Yao Wan's compliments only felt harsh to Nalan Yanran, as if there were countless Cattle Hair Steel Needless facing her back, waiting for her to relax just a little bit, and they would stab her unceremoniously.
Rather, her entire presence made Nalan Yanran instinctively uncomfortable.
Her own realm seemed to her like a mist that could not be blown away no matter how hard it was blown; yet Nalan Yanran could feel something in her body that only people of the same age could feel - this undoubtedly made her feel even more uncomfortable.
This forced her to recognize the reality. The woman in front of her had a level that made everyone look up to her, but she was just her own peer. Even if she was a few years older than herself, she might even be younger than herself. This contrast that even she could feel made her want to deny it, but she had no choice.
What was even more unacceptable to Nalan Yanran was naturally the attitude of the woman in front of him.
She always had a smile on her face - even though this was only the first time that Nalan Yanran had seen the woman's real face under the veil, probably due to a woman's innate intuition, Nalan Yanran thought so and was convinced of it.
She was high up, as if the whole world was in the palm of her hand, and she was smiling, as if nothing could affect her emotions, and it would always be like this, watching quietly.
If she were like him, accustomed to being stern and unsmiling, surrounded by people in front of and behind her, but with lingering tiredness in her brows, perhaps Nalan Yanran's instinctive prejudice against her would be much smaller.
Because in her mind, all geniuses may reach the same destination through different paths.
That is to say, everyone is the same, the same aloof, the same tired being surrounded by others, moving towards the top step by step.
However, her existence completely shattered her childish fantasy.
She had put in so much effort, but in her eyes it was nothing more than a joke.
And she herself was light-footed and even had time and leisure to enjoy the flowers at hand.
She was used to working hard and giving her all, just to live up to the expectations placed on her by others, as well as the longing and ambition she had built up in her childhood. Naturally, she couldn't understand the woman in front of her.
After a long while, Nalan Yanran took a slow breath, and then said, "Not everyone will be like you."
This seemed to be a defense she had to make, but it was not to Yao Wan, but a compromise to herself.
"... I want to call you, how should I call you? 'Wan Guniang'? Or 'Medicine Fairy'?"
Nalan Yanran took a deep breath and asked.
"As you like."
Yao Wan had no ill intentions towards her. He just said, "If you don't mind, call me Wan Jiejie. I won't accept it."
"... Don't you hate me?"
Nalan Yanran was silent for a moment, and then couldn't help but ask. His eyes were fixed on the beauty in front of him, as if he wanted to see a flaw in her perfect face.
What's disappointing is that his guess was correct.
She really didn't have any dislike for herself, and her words were not a pretense.
But this would inevitably make her secretly irritated. Obviously - if she was sarcastic and arrogant in front of him, she would at least have the courage and legitimacy to fight back.
But she didn't.
She is like the summer wind.
It's obviously hot, but it also brings an inexplicable coolness to people.
Maybe it's because of the unbearable heat.
Yao Wan just shook his head and rejected Nalan Yanran's guess about her.
"Why do you hate it? Because of what you did to Xiao Yan?"
"Shouldn't it be right? You are obviously on his side - don't you know what I am like?"
Nalan Yanran can't control her emotions, let alone her mouth to say whatever comes to mind. Of course, whether it's Nalan Yanran herself or the person being asked, Yao Wan, they all know that the meaning of her words is not the literal meaning of her original words.
"..."
Looking at the girl in front of him quietly, Yao Wan chuckled and shook his head.
"What do you hate? Do you hate a person who simply wants to resist a marriage that happened to him for no reason?"
Yao Wan's words made Nalan Yanran stunned. She couldn't believe her ears. The girl slightly opened her beautiful eyes and stared at the beauty in front of her.
"It's just that your strength should not override the dignity of others."
Yao Wan had an indifferent expression and just said softly.
"I-but it's too late to say anything now."
Nalan Yanran hesitated to speak. After a moment, he lowered his voice and said.
"Yeah, it's too late for anything."
Yao Wan did not deny this.
"Then why are you here? Don't you go to accompany Xiao Yan?... Could it be that you just came here to embarrass me?"
Nalan Yanran asked rhetorically, her words always carrying a faint thorn.
But Nalan Yanran also knew that what he said seemed a bit pretentious.
Who is she in front of me? Even though she didn't particularly know what kind of legend her father's "Medicine Fairy" was, she knew that she wouldn't care about an ant like herself just from the little she knew about her.
The gap between me and her is probably only wider than the gap between her and Xiao Yan in the past.
"... Don't you already know? Xiao Yan is now Nine Star Dou Zhe?"
Yao Wan's beautiful eyes lowered, then turned around and said.
"To be honest, if nothing else happens, it will be very easy for Three-Year Agreement's Xiao Yan to beat you in two years."
Yao Wan spoke calmly, just stating the facts in her eyes.
"Impossible!"
As expected, Nalan Yanran wanted to refute without much thought. However, in Yao Wan's view, this was not very convincing at all, apart from being a quick talker.
"————"
Yao Wan never thought about defending or arguing. She was just waiting for Nalan Yanran to calm down so that she could talk properly again.
After all, talking to impulsive people is always tiring.
After a while, Nalan Yanran fell silent.
"Calm down?"
Yao Wan then asked again.
"What do you want?"
Nalan Yanran took a deep breath and then asked.
"... Do you think you have power that is stronger than your master Yun Yun and Gama Empire?"
In the bright summer guest room, Yao Wan said softly with a faint look in his eyes.