OBS Chapter 160 Discussing the Engagement
Chapter 160 Discussing the Engagement
He Mingning finally snapped out of her daze, as if waking from a dream! Whether it was Fan Junyu's unusually affectionate way of addressing her or his uninhibited and intimate actions, everything showed that their relationship had far exceeded the boundaries of ordinary friends! She never expected that Fan Junyu would do such a shocking thing in front of so many people without any attempt to hide it.
However, what shamed her most was that she not only felt no resistance to it, but was even immersed in it, filled with joy, to the point of completely forgetting that there were other people around! Thinking of this, He Mingning's cheeks instantly turned as red as ripe apples, burning and glistening. She frantically waved her hands, stammering and incoherently trying to explain, "No, it's not like that, I, I..." Unfortunately, before she could finish her sentence, Fan Junyu abruptly cut her off.
Fan Junyu smiled as he gazed at the young girl before him. Her shy, adorable appearance, like a frightened deer, was truly endearing. He couldn't help but burst into laughter, then turned to the crowd and said frankly, "Ningning is my fiancée! What's wrong with me addressing her this way? Must I always respectfully call her 'Your Highness,' or simply use her full name?"
After hearing this, everyone thought about it for a moment and agreed that it was absolutely true. So they stopped dwelling on the topic and began to focus on enjoying the delicious food in front of them. For a time, the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter filled the air.
He Mingning pondered to herself, and after carefully considering the reasoning behind it, the shyness in her heart gradually faded away, and her cheeks, which had been flushed with embarrassment, slowly returned to their usual fair color.
Sitting opposite He Mingfeng, Fan Junyu took it all in. A slight smile played on his lips, his eyebrows raised, and he looked at He Mingfeng with a hint of mockery. He then said, "Furthermore, His Majesty has already discussed the auspicious date for our wedding with your father. In my opinion, Your Highness, instead of worrying about other people's affairs all day, you should focus more on your own marriage. Besides, at Your Highness's age, it's time to settle down and start a family, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingfeng glared fiercely at Fan Junyu and said irritably, "What business is it of yours to interfere! When did it become your place to meddle in my affairs!" However, at that moment, He Mingning heard news about her marriage again, feeling as if she had suddenly fallen into an icy abyss. The terrifying scenes she had experienced in her dream surged back like a raging tide, instantly engulfing her entire body. Her delicate body trembled violently, shaking uncontrollably, and her already pale face turned deathly white, as if she had lost all life.
Fan Junyu, who had been intently watching her every expression and movement, had eyes as sharp as a cheetah's, and in that instant, he precisely caught this extremely subtle change. His previously relaxed brows furrowed slightly, his eyebrows instantly pressing tightly together like two towering mountains, giving off an invisible sense of pressure. Then, in a voice as gentle as if it could melt ice and snow, he asked with concern, "Ningning, what's wrong? Don't you want to get married so soon?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning trembled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and then hurriedly denied it, saying, "No, no, I... I was just a little nervous." However, everyone present seemed to be suddenly enlightened, and immediately understood He Mingning's obvious change.
Fan Junyu, with his extraordinary keen insight, deeply sensed her extremely strong resistance to the topic of marriage. However, if he wanted to understand the real reason, he had to press her further, like an eagle soaring in the sky. So, he took a deep breath and said slowly, "It's okay, Ningning. Marriage is a big deal between the two of us. If you really have any thoughts or concerns, you can speak your mind frankly and openly, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube. We can sit down and discuss it calmly."
He Mingning raised her head, timidly looking at Fan Junyu before her. Her lips trembled slightly, and it took her a long time to squeeze out a few words, her voice so soft it was almost a mosquito's hum: "I...I actually don't want to get married." Her delicate voice was as faint as the buzzing of a fly's wings. However, among the people present at this moment, apart from Qin Yaoyao, everyone else was a martial artist. Through long-term training and honing, their hearing had become exceptionally sharp, like the keen eyes of an eagle. Therefore, only Qin Yaoyao failed to hear her words clearly, while everyone else heard every single word clearly and distinctly.
He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji exchanged a glance simultaneously. In that brief exchange, they both caught a surge of astonishment deep in each other's eyes. Before this, everyone had firmly believed that He Mingning was overjoyed and delighted with the marriage. Who would have thought that she would suddenly utter such a shocking statement as not wanting to get married! This news was like a huge stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating a thousand waves, making it impossible to hide the astonishment in everyone's hearts, which was now displayed on their faces.
Even the usually composed and calm He Yanxi was slightly taken aback upon first hearing the news, but he quickly regained his composure, like a still lake. However, among this group, one person stood out from the rest—Fan Junyu. He maintained an extraordinary calmness and composure throughout, his calmness and steadiness as unyielding as Mount Tai. His composed demeanor made one wonder if he already knew He Mingning would give such an answer.
Just then, people could clearly see that the warm smile that had been on Fan Junyu's face vanished as quickly as the tide receded. In the blink of an eye, it was replaced by a serious and earnest expression. Then, in a gentle but concerned tone, he slowly asked, "You just said you didn't want to get married. Is this just a temporary thought, or is there some deeper meaning hidden within it?"
He Mingning stared intently at Fan Junyu's icy, cold face, a deep sense of fear and regret welling up within her. She knew perfectly well that her actions at this moment were utterly unreasonable, but the dream caused her body to tremble uncontrollably, her heart filled with an indescribable dread.
At this moment, He Mingning looked exactly like a child who had made a big mistake. He lowered his head, fixed his gaze on the ground, and dared not raise it even slightly. His lips were tightly closed, and he was as silent as a mute, afraid that he might accidentally say or do something wrong and anger the man in front of him who was like an iceberg.
Meanwhile, the others were extremely anxious, pacing back and forth like ants on a hot plate, muttering to themselves, trying to figure out what went wrong that led to this awkward and tense situation. However, no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't find the crux of the problem.
Just when everyone was at a loss, Fan Junyu, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke. He simply stared quietly at He Mingning, who stood before him, head bowed and speechless, like a lifeless statue, motionless, only his deep eyes revealing a hint of unfathomable emotion. Clearly, he was patiently waiting for He Mingning to provide a reasonable explanation or response.
Just as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Qin Yaoyao suddenly said softly from the crowd, "In my opinion, let's step aside for a while and give them enough space to calmly discuss things." Hearing this, everyone present nodded in agreement, agreeing that Qin Yaoyao's words made sense. And so, like startled birds, they quickly dispersed, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
After the group hurriedly emerged from the room, He Yanxi immediately displayed his decisive and efficient nature. With a swift movement, like a nimble cheetah, he instantly reached Qin Yaoyao's side, grabbed her delicate hand without hesitation, and loudly announced, "Yaoyao and I have other important matters to attend to, so we'll be leaving now! Please make yourselves at home." Before his words had even finished, he had already pulled Qin Yaoyao away at breakneck speed, leaving behind only a receding silhouette.
Watching He Yanxi and Qin Yaoyao's departing figures, He Mingfeng and Qin Yunji, left behind, exchanged bewildered glances, their faces showing a blank expression, like two lost lambs, completely unsure of what to do next. After a long while, they seemed to snap out of their daze, finally able to sigh helplessly, and then, each with their own worries, silently turned and left like lonely wild geese.
Fan Junyu stood quietly, his gaze slowly sweeping over the receding figures of the crowd. After the group had completely disappeared from sight, he turned slightly, his deep eyes falling on He Mingning once more. Then, he gently parted his lips and spoke to the woman before him in a low, soft voice: "You don't want to get married. Is there some hidden, unspoken reason behind it?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning's delicate body trembled involuntarily. Her lips moved slightly, but the sound that came out was as weak as a mosquito's hum: "I...I didn't mean anything else." However, despite her efforts to remain calm, her trembling tone still betrayed her inner unease and tension.
Fan Junyu clearly had no intention of letting the matter rest. He frowned slightly and continued to press on, "Since there's no other meaning, what exactly is the princess thinking?"
Just then, He Mingning suddenly shuddered, because she keenly noticed that Fan Junyu's way of addressing her had changed—it was no longer the affectionate term of address, but had become so distant and polite. This sudden change struck her like a bolt from the blue, hitting her heart hard. In an instant, she felt as if all the strength had been drained from her body, and she swayed precariously.
Immediately afterwards, the scenes that had appeared in her dreams surged forth like a flood, churning and flashing through her mind. Every hurtful word spoken by the cold and ruthless Fan Junyu in her dreams, every chilling attitude he displayed, and every distant way he addressed her—all of these now appeared vividly before her eyes.
He Mingning felt as if she had suddenly fallen into an endless fog, completely disoriented. At that moment, she subconsciously began to overlap the image of Fan Junyu in reality with that in her dream. The impact of this overlap made her heart ache so much that she couldn't breathe. She involuntarily reached out and tightly covered her chest with her hands, trying to alleviate the tearing pain.
Her once fair and delicate face had now lost all color, turning as pale as paper. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. But she just stared blankly at Fan Junyu, motionless, letting the tears accumulate in her eyes.
As time passed, Fan Junyu's figure gradually blurred in her tear-blurred vision. It was as if their relationship, like this increasingly indistinct figure, was slowly fading from familiarity to estrangement, perhaps ultimately disappearing into the ends of each other's worlds. She felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on her chest, so heavy she could barely breathe. Each labored breath felt like a desperate struggle against fate. She never imagined she could develop such sincere and profound feelings for Fan Junyu.
Countless times in the quiet of the night, she had fantasized about the possible endings of this relationship, believing she was mentally prepared for anything. But now, as the dream finally became reality, she realized that her previous strength and composure were nothing but self-deception. Her once whole heart now felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, slowly crushed and torn apart, the pain nearly causing her to faint.