A whirlwind marriage: The real heiress marries a warlord.

Qin Yan went to the newspaper office.

Before starting work, she discussed this matter with Ling Manyun.

Ling Manyun felt a chill run down her spine: "This person kills people like chickens, his methods are so vicious it's appalling. He fell into your hands, and this time he might be back specifically to take revenge on you."

Qin Yan: "Possibly."

"What are you planning to do?"

"If anything seems amiss, assassinate him," Qin Yan said.

It's time for her to be exposed.

She could assassinate Liu Jinyao to let the second concubine know about her, causing panic in the second concubine and forcing her to take the first action.

The one who strikes first will expose more weaknesses.

Two years ago the timing wasn't right, but now it is.

"That's how it should be," Ling Manyun said. "But don't underestimate him. He's not some incompetent official waiting to be killed. He's not easy to deal with."

"I'll be careful," Qin Yan said.

I'm serious.

Qin Yan then said, "I haven't let my guard down either."

However, Qin Yan never thought she could escape unscathed during any assassination attempt. She was willing to die, as long as her objective was achieved.

The same applies this time.

If she can do a good job, even if she dies, Luo Tang can take over the handling of the royalist party's affairs. Luo Tang has done a lot of preparation over the years; she didn't come empty-handed.

Qin Yan has a way out.

Therefore, her words were particularly confident, leading Ling Manyun to mistakenly believe that she did not take it to heart.

"Okay, you must be careful," Ling Manyun said.

Liu Jinyao rose from humble beginnings as a local thug to the position of Chief of the Garrison Command, enjoying great success and prestige. He probably still can't accept that intellectuals could destroy everything he had achieved.

Like a glass of water, he saw how soft she was, but he never expected that she would suddenly stir up a huge wave.

He misjudged Qin Yan.

As they were talking, the florist downstairs brought fresh roses upstairs.

Ling Manyun helped Qin Yan put the flowers in the tubing: "Fresh ones look better."

Qin Yan stared blankly at the roses in the vase for a while.

She then looked away and continued with her work.

The morning went by quickly.

The phone rang at noon; it was Xiang Linzi calling Qin Yan.

"Miss Ling asked me to go to the newspaper office, may I go?" she asked.

Qin Yan said, "Since it was Miss Ling who sent you the letter of appointment, of course you can come."

Xiang Linzi was very happy.

Qin Yan's mind wasn't on work these past few days. Apart from carefully reviewing the sample copies of the newspaper, she simply signed off on all other personnel matters without looking at them in detail.

The newspaper is hiring recently, looking for clerks and chief writers.

Thinking of this, Qin Yan flipped through some documents on the table and indeed saw some appointment letters that she had signed yesterday.

Xiang Linzi is one of them.

Xiang Linzi can start work within three days.

However, she arrived at noon that day and specially treated Qin Yan to a meal.

She said seriously, "Once I start working, I'll be your subordinate, so I can't easily invite the company president to dinner. Right now, you're still my cousin-in-law, so you can invite her."

Qin Yan said, "Okay."

The two of them had a simple meal at a restaurant downstairs.

"Does your family know?" Qin Yan asked her.

Xiang Linzi: "I told my parents and my brother. They didn't agree."

Qin Yan: "..."

"But what does it matter? I told them my cousin-in-law asked me to go to work, and they disagreed, so I had to put up with it," Xiang Linzi said.

Qin Yan: "..."

Xiang Linzi pushed over a jewelry box containing a beautiful yellow sapphire ring: "Sister-in-law, you can't fire me."

"This is bribery," Qin Yan said.

"I'm giving you a gift," Xiang Linzi said with a grin. "I'll put it on you."

Qin Yan rarely wears any jewelry to work, not even a watch.

Xiang Linzi insisted on putting it on her wrist, and she did not refuse, which could be considered as accepting her bribe.

Qin Yan also reminded her, "You're a junior editor; you might not be able to afford this ring even with ten years' salary."

The yellow sapphire is quite large and very valuable.

"It's alright, a lot of my jewelry was given to me by my aunt. I'll ask her for some more next time I go to her place," Xiang Linzi said.

Qin Yan accepted it.

When she returned home that day, Cheng Tianxun immediately noticed the ring on her hand: "Did you go to buy jewelry?"

"No, it was a gift from Lin Zi."

She briefly recounted Xiang Linzi's story.

Cheng Tianxun took her hand and examined it for a moment: "It's quite pretty."

He was moved by her feelings, took her hand, and touched her fingertips with his lips.

Qin Yan froze.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't really like it this way," she said.

To dispel this strange feeling, she leaned in and kissed Cheng Tianxun's lips right there in the living room.

The maids are still there.

Cheng Tianxun was stunned.

As Qin Yan was about to put down her handbag, Cheng Tianxun pulled her close, picked her up, and carried her upstairs.

Qin Yan: "..."

She hasn't had dinner yet.

The couple got along very well this time, enjoying a pleasant and harmonious time together.

"Qin Yan, your nails are well done," he said.

Qin Yan had fair skin, long, slender fingers, and short, neatly trimmed nails. Because of her fair skin, a touch of pink on her fingernails gave off a pearly sheen.

very nice.

He looked at Qin Yan's hands, and Qin Yan looked at his hands as well.

To ease his discomfort, Qin Yan kissed the back of his hand.

"Want to do it again?" Cheng Tianxun's eyes narrowed, and he tried to subdue her.

Qin Yan: "I don't want to."

She added, "We agreed that we can kiss even when we don't want to."

Sometimes, I just want to touch him with my lips.

Cheng Tianxun held her tightly.

He said, "Qin Yan, I'm not angry, and I'm not throwing a tantrum at you."

Qin Yan: ?

"You lent your small mansion to your friend; that's a matter of friendship between you and Madam Qin, and it has nothing to do with anyone else," he said.

Qin Yan pondered his words carefully and asked, "Do you mind?"

"Um."

"Because of Luo Qisheng?"

"Because of men's pettiness," Cheng Tianxun said. "That's my problem, not yours."

Cheng Tianxun felt like he was spreading a love plague.

That's how people with this "illness" are; they get angry and jealous for no reason, and they can't help but blow things out of proportion over the smallest things.

Qin Yan's behavior was perfectly appropriate; she was considerate in every aspect.

She bought that small mansion and almost never mentioned it again; the person staying there happened to be Luo Qisheng's aunt, and it was understandable that the aunt wanted to stay next door to her nephew temporarily.

Cheng Tianxun's anger was unfounded.

Therefore, regardless of gender, being infected with the "love plague" is extremely dangerous.

He repeatedly warned Qin Yan not to do this; but he never expected that he would be the one to fall into the trap.

Plague, also called "epidemic," like the common cold, gradually ends over time.

It won't take too long, seven or eight days, or one or two months.

Cheng Tianxun did not continue discussing this matter.

He thought that once his plague was over, he and Qin Yan would still be a wonderful couple, perfectly suited to each other.

It's relaxing and enjoyable, yet it won't hold you back.

"Qin Yan, I might be acting strangely for a while. Please be patient with me, at least for three months. I'll remember your kindness," Cheng Tianxun said.

In three months, the plague should be over.

Qin Yan said, "Okay."

She didn't understand, but she could do as she was told.

The next day, Cen Yan called Cheng Tianxun, wanting to invite the couple to dinner.

"Just tell me what you need. I have to go to Yicheng in a few days for the warlord. There's a lot to do and time is tight," Cheng Tianxun said.

"Lin Zi has started working at your sister-in-law's newspaper. I'd like to ask your sister-in-law to look after Lin Zi a little. If you're not free, how about I treat your sister-in-law to a meal alone?" Cen Yan asked.

Cheng Tianxun: "It'll only take the time of a meal. I'm free. I'll come to your private residence for a meal; you can order a whole table of food."

Cen Yan: "..."

You're even guarding against me?

You filthy person!