Lan Jing Er (1)

Yan Qing Shan and Zi Jue were led to a private box. She headed inside first for Zi Jue was held up by a sudden phone call. The luxurious room was brightly lit up by a crystal chandelier, beneath it was a table made of teak with a glass finish atop it. The cushioned chairs gave an overall comforting ambience when paired with the floor to ceiling french windows. It made way for the wonderful view to be seen from the inside. The natural lighting added an even more homey glow.

However, what caught Yan Qing Shan's focus was the man leisurely sipping from a wine glass. The light-hearted look he was famous for was entirely absent in his face as he gazed pass the glass windows. Instead, solitude and an undeniable sadness clouded his fine facial features.

Lan Jing Er.

He looked exactly as he did back then when she first met him, in this very same restaurant. He held the wineglass in the same manner and had the same sorrowful expression. The marriage meeting that was supposed to put her into a difficult situation led to her getting her first real friend.

Lan Jing Er was the exact opposite of how the rumors made him out to be. It was merely a front to cover up the fact that he was suffering from being unaccepted by his family due to his gender orientation. In fact, even his status as an heir was in a precarious situation. He was only able to remain as the sole Young Master based on the fact that his father was unable to have children anymore. Hence, he was forced to hide in his closet and attend marriage meetings like this.

Yan Qing Shan back then found a kindred spirit in him. They were both prisoners. Both amiss of freedom.

Lan Jing Er treated her the same and even protected Yan Qing Shan from all the schemes that came her way.

'Little Qing Shan, you're my sister. My only genuine friend. You gave me the acceptance that the lot of them deprived me of and made living in this hell tolerable. Of course, I'll protect you with all I can.'

She felt choked up when she remembered his words couple with a genuine, brotherly smile he reserved only for her. In the end, because Lan Jing Er looked out for her. He suffered gravely in return. And Yan Qing Shan didn't even exact revenge for him despite this. She knew she had the power to protect him but she shunned that power. All she did was shut herself out even more. This was another of her sins. This was another of her regrets.

Yan Qing Shan closed her eyes as memories of her past flashed in her mind like a film reel. It was as if she could see Lan Jing Er's indulgent smile when she said she wanted to try her hand at writing; his raised brow and sharp tone as he criticized her so-called dismal sense of fashion; and his encouraging and proud tone when she made him read her first draft. It was Lan Jing Er who mediated to the publishing house for her back then. Though their meetings were far and few in between, they talked everyday on the phone.

That was until the scandal broke out. The media somehow got hold of a footage of Lan Jing Er in a hotel room naked with an unknown man. His secret was laid out in the open. People slandered and thrashed him with malicious comments online. His family, instead of trying to get to the bottom of the issue, disowned Lan Jing Er. He fell to the dumps and couldn't push himself back up.

Yan Qing Shan was the last person he called before he took his own life.

The melancholic reminiscence in her eyes vanished and was immediately replaced by a cold glare. Yan Qing Shan gripped her knuckles tightly. It took until that last time for her to find out that Lan Jing Er was set up by Zhao Ming Hua upon the request of Yan Xiaoyi.

Yan Qing Shan was not surprised. Even if marrying her off to Lan Jing Er was advantageous for them, they could never accomplish it because of Zi Jue's deterrence. This fact enraged the jealous Yan Xiaoyi. When she found out that Lan Jing Er was protective of her as well, Yan Xiaoyi snapped.

Lan Jing Er's life was ruined because of her. Because of the people who did not want Yan Qing Shan to be happy.

'Brother Jing Er, this time I will be the one to protect you. I won't be resigned anymore. I won't let them drive you in that corner again. I won't allow you to take your life again.'

Yan Qing Shan shook her head slightly and recomposed herself. Her cold little face revealed a trace of a faint smile as she proceeded to sit in front of the absent-minded Lan Jing Er.

"Is it that interesting?" Yan Qing Shan asked the same question she asked him in her past life. Her cold voice reverberated through the room. Lan Jing Er's sharply turned to her, his sullen face immediately donning its perpetually frivolous expression.