Chapter 287

Just then, a gust of wind lifted the veil on Qi Yiran’s conical hat.

She hurriedly reached out to press the lifted veil back down, but the red blotches on her face were already visible to Shen Yu’an and Fei Yanchen.

Fei Yanchen had no intention of attacking a woman’s appearance originally.

However, after Qi Yiran had just insulted Shen Yu’an, it was clear that she was excluded from any consideration.

He let out a disdainful snort and said, “Before criticizing others, take a look at yourself. Ugly people often do strange things.”

Qi Yiran’s eyes welled up instantly, though no one saw it, and even if they did, they wouldn’t have pitied her.

She struggled to hold back her tears but couldn’t. The thought of the man who she approached earlier mocking her in front of someone like Shen Yu’an filled her with humiliation.

Seeing that Fei Yanchen had no intention of showing any sympathy, she stomped her foot and ran off in tears.

As Qi Yiran ran off, she happened to collide head-on with her mother, Madam Qi, who had come looking for her.

Madam Qi, caught off guard, stumbled a few steps and leaned against a tree to regain her balance.

Before she could voice her irritation, she realized it was her beloved daughter who had collided with her, so she quickly chased after her.

Shen Yu’an shook her head in disappointment. Qi Yiran was both inexperienced and had a penchant for causing trouble.

However, Shen Yu’an and Fei Yanchen soon put the encounter with Qi Yiran out of their minds. Perhaps Qi Yiran felt embarrassed to be seen in their presence, as she didn’t appear before Shen Yu’an again until they descended from the mountain.

With no one seeking conflict, Shen Yu’an naturally felt relieved.

Before descending the mountain, Fei Dong returned with some information.

Fei Yanchen idly played with a simple porcelain cup in his hand and asked, “Tell me.”

Fei Dong relayed all the information he had gathered over the past couple of days.

“During their time at the town’s school, Fang Chun and several young men from the Shen family were classmates, and they both passed the scholar’s exam.”

“He originally planned to participate in the recent provincial examination, but a few days before the exam, he fell ill with a cold and didn’t recover in time, so he missed this year’s test.”

“Based on Fang Chun’s connections, I found out that he had a brief encounter with Miss Shen a long time ago.”

“The keeper of the town’s bookstore confirmed this. Back then…”

Fei Dong recounted the process of Fang Chun trying to strike up a conversation with Shen Yu’an when they first met at the bookstore, and Fei Yanchen’s face had turned icy.

Well, that’s quite a coincidence!

It seems the bookstore keeper has too much free time on their hands and is interested in “witnessing” the birth of a love story.

Fei Yanchen had already thought of a hundred ways to give the bookstore keeper additional tasks.

“Fang Chun and his sister Fang Nian visited the Shen family not too long ago, intending to express their gratitude for the help Miss Shen provided to Fang Nian.”

“But in reality, it was Miss Fang who had feelings for Mr. Shen and used this opportunity to gather information,” Fei Dong added.

He then went on to explain the remaining details of the situation.

Fei Yanchen now had a clear understanding of the whole story. While he was somewhat displeased, he still didn’t regard Fang Chun as a threat.

He asked, “Prepare the formal proposal gifts and offerings, for now, following the standards of the Lady of the Heir’s household.”

Why “for now”? It was clear that he intended to provide Shen Yu’an with something even better in the future. But for now, he needed to thwart the intentions of others who had designs on Shen Yu’an.

“Yes.”

Fei Dong took his leave.

Fei Yanchen gazed outside, lost in thought.

In just two days, he would be departing. This journey was a mix of danger and opportunity, and he needed to succeed, not just for Shen Yu’an and her family but also for himself.

Since he had decided to win, there was no harm in setting a label for Shen Yu’an as his.

Fei Yanchen’s determination burned even brighter, and it was only when Shen Yu’an called his name that he snapped back to reality.