CHAPTER 300: CHAPTER 258: SHOWING AFFECTION IN PUBLIC

Mo Junhua’s hand, which he lifted, then put down, then lifted again, finally settled gently around Lan Tian’s shoulders.

Ji Feng’s face turned brooding, and he was clearly not in good spirits. Knowing Lan Tian’s occasional fits of craziness better than anyone, perhaps it was better for him to stay with Xiao Lan for a while. If they had to face sharp tongues and wild rumors, then they could just face them together.

Lan Tian’s bold actions shocked the girls around, each with surprise written across their faces, filled with disbelief. In this era, to sling an arm around someone’s shoulders was already considered somewhat inappropriate, not to mention lying on a man’s lap in broad daylight with a crowd observing.

"How can she behave like that?" a girl asked cheekily, sticking out her tongue in disapproval of Lan Tian’s actions.

No one answered the girl’s question.

Instead, the girl sitting next to Bai Qingqing turned her head toward Lan Tian and called out rudely, "Hey, get up and come talk with us!"

Lan Tian, snuggled up against Mo Junhua, did not move. Without a name or title, who knew who she was calling?

"Lan Tian," Bai Qingqing said with a smile, looking over, "Since we’ve met, it’s fate. Why don’t you come over and sit together so we can get to know each other and have a chat?"

Lan Tian turned around, lying sideways on Mo Junhua, looking at Bai Qingqing with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. Mo Junhua supported Lan Tian, fearful she might fall, and kept an eye on her dress’s hem to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.

"Qingqing, why do you call her over? Look at her, she’s loose in her behavior and immodest, lying on a man’s lap publicly. What if she leads us astray? And who knows how her parents raised her?" The girl who had spoken earlier now loudly opposed Lan Tian, putting on a self-righteous façade of virtuous indignation, as if afraid that others wouldn’t recognize her voice.

The faces of Mo Junhua and Ji Feng darkened immediately, and Wu Zongyu’s expression wasn’t great either. The atmosphere among the people in the pavilion turned awkward, but Lan Tian herself remained unfazed, eyeing the girl.

"Yi," Bai Qingqing suddenly called out, unsure of what to do with Yi, who pouted, glanced at Lan Tian, huffed, and turned her head away reluctantly.

"Lan Tian, I apologize on behalf of Yi. She’s just straightforward and means no harm," Bai Qingqing said. If not for their friendship from middle school to university, Bai Qingqing really wouldn’t want to deal with Yi anymore.

Lan Tian’s lips curled into a smile, radiant and dazzling like a field of blooming flowers, yet not a hint of mirth reached her eyes. She flipped over, resting her chin on her hands atop Mo Junhua’s legs, "I guess Sister Yi is just envious and resentful. Can’t help it; who made me so beautiful and lovable, adored by all who see me and causing flowers to bloom in my presence. Really, you can go find any guy to lie on his lap if you want, rest assured, I won’t laugh at you."

Mo Junhua knew it would come to this. Why did they have to bring up her parents? To Lan Tian, Grandma Sun, Mo Yuanle, and Zhao Li were her untouchable scales; a touch meant death.

Lan Tian gave Yi a once-over, a mockingly taunting smile on her face, "Of course, you’d have to find someone willing first. I’m really curious, how is it that me lying on my own man’s lap becomes promiscuous and indecent? If it were you lying down, would you suddenly become decent and proper?"

Yi was about to retort, but Lan Tian didn’t give her a chance to speak. "No rebuttal. Along the way, you’ve stolen glances at my man seventeen times, at Ji Feng thirteen times, deliberately bumping into him three times—once at the doorway to the living room, once near the rockery in Chrysanthemum Garden, and the last time on the stairs of the corridor. Need I say more? Sister Yi, do you even know what this behavior is called?" Lan Tian’s smile was particularly malicious, "Seducing a married man, or perhaps looking for a thrilling affair? I wonder how your parents taught you."

Yi’s face turned deathly pale in an instant, her lips quivering as she looked at Lan Tian, as if she’d seen a ghost. Seeing her like that, everyone knew that Lan Tian was right.

"Before coming to Beijing, I heard that people in Beijing really know how to have fun. Having seen it today, it’s quite the eye-opener, haha... They are indeed good at playing." The ’haha’ carried deep connotations, and with that remark, she lumped all the people of Beijing together.

What a joke, daring to point fingers and make gestures in front of her. Lan Tian thought, if she didn’t obliterate her, she wouldn’t be called Lan Tian.

She tolerated Zhou Yuwei’s antics in front of her merely to watch her desire Mo Junhua but gain nothing in return, to see her in agony. She tolerated Yanhua’s antics because she knew Yanhua’s fate would be miserable. She put up with Chun Mei out of respect for mother-in-law Wang Guiyu. Most importantly, none of them had crossed her red line. Those three who went after Chunhua were the ones Lan Tian would deal with. These others had nothing to do with her yet still dared to show disdain to her face. Lan Tian could crush them in seconds.

Lan Tian lay back with her head held high, beckoning Mo Junhua over with her hand. Mo Junhua, clueless about what trick this girl was about to play, still leaned in; only to find Lan Tian cradling his head, landing a ’smack’ of a kiss on his face, and afterward declaring, "My own man, I’ll kiss him if I want to, how I love is my business. Whether I lie down or kiss, it’s all my business. If you don’t like it, look away. If you’re not satisfied, find someone for yourself, don’t be sour grapes here because you can’t get it."

The pavilion fell into dead silence, people’s thoughts twisted, and their gazes at Lan Tian were exceptionally peculiar.

A trace of amusement flitted through Ji Feng’s eyes, fleeting, as he knew Lan Tian would do this. Adoration and indulgence filled the depths of Mo Junhua’s eyes.

Cool breezes brushed over the Lotus Pond, the emerald lotus leaves causing ripples on the water; the sparkling surface undulated with creamy ripples, disturbing the calm autumn waters.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment, Lan Tian’s mindset underwent a great change. She was no longer timid as she was during the Qi Cultivation Stage, instead fearless and moving forward. If even the Heavenly Tribulation couldn’t kill her, what else was there to fear?

As a result of Lan Tian’s antics, the rest of the garden visit was no longer possible. Everyone went their separate ways back to their own homes, and as the host, Wu Zongyu led the others away, leaving Lan Tian and Mo Junhua behind on the verandah, with her claiming his legs as her resting spot.

Once outsiders were gone, Mo Junhua’s demeanor became more relaxed. He leaned back against the railing of the corridor, looking up at the sky with his head slightly tilted back, one hand on the railing, the other arm around Lan Tian. Suddenly, he looked down at Lan Tian and with the swiftness of lightning, captured Lan Tian’s head, planting a few ’smacks’ of kisses on her face, and even stamping a kiss on her lips, not letting go until he was satisfied.

Lan Tian was taken aback by his kisses and upon regaining her senses, her first reaction was to check if anyone else was around, then she slapped Mo Junhua on the head, exclaiming, "Are you out of your mind? What if someone saw us?"

"So what if they saw? I’m kissing my own woman, that’s none of their business." Just as Lan Tian was about to rebuke, Mo Junhua added, "Girl, that’s what you were saying just now, right? I’m your man, you’ll kiss me however you want. Personally, I think that’s a very good idea, worth sticking to for life. But I have a small suggestion, could we do this in our room in the future? Whatever you want, I’m game, even if you want me stark naked, I’m very willing."

I’m not willing at all, Lan Tian scoffed, thinking how convenient it must be for him, clearly at no loss himself.

Lan Tian turned and left, unwilling to stay with someone lacking self-restraint, lest her own standards be dragged down.