I've Got This Cannon Fodder Trope Covered!

Chapter 28

"I won't do anything!" Gu Yunran's voice wavered with frustration. "Ranran, if you keep saying things to provoke me, I..."

"What will you do?" Wei Hanzhang's face turned cold as she smirked. "Bring back your two concubines?"

Her mention of the past gave Gu Yunran's headache. "It's been so long, what's the point of holding on to it? I already sent them away a long time ago. I promised you, there won't be anyone else in the future, okay?"

He sighed helplessly. "They were just two maids. Don't you think lowering yourself to compete with them is beneath you?"

To Gu Yunran, he had apologized countless times for the matter of the two maids. He had coaxed her over and over, carefully tried to make amends, and felt that her anger should have dissipated by now. Yet, Wei Hanzhang still couldn't let it go. Her jealousy left him with a splitting headache.

What he didn't realize was that her persistence stemmed from how much she cared.

Wei Hanzhang felt a deep sense of frustration and took a deep breath to calm the urge to continue arguing with him. Lowering her gaze, she said softly, "Let me tell you one last time: I cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in my eye. The things I love must be entirely mine, inside and out. If I don't care for something, I couldn't care less about it, even if it dies!"

She had said these words countless times before, but he still crossed her line. It was clear he hadn't truly listened or, at best, hadn't taken her seriously.

Deep down, he still held the mindset of a nobleman—concubines and maidservants were normal. If everyone else could have them, why couldn't he? If you insist, then fine, I won't have them, but you need to recognize it as my sacrifice, my effort for you, and be grateful.

But instead of being grateful, she constantly brought it up, naturally causing him more headaches.

There was no point in continuing the argument.

Wei Hanzhang casually sat on a nearby rock, staring at the tender grass at her feet. In a low voice, she said, "Just leave. I want some time alone."

Gu Yunran thought she was simply throwing another tantrum. His heart was both anxious and aching, unsure why the girl he loved had such a temper.

Suppressing his frustration, he tried to comfort her in a gentle voice. "This place is deserted. I'm worried about leaving you alone."

"Didn't you hear what Shen Yu said? Prince Yan's villa is nearby. Who would dare cause trouble at the doorstep of a royal residence? There's nothing to worry about."

Wei Hanzhang was in no mood, raising her hand to point down the mountain. "I don't want to see you right now. If you don't want to argue, just leave."

Gu Yunran stood there, staring at her for a moment. Seeing she was truly upset, he gave a bitter smile. "I'll wait for you at the foot of the mountain, Ranran. We're going to spend the rest of our lives together—don't always be angry with me."

And then he left...

This wasn't the first argument between them, but this was the first time Wei Hanzhang considered ending their relationship.

If this were in a past life, in an era of romantic freedom, she would have suggested breaking up.

Their views on love and marriage were fundamentally incompatible. He didn't have a sense of fidelity towards marriage, and after they were married, she could foresee that within a few years, they would probably end up as resentful partners.

Gu Yunran loved her now, his youthful passion was entirely focused on her, but people change.

A seventeen-year-old boy would eventually grow into a twenty-seven-year-old man, then a thirty-seven-year-old man, and finally a forty-seven-year-old middle-aged man. The only thing that wouldn't change was that there would always be sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girls for him to choose from.

How much love could withstand the erosion of time?

And how much joy could endure the tests of the outside world?

This once-certain relationship was already riddled with cracks after just a few months. If only...

Wei Hanzhang sighed, lowering her head.

Born in this era, marriage was not something she could control.

The Gu family was currently in high demand; they were eager to connect with her family, and her wishes were not a consideration.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Wei Hanzhang absentmindedly snapped off a few blades of grass. The juice stained her fingers, and since she hadn't brought a handkerchief today, she was contemplating whether to wash her hands in the stream when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

Thinking it was Gu Yunran returning, she looked up, only to see a familiar figure.

The early summer sun cast a warm glow on the man, giving him a cold yet ethereal presence, like a forest spirit. He gazed at her gently, offering a handkerchief. "Wipe your hands."

His voice was soft and pleasant.

Wei Hanzhang had been momentarily stunned at the sight of him. Awakened by his voice, she awkwardly took the handkerchief and wiped her hands before asking, "What a coincidence! When did you arrive?"

Xiao Junzhan replied, "Half an hour ago."

"..." Wei Hanzhang froze for a moment. "You... you heard everything, didn't you?"

Xiao Junzhan looked deeply at her and said, "If you don't want this marriage, I can help you resolve it."

"!!!" Wei Hanzhang was startled, having only met him for the third time, and he was already getting involved in her marriage?

Who exactly was he?

Recalling what Shen Yu had said, that Prince Yan's residence was nearby, Wei Hanzhang's mind raced.

A breeze rustled through the woods, and after a moment of contemplation, Wei Hanzhang suddenly recalled something and asked, "Are you the one controlling the rumors in the capital these days?"

If he were a member of the royal family, it was quite possible for him to guide the direction of such rumors.

Xiao Junzhan remained unmoved, allowing her to scrutinize him, and replied with a faint smile, "Who else could it be?"

"Why are you helping me like this?" Wei Hanzhang's confusion didn't last long. After seeing his gentle and reserved gaze, her heart skipped a beat.

This was the first time Xiao Junzhan had openly expressed his feelings to her, and he wasn't exactly calm himself. He turned his head to avoid her gaze, but his peripheral vision caught sight of Wei Hanzhang twisting his handkerchief in her hands.

Her fingers were delicate and jade-like, devoid of the rouge favored by the noble ladies in the capital, appearing dazzlingly white in the sunlight.

He lingered too long in his gaze, causing the self-proclaimed bold Wei Hanzhang to involuntarily curl her fingers, muttering a few words about shameless flirts.

After all, having received his help, she held back her anger and quietly said, "I should be going back now."

She hurriedly tried to leave, but Xiao Junzhan called out to her, "You haven't reached the age of marriage yet; you can take your time discussing the marriage, there's no need to rush."

"......" He seemed to care quite a lot about her marriage. Wei Hanzhang paused for a moment and said, "Marriage is a major event that should be decided by one's parents."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Junzhan chuckled softly and replied, "If you say it that way, then it's quite easy to handle."

??

Wei Hanzhang pursed her lips, turned to look at him, and said softly, "You are a member of the royal family, aren't you?"

Xiao Junzhan's gaze shifted slightly as he said, "My surname is Xiao, and my courtesy name is Boqian."

As he spoke, he took off a piece of dark jade from his waist and handed it to her, saying, "I took one of your jades; how about I exchange it for this?"