innocent lotus flower

Burn

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Good evening, Mr. Lan.

Jiang Fengmain says he is still bowing, not daring to sit because Lan Wangji has not told him to do so yet. He can’t help but feel nervous—Lan Wangji has always been respectful to him, even though he was cold. But now, the way Lan Wangji is looking at him seems like he is the prey and Lan Wangji is the predator. This thought makes sweat start forming on his forehead, yet he doesn’t dare to wipe it away, so he remains standing.

Lan Wangji observes the man before him, noticing the beads of sweat pouring down. He allows him to stew for a moment before finally instructing him to sit. He knows the man wouldn’t dare to oppose his commands. As Lan Wangji reflects, he is reminded that it was this cowardice that allowed Wei Ying to suffer so much at Madam Yu’s and the Jiang family’s hands. This thought stirs a wave of anger within him. After all, he realizes that his own past actions contributed to Wei Ying’s hardships—he was, in a way, part of the reason Wei Ying’s life was so miserable. He considers himself a terrible husband for that.

During their marriage, every month he sent money to Wei Ying’s account, unaware that his husband never had access to it. He had thought Wei Ying was pretending not to spend money, but he had seen debit alerts on Wei Ying’s phone. Wei Ying had been wearing the same few clothes he brought from home until he left the Wang mansion. Sometimes Lan Wangji wanted to teach Wei Ying a lesson—he would make sure there were no groceries in the house, expecting Wei Ying to use his own money to buy food. But what Lan Wangji didn’t realize was that during this time, Wei Ying wouldn’t eat because he had no money and couldn’t work, as everyone recognized him as Lan Wangji’s husband.

Trying to push these thoughts and feelings of guilt aside, Lan Wangji focuses on teaching Jiang Fengmain a lesson. He watches as Jiang Fengmain takes a seat.

"Father-in-law," Lan Wangji begins, "I called you today to discuss my late husband. You know I’ve been thinking about him these past few days, so I decided to investigate his past..." His voice trails off meaningfully, aware that his father-in-law is already trembling in his seat.

Jiang Fengmain cannot believe what he’s hearing. All those tears they pretended to cry for Wei Ying, claiming they loved him and presenting him to the world as spoiled, were far from the truth. They had never bothered to hide their evil deeds. If anyone were to investigate, they would immediately discover what really happened to Wei Ying under their household. Jiang Fengmain clenches his fists, trying to conceal his emotions, but Lan Wangji notices his flustered face and secretly smiles. He is enjoying this game with the “Giants.”

"You know, I found inconsistencies in the story the world has been told about Wei Ying," Lan Wangji continues. "I discovered that when he first came into the Jiang household at the tender age of eight—after spending two weeks on the street—his arm was broken in two places and he bore whip scars on his back, inflicted by Madam Gu."

This revelation causes Jiang Fengmain to freeze and turn pale. He vividly recalls that day—when Jiang Chengdai had to be sent away because Wei Ying was afraid of dogs after what he had endured on the streets. He remembers returning from giving the dog away and finding Wei Ying passed out in the ancestral hall, bleeding through his clothes, but still kneeling. That day, Jiang Fengmain had done nothing but call the family doctor to treat Wei Ying. He hadn’t reprimanded his wife, which emboldened Madam Gu to do as she pleased with Wei Ying, knowing Jiang Fengmain wouldn’t intervene.

Lan Wangji takes in his father-in-law’s reactions and sighs.

"Since you’ve uncovered this," he says, "I cannot let my husband seek revenge alone. Consider all your properties, companies, and wealth—lose everything starting tomorrow. That’s all I wanted to inform you of. I trust you will make the necessary preparations. Also, be cautious—the world is unsafe these days. Your son might have an accident or even be kidnapped."

He stands, pats Jiang Fengmain’s back, then turns and leaves the restaurant.

Jiang Fengmain slumps into his seat, overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. He begins to laugh hysterically—Yu Ziyuan has finally destroyed the Jiang family. There’s nothing left to stop their downfall. His wife had always claimed Wei Ying would bring ruin to their family, and now it’s clear she was right. She’s the one who has destroyed the Jiang family.

His thoughts are interrupted by a call from his secretary. He picks up.

“Sire, the Jiang operation research facility is on fire. Sensitive data has been leaked. We don’t know what to do. Shareholders are calling for a meeting—they want to halt their investments. The banks are demanding repayment of loans,” the secretary reports hysterically. Jiang Fengmain remains frozen, unsure how to respond—Lan Wangji truly wastes no time.

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