CHAPTER 569: CHAPTER 343: SUFFERING A LOSS

Seeing Mom about to dig into the issue again, Ye Xuan reminded her, "Mom, think back on what you said to me last time. You mentioned that Lian Qinghua sometimes purposely stirs trouble, and you couldn’t help but fall for it.

In fact, you have been interacting with her for so many years, everyone in the family knows what kind of person she is, but who has interfered with your relationship?"

"Your dad... knows too?" Su Sha looked at her son with confusion.

"Of course..." Ye Xuan nodded, and upon seeing Lin Tuanzhang approaching, he quickly stopped to greet her, "Aunt Lin, come over and have a seat."

"Thank you, Xiao Xuan." Lin Tuanzhang sat next to Su Sha and said, "Su Sha, I’m really envious of you. Xiao Xuan is so capable and filial, and even his chosen wife is beautiful and smart. Look at my Yaoyuan, always giving me headaches, sigh!"

Su Sha quickly said, "Sister Lin, you just like to praise him. He’s already a bit too proud, and if you all spoil him, I really wouldn’t be able to control him anymore. Besides, Fan Rui is pretty good, I do like her."

"What’s good about her? She’s not even close to Luo Ye. I’m not discriminating because her father and brother ran into trouble, but, well..." Lin Tuanzhang stopped there, then quickly changed the subject, "Xiao Xuan is the good one here. Yaoyuan knows I’m here, and he doesn’t even come to see me!"

"Aunt Lin, you chat with Mom, I’m going to check things out front." Ye Xuan didn’t want to be part of the women’s conversation and excused himself to walk to the front stage.

Su Sha glanced in the direction and knew her son was going to see his future wife. She couldn’t help but purse her lips, which was noticed by Lin Tuanzhang, who laughed, "Su Sha, you’re jealous of your daughter-in-law."

"Sigh, let’s not talk about it, it’s upsetting." Su Sha waved her hand dismissively, "Once a son has a wife, he’s not the same son anymore, and doesn’t even have a bit of his mother in his heart."

"Just be content. Xiao Xuan is good enough. But I always thought your daughter-in-law would be Xiao Wan. From the look on your face, I can tell the person your son likes is different from the person you like." Lin Tuanzhang sighed, "We’re all in the same boat!"

"It’s not that I must have Xiao Wan, but just..." Su Sha, troubled, waved her hands, "Forget it, it’s all about me not being able to get over my own issues. It’ll get better with time."

Lin Tuanzhang thought Su Sha was competing with her son and advised, "It’s always like this for mothers. When the son is grown-up and doesn’t have a wife, you hope he settles down quickly. But once he does, you feel sour inside."

"Lin Tuanzhang, Su Tuanzhang..." Yue Ying, the executive director, hurried over, "I just received a call. This performance will extend invitations to retired soldiers from Liangyou Nursing Home to attend, and there might also be additional spots for general public audiences. Keep that in mind and see if we can add some programs that are popular with the locals."

"Okay, I will discuss it with Su Tuan." Lin Tuanzhang waved her off, "Go ahead and get busy. Keep rehearsing according to the current program."

After Yue Ying left, Lin Tuanzhang turned to Su Sha, "The initial programs from the school and military genuinely have the momentum, but are too high-strung. This change is actually good. In my opinion, we should intersperse some sketches, comic dialogues, folk traditions, and popular music to lighten the atmosphere. What do you think?"

Su Shan thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay, let’s review the old programs that were performed before to ensure there are no mistakes."

...

After the opening speech was completed, the first act was naturally the customary grand song and dance. Near the front stage, Luo Ye, Bai Yan, and Qiao Xiaowan each held a microphone, ready to perform.

Qiao Xiaowan moved closer to Bai Yan and affectionately said, "Sister Bai, the actors from our troupe have solid fundamentals, right?"

"Not bad." Bai Yan smiled and nudged Luo Ye, "Luo Ye, what do you think?"

"It’s okay." Luo Ye nodded in response.

"Just okay?" Qiao Xiaowan raised an eyebrow, "Luo Ye, ’just okay’ in your eyes?"

Luo Ye glanced at her indifferently, without saying anything.

"Luo Ye, if you can, dance something better than this!" Qiao Xiaowan huffed, "Do you even understand dance? Daring to blindly criticize!"

Bai Yan hurriedly tried to smooth things over, "Xiao Wan, the three of us are cooperating, so we must get along well first."

"I’m not the one causing discord, but I just don’t like her attitude of looking down on everything." Qiao Xiaowan stood next to Luo Ye, sizing her up, "I really don’t understand what Brother Xiao Xuan sees in you!"

"Stay away from me!" Luo Ye’s gaze was like looking at a fly, "How old are you already? Why are you so childish? I’m not arguing with you because I can’t be bothered, not because I’m afraid. If you get closer, watch your arms and legs!"

"Bully!" Having inquired about Luo Ye, Qiao Xiaowan naturally knew that Luo Ye was a hundred times stronger than her. Just as she was about to step back, the corner of her eye caught someone approaching, she suddenly lunged forward, and with an "ouch!" she fell heavily to the ground. Ye Xuan glanced at her and stepped over her body, "Ye’er, are you adapting okay?"

"Yes!" Luo Ye smiled and nodded her head.

Bai Yan looked at Ye Xuan with complex emotions, and just as the current stage act was ending, she said, "Lieutenant Colonel Ye, I’m going up on stage." She hurriedly walked onto the stage.

"Brother Xiao Xuan!" Qiao Xiaowan had already climbed up from the ground, roaring furiously as she pointed at Luo Ye: "She pushed me down; you didn’t help me up, just stepped over me, that’s too much bullying!"

"Qiao Xiaowan, let me give you a piece of advice—stop pulling these dirty tricks in front of me; not to mention that you faked the fall yourself, even if Ye’er really did push you, you asked for it!" Ye Xuan glared at her coldly: "If you still want me to remember the old times we grew up together, then pack up your petty schemes. I am Ye’er’s fiancé. You’re trying to seduce her fiancé right in front of her, she didn’t cripple you, that alone is giving you face!"

"You... you both..." Qiao Xiaowan pointed at them, her fingers trembling.

Ye Xuan didn’t bother with her, instead tenderly asking Luo Ye: "Ye’er, do you want some water?"

"Not thirsty now." Luo Ye shook her head, pushing him away: "Go do your thing, what’s there to worry about with my skills?"

Ye Xuan pondered for a while, staying by her side all the time indeed made her seem less formidable, hence he said: "Then I’ll be going, take good care of yourself."

"Go on." Luo Ye pushed him back: "Hurry up, move it!" Just then, the dancers were leaving the stage and passed by them; they couldn’t help but spare Handsome Ye a few extra glances. After walking past, they huddled together and giggled as they went far away.

"Troublemaker!" Luo Ye cast a sidelong glance at him with a curl of her lip.

"That’s only because those who came down weren’t male dancers." Ye Xuan pinched her ear: "This is the real trouble!" He whispered beside her ear: "Do I lack formidable rivals?" Without waiting for Luo Ye to retort, he strode away with his long legs.

Qiao Xiaowan watched the two being all lovey-dovey and sticky until they finally parted, "Hmph!" she snorted, puffing out her chest, "Just you wait!"

"Okay, just don’t cry when the time comes!" Luo Ye raised her eyebrows with a playful smirk: "I’m younger than you..." She extended her delicately fair fingers and counted one by one: "Five years younger."

"You!" As Qiao Xiaowan listened to the implication that she was old, her nose twitched in anger. She had been beaten while growing up; when had she ever suffered this kind of humiliation? She angrily pointed at Luo Ye: "You... you..." Suddenly, she burst into laughter: "You’re underage and can’t legally marry; you’re still a student!"

Just then, Bai Yan came down from the stage and heard Qiao Xiaowan’s words; the corner of her mouth twitched suspiciously, and after a moment’s hesitation, she stood beside Luo Ye.

Qiao Buwan’s eyes twirled and she leaned closer to Bai Yan: "Sister Bai, you work with Brother Xiao Xuan every day, don’t you ever think anything?"

"No." Bai Yan unconvincingly replied.

"Really nothing?" Qiao Xiaowan’s eyes roamed across her face: "It’s okay, if you like Brother Xiao Xuan too, I support you. Ah, Grandpa Ye can’t wait to have grandkids."

Bai Yan kept her mouth tightly shut, refusing to take the bait. She did like Ye Xuan, but the last time she tricked Luo Ye’s hospital address from Master Jiang and personally witnessed Luo Ye and Ye Xuan together, she fully understood one thing—their affection for each other was impenetrable. Just because she liked him didn’t mean she had to ruin herself and become the villain!

Like today, seeing Ye Xuan’s deep affection for Luo Ye, her heart felt sour and uncomfortable, but what could she do about it? The clearer she saw it, the more she understood that she had no chance!

Qiao Xiaowan’s antics made her feel like she was watching a clown’s performance, and she was glad she hadn’t been blinded by love to the point of losing her mind.

Without an echo from Bai Yan, Qiao Xiaowan was somewhat chagrined. Just then it was her turn to take the stage. She glared fiercely at Luo Ye and headed towards the stage.

"Ouch!"

Suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her leg, Qiao Xiaowan quickly looked down to see a thin silver needle quivering on her calf.

"Next time you glare at me with those eyes, the needle won’t be sticking here!" Luo Ye waved her wrist: "I’ve practiced this technique for quite some time. It might not be 100% accurate, but with such a large target as your eyeball, I should manage."

"You!" Qiao Xiaowan glanced at the needle, retracted her hand, clenched her teeth, plucked the needle out quickly, and threw it away before glancing at Luo Ye. Remembering her warning, she quietly took her place on the stage.

"Luo Ye, may I take a look?" Bai Yan curiously eyed Luo Ye’s wrist.

"Sure." Luo Ye generously slipped off her wrist guard and handed it over. She could sense the shift in Bai Yan’s attitude and naturally wasn’t mean-spirited enough to target her.

How to put it? With Handsome Ye’s alluring nature, coupled with his accomplishments, it was entirely normal for eligible women to fall for him. As long as they weren’t as unreasonable as Qiao Xiaowan, Lady Luo wouldn’t mind.

Bai Yan examined the wrist guard and clicked her tongue in admiration: "It’s hard to believe that I’m seeing something from legends with my own eyes. Can you really target and stick the needle wherever you want?"

"More or less." Luo Ye vaguely answered. She was only scaring Qiao Xiaowan, after all; with the few months of practice she’d had, she only dared to aim for the legs—anywhere else, she really feared a mishap.

In the following time, Qiao Xiaowan didn’t dare challenge Luo Ye blatantly. For the sake of her beauty and her eyes, she had to hold back.

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Update delivered; a special thanks to "Super Super Worm" for the generous reward, thank you guys supporting Nu’an! (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your Recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)