Trap, Jason Lan and the Phoenixfield Heiress

"What good news could possibly be worth celebrating with wine, Lord Fuller?" Serena picked up the cup on the table, took a light sniff, but did not drink.

Felix Fuller set down his cup and looked at Serena, feigning regret: "I thought you wouldn't ask. Your self-control isn't what it used to be."

"I've got things to do tonight." Serena downed the wine in her cup in one go, then turned it over to show Felix: "Done. Now, Lord Fuller, it's time to talk."

Felix couldn't help but laugh and shake his head: "I'm not forcing you to drink. I just said there's good news worth a toast."

"It's all the same." Serena set the cup down, signaling for Felix to get on with it. She had no time to waste here.

Felix glanced around and said, "It's getting late. What do you need to do, Serena? I'll go with you."

Although the dinner rush was over, the first floor was still crowded. It really wasn't a place for conversation. Serena suspected Felix had his own reasons for seeking her out at this hour, but said nothing more and left with him.

Felix clearly knew what Serena was planning and didn't ask. He let the carriage roll forward at a steady pace, only speaking when they reached the bustling marketplace to suggest Serena switch to another carriage.

The Feng Manor carriage was indeed conspicuous. Since Felix had already made arrangements, Serena didn't refuse and switched with him to a plain, unremarkable carriage.

The carriage headed toward an old house.

Serena kept her composure perfectly. When she saw Jason Lan in the house, she wasn't surprised at all—she just lifted her eyelids and pointed at him: "This is the good news you were talking about?"

If it was, she wouldn't mind using the medicine meant for Jason Lan on Felix, that troublemaker.

"Of course not. This is just a gift from Ninth Royal Uncle." Felix made sure to praise Ninth Royal Uncle and also took the chance to steal credit from William Wang.

He thought that even if Serena wasn't moved, she would at least be a little happy. But Serena just replied indifferently, "Ninth Royal Uncle is thoughtful."

"You're not satisfied? You should know, Ninth Royal Uncle is busy with the war, yet he still thinks of you—even arranging this from far away in Night City." Felix understood immediately: the two must have quarreled, and the fault lay with Ninth Royal Uncle.

Otherwise, Ninth Royal Uncle wouldn't have written to him specifically, asking him to keep an eye on Feng Manor and help Serena with anything that came up.

"I'm satisfied. Please thank Ninth Royal Uncle for me. Also, tell him that for something this minor, he doesn't need to step in—I can handle it myself." Serena was clearly not appreciative.

Felix silently mourned for Ninth Royal Uncle in his heart, pointed outside, and said, "You two take your time talking. I won't disturb you."

With that, he left—and even thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

Talk? About what?

She wasn't prepared at all; even seeing Jason Lan, there wasn't much she could do. She hadn't come to chat with him. Serena cursed Felix for meddling, but still sat down across from Jason.

Jason Lan looked healthy—clearly he hadn't suffered much lately. He wore iron chains on his hands and feet. Serena addressed him: "Mr. Jingyang."

Jason's eyelashes trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes. The moment their gazes met, Serena's heart skipped and her pupils contracted sharply...

Jason Lan had changed—he was far more frightening now.

His eyes were deep and gloomy, cold and utterly devoid of emotion. It seemed his months in prison hadn't been without their lessons.

"What, are you scared now?" Jason spoke, no longer hiding behind his gentlemanly mask—he tore it off completely.

"Scared? Scared of a prisoner like you?" Serena retorted without hesitation.

She did feel a hint of fear—this Jason Lan was terrifying. Serena sensed that sending him back to Liancastle unharmed would be like letting a tiger return to the mountain.

"Heh..." Jason sneered, "The illustrious Phoenixfield Heiress really has no reason to fear a mere prisoner like me."

"Phoenixfield Heiress? Mr. Jingyang, what are you talking about? I don’t understand." Serena reacted instantly, her mind in turmoil but her face perfectly calm. She quietly regulated her breathing, forcing her expression to remain natural.

Felix, that bastard.

At last, she understood what was wrong—Felix had set a trap for her to fall into.

"Don't understand? Serena, how long do you plan to keep pretending? Have you forgotten the Northlyn battle?" Jason Lan forced a twisted, eerie smile that sent chills down her spine. His lips moved, but Serena couldn't hear a word—she only knew Jason had broken their agreement.

Serena's breathing was ragged, her muscles tense. Faced with Jason's relentless questions, she said nothing, calmly analyzing the situation.

If her guess was right, Jason had already told Felix her true identity—otherwise Felix wouldn't have sought her out, or arranged for her to see Jason before William Wang could.

Still, Felix must not fully trust Jason—otherwise he wouldn't have let Jason try to trick her with words.

Thinking this, Serena felt relieved and replied even more naturally: "The Northlyn battle? You mean when Ninth Royal Uncle and I destroyed your Cold Moon Manor? What, Mr. Jingyang—can't handle losing?"

Serena spread her hands, letting the cold wind dry the sweat on her palms. Not giving Jason a chance to speak, she continued: "The Master of Cold Moon Manor said you were a scoundrel—willing to betray your peers for power, even deceive his daughter. I never believed it before, but today, I do."

"Someone like you, Mr. Jingyang, will do anything to survive and gain power. If you can trick your senior and his daughter, who can't you deceive?"

Serena fired back relentlessly, giving Jason no chance to speak. Seeing his face darken and breath falter, she pressed on: "Heaven must be blind—how could someone so base and shameless be given the face of a gentleman? Born to serve, yet somehow you became a disciple of Jixia Academy; an orphan, yet you conned the Lord of Liancastle into adopting you as his heir."

"Your methods are truly frightening, Mr. Jingyang. Who knows how many you've ruined to reach this point? When you become Lord of Liancastle, I hope the city’s chronicles will record how many people you deceived, how many corpses you climbed over to get here."

"That's not true!" Jason roared, his cold, deep eyes twisting with rage and savagery—bloodshot, like an enraged beast.

Every word Serena spoke hit Jason Lan's sore spots—especially about his origins. Jason prided himself on noble birth, unmatched by anyone, but in the eyes of the world, he was just a parentless orphan who owed everything to charity...