As Liam Lin led Wendy Lin along the winding stone path toward the Inner Court, Wendy’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Big brother, where are we going?" she asked, glancing up at him with innocent trust.
Liam’s face was solemn as he replied, "I’m taking you to meet a senior."
Wendy blinked in confusion. "Why do we need to see him?"
Liam reached out and gently patted Wendy’s head, his voice full of calculated warmth. "Silly girl, if that elder takes a liking to you, we’ll never have to live in fear again. With his help, we could even take back the Lin Clan!"
Wendy hesitated, sensing something odd in Liam’s words. "Why would that elder help us?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
At this point, Liam stopped pretending. He looked Wendy straight in the eye and said flatly, "That elder is looking for a new concubine. If he likes you and you marry him, with his backing, the Huang Clan won’t be able to touch us!"
"What?" Wendy’s voice trembled with shock.
Wendy stared at Liam in disbelief. "You want me to marry that elder as his concubine?"
Liam’s face darkened. "Yeah, why not?" he shot back, his tone growing cold.
Wendy’s eyes filled with hurt. "How could you do this, big brother? You didn’t even ask me what I wanted!" She felt as if the brother she’d always relied on had suddenly become a stranger.