Cooperation and the Most Dog-Blooded Old Secrets

Victor Yun and William Wang Jinling are here?

What’s with these two showing up together? How am I supposed to talk business like this? Serena Feng’s head throbbed, but then she remembered William was here—at least someone could help her deal with Sean Xuan. That thought made her feel a little better.

“Young Palace Lord, sorry for the slight,” Serena said, then turned and left gracefully, not caring at all how lost or wounded Sean Xuan looked standing there.

Victor Yun, the Grand Heir. If he remembered right, Victor Yun should be the eldest son of the Young clan, and the only one called Grand Heir apart from William Wang Jinling.

Serena Feng actually knew both of them—and could get them to come here in person.

Sean Xuan realized his road to winning her over wasn’t going to be easy, but he was tough-minded and stubborn. He would never give up so easily.

Jada Tang watched Sean Xuan standing there all alone and suddenly felt a bit sorry for him. Anyone who tangled with her mistress was doomed to suffer.

Even the Grand Heir had a hard time—what chance did a mere Young Palace Lord have? Her mistress was an odd one: when she was kind, she was kindness itself; when she was ruthless, she was cold as iron.

Sympathy aside, Jada Tang still turned away heartlessly. Who told him to keep pestering her mistress?

Victor Yun and William Wang Jinling were both refined, noble heirs. Sitting one to the left and one to the right in the Feng Manor’s main hall, they made the whole place seem brighter just by being there. Serena Feng stood at the doorway, momentarily dazed...

She finally understood what it meant to shed luster on a humble house. Her main hall wasn’t luxurious, but with these two equally distinguished men sitting there, the whole Feng Manor was suddenly elevated.

“I’m honored by your visit, gentlemen. Forgive me for not greeting you sooner,” Serena said. She’d meant to tease them, but seeing Victor and William sitting so properly on either side, she gave a formal bow instead.

Victor Yun courteously stood to return the bow, but William Wang Jinling didn’t move at all. He just smiled and said, “Is Serena blaming me for arriving too early?”

Don’t be fooled by Serena Feng’s dignified, well-mannered act—she was actually the least concerned with formalities. Sure, she could play the part if she had to, but then she’d lose her usual, free-spirited edge.

William never bothered to fuss about etiquette with Serena.

“Come on, Grand Heir, you’re always welcome here, no matter when you arrive,” Serena said, smiling as she walked in. But she couldn’t help feeling there was a hidden meaning in William’s words. Sure enough, before she could sit down, William said, “I thought Serena was blaming me for coming early—interrupting your time with that childhood fiancé who came with a jade pendant.”

Pfft—Serena nearly stumbled and fell.

“What childhood fiancé? Where did you hear that?” Serena glared fiercely at the maid serving tea.

These busybodies were getting way out of hand.

“Did I get it wrong? Isn’t that guy your childhood fiancé, here to propose with a jade pendant?” William’s words were full of gunpowder, and Serena felt a wave of guilt—then quickly reminded herself she had nothing to feel guilty about. But when she turned and saw Victor’s amused gaze, she realized...

Everyone who should know—and shouldn’t know—already knew.

Serena let out a heavy sigh.

What a mess.

Childhood betrothals were the bane of her existence. Serena sighed and explained in detail how her mother, before she was even born, had jokingly promised her as candy to coax a child. As for Sean Xuan’s identity, Serena didn’t bother to hide it—she told Victor and William right to their faces. How long could she really keep it secret?

“So, the Young Palace Lord wasn’t lying—there really was an engagement?” William pressed. If the guy was a fraud, he’d have just thrown him out, but unfortunately, he wasn’t.

“Probably not. If he wanted to trick me, he wouldn’t use something like this. If he wanted me dead, it wouldn’t be hard. Skyvault Palace Sect wouldn’t resort to this kind of revenge.”

If Sean Xuan tried to trick her with a fake engagement, that’d be beneath him. He wasn’t some high-born lord, but Skyvault Palace Sect was a reputable house, and as Young Palace Lord, Sean Xuan wouldn’t stoop to such tactics. Besides, in this era, promises mattered—no one would risk their reputation by making up something like this.

“So you admit the engagement exists?” William frowned, picking up his teacup but not drinking. Victor Yun also looked expectantly at Serena.

Serena had already rejected his proposal—William didn’t mind, he thought he understood her. But if she turned around and agreed to marry the Young Palace Lord from Skyvault, where would that leave his pride?

It’d be like saying Victor Yun was better than him. The proud heir of the Young clan couldn’t stand that.

Admit what? Who believes what a two- or three-year-old says? My mother was just coaxing a child—it doesn’t count. Serena wasn’t about to admit it; if she did, she’d have to marry him.

These days, marriage is all about parents’ orders, not your own wishes. If she admitted the engagement and married Sean Xuan, Serena couldn’t imagine what Ninth Royal Uncle would do.

“Parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words—even if the kid was only three, your mother made the promise. It’s not so easy to dismiss.” William didn’t want to admit it either, but Sean Xuan wasn’t lying; the engagement was real.

Serena sighed again, looking troubled and unwilling to say more. She figured she’d have to settle things directly with Sean Xuan—as long as he didn’t cling to the engagement, she wasn’t marrying him, no matter what.

Serena turned to Victor Yun. “Young Master Yun, Holden Cui’s condition has greatly improved—he woke up yesterday. Would you like to visit him?”

She was clearly trying to send him away, and Victor Yun understood. But what shocked him was that Serena had actually cured Holden.

“Holden’s illness? You’ve already treated him?” Victor wasn’t indifferent to Holden Cui, but he’d never imagined Serena would go through so much and still keep her promise to operate.

He hadn’t seen it himself, but he’d heard Serena nearly collapsed from grief—yet she managed to treat Holden as if nothing had happened. How strong did her heart have to be to pull that off?

Victor Yun realized he’d underestimated Serena Feng.

“I made a promise to Holden Cui, so of course I kept it. He’s recovering well and everything’s on track.”

Serena patiently explained. Victor Yun was still stunned, so she added, “Work is work, life is life. I won’t let my personal life affect my work, and I won’t let work swallow my life. Treating Holden is my job, and I take my job seriously. If you’re not busy after visiting Holden, I’d like to talk to you about your own illness.”

Serena wasn’t a workaholic, but today she’d called Victor Yun here for this very reason.

Thump—Victor Yun’s composure slipped when he heard that. No matter how poised he was, his face changed.

He knew his own condition—he wouldn’t survive another year. But seeing Serena so confident, he wondered: could he hope for a miracle like Holden’s?

Victor Yun felt his heart race, his fingers tremble. He took a deep breath, forced down his desperation, and nodded to Serena Feng...