Chapter 044
Chapter 44: A Desperate Struggle
Xia Meng Yan crouched in the grass, and sharp blades pricked her wrist; she let out a muffled groan.
Duan Yi Chen whipped around, saw her pale face and the sweat on her brow, and asked in a low voice: “You’re hurt?”
Xia Meng Yan did not speak, but lifted both hands for him to see.
Moonlight carved sharp shadows along Duan Yi Chen’s high nose; when he saw her wounds, his face sank as he whispered: “Bear it for now.”
Someone was moving behind them, so they could not make a sound.
Xia Meng Yan tried to pull her hands back, but he held on.
She froze, then watched as Duan Yi Chen carefully shielded her wrists against his chest.
Her body leaned toward him by habit, and under the moonlight she could count his eyelashes: [I can even see each lash.]
She started to speak, but Duan Yi Chen tipped his chin toward the courtyard and murmured: “Shh.”
Xia Meng Yan looked up and saw a man standing outside the yard, craning his neck to peer in; after a while, hearing nothing inside, the man pushed the door and slipped through.
Duan Yi Chen set her hands down gently and said softly: “Wait here. I will go look.”
Xia Meng Yan nodded; there were three people in the yard, and without her dragging them down they should be able to handle it.
Duan Yi Chen rose; his long legs stepped out of the grass, and the tips of the blades brushed his black brocade, leaving faint green streaks.
Xia Meng Yan realized something she had never noticed before: the unruly childhood friend had long since grown tall and straight, calm and proud like a cold pine. [When did he change so much?]
She breathed a warning carried by the wind: “Be careful.”
He glanced back, light flashing in his eyes, and answered with a thin smile: “All right.”
Xia Meng Yan hid in the grass and did not dare move for a long time.
Suddenly a scream came from the courtyard.
She jolted to her feet and ran inside.
Under the candlelight, bright red blood spread across the floor as Lin Ye Lan, dragging an injured leg, kept backing away; he shouted at Duan Yi Chen: “Are you crazy? I came to save Meng Yan. I do not know those men.”
Duan Yi Chen looked up at him, the cold in his eyes growing sharper as he said: “You staged a hero saving the beauty and thought I would be fooled?”
Meeting those bloodthirsty eyes, Lin Ye Lan felt his own blood drain away. He forced himself to act calm and said: “You are Meng Yan’s friend, so you should know she likes me. Why would I hurt someone who likes me?” [The court was pressing me, my mother kept pushing me, and only Xia Meng Yan could solve it.] He had humbled himself to please her, yet Xia Meng Yan was set on cutting ties. He had no choice, so he planned to stain her name and then go ask to remarry. That way he would keep both face and benefit. He had not expected the kidnappers to be useless, letting Xia Meng Yan escape and even drawing in Duan Yi Chen. Lin Ye Lan guessed Duan Yi Chen had heard some of the truth, but he thought: [As long as I do not admit it, he cannot do anything to me.]
As a military officer, Duan Yi Chen had his own ways to force a confession; he drove a knife straight into Lin Ye Lan’s wound and tore away a strip of flesh.
Xia Meng Yan stepped in and heard Lin Ye Lan’s claim, then she looked past Duan Yi Chen at him and asked coolly: “If you came to save me, then why are you here at all?”
Lin Ye Lan’s gaze dodged; he bit through the pain and said: “I heard you were kidnapped and followed the trail here. I never thought Duan Yi Chen would try to accuse me first and frame me.”
He rushed on, voice shaking: “Meng Yan, he set this up to break us apart.”
Xia Meng Yan almost laughed at his shamelessness: [He turns truth upside down.]
In her last life, how blind had she been to like a man like this?
Duan Yi Chen came near and explained in an even tone: “After Chun Yue ran into me, I ordered people to escort her back to your house and told them not to spread word.”
In other words, Lin Ye Lan had no way to know she had been kidnapped.
Lin Ye Lan hurried to explain: “Meng Yan, I only heard the kidnappers talking and learned you were taken, so I searched all the way here.”
Inside the room, the two kidnappers were already tied up by Duan Yi Chen. Out in the wild like this, no one could save Lin Ye Lan.
Xia Meng Yan curled her lip and said with a mocking smile: “Marquis of Ping An, what amazing skill, to find me this fast.”
“Believe me, Meng Yan, all of this is Duan Yi Chen’s plot, ah—” Lin Ye Lan did not finish, because Xia Meng Yan slapped him hard.
She said in a cold voice: “Lin Ye Lan, I am carrying your child, yet you dared to send men to ruin my name. I do not care to hear your excuses; acting is more satisfying than listening. When the child is born and learns their mother was humiliated, how do you expect them to face the world?”
Lin Ye Lan’s body trembled; he turned his eyes away and muttered: “I did not.”
“No need for you to admit it,” Xia Meng Yan said, tired of shameless people who always find new excuses. “I will give you one last chance. Who told you where to find me?”
She had decided to go to the restaurant on a whim, yet the kidnappers, dressed as scholars, had found her quickly. Someone had helped Lin Ye Lan.
“Speak,” Duan Yi Chen warned as the dagger spun fast in his hand, like it might fly out the next second.
Lin Ye Lan felt his wound burning worse; without treatment he might really be crippled. Today’s plan had failed because Xia Meng Yan was on guard, so he might as well try to wash his hands of it. Weighing gain and loss, he looked at Xia Meng Yan with a helpless act and said: “It was Xia Xing Yan. He came to me in secret and said he had a way to make us remarry. I believed him. From start to finish, I never wanted to hurt you or the child.”
Xia Xing Yan had indeed met him, and they had spoken about remarriage; he had also helped watch Xia Meng Yan from the shadows. [Blaming Xia Xing Yan costs me nothing,] Lin Ye Lan thought.
Looking at the face she once liked so deeply, Xia Meng Yan’s heart clenched; she wished she could slap herself: [It is my fault our child has such a shameful father.]
She turned her head, laid a hand over her belly, and said in a flat voice, as lifeless as dry grass: “Knock them out, strip them, and throw them on the main road.”
“No. Xia Meng Yan, you cannot hate me like this. I am the child’s father,” Lin Ye Lan cried, face changing at the word strip. He was the Marquis of Ping An; if he was thrown naked on the public road, his name would be ruined.
Xia Meng Yan tilted her head and let a thin smile touch her lips as she answered: “What does that have to do with me?”
She ignored the begging behind her and walked quickly back to the road.
A quarter of an hour later, Duan Yi Chen returned to her side and said: “It is done. I will take you home.”
“No need,” Xia Meng Yan said without turning around. In this moment, she did not want to see anyone. “Thank you, Heir Apparent Duan. I will remember this favor.”
“Must you be so distant, Xia Meng Yan?” Duan Yi Chen, who had held back his grievance all night, finally let it out as he said: “The problem with the silver was my fault. Can you not trust me and wait one year?”
Xia Meng Yan looked at the road ahead, lined with lush trees; the wind rustled the leaves as if welcoming someone home. Sadly, that home did not welcome her.
She answered in a low, steady voice: “Duan Yi Chen, even geese leave marks as they pass. Why do you think hurting me will have no consequence? Not trusting is not trusting; do not find reasons. Whether you were threatened or trapped makes no difference to me. If we meet later, a nod will do.”
“Xia Meng Yan,” Duan Yi Chen said, feeling as if his chest were torn open so he could hardly speak, then he forced out: “Fine. Very well.”
Since she insisted, he would grant her wish.
Xia Meng Yan did not dare look back, afraid he would see her weakness. She walked on toward the villa, numb.
The Xia family’s country villa in the capital suburbs was not far. Chun Yue had gotten the message and came early to wait; when she saw Xia Meng Yan, she ran over and asked in a rush: “Eldest Miss, are you hurt?”
Before Xia Meng Yan could answer, Chun Yue spotted the wounds on her wrists and began to cry: “How did it get so bad? This maid deserves punishment. Please rebuke me, Eldest Miss.”
Xia Meng Yan shook her head and forced a small smile as she said: “I am fine.”
Watching from the shadows, Duan Yi Chen did not step forward. Seeing her return safely, some of the worry left his face; as he turned away, a hard, cruel light rose in his eyes.