As she was pondering if this shameless and despicable superior had fled to avoid responsibility, footsteps echoed from the stairwell. To her dismay, it was the shameless Major Lin supporting Lieutenant Tian, descending slowly. “How come she woke up as soon as he went in?” Annoyed, Gao Lan saw Lieutenant Tian, not only not pleased, but even more irritated. All because, as Lieutenant Tian walked down from upstairs, she was still in her silk pajamas, not the least bit embarrassed. With each graceful step, her long, fair legs shimmered with a faint glow. Looking up from the downstairs living room, it was like witnessing a spring scene unfolding in the small building. That despicable Major Lin, with a lecherous look, was fawning over Lieutenant Tian, appearing like a toad that had struck gold, making one want to gouge out their own eyes just from looking at him. It was truly an affront to decency.
Not wanting to look but still catching a glimpse, Gao Lan saw the toad-like Major Lin, with his small eyes squinting, smirking at her in a show of triumph. Shameless! Adulterous couple! Gao Lan had initially planned to use this incident to deal with Lin Feng, who she had long found displeasing. In her view, this toad must have used some despicable means to defile the pure and beautiful Lieutenant Tian. Otherwise, how could he wake her up so easily? But seeing the lovey-dovey couple, all her pent-up frustration turned into an inexplicable rage. With a cold snort, she decided to leave this sordid place. Tian Yingzi’s behavior was a huge disappointment to her, especially since they were both proteges of General Long. She couldn’t understand how Tian Yingzi could become like this. Just as she turned to leave, a soft voice called out, “Gao Lan, Xiao Lin said you were looking for me?” Gao Lan stumbled, almost falling, and turned back to glare at Tian Yingzi incredulously, “Xiao Lin? You call him Xiao Lin? You’ve really gone too far!”
Gao Lan, suppressing the urge to vomit, was truly at a loss for words, utterly defeated by this shameless couple. “Comrade Gao Lan, Lieutenant Tian is talking to you, why aren’t you answering?” Startled from her angry thoughts, Gao Lan shot a venomous glare at the adulterous couple and coldly said, “Nothing!” She lifted her leg to leave, but Tian Yingzi and Lin Feng had already come downstairs. Seeing this, Tian Yingzi quickly called out, “Gao Lan, you’ve misunderstood Xiao Lin! Last night was really too much!” “I, Gao Lan, am not interested in what you did last night, nor do I need any explanation from you!”
In her rage, Gao Lan kicked an antique wooden table in the living room, which shattered into pieces, scattering debris everywhere. Lin Feng’s temper flared, but before he could act, Tian Yingzi had already rushed out to intercept Gao Lan. Seeing someone blocking her path, Gao Lan, in her fury, didn’t care who it was, she snorted coldly and threw a punch. But the figure before her vanished, and her punch hit nothing but air. Enraged, Gao Lan exerted force from her feet, lunging forward, aiming a flurry of kicks at the elusive figure. Her attacks were fierce and relentless. “Stop!” Tian Yingzi, caught off guard by Gao Lan’s sudden assault, was pushed into a flurry of defensive maneuvers. Under normal circumstances, such an attack from a military elite would have overwhelmed her, but for some reason, despite her sleepy and lethargic appearance, Tian Yingzi effortlessly neutralized Gao Lan’s attacks and even had the leisure to reprimand her. After a few exchanges, Gao Lan’s heart was filled with increasing dread.
During their usual combat training, Gao Lan would spar with Tian Yingzi, and their bouts were closely contested, neither proving significantly superior. This time, however, Tian Yingzi effortlessly countered Gao Lan’s deadly moves with such finesse that it seemed she hadn’t even exerted her full strength, as if she had consumed some miraculous energy-boosting pill. Gao Lan was immediately overwhelmed with frustration. In this encounter, Tian Yingzi’s martial prowess was evidently far superior to Gao Lan’s. Gao Lan could distinctly feel the difference in their skill levels, a gap so vast that even if she employed every trick in the book, Tian Yingzi could defeat her with a single countermove. Furthermore, if Tian Yingzi harbored any murderous intent, Gao Lan was certain she would meet a grim end following that one move, without any chance of resistance. This was akin to a three-year-old child trying to fight a robust, burly man; no matter how exceptional the child, he simply could not prevail against the strength of the man. The difference in skill was mystical yet stark, like the difference between heaven and earth, only truly understood when facing such an opponent. Gao Lan’s current feelings were exactly that. The more she fought, the more her heart raced with fear, her confidence waning. She couldn’t fathom what extraordinary encounter Tian Yingzi had experienced to become so unfathomably skilled overnight. At one point, she even doubted whether the person before her was truly Tian Yingzi, but the demeanor, gestures, and voice were unmistakably those of her long-time, intimate sister, who had grown up almost inseparably from her. Yet, suddenly, Gao Lan felt like she no longer knew this enchantingly seductive woman. Yes, seductive was the word Gao Lan firmly believed described Tian Yingzi at this moment. A silk camisole nightgown that barely covered her thighs, revealing the contours of her figure subtly, would distract even another woman. Her disheveled long hair, the sleepy, dreamy eyes, and the slightly upturned corners of her mouth all portrayed Tian Yingzi, now a lazy and contented noblewoman who had just woken up. The more Gao Lan thought, the more chaotic her mind became, and before Tian Yingzi could counterattack, Gao Lan had already lost her composure, fighting without any strategy.
“What are you doing, Gao Lan!” Tian Yingzi seized an opportunity, subduing Gao Lan with a swift move. She intended to inquire about Gao Lan’s strange behavior, but instead, Gao Lan, giving up all pretense, squatted on the ground and began to sob uncontrollably. Tian Yingzi was taken aback but soon understood the reason, softly comforting Gao Lan, patting her head, “Lan Lan, don’t be like this. Why are you crying?”
Gao Lan suddenly stood up, threw herself into Tian Yingzi’s embrace, and cried even harder.
Lin Feng, witnessing this bizarre scene from the sidelines, watched the two sisters embrace and cry their hearts out, shook his head with an awkward smile, and quietly left the room.
“Interfering in family matters is difficult for even an honest official. Here I am, like a villain trying to steal someone’s love. Why must such deep sisterly bonds always feel so strange?” Lin Feng muttered to himself, feeling guilty for even entertaining such thoughts about Tian Yingzi, who didn’t seem like that kind of person.
Meanwhile, not far from the headquarters of Marumi Corporation, a chubby, short boy was walking down the street. His hair was unkempt, his face unwashed for days, and his T-shirt and jeans were dirty. He had been wandering around this area for a long time, trying several times to enter the sleek office building of Marumi but was always stopped by security. A young guard, feeling pity for him, bought him a boxed meal during his break. The boy initially refused, claiming he had already eaten and was there to see his old classmate, now the CEO of Marumi. The guard didn’t have the heart to burst his bubble, simply left the meal aside, and walked away, muttering about another dreamer trying to claim a connection to climb up the social ladder.
This boy was none other than Sun Dasheng, who had just spoken with Lin Feng earlier that morning.
