Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Showdown

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Xu Lan’s eyes gleamed, a trace of excitement flickering in their bright depths.

Clearly, she was very interested in the matter.

Extremely interested.

Lin Jiangnian glanced at her and said indifferently, “He’s dead.”

“Dead?”

Xu Lan’s eyes widened. “Really dead?”

“Really dead.”

“You killed him?”

“Nothing to do with me.”

“I see…”

Xu Lan nodded thoughtfully, then wore an expression that suggested everything had turned out exactly as she expected.

“He really is dead?”

Seeing her reaction, Lin Jiangnian felt a faint suspicion stir in his heart.

There was something wrong with it.

The Lin and Xu families had been close for generations. The Heir of Prince Lin and Xu Lan had known each other since childhood. Though their relationship had never been good, the two families were bound by deep ties.

Yet now, upon learning that the Heir of Prince Lin had been murdered, Xu Lan showed not the slightest surprise, let alone any grief.

Even if she was not sad, surely she did not need to look so utterly indifferent?

“You’re not angry?” Lin Jiangnian stared at her.

“Angry?”

Xu Lan raised her eyes and arched a brow. “What do I have to be angry about?”

“The Heir of Prince Lin was murdered…”

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes. “You’re not sad?”

A hint of amusement touched Xu Lan’s face. “Why should I be sad?”

“You two grew up together. He’s dead, and you don’t feel even a little sorrow?”

“Heh!”

Xu Lan let out a cold laugh. “Grew up together? Spare me. I was never close to him. That bastard has done so many despicable things over the years that I’d be ashamed to admit I knew him…”

“He’s dead, so he’s dead. If anything, he’s done the people a service. Why should I mourn him?”

Although the Lin and Xu families had been close for generations, Xu Lan and the Heir of Prince Lin had never been on good terms. Perhaps she felt some regret, or sighed at the fickleness of fate.

But grief? Sorrow?

Heh.

Xu Lan could only answer with two cold laughs.

Good riddance!

It was as though Heaven had finally opened its eyes.

…

Lin Jiangnian fell silent. Xu Lan’s reaction struck him as strange, though he could not quite say why.

Perhaps it did make sense, but still…

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Lin Jiangnian gathered his thoughts and glanced at her again. “So what exactly are you after?”

“Nothing in particular.”

Xu Lan propped both hands on the table and rested her chin on them as she looked at Lin Jiangnian. Then, as if recalling something, she suddenly gave two cold laughs.

“I originally thought I’d have some more fun with you and see how long you could keep up the act… But you’re infuriating. That mouth of yours is vicious!”

“You’ve made me furious!”

As she spoke, Xu Lan looked incensed and glared angrily at Lin Jiangnian.

“So I have to teach you what fear means!”

Lin Jiangnian: “…”

“All because of that?”

“Is there a problem?”

Lin Jiangnian shook his head. This girl was indeed more or less what he had expected.

Hot-tempered, impulsive, unable to hide her thoughts, prone to emotional swings—and, most importantly… flat-chested!

Still, girls like her usually had one advantage.

They were easy to deceive.

…

Lin Jiangnian looked at Xu Lan’s smug expression. “Then how did you see through me?”

“I’m not telling you!”

Xu Lan smiled sweetly. “It’s a secret. Tsk, tsk. Your life is in my hands now. Aren’t you afraid?”

Lin Jiangnian said nothing.

Was he afraid?

He had been somewhat worried just moments ago, but for some reason, seeing her foolishly earnest expression made him feel that everything would probably be fine.

Xu Lan’s tone suddenly changed. She blinked at him.

“Still, as long as you behave and cooperate with me, I might consider keeping your secret and allowing you to continue being the Heir of Prince Lin. How does that sound?”

Xu Lan leaned closer, blinking at him with a brilliant smile.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Yes. I’m threatening you.”

Xu Lan nodded and admitted it without hesitation.

“If I refuse, you’ll expose my identity at once?”

“That’s right!”

Xu Lan nodded, then seemed to remember something. Anger surfaced on her face.

“Who told you to bully me? Who told you to mock me for looking like a man?”

Lin Jiangnian instinctively glanced at her.

“You’re still looking?!”

Xu Lan immediately raised her voice, her brows shooting up as she glared at him.

He still dared to look?

“You’ve misunderstood. That wasn’t what I meant.”

Lin Jiangnian thought for a moment, then looked at her seriously.

“I was trying to say that Miss Xu, despite your young age, possess not only a heroic bearing and beauty, but also a kind heart and a broad spirit. As for your figure—flat as a plain though it may be—you are in no way inferior to those men…”

Xu Lan’s face filled with amusement. “Oh? Now you know how to compliment me? Go on, say more. I like hearing it!”

Yet soon afterward, perhaps it was only her imagination, she began to feel that something about his words was off.

Strange.

“Forget it. Stop trying to sweet-talk and deceive me. I’m not falling for it!”

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Xu Lan waved her hand and gave another cold laugh. “You still haven’t answered me. Do you agree or not?”

Lin Jiangnian shrugged. “Do I have any other choice?”

“Of course. You can choose to resist.”

Xu Lan looked thoroughly pleased with herself. “But in that case, I can’t guarantee that your identity won’t be exposed.”

Lin Jiangnian regarded her calmly. “I don’t like being threatened.”

“So?”

“I simply prefer to cooperate.”

“…”

“Ha ha ha…”

Xu Lan froze for a moment, then laughed so hard she bent forward.

“看来你很识时务啊？！”

Lin Jiangnian continued looking at her with the same calm expression. Then he suddenly asked, “Can you guarantee that my identity won’t be exposed?”

“Of course!”

“You won’t lie to me and go back on your word?”

Xu Lan snorted. “My word is my bond. I never break a promise!”

“What if someone else close to you lets it slip?”

“Don’t worry. Other than me, no one else knows…”

Xu Lan stopped halfway through her sentence.

Her eyes suddenly widened, and she instinctively covered her mouth.

Then her gaze turned furious.

“You tricked me into revealing it?!”

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes and gave a cold laugh. “You said it yourself. You can hardly blame me.”

Just as expected—simple-minded and easy to fool.

No one else knew?

Excellent.

A chill gradually entered Lin Jiangnian’s eyes.

“What are you planning to do?!”

Realizing that she had given herself away, Xu Lan instantly became wary. “You’re not thinking of silencing me, are you?!”

But then she seemed to realize something and slowly relaxed.

“I warn you, don’t do anything reckless… This is Prince Lin’s residence. If I die here, my father will never forgive you, and neither will Uncle Lin!”

Lin Jiangnian said calmly, “You mean that if you died somewhere else, it wouldn’t be a problem?”

“Heh. You can try!”

The moment she finished speaking, Xu Lan suddenly slammed her palm onto the table.

In the next instant, a clear handprint appeared in the sandalwood tabletop. It was not especially deep, but Lin Jiangnian’s pupils still contracted sharply.

The thought of silencing her that had just arisen in his mind quietly vanished.

He suddenly remembered…

Yesterday, Xu Lan had mentioned that she was a ninth-grade martial artist.

She really was…

quite formidable.