Chapter 34: Temptation

After a brief silence, Fang Qiulan slowly rose, attempting to soothe the situation. "Xiaolian, let's talk about this at home. Don't make a scene out here."

Fang Lian roared again.

"Fang Qiulan, you still know what it means to be embarrassed! If you were capable of shame, you wouldn't have called him 'son-in-law' so affectionately the very first time you met my boyfriend today. Were you in such a hurry to let him know that his potential mother-in-law is a gold-digging snob? Are you desperate for him to call you 'Mother' right now and dump millions in dowry at your feet? Just think about it—are you even worthy? Am I, your daughter, even worthy of this humiliation!!!"

Fang Lian took a deep breath.

"My grandmother is in the ICU today, and I brought my boyfriend home. If you had even a shred of decency, Fang Qiulan—even a tiny bit—you wouldn't have gone off fooling around with some man and… and been caught by his wife, for God's sake! What, did you have to make a spectacle of yourself for your 'good son-in-law'? When do you plan to embarrass me next? When we meet his parents? Or when I get married? Ever since I can remember, haven't you made enough of a joke out of me?"

Fang Lian’s eyes were bloodshot, but she tilted her head back, sniffled, and fought to suppress the urge to cry.

"Fang Qiulan, I’m telling you, I genuinely wished that woman had grabbed you by the hair, stripped you bare in public, and slapped you across the face, just so your precious 'son-in-law' could see exactly what kind of trash his future mother-in-law is!"

The hysterical screaming drained Fang Lian of all her strength. She finally fell silent, her composure on the verge of total collapse.

Yan Xuan walked over slowly, stepped between Fang Lian and Fang Qiulan, and pulled the girl into his arms. He didn't rush to comfort her but instead said coldly, "Ma'am, you should go back."

Fang Qiulan rose sheepishly, hesitating as she tried to speak. "I… I…"

"Go back!" Yan Xuan growled, his anger undisguised. By not using the word "get out," he had shown the greatest respect possible for Fang Lian's mother.

Once Fang Qiulan left the restaurant, Yan Xuan looked around. Ignoring the curious stares of the onlookers, he calmly handed the owner 200 yuan and requested a private room.

Inside the room, after closing the door, Yan Xuan gently patted Fang Lian’s back. "Cry it out…"

Those two words from the man were the final straw. The girl’s emotions shattered instantly. She buried her face in Yan Xuan’s chest and sobbed uncontrollably, her hands gripping his arms tightly. "Godfather… why did you… today…"

Yan Xuan replied, "Deep down, you already know why."

Fang Lian had intended to let Yan Xuan see the joke that was Fang Qiulan, which was, in turn, a joke upon herself. She had been prepared to shatter all her own dignity in front of him, leaving nothing behind. But in the end, Yan Xuan couldn't bear to let her do it. By preserving Fang Qiulan’s face, he was also preserving the last shred of dignity Fang Lian had in his eyes.

Gradually, Fang Lian’s sobbing ceased, and her breathing steadied. Yan Xuan let her lie quietly in his arms, his palm stroking her back as if soothing a sleeping child, until the owner knocked on the door to inform them they were closing.

"Let’s go. Do you want your godfather to carry you?"

"Godfather, I’m not a three-year-old child anymore…" Fang Lian looked up, wiped away her tears, and finally, a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

The two left the restaurant and walked aimlessly through the streets of the small town. Seeing that Fang Lian had calmed down, Yan Xuan asked, "Can you tell me about your mother?"

"She… I heard she used to be the top hostess at the biggest karaoke club in a major city, until the day she accidentally got pregnant with me. She couldn't bring herself to abort, so she returned to her hometown." Fang Lian leaned against Yan Xuan’s shoulder, murmuring, "Grandmother once said that my mother was very beautiful when she was young, so even if she could control herself, the men couldn't… When I was six, a woman stormed into our house to catch her husband in the act, grabbing my mother and beating and kicking her in the living room. I hid in my room, watching like a fool, my mind completely blank. That night, I started having nightmares, for days on end. After it happened enough times, I grew numb. Whenever I sensed something was wrong, I’d leave in advance, get a room at a hotel, or stay at a relative’s house, only returning to the hospital to pick up my mother the next day."

As she spoke, Fang Lian suddenly laughed. "Godfather, I’m not afraid to tell you this—every time my mother got beaten, she’d end up with a huge amount of medical money! Especially those men; if they had even a shred of conscience, they’d feel guilty and secretly stuff money into her hands. That’s how my tuition was paid from childhood to now."

Yan Xuan asked curiously, "So, how much of your mother’s skill in handling men have you learned?"

"Whether I’ve learned anything, you should know best, shouldn't you, Godfather?" Fang Lian hugged his arm tighter, humming, "Hmph! It’s only because I ended up with you, Godfather. If it were any other man, I would have already…"

"Already had him wrapped around your finger?"

Fang Lian puffed out her cheeks, her bright eyes filled with a coquettish, tender charm, her tone resentful yet playful. "I have no choice… since I’ve fallen into your hands, Godfather, I can only be obediently toyed with by you."

Yan Xuan felt a sudden jolt through his body. Just then, the neon sign of a budget hotel flickered ahead, fueling the dark desires in his heart. Perhaps sensing the man’s hormonal shift, Fang Lian pressed her advantage.

"Godfather, let’s go back. My mother is going to the hospital to stay with Grandmother tonight, so there will be no one at home." Fang Lian stood on her tiptoes, her red lips brushing against Yan Xuan’s earlobe. "I have a few outfits that will definitely satisfy you, Godfather."

"Alright…" Yan Xuan let out a heavy breath, unable to refuse.

Back at the old, dilapidated house, Yan Xuan took a quick shower and lay down in Fang Lian’s bedroom.

"Godfather, you are not allowed to fall asleep first!" Fang Lian issued a stern warning. She grabbed a bag of clothes and walked into the bathroom, heaven knows what she was up to.

Time ticked by. After Yan Xuan had spent over an hour mindlessly scrolling through his phone, Fang Lian finally pushed the door open and appeared before him.

"Sir…"

The girl wore no makeup and no provocative clothing. She was wearing a pink Converse backpack, her entire body engulfed in a loose-fitting athletic school uniform. Her ponytail was pulled high, and she wore a pair of large, black-rimmed glasses. She stood there stiffly, looking at Yan Xuan with eyes full of awe and fear.

After a long moment, she summoned the courage to walk to the bedside and tried to negotiate with the man in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Sir, I can't let my family find out. Please, will you wear it later?"

She took off her canvas shoes and climbed onto the bed, cautiously kneeling beside Yan Xuan, her white-socked feet fidgeting nervously behind her. "