Chapter 58: Confiding Inner Thoughts

Liu Ran saw right through Lin Aoxue at a glance. With a look of deep concern, he pulled her aside to sit down and handed her a glass of wine to calm her nerves.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu."

Lin Aoxue took a small sip. After her emotions settled a bit, she spoke up. "Uncle Liu, I don’t know how much you know about the situation between me and Su Xiaobai. He has been forcing me to marry him, and because I refuse, he’s using every dirty trick in the book to target the Lin Family. I really don’t know what to do anymore."

She only voiced a fraction of her worries, not daring to reveal the real reason behind her panic. After all, the actual truth was far too disgusting for her to ever speak aloud.

Hearing this, Liu Ran furrowed his brows slightly. He had always been keeping tabs on Lin Aoxue’s affairs, but ever since they parted ways at the Japanese restaurant last time, they hadn’t seen each other alone. Although they occasionally chatted on WeChat, their conversations were strictly business. Afraid that she would catch onto his true intentions, Liu Ran never dared to chat too much.

Now that she was bringing this up on her own accord, it was the perfect opportunity to draw them closer.

"I’ve heard a little about this," Liu Ran said indignantly. "That Su Xiaobai is no man at all. To think he would force a woman into marriage! I despise people like him the most."

His words struck a chord deep within Lin Aoxue, and she slowly began to open up to him.

"But the Su Family’s influence in Jianghai City is just too massive. I have no way to fight back against him. Originally, I thought that by partnering with the Yang Family, they could help keep him in check. Who knew he wasn’t afraid of them at all? Now my family has been pushed to the brink, and they’re forcing me to marry him."

Liu Ran felt a surge of urgency. Lin Aoxue was his, and no one was going to snatch her away!

His eyes darted around as a calculating gleam flashed in their depths. Putting on a deliberate show of frustration, he let out a heavy sigh. "Alas, blame it on my own incompetence. I don’t have the power to stand against Su Xiaobai. Otherwise, I would be able to keep you safe."

A wave of warmth washed over Lin Aoxue. Liu Ran’s attitude stood in stark contrast to that of her so-called family. It was incredibly ironic that an outsider wanted to protect her, while her own relatives were practically shoving her into Su Xiaobai’s arms.

"Uncle Liu, how could I possibly blame you?" Lin Aoxue looked at him with profound gratitude. "I’m already more than content that you care so much for me and are willing to listen to my troubles."

"Aoxue, it’s really too loud in here. Why don’t we find a quieter place to chat?" Seeing that he had gradually gained her trust, Liu Ran prepared to initiate the next phase of his plan. Since Su Xiaobai was pressing her so hard, he needed to accelerate his own scheme.

"This... alright then." She hesitated for a moment, but glancing at the noisy surroundings, she finally nodded in agreement. She stood up and followed Liu Ran toward the adjacent garden.

"Aoxue, where are you going?"

Just as their figures were about to disappear into the dense trees, Ye Xuan appeared in the nick of time. Having finally managed to slip away while Yang Bingyu went looking for Yang Zhennan, he had spotted Lin Aoxue walking into the garden with a middle-aged man. He had rushed over as quickly as he could to intercept them.

"Ye Xuan?!" Hearing his voice, Lin Aoxue’s eyes lit up. She turned around to look at him with a delighted expression, her tone brimming with excitement.

Liu Ran’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly masked it. He looked at Ye Xuan politely and asked, "Xue’er, who is this?"

In truth, Liu Ran had known for a long time that Ye Xuan was her ex-husband, but he couldn’t let it show, choosing instead to play dumb.

Hearing this man call his wife "Xue’er" left a sour taste in Ye Xuan’s mouth. Frowning slightly, he took the initiative to extend his left hand toward Liu Ran and introduced himself. "Hello, I am Ye Xuan, Xue’er’s husband."

Husband?

That wasn’t right. Hadn’t Ye Xuan and Lin Aoxue already divorced?

"Mr. Ye, I don’t think that’s entirely accurate, is it?" Liu Ran asked in a deep voice, meeting Ye Xuan’s gaze. "As I recall, the two of you divorced not too long ago."

"Divorced couples can always remarry. What’s so strange about that?" Ye Xuan countered. For some reason, this man gave him a very unsettling feeling. Although Liu Ran was clearly much older than Lin Aoxue, creeps came in all ages. This guy definitely had ulterior motives when it came to her.

"Well... Xue’er, have you and Mr. Ye remarried? Why wasn’t I aware?"

Liu Ran’s words made Ye Xuan’s brows knit even tighter. He wondered what the man meant by not being aware. Who did this guy think he was to Lin Aoxue? Did they need his permission to remarry?

"Listen, old man, do you mind not constantly referring to my wife as Xue’er?" Ye Xuan snapped, his mounting annoyance making his tone noticeably hostile. "Also, we can remarry whenever we please. What does that have to do with you?"

Liu Ran’s expression faltered. Deep down, he was gritting his teeth in hatred for Ye Xuan, but on the surface, he maintained a breezy, nonchalant facade. Smiling at Lin Aoxue, he said, "Xue’er, it seems your ex-husband is quite the jealous type. I feel like a bit of a third wheel right now. You two talk, I’ll take my leave."

Seeing him about to walk away, Lin Aoxue glared at Ye Xuan and hurriedly grabbed Liu Ran’s arm. "Uncle Liu, please don’t be angry, and don’t listen to his nonsense. We’ve only reconciled; we haven’t actually remarried yet. He’s always had a habit of speaking like this. Please don’t take it to heart."

Glancing down at her hand on his arm, Liu Ran’s lips twitched upward in smug satisfaction. If Ye Xuan wanted to play games with him, the kid was still too green. As long as he had secured Lin Aoxue’s trust, it didn’t matter how much Ye Xuan despised him. In fact, it would ultimately backfire and drive a wedge between the two of them.

"It’s fine. It’s perfectly normal for young people to lack a filter. I certainly won’t hold it against Mr. Ye," Liu Ran said magnanimously, patting the back of her hand. Then, shooting Ye Xuan a meaningful glance, he walked back to the banquet alone.

"Xue’er, stay away from that man in the future. He doesn’t look like a good guy," Ye Xuan warned. Even though Liu Ran had backed off on his own, Ye Xuan still got a terrible vibe from him. The man appeared refined and courteous, always sporting a smile, but his eyes were bottomless pits that betrayed nothing. It would be best for her to have as little contact with such a person as possible.

"You really get jealous over anyone, don’t you? Uncle Liu is a very good person, so don’t worry about it." Oblivious to what was truly on his mind, Lin Aoxue assumed he was just being possessive. She gave him a reproachful yet amused look and giggled.