Chapter 36 0038: Make Your Woman Obey My Every Word

The moment Ye Linglong stood up, a flash of cold severity flickered in the depths of Duanmu Ci’s eyes. He fixed Ye Linglong with a penetrating gaze, the warning in his look unmistakable. Who would have thought Ye Linglong would actually admit to her involvement with Chu Yun? He had protected her so thoroughly before, yet this woman failed to appreciate his efforts!

When she declared, “my fiancé,” the entire hall, which had just been abuzz with matchmaking between her and Duanmu Ci, fell into an odd silence. The eyes that turned toward Duanmu Ci now held a trace of pity.

These glances soured Duanmu Ci’s expression, his features growing darker.

Seeing this, Cui Yuanhao let out a soft laugh from across the room.

There is nothing more humiliating than being rendered speechless by a woman in front of so many people from their social circle. Cui Yuanhao could completely empathize with that feeling.

At this moment, Duanmu Ci must utterly resent Ye Linglong, but he could not show it, lest he be seen as lacking grace toward women.

But his hatred for Chu Yun would be absolute.

There was no doubt. So why shouldn’t Cui Yuanhao give him a helping hand?

“So what if you’re from the Hou family?” Cui Yuanhao turned to Hou Manman and said, “This is Watchtower City, under the rule of the Lord of Guanshan. It’s not a place for you Hou family members to run wild across borders!”

Duanmu Ci cast Cui Yuanhao an unexpected glance, finding him more agreeable than he’d thought. A moment ago, he’d feared Cui Yuanhao would shrink before Hou Manman, unwilling to make a stand, but now, his actions were exactly what Duanmu Ci wanted.

Cui Yuanhao and Duanmu Ci exchanged a look, a tacit understanding passing between them.

“Hou Manman, you’d best not meddle in Watchtower City’s affairs. It will do you no good,” one of the men at Duanmu Ci’s side warned Hou Manman.

Hou Manman, perceiving the subtle tensions of the situation, would never recklessly embroil her family further. She had only pretended to support Chu Yun as a show for Ye Linglong; after all, both women were equally proud and understood each other’s vulnerabilities.

So, Hou Manman seized upon Ye Linglong’s earlier words and pressed her advantage: “Ye Linglong, isn’t that Duanmu fellow your boyfriend? Your fiancé is being surrounded, and you’re content to stand on stage and watch the drama unfold? If you won’t help your fiancé, then I suppose I’ll do it for you.”

Ye Linglong furrowed her brows. “Young Master Ci and I…”

She was about to explain, but Duanmu Ci leaned in and said quietly, “Sit down. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said. I’ll put in a good word for you with the Yi family as well. There are many friends from the academy here tonight—don’t embarrass me. Besides, you can’t afford to offend the Cui family. If you help Chu Yun, you’ll be opposing the Cui family.”

Ye Linglong trembled, her eyes full of internal conflict as she stood there. Originally, she hadn’t intended to speak up, knowing that if Chu Yun was targeted by Cui Yuanhao, he would find his own way out. But seeing Hou Manman act as if Chu Yun belonged to her was intolerable. In truth, Ye Linglong had always wanted to play the role Hou Manman now assumed. She had promised Chu Yun that, no matter what happened, as long as he was willing to marry into her family, she would always stand by his side. Yet, she had failed to secure his place at the academy, and even when the Yi family came to the Ye family, she hadn’t been able to shield him, which eventually brought trouble to Chu Yun. All of this left Ye Linglong with a bitter sense of defeat. So, when Hou Manman tried to take her place, Ye Linglong could not help but step up and defend what was hers, refusing to let another woman take it away.

Hou Manman, seeing Ye Linglong trapped in indecision, let a barely perceptible smile curl her lips. She was steering the situation so that Ye Linglong was entirely on the defensive. If Ye Linglong chose not to step forward, she would be no different from the other sycophantic women around her—willing to acquiesce to her supposed relationship with Duanmu Ci for the sake of self-preservation. But if she did claim her connection with Chu Yun, she would inevitably offend both Duanmu Ci and the matchmakers surrounding them.

“Are you here to help me, or are you just stirring the pot?” By now, Chu Yun had already seen through Hou Manman’s intentions—she was simply fanning the flames, relishing the chaos.

Hou Manman glanced at Chu Yun with a sly smile. “What do you think?”

With just a few words, she had pushed Ye Linglong into a dilemma at the very center of the stage. Chu Yun turned to look at Ye Linglong. In truth, she could have withdrawn from this conflict entirely—he would not have blamed her. The only reason he had agreed to marry into the Ye family was because they had once helped the Chu family, and Ye Linglong desperately needed this marriage and the freedom to remain in her family and inherit its legacy. Chu Yun reasoned that, if he was going to repay a debt, he might as well help her instead of some other woman. So long as Ye Linglong did not abandon him, he could handle any situation. But these were thoughts he would never voice to her. It all depended on how much Ye Linglong valued her independence and freedom. Indeed, another reason Chu Yun had chosen Ye Linglong was because she was ambitious and strong-willed—a woman who would never let herself be someone else’s appendage. Chu Yun needed that mindset; the more she prioritized her career and family, the less likely she would become an obstacle to his eventual departure.

After a moment’s contemplation, Ye Linglong remained standing and did not return to her seat. Instead, she spoke clearly, “I believe there’s been a misunderstanding. The reason I’m here with Young Master Ci today is because I needed his assistance—nothing more. Although we were classmates in primary school, I know I am not worthy of him, nor of the Duanmu family. So let me clarify, there is nothing between Young Master Ci and me. Please do not mistake our relationship.”

With that, she turned and offered Duanmu Ci a small, apologetic bow.

Duanmu Ci’s pupils contracted sharply.

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

Hou Manman had not expected Ye Linglong to willingly leap into the fire, sacrificing her own reputation rather than risk offending the Duanmu family. She could have chosen to compromise; in this era, it was hardly disgraceful for a woman to do so. Yet Ye Linglong chose the hardest path.

To the uninformed, it might appear she was madly in love with Chu Yun.

But Hou Manman knew better. This woman was much like herself—fighting for her own dignity. Had she not also struggled to avoid becoming a pawn in a marriage alliance, striving desperately to gain her family’s approval through her own strength?

At that moment, Duanmu Ci’s eyes locked onto Ye Linglong with a fierce intensity. He declared loudly, “And what if I think you are worthy? What if I say I am interested in you?”

Ye Linglong froze, staring at him in astonishment. Duanmu Ci’s commanding presence surged forth, his gaze brooking no refusal.

The audience sensed the drama escalating. What had begun as a spat between Chu Yun and Cui Yuanhao now involved Ye Linglong and Duanmu Ci. Duanmu Ci’s friends recognized the storm brewing; they knew exactly what he intended—to force Ye Linglong into submission and humiliate Chu Yun.

In short, he meant to cuckold Chu Yun in public.

Weren’t they supposed to be engaged?

Well then, today, in front of Chu Yun, he would make Ye Linglong obey his every word!