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At that moment, the Grand Theater was empty. On the stage, Liu Ruyi, dressed as the Matchmaker, was performing "The West Chamber." She moved gracefully, her figure enchanting, and every time she sang this part, her mood soared.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed as Chu Yixuan stormed onto the stage, his face filled with rage. He grabbed Liu Ruyi's wrist and demanded, "What did you tell Wan'er?"
"I told her everything you didn't want her to know," Liu Ruyi replied with a flirtatious smile, her tone laced with provocation.
"You..." Chu Yixuan trembled with anger and pushed Liu Ruyi away. Her costume traced a beautiful arc through the air, but she paid no mind, chuckling as she said, "I've sung as the Matchmaker for so long that I'm tired of it. The Matchmaker loves Zhang Sheng; why should she give him up for Cui Yingying?" As she spoke, she circled around Chu Yixuan slowly.
"Liu Ruyi, I've always regarded you as a sister," Chu Yixuan said, his brow furrowed with a hint of helplessness.
"Hmph! Chu Yixuan, you see me as a sister? That's only because you forced my mother to her death! I don't want this sisterhood! Fortunately, when your father passed away, I made him leave a will. Let me tell you—if you don't let me become a concubine of the Chu Family, I'll expose your smuggling of drugs. Even if your uncle is powerful, he won't be able to protect you," Liu Ruyi said as she stepped closer to Chu Yixuan with a cold smile. "This is what your family owes me!"
Not long after, Tang Wan came across an article in the Shen Bao that had been sent from Shanghai days earlier: the renowned actress Liu Ruyi was set to marry into the Chu Family and become the young mistress of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. "Weren't they saying she would be a concubine? How did it turn into becoming a young mistress?" A wave of bitterness surged within Tang Wan as she held the newspaper, tears streaming down her face. This scene was witnessed by Tang Wei and Shen Qingfang. Under their questioning, Tang Wan recounted everything that had transpired between her and Chu Yixuan in Shanghai.
"Sister, you've misunderstood! My family has been friends with the Chu Family for generations; Yixuan and I have had an engagement since childhood, but we don't like each other. Later on, I fell in love with Yixuan's classmate—your brother. Yixuan didn't want to marry me either, but due to pressure from my parents, we had to hold a wedding. Moreover, when his father passed away, he left a will insisting that he marry his wet nurse's daughter as a concubine. In truth, that wet nurse was his father's lover; Yixuan's mother discovered their affair and died from anger. So Yixuan didn't want to get married but couldn't cancel the wedding. Just then, your brother appeared at the ceremony and took me away, resolving this dilemma. If it weren't for Yixuan's guidance, even if the Tang family had great influence in Suzhou, they wouldn't have been able to protect your brother in Shanghai," Shen Qingfang explained patiently as she gently held Tang Wan's hand.
Tang Wan's eyes widened in realization. She had fallen for Liu Ruyi's scheme and almost pushed Chu Yixuan into a pit of fire; all of this was part of Liu Ruyi's trap.
"Sister, how could you trust that woman's words so easily? I grew up with Yixuan; I know him best—he truly cares for you," Shen Qingfang sighed, concern filling her eyes.
"It's all my fault for not clarifying the situation about the elopement; that's how that woman took advantage of it," Tang Wei said regretfully as he slammed his fist on the table.
"I want to go to Shanghai! Brother, you have to come with me to Shanghai and help me get back Chu Yixuan." Tang Wan tightly grasped Tang Wei's hand, her eyes filled with determination.
"Huh? Doing something like this once is enough; why do it a second time? That doesn't seem right," Tang Wei said, a troubled expression crossing his face as he scratched his head.
"You really have no loyalty!" Tang Wan exclaimed, her face flushed with anger. She pushed Tang Wei away and turned to run back to her room, preparing to pack for her trip to Shanghai.
As fate would have it, when Tang Wan arrived in Shanghai, the Chu Family was holding a wedding at the Xujiahui Catholic Church. Despite the bride being an actress, the Chu Family had organized an extravagant ceremony, attracting dignitaries from all over Shanghai. Because she didn't have an invitation, Tang Wan was turned away at the church door. She stood on tiptoe, straining to peek inside; the wedding seemed about to begin. By chance, she looked up and saw the half-open window on the second floor of the church. There stood Liu Ruyi in a white wedding dress, glaring at her with a look of disdain. The two locked eyes for a moment before a pair of arms wrapped around Liu Ruyi, and then the window was closed. Judging by the suit and the affectionate gesture, that person must be the groom—could it be Chu Yixuan? Didn't he say he liked her? Why was he marrying Liu Ruyi? Tang Wan felt utterly despondent; tears streamed down her face as she found herself lacking the courage to rush into the church and interrupt the wedding.
With a heavy heart, Tang Wan turned away and walked slowly along the street. Suddenly, a black sedan came to a stop beside her. The door opened, and a hand reached out, pulling her inside the car.
"Ah! Help!" Tang Wan cried out in panic, frantically hitting the person next to her in the speeding vehicle.
"Be quiet! If you keep that up, I'll throw you out!" A familiar voice rang out. Tang Wan froze and looked closely—it was Chu Yixuan. His hair was disheveled, and there was a hint of helplessness on his face.
"You... you... Aren't you getting married? What are you doing here?" Tang Wan exclaimed in surprise and joy, her voice trembling slightly.
"If you're not here, who am I supposed to marry?" Chu Yixuan replied irritably.
"Liu Ruyi, of course."
Seeing Tang Wan's jealous expression, Chu Yixuan felt secretly pleased. He opened his arms, inviting her closer. "I transferred my shares in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank to my cousin. Liu Ruyi is marrying him instead. For her, being the young mistress of the Chu Family is far better than being a concubine."
"Then you now..." Tang Wan looked Chu Yixuan up and down, noticing he was dressed in ordinary clothes and that the car he arrived in was not the usual one.
"I suppose I have nothing left. However, I do have two tickets to Hong Kong. Would you like to come with me?" Chu Yixuan smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"Of course! Wherever you go, I will follow. You can't leave me behind anymore," Tang Wan said, tightly wrapping her arms around Chu Yixuan's waist and resting her face against his chest, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness.
Chu Yixuan gently flicked Tang Wan's forehead and chuckled, "Hey, it seems like you were the one who left without a word in Shanghai."
Tang Wan burst into laughter and replied, "Let's go to Suzhou first. If we're starting from scratch in Hong Kong, I need to go back to my family to collect some dowry."
"That's true. That brat Tang Wei interrupted my wedding; I still need to settle that score with him," Chu Yixuan pretended to be angry. Tang Wan playfully pinched his nose, and they exchanged smiles, their eyes filled with dreams of the future.
At the Tang family home in Suzhou, Tang Wei suddenly sneezed loudly, rubbing his nose as he said to Shen Qingfang, who was soothing a baby, "I have a feeling something bad is about to happen."
"Don't think too much. Even if Yixuan gives up the Chu Family's business, his uncle has left him a fortune in Hong Kong that's several times better than the Chu Family's; Wan'er won't suffer with him," Shen Qingfang said gently.
"That's not it. I just feel that once a daughter is married off, she’s like water spilled out. I should instruct the servants to gather up anything valuable just in case," Tang Wei said as he walked towards the courtyard with his hands behind his back. Some things are better prepared for in advance.
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