Chapter 952: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 952: A Match Made in Heaven, Abducted (1)
The atmosphere inside the room was silent for a moment. Just as Mo Yan thought the man before her might mind what she had done, she suddenly felt a pair of warm, gentle hands embrace her shoulders. The next moment, she found herself resting against a broad chest, and above her head came the man’s sigh, filled with appreciation, "I'm glad you can protect yourself."
Mo Yan raised her head in disbelief, staring at Xiao Ruiyuan’s smiling face, unable to say a word.
Xiao Ruiyuan found her stunned expression particularly endearing, touching the softest part of his heart. Unable to resist, he gently stroked the back of her head and spoke in a low voice, "You used to be too kind—so kind that you wouldn’t even take revenge on those who hurt you. I was always worried that you’d be harmed. But seeing you like this now, I feel relieved."
Mo Yan looked at him, unable to say anything.
She had lived two lifetimes, and this was the first time she had schemed against another woman, even if that woman had plotted against her first. Even so, it was her first time doing something like this, and she couldn't help but feel a storm of emotions in her heart—wondering if she had become cruel, if she had turned into someone just as malicious as those who had wronged her. She even feared that one day, she might become the very kind of person she had once despised.
Yet, his words made her realize the truth—she wasn’t becoming cruel or malicious. She was merely protecting herself. Only by ensuring her own safety could those who truly cared about her be at ease.
As he saw her gradually coming to terms with it, Xiao Ruiyuan continued, "I started fighting on the battlefield at thirteen. There, blades and spears show no mercy—either you die, or I live. Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many enemies have fallen by my sword. If that makes me ruthless, then I’ve been ruthless to the bone for a long time. A ruthless husband and a ruthless wife—aren't we a perfect match?"
When he said the words "perfect match," his face carried absolute certainty. Seeing the smile finally return to the woman's face, he couldn't help but lower his head and press a soft kiss to her forehead.
Meanwhile, the Zhao residence was deep in slumber. The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the night breeze, casting shifting shadows of the trees on the ground, giving the night a somewhat desolate air.
Inside a dimly lit room, Fan Meijiao paced back and forth anxiously. Seeing no movement outside, she glared at the shivering maid beside her and snapped, "Why is there still no news? If this plan fails, I’ll hold you responsible!"
"M-Miss, it won’t fail, it won’t!" The maid trembled, stammering in response. She was half afraid of the punishment if things went wrong and half terrified that if the plan succeeded, they might get caught, and she would end up as the scapegoat.
Perhaps the maid's words reassured her, or perhaps she was simply convinced the plan would work, but Fan Meijiao finally calmed down. She sat on the bed, eyes darting around, clearly plotting something new.
The maid huddled in the corner, not daring to speak, only praying that her mistress wouldn’t come up with more schemes. One terrifying plan was already more than she could handle.
Half an hour passed. As midnight came and went, Fan Meijiao could wait no longer. She turned to the maid and ordered, "Tomorrow morning, I’ll be leaving with my grandmother to the temple to fulfill a vow. We won’t return for three days. You’re staying here this time. If tonight’s plan succeeds, we’ll just wait for that little wretch to suffer. But if anything goes wrong, come to the temple immediately and report to me. Understood?"
The maid’s face paled slightly, her fear barely concealed as she forced a smile and suggested, "Miss, I have served you since childhood, and you’re used to having me by your side. Three days without me, I fear you won’t be comfortable. Why don’t I accompany you, and we can leave someone else here to watch the Mo family’s movements?"
"What? You dare disobey me?" Fan Meijiao shot her maid a vicious glare, snapping, "I told you to stay, so you stay! One more word, and I’ll have your entire family sold off to the mines tomorrow!"
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