Chapter 109: One Scoundrel, Two Contenders

In the flower hall, Di Yan, the heir to the title of Count Yongkang, was accompanying Qin Yuru. He was currently observing Qi Rongzhi with keen interest, his head tilted slightly as he offered a soft, gentle smile.

His appearance was passable—fair-skinned and well-groomed—and he wore the air of a noble scion with practiced ease. However, the corners of his eyes were arched a bit too high, giving him a somewhat frivolous and superficial look. At this moment, he was focused entirely on Qi Rongzhi, his eyes crinkling with a smile that was designed to be charming.

Suddenly, hearing the sound of a maid at the entrance, he looked up and saw a young girl standing on the threshold.

She did not look old; in fact, she appeared much younger than Qi Rongzhi or Qin Yuru, yet she inexplicably captured his attention. She stood gracefully at the door, having stopped as if she had no intention of coming further inside. Her face was like jade, translucent and flawless. Her long, dark lashes fluttered twice; when she lifted them, her eyes were limpid, shimmering, and full of life. Her cherry-red lips were slightly pursed. Even at such a young age, the contrast of that bright, rosy pink against her raven-black hair was enough to elicit a sigh of admiration—she was beautiful, truly beautiful.

Even though she was just a young girl who had not yet fully blossomed, Di Yan was instantly struck by a sense of wonder. A breeze at the doorway stirred her dress; she lowered her head to smooth the hem. Her picturesque brows were somewhat cold, but that only added to her presence as the centerpiece of a stunning painting.

Di Yan was momentarily stunned.

"Cousin, what is the matter?" Qin Yuru asked, her face turning pale with anger. Yet, she suppressed her jealousy and tugged at Di Yan’s hand with forced intimacy.

"Is this Cousin Wanru?" Di Yan asked, his eyes fixed on Qin Wanru. He had met her before, but she had been much younger then—truly just a child—and she looked quite different now.

"This is my second younger sister. Second sister, come over and greet my cousin!" Qin Yuru looked up, the jealousy on her face having already vanished, and beckoned to Qin Wanru. She had been living at the residence of Count Yongkang, and now that the entire Qin household had arrived in the capital, she had brought Di Yan along with her.

Qin Wanru did not step forward. She merely bowed from a distance, then entered the room, but she remained near the threshold, showing no intention of approaching them.

How could she not recognize Di Yan? A year ago, she had nearly died at his hands!

In her previous life, Di Yan and Qin Yuru had conspired against her countless times. When he saw her in private, he would repeatedly harass her. Once, when he accompanied Qin Yuru to the Qin residence, he had used the excuse of being drunk to barge into her room, intending to molest her. She and Qingyue had pushed him away, causing him to fall and lose consciousness. When Lady Di and Qin Yuru found out, they not only didn't blame Di Yan, they forced Qin Wanru to apologize to him, making her kneel in Qin Yuru's courtyard to offer him an apology. As she knelt there, a seething Qin Yuru had slapped her, knocking her unconscious.

He was nothing but a rake, the sort of person Qin Yuru treated as a treasure to help her climb the social ladder.

"Is this really Cousin