Golden Temptation – A Yuri Story - Chapter 51
Lan Qing stared at Iga Join with wide eyes, slowly retreating step by step. Then she turned around and bolted out of the study. She ran back to her room, hastily grabbed a long coat, threw on her running shoes, and, snatching her wallet, rushed out of the house.
“I have to find her! I must find her!”
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That evening, Nianqing carefully knocked on Iga Jonin’s door, carrying a tray of food.
“Come in,” came the reply.
Nianqing entered quietly. Iga Jonin was still standing by the window, facing the breeze. She gently closed the door behind her.
“Father, you haven’t eaten all day. I made some light porridge. Please, have a little.”
He said nothing, didn’t even look her way.
“Father…?” Nianqing softly placed the tray on the tea table in the study, picked up his coat, and walked over to drape it over his shoulders.
“Sigh…” Iga Jonin patted her hand. “If only Lan Qing were as sensible as you. Who knows where that girl has run off to.”
“Father, please don’t worry. Qing’er is a good girl! It’s just that… in this situation… we can’t place all the blame on her. You know how she is. This concerns her future happiness—you should have talked it over with her.”
“You’re blaming me now? Hmph!” Iga Jonin pushed her hand away and sat down on the sofa.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Nianqing replied quickly. “I just… wanted to look at it objectively. Please don’t get upset, it’s not good for your health.”
“Sigh! So according to her, she should marry that Xuan? That playboy?”
“Do you really know Jing Xuan, Father?”
“How would I? Wait… that girl must’ve gone to find him!”
“What do you plan to do? Will you really force Qing’er to marry Nishikawa Goro? That might…”
“Nianqing, the Iga family isn’t what it used to be…”
“Father, are we in trouble?”
He didn’t respond.
“If Qing’er refuses, would you still force her?”
“She must be brought back! Now go.”
Nianqing realized from his evasive answer that something serious had happened to the Iga family—serious enough that sacrificing Lan Qing’s happiness was the only way to weather the crisis. But what if… what if she could take Lan Qing’s place?
She quietly left the study and headed toward Nishikawa Goro’s room.
Back in the study, Iga Jonin made a call.
“Check all the airports immediately! If you spot her, don’t alert her. Just follow and protect her in secret. If anything happens to Second Miss, you’ll answer with your life. And if you see that Jing Xuan… kill him.”
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Indeed, Iga Jonin had made his move the moment Lan Qing ran out the door. He immediately froze her bank accounts. She had little cash on her and none of her credit cards worked. Furious, Lan Qing flung her wallet into a fountain and stormed into a pawn shop.
She pawned her diamond brooch and bought the cheapest last-minute ticket to Singapore. Since it was a red-eye flight, the ticket was relatively cheap. During the two-and-a-half-hour wait before boarding, she clutched the ticket tightly and stared at the clock, counting down the time.
The airport at midnight was quiet and empty. Lan Qing wore only a thin coat and was shivering in the cold. She curled up in a seat, hugging her arms, head lowered against the biting wind.
“Just eleven more hours… and I’ll see Xuan again.”
A faint smile of relief crept across her face.
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The flight went relatively smoothly, but when she finally set foot in Singapore, Lan Qing could barely stand. Nearly ten hours of flying, the time difference, no food or water for two meals, and using up all her cash for the ticket had completely drained her. With no money left, she couldn’t even afford a taxi. She wandered the city streets, asking strangers for directions.
Despite her disheveled appearance, Lan Qing’s beauty was striking. Clearly a fallen heiress—vulnerable and alone—she naturally attracted the wrong kind of attention. A few garishly dressed young men began to
tail her through a narrow alley. Lan Qing sensed danger and quickened her pace.
But nothing happened.
Unbeknownst to her, the thugs were silently taken care of by the Iga family’s shadow guards, who had been following and protecting her all along.
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Finally, after much hardship, Lan Qing found Huatian International and Jing Xuan. Upon hearing her story, Jing Xuan’s heart ached. She wrapped her in her arms, gently stroking her head to comfort her.
“You’re safe now. I’ll protect you. You’ve been through so much these past few days…”
Lan Qing clung tightly to her, burying her head in her neck.
“Xuan, will you leave me? I’m so afraid you’ll abandon me…”
“I won’t leave. Don’t worry.”
“Forever?”
“Qing’er, I…”
“I know. You have Fei’er. I don’t care. I won’t compete with her. I just want to stay by your side… that’s enough.”
“Qing’er, why… why put yourself through this?”
“I don’t care anymore! For you, I’ll give up everything—my pride, my status—I don’t need any of it! I just want you!…”
Jing Xuan fell silent. Lan Qing had been through so much just to reach her—her mental state was hanging by a thread. She couldn’t bear to trigger her now. Faced with such a humble plea, she didn’t know how to respond. Lan Qing loved her—deeply, fiercely, and humbly. Jing Xuan cursed herself in her heart. Bastard!
Did she truly feel nothing for her?
Then why did her chest ache the moment she saw her?
“Qing’er, wait here for a moment. I’ll go grab something. Then… we’ll go home.”
“Home?” Lan Qing blinked, as if afraid to believe it.
“Yes, home. Our home.”
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Jing Xuan brought Lan Qing home.
“You’re back, young master! Oh, and this is…?”
“She’s a friend. Had a bit of trouble. Please make something for us to eat and bring it to my room.”
“Of course, young master.”
Hearing her voice, Li Miaolan hurried out, only to freeze when she saw Lan Qing.
“You’re back! And… this must be your fiancée? Right, Xuan?”
Xuan? Calling her that affectionately? This woman couldn’t be up to any good.
Jing Xuan took off her coat and headed to the bathroom to draw a hot bath for Lan Qing. Meanwhile, tension quietly flared between the two women in the sitting room.
“Go take a warm bath. Look at you—you’re all dirty. Afterward, we’ll eat and you can get some rest.”
“Mm… Xuan, she is…? Is she really…?”
“Oh, don’t overthink it. We don’t live together. And… she was part of a trap set up by Jing Cheng. I’ll explain it all to you later.”
Just then, a cheerful ringtone chimed. Jing Xuan picked up her phone.
“Fei’er?”
The moment she said the name, the light in Lan Qing’s eyes dimmed again. Wordlessly, she accepted the bathrobe she handed her and went into the bathroom.
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“What’s wrong? Don’t panic, tell me slowly…”
“Xuan, when are you coming back? Shuangji… something’s happened to her!”
“It might be a while. What happened?”
“Shuangji… she quit.”