Xuan Yuan Mansion.
"Feng Ran, you truly opened my eyes. To kneel on the ground in front of so many people, begging Xu Yun Qing to favor you?"
Xuan Yuan Heng glared at Feng Ran, whom he had thrown to the ground. The whip in his hand lashed out, one after another, without hesitation or pause.
Feng Ran bit her lip tightly, not allowing herself to make a sound, yet tears silently fell.
He truly believed the rumors from outside. Whatever they said, he believed, even resorting to violence against her.
The man before her was the one she had loved with all her life, yet because of another woman, he hated her to the bone and made her pay a bloody price.
She knew she was wrong, she even regretted it, but where could one find a cure for regret in this world?
Raising her eyes, she met Xuan Yuan Heng's bloodthirsty, icy gaze, and her heart sank completely.
Xuan Yuan Heng's whip did not stop, continuing to lash out.
"Ah..." A wave of pain washed over Feng Ran, and she cried out in agony. Her lips were already bleeding from her biting them. Meeting Xuan Yuan Heng's cold and bloodthirsty face, her heart ached to the point of breathlessness.
She had never imagined that even after paying the price she should, Xuan Yuan Heng still wouldn't let her go.
She thought, perhaps only with her life gone would Xuan Yuan Heng's hatred for her lessen.
Xuan Yuan Heng watched Feng Ran coldly, "Feng Ran is truly willing to do anything to survive. Do you like serving people so much? If so, this king shall fulfill your wish."
As soon as Xuan Yuan Heng finished speaking, he directly dragged her, and a tearing sound of cotton fabric ripped through the air. Xuan Yuan Heng's hand fell onto her face, slowly sliding downwards.
He had misunderstood her. She did not have Xu Yun Qing.
But she couldn't understand why this matter had become so different when it reached Xuan Yuan Heng.
She reached out, wanting to struggle desperately, but her hands were already controlled by Xuan Yuan Heng.
Her face was filled with pain. Such humiliation, she had already experienced too much of it.
Even after so many times, she still couldn't adapt.
Feng Ran lay on the cold ground, tears flowing, her eyes wide open, as if soulless.
She looked as if she were dead.
After an unknown amount of time, Xuan Yuan Heng stood up, looked at Feng Ran with disdain, and simply left.
Heavy snow fell. Feng Ran dragged her broken body, walking on the street.
The street was deserted. Feng Ran walked, covered in blood.
Chun Man Yuan.
Huang Qian Qian's face instantly filled with a smile upon seeing Feng Ran's dilapidated state, and she sneered, "Heh, Feng Ran, were you ravaged by someone?"
"It seems even your patron can't be found anymore."
"Feng Ran, you are truly filthy."
Huang Qian Qian spoke deliberately loudly, so everyone around could hear clearly.
Many people immediately gathered outside Chun Man Yuan, their eyes gleaning with the look of spectators enjoying a show.
Sheng Yi, who was inside, heard the commotion outside and quickly came out.
"Feng Ran, Feng Ran, what happened? Where did you go, and what exactly happened?"
Sheng Yi knew Feng Ran had met Xu Yun Qing and was taken away by Xuan Yuan Heng. So, who caused these injuries on her? Or were both involved?
Qing Han stood by the side. Upon seeing Feng Ran's injuries, she burst into laughter and said with intense ridicule, "Feng Ran, who did you offend to be tortured like this?"
"By the way, were you going to receive a guest? Did you collect the money?"
"Feng Ran, you're so badly injured, you must have earned quite a lot of money, right?"
"This could be considered a blessing in disguise."
Qing Han watched Feng Ran remain outwardly calm, not saying a word. But she could no longer remain composed. With jealousy filling her eyes, she said, "Feng Ran, if you served someone to the point of near death and almost lost your own life, and if you didn't even get paid, wouldn't that be serving in vain?"
Qing Han said this deliberately. With so many people present, she wanted to humiliate Feng Ran.
She couldn't stand Feng Ran's calm demeanor. She was in a miserable state, yet she could remain so composed. Why, why?
"Qing Han, shut your mouth. If I hear one more nonsensical word, I'll poison your tongue."
"Sheng Yi, what's wrong? Feng Ran did something so shameless, and I'm not allowed to speak about it?"
"If everyone does this in the future, Sheng Yi, what do you plan to do?"
"After all, so many eyes are watching. If someone follows suit, Chun Man Yuan will truly be ruined."
"Oh, and also, Sheng Yi, think carefully about how you will explain this to your superiors."
Qing Han spoke without any fear, "Sheng Yi, don't do anything foolish. Is it worth it to ruin yourself for the person in front of you?"
"Sheng Yi, many people are eyeing your position. You must think carefully. To give up your hard-earned position for someone unworthy, what awaits you?"
Qing Han said coldly. Of course, she wanted Sheng Yi's position, but at this moment, she didn't want to lose the opportunity to humiliate Feng Ran.
"Sheng Yi, stop talking."
Feng Ran looked at Sheng Yi, shook her head, and said firmly, "Sheng Yi, I don't want you to be implicated because of me."
Huang Qian Qian, watching and listening from the side, felt extremely resentful. Why was Sheng Yi still defending Feng Ran, even after all this?
"Sheng Yi, what did Feng Ran give you that makes you defend her like this?"
"Sheng Yi, don't forget, Feng Ran is a person of Chun Man Yuan, and so are we."
"Sheng Yi, you can't treat us so obviously differently."
"Are you all very idle? Constantly humiliating me."
"If this news gets out, I will naturally be mocked and ridiculed, but I am already used to it, so it causes me no harm."
"But it will have a significant impact on the people in Chun Man Yuan. It will also have a significant impact on you. You had best think carefully before speaking."
"Don't end up backfiring and ruining yourselves. That would be truly unfortunate."
Feng Ran glanced at Sheng Yi and whispered in her ear, "Sheng Yi, don't say any more. Sheng Yi, I don't want you to be spoken about because of my affairs."
"I especially don't want you to be implicated because of my affairs."
Sheng Yi retracted what she was about to say. It wasn't that she was afraid to speak, but she didn't want Feng Ran to be in a difficult position.
Feng Ran didn't want to pay attention to what the people around her were saying, nor the way they looked at her. These things didn't matter to her.
She was very tired now. She just wanted to go back and rest.