Chapter 9 - Secrets

"Xuanxuan! Dad is back." Yun Jifeng called out for Wan Jia, it was deliberate to remind her how Yun Xuan had always addressed their father. Wan Jia had seen many pictures of General Yun on magazines and articles. She had never dreamed of seeing him up close, much less pretend to be his daughter. She descended the stairs slowly while trying not to panic.

"Dad," she called out nervously and subconsciously bowed. General Yun froze as his arms remained in mid air. He was expecting his princess to pounce right into his arms. What was this distant behavior? He frowned.

"Cough, dad, I have a flu and would infect you if I hugged you." One swift lie to settle the awkwardness. Genius! Besides how could she just hug such a prominent figure casually?

However, before she could sigh in relief…

"My immunity isn't that low. How can I not hug my princess? Or did my princess not miss me? Mmh?" he said as he pulled Wan Jia into a warm hug.

In the next second, General Yun felt something was not right, but he couldn't figure out what exactly it was. Yun Jifeng noticed his father's knitted brows and acted quick.

"Are the two of you going to embrace each other forever? I am hungry!" He hollered. The father and daughter pair giggled and joined him at the dining table, where Yun Jifeng kept serving Wan Jia the right dishes and indirectly letting her know the father's favorites so she could serve him.

Sigh, that was one tiresome meal.

After dinner, she joined General Yun in his study room to discuss her marriage. Turned out Yun Xuan had not even been told about it by her father! Had she eavesdropped on a conversation?

As she tucked herself to sleep, she remembered something that piqued her interest. The Lu Enterprise business records and contacts? Why would there be such a file in the Yun Mansion? It would not be very weird if such a file was in the eldest son's study room as he was the only one venturing in business in the family, but it was in General Yun's study room!

Not only that, it also seemed a little worn out, like it had been subject to detailed study multiple times. This ruled out the excuse of investigating the in laws' background. What were they hiding?

If she had known she would be innocently involved in a battle she so badly wanted to be excluded from, perhaps she would not have agreed to this deal.

....

That weekend, Madam Yun, the eldest son and the third son also came over to meet the in laws. Within the past few days, Wan Jia had discovered several unexpected secrets. For example, the second son, Yun Jifeng, was an illegitimate son and had been brought up by Madam Yun against her will, hence she did not like him. Yun Xuan, on the other hand, was a child Madam Yun had met on the street, abandoned in the rain. The five year old girl was so pitiful that Madam Yun had decided to adopt her.

However, the legitimate brothers did not like her and kept picking on her, while pretending to care about her in front of their parents. Although they appeared close, all the doting rumors were lies! Perhaps that's why she was close to the second brother, they appeared to share the same fate.

===

Wan Jia looked at herself in the mirror as she admired her beauty in the dress Lu Aotian had bought her for the day's occasion. They were going to register their marriage. It was a blue off shoulder dress which showed off her long and fair neck. It hugged her curvy body and ended a few inches above her knees. It was paired with a set of diamond jewelry and beautiful high heels. How thoughtful! Her slightly wavy hair was let loose, waving all the way to her slim waist. She sashayed out of her room with a smile.

This deal was not that bad after all, she got to marry such a handsome and rich Adonis! Of course she was going to enjoy the marriage while she was still 'Yun Xuan', too bad there was only two weeks left.

At the same time, H city.

Yun Xuan was currently bawling her eyes out while trying to stop her childhood boyfriend from leaving.

"Could you please tell me what I did wrong? We can talk it out. Please don't leave"

"Talk it out? It's too late for that." Yun Xuan blinked her teary eyes. Qin Zhifan's next words almost sent her to hell.

"You thought I actually liked you? Dream on! Who told you to run away from home?"

"Didn't we agree to elope and start over together?"

"Did I? You are so stupid. I wanted to use you to get close to that man but you are too useless!" his words cut into her heart like knives.

"That He Wan Jia is more useful now. Such a young and naïve child, she will definitely fall for my charm. Tsk, she's so pretty, I wonder how she tastes." he said as he tied her limbs to the dressing chair and covered her mouth with a scarf.

"My use for you is done. I'm going to look for Wan Jia. As for you…"he threw her clothes on the bed and set them ablaze." Farewell my love," he gave an evil smirk and left her.

Yun Xuan tried to free herself to no avail. The clothes on the bed were slowly catching fire.

So all this while Qin Zhifan had only tried to use her? She had loved him for longer than she can remember! She had sacrificed so much for him, to the point of risking offending her parents. Was she going to die here? What would happen to her family?

Who could warn Wan Jia not to marry Lu Aotian? Someone must warn her! She should not fall for Qin Zhifan's schemes!

However, she should have been worrying more about herself as the smoke grew thicker and the flames became stronger.