"Cough." Jiang Wang gave a light cough. "Miss Wen has a point. Brother Yan and I do have a bit of a friendship. Well, let me say a few fair words..."
Wen Tinglan cut him off gently. "Usually, whatever comes after that isn't very fair."
Jiang Wang was defeated.
"This is outrageous!" Yan Fu sprang to his feet in anger and rolled up his sleeves, looking ready to march out and settle the score right then and there. "Who's been whispering in your ear? Just tell me, and I'll teach them a lesson!"
Wen Tinglan glanced at him. "Sit down and talk."
Yan Fu obediently sat down.
Only then did she ask, "Why don't you ask what they said?"
"What else could they say?" Yan Fu seemed consumed by rage, indignant to the extreme. "They're just jealous of your beauty, your poise and grace, your gentleness and virtue! Tinglan, don't take it to heart. A girl as outstanding as you is bound to attract the envy of gossips!"
Wen Tinglan wasn't buying it this time. She merely said, "Oh. I didn't hear any of that. I only heard people saying things like 'stealing another's love,' 'throwing your weight around,' and 'having no shame.'"
A gentle smile still rested on her face.
But Yan Fu could no longer brush the matter aside.
Jiang Wang sat beside them, stiff as a board.
He knew the whole story behind Yan Fu's marriage.
The Yan Family had become tied to Court Consultant Wen Yanyu only after breaking off their engagement with the Liu Family.
Throughout the affair, Yan Fu had been helpless to do otherwise.
But no one could honestly claim that the woman from the Liu Family, Liu Xiuzhang, had suffered no harm. If anything, she was the most innocent party, and the