C10 Not Worthy of Me

The banquet was set to take place within the manor. In attendance, aside from Lan Chengye and his daughter, were several prominent figures of the Lan Family, all of whom Lin Qingwan recognized. They were once part of Lan Chengye's direct lineage. Notably absent were the elders who had held sway during her time in power; she understood that Lan Chengye had reclaimed their authority.

Gu Mingfeng sat with an air of composure at the lengthy dining table, with Lin Qingwan taking her seat beside him. Following Lan Chengye's succinct and tactful remarks, the banquet commenced.

As the dinner progressed, Gu Mingfeng and Lan Chengye discussed the collaborative projects between their families. Lan Chengye's laughter boomed, "Nephew Mingfeng, rest assured, everything will proceed as usual. The passing of the previous head will not impact our partnership."

Gu Mingfeng gave a noncommittal nod, his expression unreadable, and took a delicate sip from his wine glass.

Lin Qingwan occasionally glanced at Lan Yan, who was engrossed in her phone across the table. When Lan Chengye failed to mention the matter she had entrusted to him, Lan Yan looked over at her father with a pout, urging, "Dad, come on, tell him already!"

After taking a sip of his drink, Lan Chengye turned to Gu Mingfeng with a hearty laugh, "Nephew Mingfeng, after much deliberation about your engagement to my daughter, I've concluded she's still too naive and unworldly. Let's call the whole thing off, shall we?"

Lan Yan, pleased that her father had finally spoken up, laughed joyfully and sneakily glanced at Gu Mingfeng, snickering, "He's so repulsive. Marry him? In her dreams!"

Her words didn't escape the ears of many at the table, including Gu Mingfeng, whose eyes twitched slightly as a cold smirk crept onto his face.

Lin Qingwan, full of righteous indignation, turned to Gu Mingfeng and exclaimed, "Second Brother, can you believe it? That foolish woman is insulting you again!"

"Who are you calling foolish?" Lan Yan snapped, slamming her hand on the table and standing up in a huff.

Matching her rise with a serene smile, Lin Qingwan circled the table until she was face to face with Lan Yan. Locking eyes, she enunciated clearly, "I'm referring to you, the foolish woman."

With her father now the head of the Lan Family, Lan Yan's haughtiness knew no bounds. No one in the Lan Family had ever dared to insult her so brazenly. Incensed by the affront from someone outside the family, she lashed out with a slap aimed at Lin Qingwan.

With effortless speed, Lin Qingwan casually turned her head to dodge the incoming blow, then swiftly retaliated with a slap of her own.

With a resounding smack, Lan Yan was sent tumbling to the ground, her mouth split from the force of the slap. Dazed for a moment, she then burst into tears, feeling utterly wronged.

"Lin Qingwan, you've got some nerve! How dare you lay a hand on someone from the Lan Family, let alone on Lan Chengye's daughter?" Lan Chengye erupted in rage, rising to his feet as seven or eight men in black suits swiftly converged on the scene.

Gu Mingfeng, who had been sitting at the table with an impassive demeanor, now showed a flicker of disapproval in his eyes. His deep gaze settled on Lan Chengye. "Patriarch Lan, are you really trying to give my Ninth Sister a hard time in your own house? To lay a finger on a member of the Gu family in my presence doesn't seem like a wise decision."

"Gu Mingfeng! This is the Lan Family...!" Lan Chengye's protest was cut short as Gu Mingfeng's hand lightly tapped the table, sending a faint sound echoing through the room. A crack swiftly branched out from beneath his palm, quickly spider-webbing into multiple fractures that spread across the table.

With a thunderous crash, the mahogany dining table splintered and collapsed before the astonished onlookers.

Everyone around the table rose to their feet, their eyes wide with surprise as they turned to Gu Mingfeng.

Lan Chengye's expression darkened further, yet he gestured for the men in black suits to withdraw.

Lin Qingwan's gaze lingered on Gu Mingfeng, her lips curling into a knowing smile. Her second brother was not to be taken lightly. He might seem detached, but when family honor was at stake, his sharp edge was instantly revealed.

Lan Yan, still reeling from Lin Qingwan's slap, clambered to her feet and wept beside her father. "Dad, arrest that wretched Lin Qingwan at once! She's insane, and so is Gu Mingfeng. Why would I ever marry such a man?"

Lin Qingwan shook her head, her smile fading as her eyes narrowed. She reached out, seizing Lan Yan by the collar and yanking her forward. Her voice was icy as she spoke, "Miss Lan, I may be wild, but my second brother is anything but. And remember this: it's not you who's calling off the engagement; it's my second brother who's rejecting it. Because a shameless woman like you doesn't deserve him!"

Lan Yan bristled with humiliation, wrenching herself free and sneering, "Your second brother looks like that, and he has the nerve to say I'm not good enough for him? Lin Qingwan, you're not just crazy, you're downright foolish."

Lin Qingwan let out a soft laugh and pulled out her smartphone. "Miss Lan, I stumbled upon a video site yesterday. Guess what I found?"

Without waiting for a response, she played a video that filled the air with the unmistakable sounds of intimate encounters.

"My little darling, you need to stay close to me. The entire Lan Family is under my father's control now. Just be a good girl, and you'll reap the rewards."

"Yan Yan, you're so gorgeous, how could I ever part with you?"

The voices from the phone sent a wave of shock through the room as everyone's gaze shifted to Lan Yan. Seizing the moment, Lin Qingwan turned her phone screen toward the onlookers, revealing footage of Lan Yan in a passionate embrace with a man.