She turned her face aside and took a deep breath, forcing herself to ignore the sour feeling in her nose. His hint was something she could understand, but it didn't have any practical significance. It wasn't enough for her to take a big step forward just because of his few words, no matter how much her heart wanted to.

  They started from different points and were in different positions.

  At this moment, he might think that getting her heart is the most important thing, and all other external factors can be temporarily ignored. Even if he considers them, he will confidently believe that they can be solved. But she doesn't have his confidence and ability, she is very clear about her position and living environment, pursuing freedom, but being anxious every day, how can she feel free? Love is important, but it's absolutely not the whole of life, and things like what happened with Li Wei shouldn't happen again. Even if her heart doesn't listen to her, she can still control herself.

  "Sometimes I do feel a bit tired, but most of the time I'm actually much happier than you all think. The things with Liu and the Li family are probably the basis for your sympathy towards me, thinking I'm pitiful. But to me, they're just yesterday's rainstorm. Maybe it caused flooding and ruined some things, but I'm still here, my home is still here. What I need more than sympathy is respect. I don't just have one path in life, I can do many things."

  Although I don't know what she means by saying these specific words, what she says is indeed correct. He sympathizes with her, but he likes her efforts when she's in trouble even more. Jiang Changyang nodded vigorously to show his agreement: "You're absolutely right. It should be like this. However, getting married can also be very good, the key is who you marry."

  "Actually, Jiang Changyang, some of your actions have far exceeded the normal range of friendship, and that's what makes me most uncomfortable. If you really want me to feel more at ease, then don't force me to say things I don't want to say or say things I shouldn't say in the future. You're not young, and you've probably been through a lot, while I'm just passing by - we're all adults who should know what's appropriate to say and do. I won't keep getting entangled with so-called friends in this ambiguous way, nor do I want the same things to happen over and over again, that would be truly exhausting."

  Jiang Changyang did not expect that his sincere confession would lead her to say such a cold and cruel thing. What right does she have to turn against him faster than turning the pages of a book? He was stunned for a moment before reacting, raising his voice: "What are you talking about? Am I making you uncomfortable? Am I forcing you? Is this so-called friend of mine bothering you vaguely? Am I the one who's been troubling you?"

  "It's like that." Peony nodded without hesitation, turned around and left: "I'm really grateful for your help before, and I won't forget it. When we first said to be friends, I was very relaxed, but now you really make me feel uncomfortable. The friend I want to be with you is not this kind of friend, I don't play like that."

  Play? She took him for what kind of person? This sentence, it seems like he was calculating her from the beginning to the end, he is a thick-skinned and ill-intentioned bad guy. He walked away so cleanly, as if he was something unclean. Looking at Peony walking quickly, Jiang Changyang felt an unprecedented anger, his good intentions were trampled by her like a donkey's liver and lungs, without any mercy... He didn't think twice, quickened his pace, caught up with Peony in two steps, blocked her way, and said with a gloomy face: "He Mu Dan! You tell me clearly! What did I do to you?"

  His face was gloomy and terrifying, as if he wanted to swallow her whole. Peony felt a little guilty, but then she raised her eyes and glared at him with a pretentious tone: "What are you talking about? I've already made myself clear. You see, you're forcing me again. Do all men think that just because they help women, they have the right to do this?"

  With a distorted sense of justice, forgetting past favors and betraying righteousness, Jiang Changyang had never hated someone as much as he did at this moment. He pursed his lips tightly, glaring hatefully at Peony, not uttering a word.

  The peony felt that his eyes seemed to flash with green light. Because of the tension, her teeth were slightly trembling, she bit her teeth tightly, straightened her back, and stared at him without showing any weakness. If he really wanted to get an answer from her, if this matter had to be thoroughly resolved today, then it would be best to resolve it cleanly and neatly. Young and vigorous, with a strong temperament, unable to withstand the blow, hurry up and turn around and leave!

  But she was surprised to find that Jiang Changyang's facial lines actually softened slowly, and a hint of smile appeared in his eyes. He raised his chin, looking at her provocatively: "He Mudan, aren't you afraid? Why are you so?"

  The peony's mouth crooked: "What am I afraid of?"

  Jiang Changyang said calmly, "You know what you're afraid of best. I'm not someone who can be provoked by a few words and then storm off with my blood boiling. You'd better try another approach to talk to me properly, it might have a better effect." When someone's behavior is vastly different from their usual temperament, it's likely that their heart is in turmoil at the moment. If she didn't care, if she wasn't concerned, if she didn't feel anything, why would she suddenly become so vicious? She could have rejected him gently and tactfully, but instead she used such a fierce method, what does this reveal? Jiang Changyang's extraordinary self-confidence allowed him to look at Peony's strong rejection with an unusual perspective, seeing the hidden things behind it.

  "Of course I'm afraid," Peony said quietly after a moment of silence. "Although my reputation has already been ruined, I still think it's the most important thing. I also can't afford to offend those in power; I don't have the luxury of being reckless and impulsive."

  Jiang Changyang nodded at her: "I understand. I will definitely not make things difficult for you."

  Peony heard this sentence, suddenly felt a little lost. She stood there in a daze, reflexively saying: "Thank you. Actually, you're a good person, don't mind those unpleasant words I said."

  Good guy? Jiang Changyang glanced at Peony and suddenly took a step forward, squeezing past her. Peony was caught off guard and stumbled, almost falling over, but managed to steady herself by grabbing onto his clothes. Jiang Changyang stopped in time and looked down at her hand: "What are you grabbing me for? Aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation?"

  Forget it, I'll let him vent his anger. Mudan swallowed her pride and withdrew her hand, standing there like a little daughter-in-law: "I didn't do it on purpose. You almost knocked me over just now."

  Jiang Changyang suppressed his smile and said calmly, "I haven't finished speaking. Listen carefully, from another perspective, what you said earlier can be interpreted in a different way." He spoke slowly and clearly, "If you don't want to get entangled in ambiguity, if you don't want the same thing to happen again, then it means you're not satisfied with my current behavior. I should change to a way that satisfies you, so what would make you satisfied?"

  Peony frowned at the man in front of her, feeling that he was quite unfamiliar compared to the Jiang Changyang she had imagined.

  Jiang Changyang looked at Peony, staring blankly at her own appearance, and the more he looked, the more satisfied he became: "Forget it, you don't have to say anything, I know what to do. I'll write a letter to my mother, and once everything is ready, I'll come to propose, before that, I'll take care of things properly, absolutely won't bring any trouble to you, are you still afraid?"

  This is Sun Wukong's筋斗 cloud, instantly 18,000 miles. Peony was a bit silly at first, and then sank his face without speaking.

  Jiang Changyang saw that she had turned gloomy and wasn't speaking, his strong self-confidence and strong self-esteem suddenly conflicted again. He swept a glance around, the surroundings were quiet, there was no one, so he raised his chin, raising his voice: "You still don't want to? You look down on me? What's wrong with me?"

  "Mu Dan said: 'I...'"

  Jiang Changyang didn't want to hear what she had to say next, he waved his hand: "You don't have to say it, I already know. Just wait and see, that's all." After speaking, he took big strides forward and quickly disappeared behind the stone flowers and trees.

  The peony gazed at the sunset on the horizon and let out a long sigh. What kind of person is this, with skin that's not just thick but also incredibly overbearing?

  Yu He jumped out from behind a rock with two wild chickens, grabbed Peony's sleeve and laughed: "Dan Niang, Dan Niang. If he can really do it, that would be great!"

  The peony listlessly looked at the iris beside its feet and said, "You've heard it all?"

  Yu He nodded repeatedly: "I'm afraid he has ulterior motives. I'm also afraid that there will be unknown numbers of people rushing over from the surrounding area."

  No wonder nobody came over. Peony raised her hand: "Forget it, let's call it even, I won't pursue the fact that you eavesdropped and snooped. Hurry up and send the chicken to the kitchen, don't delay any longer."

  Yu He smiled and said: "Who would have thought that we were just waiting to eat these two chickens, someone had already sent them to be cooked. Dan Niang, what do you plan to do now?"

  "Whether it's good fortune or bad, the misfortune can't be avoided. Isn't he waiting for me to see? What else can I do but wait? You mustn't mention this to anyone, including your mother and Lin Mama. In the future, if he comes again, treat him normally, don't give anyone anything to gossip about." Besides this, she really couldn't think of any other way.

  Yu He hurriedly said: "Alright, you go ahead first, I'll send the chicken to the kitchen."

  Peony nodded and walked forward with a heavy gait. She was contradictory, afraid, and entangled, but her heart was secretly singing.

  Jiang Changyang quietly returned outside, the onlookers had dispersed, and Madame Bai and the others were nowhere to be seen. Only Pan Rong was left, leading a few young servants playing with hawks. Seeing him approach, Pan Rong said: "Where did you go? I couldn't find you anywhere."

  Jiang Changyang said nonchalantly: "I went to relieve myself and got lost."

  Pan Xiang looked at him suspiciously, saw that he was still pouting with his mouth tightly closed, just like during the day when he was in a bad mood. She turned her head and didn't ask any more questions, instead complaining: "When are we going to eat? I'm starving."