her even more confused after experiencing this phenomenon. Even with martial artists being the norm in this world, this experience seemed almost magical."
"What are you?" she asked hesitantly.
Su Ming's mouth twitched, his earlier doubts resurfacing. What do I look like to her? A monster?
"Um, a human?" he replied, unsure how to answer.
[Seriously, what's wrong with this girl?]
[Do I really look that ugly?]
[Or maybe this is just fate. She and her future husband, Chen Fan, are polar opposites to me—the villain. She probably sees me as some vile being.]
[No, I'm overthinking it. She's just stupid. There's no way I can understand the thought process of an idiot.]
Upon hearing Su Ming's inner voice, Feng Yanyan was initially shocked by the explosive revelation. However, as his second remark registered, her expression shifted to one of anger.
"GET OUT!" she snapped coldly.
Seeing her expression change from shock to anger, Su Ming assumed she didn't believe him and even thought he was deceiving her.
Am I really that ugly?
Stunned, Su Ming walked out of the gate, his posture now truly defeated.
This time, it wasn't just an act.