Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Marriage Set In Stone
Xu Residence
The sound of porcelain shattering ripped through the corridor.
Xu Yuelan stood in the middle of her lavish room, chest heaving, eyes rimmed red. Her clutch lay abandoned on the bed, while shards of a flower vase scattered on the carpet like broken stars. She grabbed a fistful of her hair and screamed again—raw, guttural, furious.
Outside the door, passing maids froze. None dared to look up. They all knew that when the young lady was like this, silence was survival. What they didn’t know was who was bold enough to annoy her.
Xu Yuelan didn’t care what they thought. Her mind replayed that smug voice over and over—
>"I heard from a little birdie that you are getting married."
Just that one sentence from Yue Ning had crawled under her skin like poison.
Panting, she sank onto the edge of the bed, rubbing her temples. The silence that followed was sharp and heavy until the phone on her vanity began to ring.
She hesitated before answering. Her voice was hoarse, cold. "Who is it?"
A lazy, mocking laugh came through the speaker. "Xu Yuelan... didn’t you save your future husband’s number?"
Her brows knitted tightly. "Song Kai?" Her time carried uncertainty and hesitation.
"You’re not that stupid," he replied smoothly.
Her fingers curled into her skirt. "Did you leak the news about our marriage?" She demanded.
"So what if I did?" His tone dripped with amusement. "You’ll still marry me. That’s already written in stone."
Xu Yuelan’s jaw clenched. "Remember, this is only an alliance. Nothing more."
For a moment, there was silence. Then his voice returned, but it was quieter now, but laced with something darker. "Of course. I always honor my business deals."
Then, there was a pause.
"See you tomorrow... darling."
The call ended. Xu Yuelan stared at her dimming screen, anger still simmering beneath her skin.
"That arrogant bastard." She hissed, tossing the phone aside.
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Song Kai’s Apartment
Across the city, Song Kai stood by a floor-to-ceiling window, the bustling city reflected in his eyes.
A smirk appeared his lips.
"It won’t be long before I defeat you, Huo Feng."
He slid his hands into his pockets, gaze cold and unwavering.
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Huo Residence
The evening breeze carried the scent of peonies as Yue Ning and Huo Yan stepped into the villa. Their soft, genuine laughter filled the hall.
"Let’s decorate the garden for tomorrow," Huo Yan said brightly, holding her arm.
Yue Ning smiled, but halfway up the stairs, she froze. A faint chime echoed in her mind—a sound she hadn’t heard in days.
Her smile faltered.
Huo Yan blinked. "What’s wrong, Sister-in-law?"
Yue Ning forced a calm tone. "Nothing serious. I just remembered something I need to do. I’ll be in my room."
She slipped her arm free and ascended the stairs. Huo Yan watched her leave, shrugged, and answered her own ringing phone before strolling to the garden.
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In the room, the door clicked shut after she walked in. Yue Ning exhaled and sank into the sofa, fingers trembling slightly.
"Command," she whispered.
A faint blue holographic screen flickered to life in front of her. Rows of stats glowed briefly before she dismissed them, tapping the flashing icon at the top corner.
Her throat went dry. It was a new mission—just as she had thought. The failure of the last mission still lingered in her mind.
[Mission: Seduce Huo Feng.]
[Duration: Two days.]
[Reward: 500 points and a skill unlock.]
Yue Ning blinked, speechless. "...What?"
’The host may use the lingerie rewarded previously.’ The system spoke up.
Her lips twitched. "Ah. So that’s why."
’Additionally, the system has detected the host’s recent neglect in reading romantic novels.’
’Points will be deducted if the host fails to read one within two days.’
She groaned. "How am I supposed to read when my life’s been chaos?"
’Isn’t it peaceful now?’ It countered.
She glared at the floating screen. "You’re impossible."
But even as she complained, a flicker of amusement crossed her eyes. She stood, brushing her hair back, her reflection glinting faintly on the glass wall.
"If it’s a mission," she muttered, determination creeping into her tone, "then I’ll do it properly."
Just then, her phone buzzed.
The name on the screen softened her expression instantly. "Yun Li?"
She answered the call.
"Ning Ning!" came an indignant voice. "Am I still your friend?"
Yue Ning touched her nose, smiling faintly. "Of course."
"I don’t think so." Yun Li huffed. "When was the last time you called me?"
Yue Ning’s silence was all the answer she needed.
"You see? You always wait for me to call you. I’m sure you’ll only call me when I’m dead."
"Hey, don’t say things like that," Yue Ning said softly.
"I’ll say whatever I want. My best friend doesn’t care about me."
"Lili," she murmured, guilt tugging at her chest. "I’ve just been... busy. There’s a lot going on, and I don’t want you to get dragged into it. You might be hurt."
There was a sigh on the other end. "You’re my friend. You don’t need to protect me from everything. Sometimes, the little things—checking up, talking—those things count."
Yue Ning smiled faintly. "You’re right. I’ll do better. I’m sorry."
Yun Li’s laughter returned, light and teasing. "I’m not mad. Actually... I called for something else. The wedding’s been set. I’m getting married in a week."
Yue Ning froze. He Yuchen... and Yun Li?
"I want you to be my maid of honor," Yun Li continued. "I don’t have many friends. You’re the only one I trust."
Yue Ning finally found her voice. "Of course. I’ll be there."
"Thank you." But her tone dimmed.
"What’s wrong?" Yue Ning asked softly. "Aren’t you happy?"
Yun Li hesitated before replying. "I don’t know why... but I feel like Madam He doesn’t like me. Every time she looks at me, I get this strange, cold feeling."
Yue Ning’s expression darkened slightly, her eyes brows furrowing.
"...Be careful, Lili," she whispered. "Always trust your instincts."