Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Equally Important in My Heart
Astonishment and hurt flickered in Mu Tangfeng’s eyes. He looked at her with an accusatory expression, as if she were a heartless woman abandoning her husband and children.
Yan Huoshui looked thoughtful. ’But my class schedule is erratic and our free time doesn’t line up,’ he thought, instantly dismissing the idea.
He too was staring at Shi Lan. His raven-black eyelashes cast a shadow on his pale face. His lips, which had been pressed into a thin line, parted slightly. "Lanlan, does it trouble you that we came to find you?"
"I’m sorry. If we’re annoying you, I hope you won’t hate me. It’s just... I haven’t seen you in so long..."
Yan Huoshui’s voice was laced with sorrow, and the enchanting light that usually swirled in his crimson irises slowly faded.
Mu Tangfeng worried that Shi Lan would really start to hate him. Anxious, he couldn’t stop himself from impatiently hooking a finger around her hand. His black eyes took on the pitiable look of a fluffy puppy. "I’m sorry, Lanlan. Don’t be angry, and please don’t hate me. I’ll stop bothering you."
Shi Lan hadn’t expected a single sentence from her to make them both so sensitive, to read so much into it.
She stammered out a nervous explanation. "I—I didn’t mean it like that... I’m just... just worried that if you’re together, you’ll... fight..."
Upon hearing this, Mu Tangfeng and Yan Huoshui exchanged a glance.
Mu Tangfeng quickly looked away and shook his head, saying with little conviction, "We won’t, Lanlan. I’m not the jealous type of male."
Yan Huoshui’s sharp gaze was fixed on Mu Tangfeng’s hand, which was sneakily holding Shi Lan’s. A cold glint flashed in his eyes from beneath his lowered lids, but what he said was, "Lanlan, we’re all adults. We know how to behave. If we trouble you over something like this, then we’re the ones in the wrong."
"As males, we shouldn’t make a female worry over such trivial matters."
He knew that even if he loathed the existence of these other males, he couldn’t change the rule that Lanlan had to marry five Beast Husbands.
Rather than waste energy trying to drive the other males away, it was better to seize the opportunity to cultivate his relationship with Lanlan.
A deep emotional bond was the true secret to a lasting marriage. As for physical strength...
Heh. A sneer flashed in his eyes. ’Didn’t the Monarch 3S Level end up divorcing the dean, too?’
From the very beginning, Yan Huoshui’s goal had been clear. That didn’t, however, stop the rage and jealousy that inevitably welled up inside him whenever he saw Lanlan getting so close to other males.
Shi Lan shot Mu Tangfeng a suspicious look. But when she heard what Yan Huoshui said, she felt a sense of comfort, as if he could read her mind.
Yan Huoshui’s words had truly spoken to her heart. She was, in fact, a bit troubled by having to manage the emotions of different males all day long. But it was far from making her hate them. At most, it was a sweet sort of trouble.
In the end, she didn’t press the issue, only saying, "It’s not that I think it’s bad for you to show up together. I’m just worried that if I’m closer to one of you, it’ll make the other feel left out."
"In my heart, you are all equally important. I don’t want any of you to get hurt over things like this."
To Shi Lan, the men from Black Star held a special significance. They were the ones who first made her feel like she had a family in this new world. Their presence made her feel like she had finally put down roots, that she was no longer a helpless drifter.
It was rare for her to speak so candidly in front of them.
Mu Tangfeng’s gaze froze for a second, and his grip on Shi Lan’s hand tightened subconsciously.
Yan Huoshui’s eyes betrayed his deep emotion. He had thought he was one of the less important ones in Shi Lan’s heart, but he never expected her to say something like this.
Being stared at so intently by both of them, Shi Lan felt as if her words had been a sort of confession. Feeling embarrassed, she awkwardly toyed with her hair, pulling it forward to hide her flushed ears.
The smile on Yan Huoshui’s lips deepened, and his gaze softened considerably.
He wasn’t a childish young male like Mu Tangfeng and the others. He hadn’t planned on clinging to Shi Lan during this visit. He just wanted to show her that his injuries had healed and to extend another invitation.
He thoughtfully changed the subject. "Lanlan, the Imperial Capital School is holding its student finals tomorrow. I’ll be there as a judge and supervising instructor. Would you like to come and watch? I’ve saved you a seat."
Shi Lan was considering moving into He Hanshi’s place, so she wasn’t in a rush to find a rental for now.
Hearing Yan Huoshui’s words, her interest was piqued.
In the original owner’s memories, this kind of final competition was always a lively event. But back then, her reputation as a "useless female" was too notorious. She would always leave right after watching the main character’s match, never staying to enjoy the full event.
Since she had nothing else planned, Shi Lan nodded. "Okay."
Yan Huoshui handed her an admission ticket. For these competitions, current students and the relatives of participants were allowed to spectate.
However, the seating areas were different. Relatives had their own section, and the ticket he gave her was for a front-row seat in that very section.
Seeing this, Mu Tangfeng asked, "Are there any more? I want to go, too."
Yan Huoshui shot him a look and rejected him without a moment’s hesitation. "Sorry. All out."
Mu Tangfeng snorted. ’Don’t think I don’t know you did that on purpose,’ he thought. But it wasn’t as if he didn’t have his own ways of getting in.
He didn’t say anything more. As for Yan Huoshui, this trip had already been immensely valuable.
At the very least, he now knew for certain that Shi Lan was not indifferent to him.
There was plenty of time. He didn’t stay much longer.
After Yan Huoshui left, Mu Tangfeng found himself still affected by what Shi Lan had said. He was genuinely worried his actions would backfire and make her hate him.
So, with his rival gone, he couldn’t resist pulling her into a hug and giving her a light, tentative kiss. When he felt that she didn’t pull away or reject him, his heart relaxed. He happily let her go and, from a feather on his collar inlaid with a sapphire-blue Space Stone, he pulled out a huge pile of antique vases. Soon, the coffee table was overflowing.
"Lanlan, didn’t you say you wanted vases last time? I have lots at home. These are all for you."
He also thoughtfully produced a bouquet of fresh, champagne-colored roses from his Space Chain so she would have flowers to put in them.
Shi Lan stared for a long moment at the vases on the table. They were all different shapes, but each had intricate textures and a wide variety of colorful patterns. They were clearly expensive. "All of them? For me?"
"Yep."
Mu Tangfeng nodded. When he saw the utterly shocked look in her eyes over a few vases, his characteristic "young master" pride swelled within him. "It’s just a few little vases. They’re not worth much. I have tons more at home."
Finished, his critical gaze swept over Ye Ming’s cold-looking house. "The design here is too cold and empty, and the colors are so drab. It’s in desperate need of some vases for decoration."
Her gaze fell on the flowers he had brought out. They were beautiful, every single one in full bloom.
Mu Tangfeng hesitated for a moment. "Well, since you have vases, you can’t be without flowers. I just bought these on the way."
Shi Lan had originally planned to simply accept the gifts, but hearing him say that, she suddenly felt the urge to tease him.
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