Chapter 141: Beauty Leads to Ruin

Qiao Zi Yu felt indignant in his heart.

But Wei Jing Yi and Lu Chang Qing, he couldn’t afford to offend either of them.

Not just them, even Xiao Huai’an standing there exuded a sense of pressure.

The sense of superiority Qiao Zi Yu once felt when facing Ye Xin Ran had completely evaporated.

“Please, if Xin Yao is here, just let her come out. I’ll really take her back and marry her,” he pleaded.

“If you keep talking nonsense, we’ll meet in court,” Ye Xin Ran said.

Hearing this, Qiao Zi Yu immediately shrank back.

He couldn’t understand why Ye Xin Ran had become so blunt. How could a woman like her speak of going to court so casually without feeling ashamed?

Yet, he didn’t dare utter another word.

“Master, let’s go back,” his servant urged.

There was no way they could take this matter to court, if they did, it would cause a public scandal, and his master’s reputation would be ruined.

“We won’t spread this matter,” Wei Jing Yi said. “But don’t bother Doctor Ye again.”

“You won’t say anything? You won’t tell the dean?” Qiao Zi Yu grasped at a shred of hope, asking eagerly.

“Get lost. If I see you in Yun Bian Village again, I’ll make sure the whole town knows about your business,” Wei Jing Yi threatened, kicking him.

The once lofty and proud Qiao Zi Yu, son of the county magistrate, now looked as pitiful as a drowned rat.

“You reap what you sow,” Xiao Huai’an said, shutting the door.

In the courtyard, Ye Xin Ran looked at Wei Jing Yi and Lu Chang Qing. “Are both of you planning to stay here at my place?”

Her house had so few rooms, and it was already a stretch to accommodate Lu Chang Qing. How could she also host Wei Jing Yi?

Besides, Wei Jing Yi was just as idle and unskilled as Lu Chang Qing. Staying here would only create more trouble for her.

“No, he’s not staying here, just me,” Lu Chang Qing quickly clarified.

“Fine. Today we’re going up the mountain to plant Ice Spirit Flowers. If you think it’s too tiring, you can stay home,” Ye Xin Ran said, beginning to pack her things.

The two hesitated but ultimately decided to follow her to the mountain.

Lu Chang Qing thought Xiao Huai’an was right, this was something his sister enjoyed doing. What right did he have to stop her?

Besides, even if he disagreed, it wouldn’t matter. Between the two of them, his sister was the one who made the decisions.

Planting Ice Spirit Flowers was exhausting. By the time they descended the mountain, Lu Chang Qing was already urging Wei Jing Yi to go home, but Wei Jing Yi stubbornly insisted on staying until after dinner.

The Xiao family’s meals were much simpler than those at his own home, but the flavors were hearty and authentic. For a moment, Wei Jing Yi found himself wishing he could stay, just like Lu Chang Qing.

Lu Chang Qing would never agree.

He pushed Wei Jing Yi toward the carriage and, just before he got in, whispered, “Go back and find out more about the Ye family. I feel like something isn’t right.”

“What could possibly be wrong? Even if something is, it has nothing to do with us,” Wei Jing Yi replied, confused.

“The Ye family used to have some ties with my sister. I’m just asking you to look into it, not to get involved,” Lu Chang Qing explained while urging him onto the carriage.

“Let me know if you find anything,” he added.

After seeing Wei Jing Yi off, Lu Chang Qing returned to the courtyard.

Staying here wasn’t much of a problem for him, at least until it was time to sleep.

Since Xiao Huai’an had recovered, Ye Xin Ran had only shared a room with him for one night.

After that night, Ye Xin Ran decided sharing a room with Xiao Huai’an interfered with her late-night trips to her lab, so she switched back to her old room.

She now shared a room with Chang An, while Xiao Huai’an shared with Chang Ping and Chang Sheng.

When Chang Sheng left for the academy, that room was left to Xiao Huai’an and Chang Ping.

With one adult looking after one child each, it seemed fairly balanced.

But with Lu Chang Qing here, the arrangement became more complicated.

A grown man like Lu Chang Qing couldn’t possibly share a room with Xiao Huai’an.

“Just stick to what you suggested earlier, let Lu Chang Qing share a room with Chang An and Chang Ping,” Xiao Huai’an whispered to Ye Xin Ran.

Lu Chang Qing had always been hostile toward him, so Xiao Huai’an was determined not to let him discover that he and Ye Xin Ran were sleeping in separate rooms.

What loving couple sleeps apart?

“I should have been more careful!” Ye Xin Ran admitted.

She hadn’t expected someone like Lu Chang Qing, a young master accustomed to luxury, to actually stay with them under such modest conditions.

Could he even fall asleep in this place?

“He probably won’t last long here. Just let him share a room with Chang An and Chang Ping for now,” Ye Xin Ran agreed.

That night, Ye Xin Ran wanted to warn Lu Chang Qing about Chang An’s restless sleeping habits, but Lu Chang Qing misinterpreted her concern as worry about his comfort. No matter what she said, he quickly agreed, not paying any real attention.

It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when a head as hard as a rock smacked into him, that he remembered his sister’s warning.

He had underestimated the situation, this was really painful!

In the other room, things were a little awkward.

Ye Xin Ran and Xiao Huai’an sat apart, neither making a move to get into bed.

Finally, Ye Xin Ran broke the silence.

“How do you want to sleep?” she asked.

Xiao Huai’an lowered his head, deep in thought.

He imagined this and that.

“I mean, do you want to sleep on the inside or the outside?”

Ye Xin Ran, seeing him seriously contemplating, was speechless.

“Then… I’ll sleep on the outside,” Xiao Huai’an said.

“Alright!”

With that, Ye Xin Ran took off her shoes and got into bed first, lying neatly on the inside.

Not long after, she felt the bed dip beside her as a warm body leaned closer.

“I…”

Ye Xin Ran was about to say something, but Xiao Huai’an spoke first.

“I won’t do anything, just hold you.”

“Oh!”

Ye Xin Ran relaxed, though she couldn’t help feeling a slight twinge of disappointment.

Then Xiao Huai’an’s voice came again by her ear, “I think your brother is right. Until I can give you a better life, I’m not worthy of you.”

“He’s just saying that. Don’t take it to heart,” Ye Xin Ran tried to reassure him.

But Xiao Huai’an continued, “You’ve already suffered so much with me. I can’t let you endure any more hardships. If we had a child right now, it would only make things harder for you.”

Wait a second!

Ye Xin Ran hadn’t expected his thoughts to jump so far ahead.

“Who said anything about having kids with you?”

Ye Xin Ran turned to face him.

Xiao Huai’an looked confused. “We’re husband and wife. Isn’t having children the natural course of things?”

“But we already have Chang Sheng and the others in the family,” Ye Xin Ran reminded him.

“Those are your sister’s kids. I want a child that’s ours, one that’s yours,” Xiao Huai’an said earnestly.

His sincerity made Ye Xin Ran feel a bit uneasy.

She realized she had oversimplified things before.

She had been too focused on enjoying the presence of a handsome man, forgetting that being with him could lead to the issue of having children.

Beauty truly was a trap, she had underestimated how misleading it could be!