The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits-Chapter 1272 - 1276: The Promise (24)

Listening to the constant inquiry on the other end of the phone, Long Ran lowered her head more and more.

She completely didn’t dare to look up at the expression on her lover’s face opposite her.

The silent and heavy atmosphere flowed between the two, and Long Ran could hear her own heart pounding.

It’s beating so fast, too fast...

Numerous thoughts swirled in her mind, and Long Ran tried her best to explain, but her brain was tangled like a messy knot, not knowing where to start explaining.

"Pff..." The tense atmosphere was broken by Shang Yan’s uncontrollable laughter.

He extended a slender, jade-like hand and gently lifted Long Ran’s chin, speaking with extreme tenderness.

"Xiao Ran, you’re too nervous."

Although his voice was filled with amusement, it inexplicably made Long Ran’s hair stand on end, causing a shiver.

Her anxious mood didn’t relax; instead, the tight string in her heart was pulled tighter and tighter, her facial and body muscles stiff like plaster.

She tugged at the corners of her mouth, but the tense muscles prevented her from showing a gentle smile.

Shang Yan’s fingertip slowly grazed Long Ran’s cheek, leaving tiny goosebumps instantly in its wake.

Shang Yan, mesmerized, watched the girl’s reaction, his deep voice drawing out a long tail note like a hook: "Do you think I’m acting strange, hmm?"

"Do you feel like I’m a different person?"

"...So, what are you planning to do?"

Driven by a strong survival instinct, Long Ran broke through her nearing stiffness, a trembling voice hastily explaining, "No, it’s not..."

Long Ran wanted to say that Shang Yan misunderstood, that wasn’t what she meant.

It’s just, it’s just...

Just before Long Ran could justify her thoughts perfectly, Shang Yan spoke words that made her tremble with fear.

"When did you find out?" Shang Yan withdrew his fingers nonchalantly and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, meticulously wiping the fingers that had touched Long Ran’s face.

As if something dirty had tainted his hand.

Long Ran: "..."

The humiliation drove Long Ran to tears, "Brother Yan, you..."

"I’m asking when did you realize."

"Ah, what? Realize what?" Long Ran finally understood the meaning in Shang Yan’s words after a moment.

Immediately, she froze in place, uncontrollably trembling, her face turning pale, her lips colorless.

Shang Yan snorted coldly, saying, "Now that you understand, can you answer?"

"When did you realize I was acting strange?"

Long Ran averted her eyes, her steps secretly retreating, "You’re joking, Brother Yan, you really took what I said while I was on the phone seriously."

Shang Yan moved a few steps closer to Long Ran, leaning in with a barely concealed smirk, saying, "Not serious, but it’s the truth."

"Clever girl, you guessed right, I’m indeed not that fool Shang Yan..."

"Don’t, don’t joke around. I’ll be scared, Brother Yan you’re not yourself, then who are you?" Long Ran said softly, her demeanor pitiful and endearing.

Though her words were as such, in reality, she’d nearly believed Shang Yan’s self-revealing words.

It’s neither a prank nor a joke, indeed it’s...

Earlier, after Shang Yan had someone help her safely through the fifteenth night, Brother Yan had been acting a bit off.

But she was absorbed in the relief of being saved and didn’t notice.

Until thereafter, the person showed no intention of hiding, even if she perceived the strangeness she subconsciously refused to think negatively, causing her current dilemma.

If possible, Long Ran wished to pretend she never noticed for a lifetime, but that person had simply gone too far.

Clearly, she’s now the young mistress of the Shang Family, and her mother-in-law is her adoptive mother, far better off than those girls entering wealthy families.

Her marital home was where she’d grown up, with no sense of unfamiliarity, her in-laws are also her parents, apart from the changes in titles, everything else stayed the same.

No, one aspect changed, she went from being an adopted daughter to a daughter-in-law, becoming even more legitimate.

Once her parents are gone, she’d be the sole mistress of the Shang Family.

In the opulence of Changle Town, her life’s ultimate goal was reached, and she’d only need to enjoy the luxurious life of a wealthy wife moving forward.

But nobody told her, the mistress of the Shang Family had to clean and serve her in-laws herself.

She’d be awakened before dawn, personally cooking breakfast for the entire family.

Then it’s tidying, cleaning...and throughout the whole day, she barely had a moment to spare.

At night, she had to ensure her mother-in-law was settled in bed before returning to her own room.

Her grievances and doubts went unanswered, only her mother-in-law saying cryptically, "Being a daughter-in-law is different from being a daughter."

Long Ran couldn’t understand it at all.

If life is like this, then why had she been striving for so long?

Long Ran pondered and finally realized that the source of all changes seemed to start with Brother Yan’s transformations.

Ever since her parents entered his study once, Long Ran sensitively noticed a great change in her parents’ attitude toward her.

If the real Brother Yan were truly the one she loved, he wouldn’t bear to treat her like that.

Indeed, since her teenage years, Long Ran noticed the unspoken thoughts Shang Yan this foster brother had towards her.

Unfortunately, she was bound to disappoint the deeply affectionate Brother Yan. Because like her, he wasn’t a true member of the Shang Family either.

Only Brother Shang Zhong was the most suitable for her.

But maybe it was fate, who could have guessed that such a remarkable Brother Shang Zhong would meet an untimely death.

Long Ran couldn’t help but feel regretfully as she thought, then eagerly threw herself into Shang Yan’s embrace.

But, this embrace was cold and poisonous.

The more Long Ran feared tearing apart this facade, the more "Shang Yan" just wanted to foil her intentions.

He smiled maliciously and said, "Clever girl, try guessing again, who am I?"

"Stop it, you’re Shang Yan." Long Ran glared fiercely, shouting loudly, then...turned and quickly walked out, "This joke is no fun at all, I’m leaving, I promised my mother to go shopping later."

"Hehehe..." Even after she walked far, it seemed like Shang Yan’s sinister laughter echoed around Long Ran.

Just now, a face involuntarily flashed through her mind.

But she soon shook her head fiercely, scattering the image.

No, it’s impossible, that person had long been...

Even though she tried to convince herself inwardly, some conclusions, no matter how much she refuted, rooted quickly within her heart.

Everything was due to Brother Yan himself, saying that he wasn’t.