She felt as if everyone could see through her, her every thought laid bare for all to comprehend.
Feng Ran smiled, a desolate curve lifting the corners of her lips. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and the weariness of a thousand lifetimes.
Feng Ran kowtowed desperately, her voice a ceaseless plea: "Regent, I beg you, I beg you, don't."
"It is I, I who deserve to die."
At this moment, Feng Ran had no idea what she could do to stop this from happening.
Gu Yan Chen's brow furrowed, clearly expressing his strong disapproval of Xuanyuan Heng's actions.
Gu Yan Chen spoke up to intervene: "Xuanyuan, let this farce end here."
Feng Ran looked at Xuanyuan Heng, still pleading, "No, Regent, everything has nothing to do with outsiders, it is all my fault. You can deal with me however you wish. Do not drag others into this."
"Regent, I beg you, don't let Feng Jin come, can you?"
"I can... I can do anything."
"The Regent told me to please you well, right? Then I will please you well. I can, I can do it."
As Feng Ran spoke, she dared not delay. Ignoring the pain of her injuries and her soaked clothes, she threw herself at Xuanyuan Heng, mimicking the actions of seduction.
However, she had never pleased anyone before, and her movements appeared exceptionally clumsy and stiff, even somewhat laughable.
Gu Yan Chen could not bear to watch any longer, his voice tinged with anger: "Feng Ran, stop. I don't need you to plead for me. And you don't need to worry about Feng Jin coming; Feng Jin is elsewhere and won't appear."
But Feng Ran did not hear Gu Yan Chen's words at all. She continued to use her awkward movements to please Xuanyuan Heng.
She thought, as long as Xuanyuan Heng didn't let Feng Jin come.
After Gu Yan Chen finished speaking, seeing that Feng Ran clearly did not believe him, his anger flared.
Could this person not hear what he was saying? Was his presence that insignificant?
For the first time in her life, Gu Yan Chen felt utterly ignored.
"If you don't want Feng Jin to come, then obediently beg for mercy, obediently listen. Do you understand?" Xuanyuan Heng said with disdain, "Feng Ran, weren't you very proud before, saying you would never bow to me?"
"Is what is happening now not a slap in your face?"
Feng Ran's lips curled into a slight smile. She would not bow to him because he had always protected Yu Wan Yan, and she, unwilling to concede, had spoken those words. But she hadn't expected Xuanyuan Heng to remember so clearly.
So, it wasn't that he couldn't remember, it was just that he never knew anything related to her. But concerning Yu Wan Yan, he remembered every detail, even the minutest.
"Feng Ran, I told you Feng Jin won't come, don't you believe me?"
"Or would you rather believe Xuanyuan Heng's words?"
Gu Yan Chen kept speaking from the side.
In truth, even Gu Yan Chen himself didn't know why he was so eager to say these words.
But at this moment, these were the words he wanted to say.
Gu Yan Chen even wondered, if he hadn't made things difficult for Feng Ran earlier, if he had taken Feng Ran away from the beginning, then she wouldn't have encountered Xuanyuan Heng, and none of this would have happened.
Feng Ran raised her eyes, her entire focus on Xuanyuan Heng.
However, at this moment, Gu Yan Chen's words pulled her thoughts back. She didn't know why, but she turned to look at Gu Yan Chen.
Perhaps what Gu Yan Chen said was true. Perhaps she should believe Gu Yan Chen's words.
But she couldn't gamble; she had nothing left to lose. She had nothing left at all.
She owed too much, and every step she took had to be cautious.
There could not be the slightest mistake.
Feng Ran took a deep breath. After thinking for a long time, she opened her eyes again and her gaze fell back on Xuanyuan Heng.
Gu Yan Chen could not bear to watch any longer and said to Xuanyuan Heng with a trace of anger, "Xuanyuan Heng, this farce has gone on long enough. Let's stop here."
"Xuanyuan Heng, why must you make things difficult for a defenseless woman?"
"Heh." Xuanyuan Heng let out a cold laugh, mockingly saying, "Gu Yan Chen, since when did you get bribed by Feng Ran? Did she serve you well, that you've come out to speak for her?"
"If I recall correctly, you've never been one to meddle in other people's affairs all these years."
"Gu Yan Chen, for a lowly woman, are you going to make an enemy of me?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Ran's face changed drastically. She could no longer afford to care about anything else and quickly knelt before Xuanyuan Heng, pleading loudly, "No, Regent, there must be some misunderstanding."
"Young Master Gu would wish to tear me limb from limb, how could he save me?"
"How could he possibly plead for me?"
Xuanyuan Heng scoffed and was in no hurry to speak with Gu Yan Chen. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Feng Ran, saying with bewilderment, "Then, what do you think is the reason Gu Yan Chen suddenly appeared and said these things? Don't you find it a little amusing?"
"Gu Yan Chen is my confidant. But who knows when my confidant began speaking for you, pleading for you."
"Feng Ran, aren't you very proud?"
"Feng Ran, what exactly have you done to make these people so willing to do things for you?"
Feng Ran immediately shook her head, saying firmly, "No, it's not like that."
"I also don't know what is going on."
"Why is Gu Yan Chen standing up and saying so much for me."
"But, Gu Yan Chen and I definitely have no relationship." As Feng Ran said this, as if remembering something, she looked at Xuanyuan Heng and immediately said anxiously, "Regent, Gu Yan Chen even wanted my life just now. I think his eagerness to do things and speak for me is simply to keep me alive."
"After all, I have made him lose so much face. I think he is doing all this, saying all this, just to see how you will treat me."
Feng Ran looked at Xuanyuan Heng, speaking cunningly.
Xuanyuan Heng glanced at Feng Ran, but he hadn't expected her to still be lingering there.
Gu Yan Chen sighed helplessly, as if the situation was mostly related to him.
But Xuanyuan Heng was adamant that it had nothing to do with her, and he naturally didn't believe it.
Xuanyuan Heng's bloodthirsty, demonic gaze fell upon Feng Ran.
"Feng Ran, your skills have truly improved. You can actually make Gu Yan Chen speak for you, and even stand before me in such a hurry."
"Feng Ran, do you know? This is the first time such a situation has occurred."
"Hearing what I say, aren't you very happy?"
Before Feng Ran could answer, Xuanyuan Heng grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. Feng Ran struggled, almost wanting to break free, but found her hand held tightly. There was no turning back.