Led by a guard, Xiao Yan arrived at the reception hall of the City Lord's Manor.
Inside the hall, Xiao Qian—the lord of Square Bone Fort and also the Xiao Family's patriarch—sat upright in the seat of honor, chatting with a young man seated to his left.
The young man wore an embroidered robe, his long hair draped over his shoulders. He looked as graceful as a jade tree in the wind, refined and gentle. He was none other than Tang Wuxin, the Tang Family's third young master.
While Xiao Yan's parents had still been alive, they had arranged a childhood betrothal with the Tang Family patriarch. By all rights, this man was Xiao Yan's fiancé.
Three years ago, he and Xiao Yan had been hailed as a golden boy and jade girl, the younger generation jointly favored by both families.
But after Xiao Yan's parents died, everything changed.
Unable to accept that reality, Xiao Yan sank into despondency. A rising new star had only just shed its first glimmer of light before fading completely.
As one new star fell, another soared straight into the heavens and hung in the night sky. In only three short years, Tang Wuxin had already made a name for himself on the List of Eccentrics. Gifted with both exceptional talent and extraordinary fortune, he was widely recognized as one of heaven's favored sons, the strongest candidate for the future position of Tang Family patriarch. His prospects were boundless.
Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Xiao Yan. His brows creased faintly before smoothing out again, and a shallow smile appeared on his face. "Yan'er, it's been two years since we last met, hasn't it?"
Xiao Yan's face was pale as she gave Tang Wuxin a cold glance, her gaze seeming to pierce straight into the