On Deeds, Not Intentions

"Xiao Yan is my fiancé."

Nalan Yanran stated solemnly to Ya Fei, and the doubt in Ya Fei's heart immediately vanished.

Ah~~~ So that was it.

Ya Fei's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.

She's here to declare war on me~

Then Ya Fei replied blandly.

"And then?"

!!!

Nalan Yanran had imagined countless possible responses from Ya Fei, but she had Never Expected Ya Fei to respond with such an obviously feigned question.

At once, Nalan Yanran's expression twisted slightly. Ya Fei's act of playing dumb had truly caught her off guard.

In the end, she was only a little girl. Whether in mindset or in dealing with people, she was far inferior to Ya Fei, a merchant who had navigated among the major Clans for years.

Their levels were worlds apart.

Faced with such a Mature Woman, Nalan Yanran naturally could not keep her composure. She glared at Ya Fei in anger and made herself even clearer.

"He is Nalan Yanran's fiancé! The future son-in-law of the Nalan Family! The future Husband of the Misty Cloud Sect's Sect Master!"

"So, as the future heir of the Mite'er Family, I sincerely hope that you! Show! Some! Respect!!!"

Yet even in the face of Nalan Yanran, who was nearly enraged, Ya Fei remained calm. Her slender Jade Finger rested lightly against her cheek as she spoke.

"So why are you emphasizing that?"

Ya Fei once again Put on an Air of not understanding, then seemed to recall something.

"Come to think of it, the Misty Cloud Sect arrived at the Xiao Family in grand fashion some time ago. I had wondered what it was about." Ya Fei paused, then looked at Nalan Yanran with a light smile. "Later, I heard from an acquaintance that the group had been led by Ge Ye, an Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, and that the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect had accompanied him. At first, I wondered why the Misty Cloud Sect had sought out the Xiao Family."

As she spoke, Ya Fei's beautiful eyes lifted slightly.

"If you are Little Brother Xiao Yan's fiancée, then I understand a little."

"What I'm about to say is merely my personal guess. If it offends you, I hope Young Lady Nalan will not take it to heart."

Ya Fei bent slightly at the waist and Leaned Towards Nalan Yanran's ear, her crimson lips opening and closing as she spoke.

"You came to force the Xiao Family to dissolve the engagement back then, didn't you?"

!!!!!

Nalan Yanran's heart jolted, and her expression turned exceedingly ugly.

Just as Ya Fei had said, she had made such a grand entrance at the Xiao Family because she intended to force the Xiao Family to dissolve the engagement between Xiao Yan and herself. Anyone who knew about the engagement understood this perfectly well.

Naturally, Ya Fei's guess was not without basis. At the time, Xiao Yan had been a useless good-for-nothing known by all, while Nalan Yanran was a Heaven's Proud Daughter with boundless prospects. Anyone in their right mind would be dissatisfied if their future partner was useless, and breaking off the engagement was only natural.

Nalan Yanran suddenly took a step back and patted her chest as she defended herself.

"I—I didn't know Xiao Yan was him back then! If I had known beforehand, I absolutely would never have come to break off the engagement!!!"

She admitted it herself~

Ya Fei chuckled softly.

A guess was only a guess. As long as Nalan Yanran stubbornly refused to admit it, no one could treat the matter of breaking off the engagement as fact.

But with those words, Nalan Yanran had thoroughly confirmed it. Before coming to the Xiao Family, she truly had intended to break off the engagement.

Then Ya Fei frowned lightly.

From Nalan Yanran's words, had she known Xiao Yan long ago?

Ya Fei temporarily set aside that doubt. Folding her arms, she looked at Nalan Yanran with a seductive smile.

"Young Lady Nalan, after spending so many years in the family business, I, Ya Fei, have learned one most important thing."

"In all matters, judge deeds, not intent. What a person thinks in their heart has never been important; what matters is what they do."

"Don't you agree, Young Lady Nalan~?"

Ya Fei's words were like a heavy hammer, crashing fiercely into Nalan Yanran's chest.

Ya Fei was right. No matter how she tried to explain herself, her purpose in bringing the Misty Cloud Sect to the Xiao Family had been to break off the engagement. That was beyond dispute.

If she had not met Xiao Yan that day, she truly would have forced the Xiao Family to dissolve the engagement.

Back then, she had been only one step away from doing something irreparable.

Nalan Yanran's mood visibly sank.

However, what Nalan Yanran had not expected was for Ya Fei to suddenly say—

"Hehe~~~ Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

"Huh?"

Nalan Yanran raised her head blankly, staring dumbfoundedly at Ya Fei, whose attitude had suddenly changed.

"It was only because you were being a little too arrogant just now, and it annoyed me somewhat. So I merely teased you a little. I hope you won't take it to heart~"

As she spoke, Ya Fei turned her gaze toward the Coming-of-Age Ceremony venue and said softly.

"I hope you remember that Little Brother Xiao Yan is not someone you can bind with a mere piece of paper declaring an engagement."

"Perhaps you see it as your trump card, your ultimate weapon. But if you truly like him, you should not use it to threaten him."

Upon hearing Ya Fei's words, Nalan Yanran immediately retorted.

"I never did."

Halfway through her words, Nalan Yanran suddenly froze. She recalled the Three-Year Pact that had been made in the Reception Hall when she had first come to the Xiao Family.

Had she truly not used the engagement to threaten Xiao Yan?

"Sister Nalan, as your elder, let me offer you a piece of advice."

Ya Fei looked at Nalan Yanran and spoke slowly.

"Put away your arrogance. Put away your self-righteousness."

"Setting aside family background, are you truly worthy of Little Brother Xiao Yan?"

"A matching social status is naturally a truth of this world. I agree with that as well."

"But have you truly considered why people must be well-matched in status?"

"Think it over carefully."

After saying that, Ya Fei slowly left. Before departing, she left behind one final sentence.

"Oh, and regarding what I said earlier about judging deeds, not intent—that was not entirely said just to strike at you. You may also take it as praise for you."

Long after Ya Fei had left, Nalan Yanran still stood there in a daze, Ya Fei's words echoing endlessly in her mind.

She turned her gaze toward the Coming-of-Age Ceremony venue and walked toward it in a muddled trance.

By coincidence, the person standing on the stage was Xiao Yan, and the testing stone tablet before him Flashed with dazzling golden words.

One-star Dou Zhe!

Nalan Yanran's Pupils contracted. Although she had sensed something the moment she saw Xiao Yan yesterday, only now did she truly confirm it.

In a mere three months, Xiao Yan had risen from Three-stage Dou Zhi Li to a One-star Dou Zhe! Even Nalan Yanran, hailed as a Heaven's Proud Daughter, was far inferior to him!

What happened next left Nalan Yanran completely stunned.

Every single Xiao Family Disciple had actually reached the Dou Zhe realm!

Even Xiao Xun'er had already reached Three-star Dou Zhe!

Nalan Yanran could not believe the sight before her.

She herself was only a Two-star Dou Zhe.

Yet Nalan Yanran's shock was far from over.

To keep the Coming-of-Age Ceremony from becoming too dull, Xiao Zhan had also arranged a lottery-drawn martial contest.

In other words, actual combat.

After the Xiao Family Disciples finished drawing lots, the first person to take the stage was Xiao Yan!!!