After dinner.
Duan Linglong and Duan Wanjun left the hall as if by prearrangement.
Duan Yuting took her sister Duan Yujiao back to their room to wash up, leaving Duan Xiaoqi behind.
"Brother Su, hurry and tell me tomorrow's plan, I need to be prepared."
"What preparation is needed for a meal?"
Su Yang retorted, wondering if this girl intended to wear heavy makeup for the banquet.
Duan Xiaoqi pouted, her two ponytails flying, looking adorably angry.
"You don't need to know, you'll find out when the time comes."
Su Yang scratched his head. "There are no special arrangements. In the afternoon, we'll have barbecues, drinks, singing, and dancing. In the evening, after my parents and grandparents and other elders arrive, we'll have dinner and chat, and everyone will gather to celebrate the New Year."
"Mmm... what a rich program! I definitely have to go!"
Duan Xiaoqi exclaimed joyfully and skipped away.
Su Yang patted his bulging stomach and immediately went for a walk in the Duan family villa to digest.
...
The Duan family villa was very quiet after nightfall.
Some of the servants who did odd jobs had already returned home, and the Duan sisters were all busy with their own affairs.
A cold wind blew, making the strings in the courtyard hum.
Su Yang plucked a string with his finger, the lingering sound echoing throughout the Duan family estate.
"Thirty-year-old paulownia wood, what an antique!"
"Little Yang, your eye for things is truly sharp!"
Not far away, Duan Wanjun, clad in a purple robe, strolled over.
Her hair was not yet fully dry, emitting a faint fragrance.
A red and white cord was tied around her waist, accentuating her slender, graceful figure, which seemed graspable with a single hand.
Duan Wanjun slowly sat down beside him, her ten fingers as delicate as green onions.
Under the lamplight, she was like a moon goddess descended, her beauty astonishing, her demeanor calm.
Her long, dark eyelashes fluttered, exuding an alluring charm at all times.
Duan Wanjun strummed the strings, and the clear melody was melodious and pleasant to the ear.
"The sky is blue waiting for the rain, and I am waiting for you..."
Duan Wanjun sang "Blue and White Porcelain," her enunciation clear, her voice like the chirping of a lark, pleasing to the ear.
Su Yang closed his eyes and listened quietly. After she finished playing, he was still captivated.
"How was it? Was it okay?"
Duan Wanjun asked softly, her eyes full of curiosity.
Su Yang felt that even Jay Chou himself singing "Blue and White Porcelain" wasn't as good as Duan Wanjun's rendition.
"It was excellent, much better than my own singing. I'll be looking forward to your performance tomorrow night."
"Hehehe, how can I compare myself to you, the original singer? But I will definitely be there."
Duan Wanjun was also looking forward to the banquet tomorrow night.
Especially with Su Yang's parents and grandfather attending, it felt like a daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws.
"That's good, let's get down to some serious business!"
Su Yang helped Duan Wanjun sit down and adjusted her robe.
Duan Wanjun shivered and let out a deep breath.
"Mmm... it's even more exaggerated than before, are you trying to kill me..."
"Second Sister, you are so gentle, how could I bear to?"
Su Yang picked up Duan Wanjun, and they swayed in the moonlight and wind.
Duan Wanjun shook her head, still feeling a bit hot and flushed.
"By the way, Shangguan Yi brought people to deliver gifts this morning and invited us sisters to his banquet."
"Oh? And then?"
"We didn't refuse, nor did we say we would go."
...
Meanwhile.
In a villa in Songhai.
Shangguan Yi changed locations several times before finally stopping.
Behind him were experts sent by Shangguan Zhongtang.
"Uncles, we can rest here tonight!"
"Young Master, you don't need to be so cautious. Su Yang is only interested in women right now and won't make a move on you."
The middle-aged men couldn't understand why Shangguan Yi kept changing locations.
Shangguan Yi said in a deep voice, "My father has started his move, and he told me to be careful. If it succeeds, many people will come to assassinate me."
Everyone was shocked. So Shangguan Zhongtang had begun his operation.
"Young Master, does Lord Zhongtang's decapitation plan include Su Yang?"
Hearing this.
Shangguan Yi smiled. "Su Yang is just a whetstone for me. He's not worthy of my father's personal attention."
"That's true."
Everyone nodded. Shangguan Zhongtang, based in the capital, was second only to the emperor.
Such a person would certainly not come to Songhai to deal with a young man.
"Young Master, is your fiancée coming tomorrow night? Your subordinate will make preparations."
Mentioning Duan Wanjun, Shangguan Yi immediately took out his phone and made a call.
A few minutes later.
Duan Wanjun answered the phone, and Shangguan Yi was overjoyed.
"Wanjun, I apologize for disturbing your rest so late at night, I just wanted to ask if you're free to come for dinner tomorrow night?"
"Mmm-hmm... ah, no, I'm not free..."
Shangguan Yi scratched his head. Shouldn't this be a time for rest?
Why did he hear Duan Wanjun making strange noises? Could it be?
Shangguan Yi's face turned green. "Wanjun, is there someone else with you?"
"No, no, I was just scratching an itch. We sisters have plans tomorrow, so I won't be able to make it."
With that, Duan Wanjun quickly hung up the phone.
If she continued, even a fool would know what she was doing.
"Beep beep beep..."
Looking at the black screen of his phone, Shangguan Yi fell into deep thought.
As a scion of a prominent family in the capital, he was no stranger to the pleasures of life.
The excited tone Duan Wanjun had just used left him speechless for a long time.
The more Shangguan Yi thought about it, the angrier he became, and he immediately made another call.
"Are you monitoring Su Yang over there? Do you know where he went?"
"Young Master, Su Yang went to the Duan family villa this afternoon and hasn't returned home yet."
"Damn it! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Shangguan Yi roared, suspecting that the person with Duan Wanjun was Su Yang.
"Young Master, I thought this matter was not important to you, so..."
"Get lost!"
Shangguan Yi angrily smashed his phone and got up, intending to rush to the Duan family villa.
The thought of Su Yang pressing down on Duan Wanjun was more unbearable to him than being punched ten or a hundred times.
"Young Master, it's too late to go now. Why don't we kill him after the New Year? It's not far off anyway."
Everyone pulled Shangguan Yi back, urging him not to get angry.
Shangguan Yi forced himself to suppress his anger, as these were his father's trusted confidantes and half his elders.
"Fine, let Su Yang live a few more days!"
Shangguan Yi waved his hand, signaling everyone to retreat.
He remembered that Liu Jiaqi was waiting for him, so he strode back to his room.
Seeing Shangguan Yi's displeased expression, Liu Jiaqi was about to speak.
Shangguan Yi roughly pushed her down, then violently exerted himself, showing no mercy.
"Ah... Young Master Shangguan, don't do this, I can't take it..."
"Bitch, who do you think you are? You're just a tool, I can do whatever I want."
Shangguan Yi slapped her a few times, causing Liu Jiaqi to cry out in pain.
In comparison, she felt it was better to side with Su Yang.
At least Su Yang treated her like a person, unlike Shangguan Yi, who treated her like an animal.
"Bitch, scream! You're like a dead fish, f***!"
Shangguan Yi slapped her a few more times, making Liu Jiaqi miserable and begging for mercy.
"Wuwuwu... Young Master Shangguan, I beg you, please let me go..."
"Get lost! You want to leave now? Didn't you want to give yourself to me earlier? Why pretend to be pure?"
Shangguan Yi gritted his teeth, venting all his anger on Liu Jiaqi, not holding back his blows.