C6 Speak Eloquently

The battered door crashed to the ground, and the entangled couple inside sprang apart as if shocked by electricity. Yaen Ting managed to maintain his composure; his attire was mostly intact, with only his belt slightly askew. A quick adjustment, and he was once again the dashing and elegant prince of the Earl Mansion.

Waner, however, was in a different state. Her hair was disheveled, her outer garment wide open. Even as she hastily covered herself, the suggestive red mark on her collarbone was enough to hint at what had transpired.

Witnessing this scene, Yaen Jinying was so furious she nearly fainted. "What a disgrace! Do you think the Marquis Mansion is a place for such behavior?"

The young women who accompanied Yaen Jinying were equally stunned by the shocking development. It was only her outburst that brought them back to their senses.

"Oh my God, this is just too..."

One of them, unable to find the right words, turned away in disgust, as if another glance would sully her eyes.

"What a virtuous and gentle Second Miss!" someone couldn't help but mock with biting sarcasm.

"Carrying on without a matchmaker, pregnant before marriage, and with your own fiancé's brother-in-law, no less. Waner, if there's a title for the most shameless woman in the city, it surely belongs to you."

As those words were spoken, all eyes turned intensely toward Waner. Although Waner was known for her cunning, she hadn't anticipated such a scene and instinctively sought refuge behind Yaen. "Brother Yaen..."

"Yaen, why are you doing this?"

At this moment, Zuoyu finally regained her composure. Her eyes were red, and she looked utterly heartbroken. "What did I ever do to you?"

She had always been proud and outspoken, never showing such vulnerability. Seeing this, Yaen felt a deep sense of pity. He stepped forward, leaving Waner behind, and stopped in front of Zuoyu, reaching out to touch her. "Zuoyu, let me explain..."

Just as he began to speak, a sharp slap landed on his face, leaving two visible scratches from her nails. Yaen winced in pain, his expression darkening.

But before he could react, Zuoyu, who had slapped him, seemed to finally break down, collapsing into Zi Luo's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"They say a reformed rake is worth his weight in gold, but I think it's more like a leopard can't change its spots."

"Exactly, leaving Zuoyu for someone like Waner? It's just like that old saying."

Cui Zuoyu's past sacrifices for her sister, even giving up her cherished dowry, were still fresh in everyone's minds. Comparing this to the clandestine affair between Yaen Ting and Cui Waner, a few young women couldn't help but whisper among themselves, even though they knew better than to provoke the Jingning Earl Mansion.

Yaen Ting's face was ashen, struggling to contain his anger. He knew that if he didn't handle this situation well, his reputation would be ruined. With a bitter smile, his voice filled with emotion and regret, he said, "Zuoyu, I was wrong, but it's not what you think."

Cui Zuoyu slowly lifted her head, remaining silent, but there was a glimmer of hope in her tear-filled eyes.

Feeling a slight relief, Yaen Ting continued, "Jutan, my cousin, is very knowledgeable and has helped me a lot. After he got into trouble, I often came to visit him. Recently, when I visited, I found Second Miss Cui there as well. I wanted to avoid her, but she said... our families are close, and we would eventually become one, so there was no need to avoid each other."

At this point, Yaen Ting looked troubled and added with a wry smile, "Every time I visited the garden, I would run into Second Miss Cui, and over time, I realized she seemed... overly enthusiastic about me."

"Enough!" Yaen Jinying, now furious, stepped forward and pointed accusingly at Cui Waner.

"When Jutan first had trouble, you only visited once. But after several months, you started coming more often. I thought you were concerned about Jutan. Turns out you were just using our place to flirt with other men!"

"No, it's not like that!"

Waner looked at Yaen Ting in disbelief, only to find him gazing lovingly at Zuoyu, not sparing her a glance.

"Later, I tried to avoid her until a month ago..." Yaen Ting's expression showed a flicker of pain. "I ran into her again at the garden. I formally rejected her, but she threw herself at me. I smelled something strange and lost consciousness. When I came to, she threatened me to keep seeing her. I acted harshly, hoping she'd give up, but she wouldn't. Now she claims she's pregnant with my child..."

"You're still lying to me!" Zuoyu interrupted, her eyes dimming.

Yaen Ting was startled, hearing Zuoyu stubbornly say, "Waner is my sister. I know her better than you do."

Yaen Ting was so angry he nearly cursed. He took a deep breath, turned, and looked at Waner coldly, his eyes full of warning and admonition.

"Alright, if you don't believe me, let Waner tell you the truth of the matter."

When Waner first met Yaen Ting at the academy, she had indeed planned it. But their frequent encounters afterward were due to his subtle invitations. And it was he who had first wrapped his arm around her waist...

Waner wanted to voice all of this, but Yaen Ting's seemingly compassionate words echoed in her ears. "Waner, even for the sake of the child you're carrying, you should be honest."

"You..."

Waner looked at Yaen Ting in despair, feeling a dull ache in her stomach, her heart heavy and cold. Outwardly, he seemed to be concerned about the child, but in reality, he was reminding her of her current situation.

Unmarried and pregnant with his child, she had no other choice but him. Yaen Ting held the power to shape her future entirely.

Swallowing her regret, Waner felt as if her insides were soaked in bitter water. Her voice trembled as she lowered her head, "It was... it was me who used medicine to make Yaen Ting be with me, and that's how I ended up pregnant."

The courtyard fell silent.

Suddenly, a cold, stern voice came from outside the gate, "A daughter-in-law like this is not welcome in our family."

Waner jerked her head up, her face turning pale.

Yaen Ting's expression darkened slightly.

The Yongjing Marquis Madam slowly entered the courtyard, a cold smile playing on her lips as she looked at the lady trailing a few steps behind her, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Engaged to my son, yet caught in an indiscretion with another at his bedside—this is a betrayal of fidelity. Her eldest sister treated her with immense kindness, yet she seduced her sister's husband for her own desires—this is repaying kindness with treachery. Raising such a daughter who knows neither fidelity nor gratitude, Mrs. Cui, what a fine example of upbringing!"

Mrs. Qian's face was rigid. She had heard every word Cui Waner had just spoken. In this situation, even with her silver tongue, she couldn't think of a single word in defense.

​