Lan Yan turned her head, looking at the person by the door. A hint of astonishment flickered in her eyes. Jun Yelán was wearing that exquisite blue brocade robe, with half of his hair tied up by a jade hairpin. He exuded a cool, bamboo-like aura.
The corner of her lips curled upwards. She knew Jun Yelán would look handsome when dressed up. Just as she was about to speak, Liu Tingting, standing behind her, interjected first.
"Oh, Lan Yan, no wonder you fancy this snake-clan slave. He does look rather presentable when dressed up," Liu Tingting said, a calculating glint in her eyes. She then turned to Lan Yan and added, "When you get tired of him, send him over for me to play with for a couple of days."
Snake-clan men were always good-looking. Liu Tingting usually bought people to take home, but none had been as breathtakingly beautiful as the one she saw today.
Seeing Jun Yelán's expression darken, Lan Yan quickly cut in, "Liu Tingting, what nonsense are you spouting? I'm telling you, he's mine, and I won't give him to anyone."
"Besides, I genuinely treat him well, not like you're saying." Heaven could bear witness, her interest in him was purely aesthetic, nothing more.
But Liu Tingting looked unconvinced and teased, "Oh, Lan Yan, I understand. You're afraid that if you admit it now, it'll be harder to control this snake-clan slave. Let me tell you, he's just a slave, and with such an ugly tail, how could he possibly have feelings?"
"Don't take it too much to heart. If he doesn't listen to you, come to me. I have plenty of good methods. Haha." She let out a wicked laugh, her gaze towards Jun Yelán becoming even more malicious.
Lan Yan felt a headache coming on. She really was like the original owner's friend, equally repulsive. Her hard-earned favorability was about to be ruined by this person.
She turned to see Jun Yelán clenching his fists, and her heart ached with him. So, she grabbed Liu Tingting's hand, pulled her outside the courtyard gate, and said, "Go quickly. I'll tell you one last time, don't misinterpret my intentions."
"And you keep calling him a snake-clan slave. We aren't any nobler than them. If you continue to speak like this, don't come to me again."
Otherwise, Liu Tingting would say more hurtful things and rub salt into Jun Yelán's wounds.
Liu Tingting, not understanding, refused to believe Lan Yan had genuinely fallen for a slave. She thought Lan Yan was just tormenting him in a different way. She said, "Fine, for your sake today, I won't say more. But..."
Seeing this, Lan Yan covered Liu Tingting's mouth and directly had Chun Tao escort her away. Any further delay, and she would resort to physical action. She turned back into the courtyard, but Jun Yelán was nowhere to be seen.
"Jun Yelán." What if something happened to him! She hurried into the room and saw Jun Yelán sitting at the table, his expression carrying a hint of sadness.
She said, "What she said just now wasn't true."
"Hmph," Jun Yelán scoffed. "To your noble ladies, we snake-clan people are merely your playthings. You don't need to try so hard. As your friend said, I have no heart, nor will I be grateful to you, let alone like you."
He would never like anyone in his life, and no one would ever like him.
Lan Yan knew Jun Yelán was hurt right now, causing him to shrink into his shell like a small animal. Her eyes were filled with firm resolve. "No matter what others say, I have never treated you as a plaything."
"One day, I will make you believe me." With that, she left, thinking that Jun Yelán needed time to himself. Moreover, Jun Yelán wouldn't want her to see him in his sad and vulnerable state.
After she left, Jun Yelán sat alone at the table, his mind racing with countless thoughts. This person was different from the Lan Yan of the past. What should he do!