A whirlwind marriage: The real heiress marries a warlord.

In Qin Yan's memory, her adoptive father, Ye Xianting, was never home when she was a child. She would only see him occasionally during holidays.

It seems to be saying that he was serving as an official in another region.

As for what official position he would hold, Qin Yan wasn't told at the time, so she didn't know.

Mrs. Ye passed away when Qin Yan was ten years old, and Ye Xianting began to reside permanently in Yicheng. However, the older children in the family were not familiar with him.

He was very busy and always had social engagements. The children went to school during the day and came home in the evening, so their schedules didn't coincide with his.

He soon married a new wife.

The new wife was a mean, shrewish, and irritable woman, but her dowry was very generous, and Ye Xianting tolerated her in every way.

Besides Qin Yan, the Ye family also has several children and concubines, and everyone is having a hard time.

Later, the new wife also died.

When the new wife was holding her funeral, Qin Yan was entering and leaving the front hall when Ye Xianting's friend had his eyes fixed on her like hooks.

Qin Yan felt something was amiss and secretly went to Ye Xianting's study to eavesdrop.

The man promised Ye Xianting a promotion, but Ye Xianting would need to offer two large yellow croakers as a bribe.

Ye Xianting also needs to give Qin Yan to him as a concubine.

That official, I heard, is extremely lucrative; he could amass mountains of gold and silver in three years.

Qin Yan was very thin. She hid in the cabinet in Ye Xianting's outer study and saw Ye Xianting going around trying to raise money.

He was overjoyed to have exchanged his money for two large yellow croakers.

The household finances were temporarily managed by a concubine. She was a decent person, flattering Ye Xianting and sharing any benefits she received with the children.

"Take some money and buy some fashionable clothes for the third daughter. She's a grown woman now, she should be dressed up nicely," Ye Xianting said to the concubine.

The concubine hesitated for a moment: "Zhi Shu is still a child, she hasn't even had her period yet. There's no need to dress her up, the supervisor at the girls' middle school is very strict."

"It looks pretty," Ye Xianting said casually.

The concubine looked somewhat surprised.

She took the money and left, not daring to try to persuade him further.

Qin Yan remained huddled in the cabinet for several hours without moving, until Ye Xianting went to the inner courtyard to sleep, at which point she pried open his safe.

Having obtained two large yellow croakers, Qin Yan, carrying his schoolbag, left the Ye family.

"...I don't know what happened after that. Seeing Ye Xianting still trying to make money everywhere, you can tell he didn't become a decent official back then," Qin Yan said.

She put it very simply.

Cheng Tianxun then realized that Qin Yan didn't remember much about the old days in Yicheng.

Qin Yan appears cold on the outside, but is actually sensitive and gentle on the inside, and can accept the kindness of others.

If a person's heart still has warmth, it means that she is not too tormented by the past; while the past is heavy and painful for children, like an endless rainy season, hot and humid.

It can torment a person beyond recognition, or harden their heart like a rock. Qin Yan is not like that.

The only possibility is that Qin Yan deliberately forgot these things.

She forced herself to forget the past, the good and the bad.

She tried her best to live and move forward.

She only remembers a few things; or she only recalls some details when a scene evokes memories.

The ability to forget pain is also a talent.

"The Lan family will change their tune and acknowledge your identity," Cheng Tianxun said. "Qin Yan, you can stop here."

Qin Yan thought about it seriously and said, "Okay."

He added, "Actually, it shouldn't have come to this. Lan Changming gave me money."

"Twenty thousand silver dollars is not enough."

"I agreed to the terms myself. If I promised and now I'm complaining that it's not enough, that would be going back on my word," Qin Yan said.

Cheng Tianxun felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Back at the villa, he hugged Qin Yan tightly and held her close for a long time.

Qin Yan didn't move either.

The following day, all the newspapers in the southern part of the city reported on the incident.

The most surprised were Xiang Linchuan and Xiang Linzi.

The brother and sister arrived at Cheng Tianxun's villa early in the morning.

Cheng Tianxun said to them, "If you had half the diligence you have in anything else, you two could both become outstanding individuals."

The Xiang siblings ignored his sarcastic remarks and only asked Qin Yan if the matter was true.

"It's true."

"This is so unfair," Xiang Linzi said. "Lan Muhe is living a very comfortable life. None of the rich young ladies in the city have the same airs as her."

She spent money like water during her school years, earning a large following. Looking back now, that was the life you should have lived.

Xiang Linchuan added, "Anyway, we don't mess with her. Lan Zheng is cunning and clever, bullying people without batting an eye; Lan Jun is reckless and belligerent, and they're very protective of their own. There are also a pair of twins."

He added, "So it turns out she's usurped someone else's place; all the good life she's living is stolen."

The Xiang siblings both expressed their sympathy for Qin Yan.

Qin Yan felt a warmth in her heart and invited them to stay for breakfast. Seeing that she was in a good mood, Cheng Tianxun didn't send them away.

He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it.

"I'm leaving now, I'm very busy this morning," Cheng Tianxun said.

Xiang Linchuan noticed his gold pocket watch and immediately said, "Second brother, let me see what time it is."

"You want to see the portraits inside, right? You have a sharp eye." Cheng Tianxun stood up and straightened his cuffs.

"Let me see it."

Cheng Tianxun ignored him, carefully put the pocket watch away, and went out.

After telling her gossip, Xiang Linzi took Qin Yan's car to the newspaper office, leaving Xiang Linchuan behind.

However, Xiang Linchuan had countless events to attend, and he was very busy. He picked up the newspaper and left.

With the Xiang siblings' encouragement, even powerful figures who hadn't seen the newspapers became aware of the matter.

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

Lan Muhe's interpersonal relationships were generally poor. Even though she was always smiling and had a fair, round face that was quite pleasing to the eye.

After spending a lot of time with her, no one can stand her.

She's spoiled, has a bad temper, and speaks with a sharp tongue that cuts right to the heart; yet she's oblivious to it. The condescending attitude behind her smile is unbearable for anyone.

At first, some people had ulterior motives towards her and were willing to tolerate her; but after spending more time with her, they found that it was extremely difficult to take advantage of her.

I was delighted to suddenly hear that she was a fake.

"It seems everyone knows that the real daughter of the Lan family married Young Marshal Cheng. They just haven't said it out loud because of face-saving."

"How could someone of unknown identity marry Cheng Tianxun? It turns out she's a daughter of the Lan family."

This matter has caused quite a stir.

Newspapers with good relations with Qin Yan only accepted the Lan family's request to publish articles; other tabloids took the opportunity to write many rumors.

"The warlord is quite enthusiastic about this matter," Qin Yan said.

Because the military government took over Ye Xianting's case. His dispute with the Transportation Bureau should not have alarmed the warlord.

"He seemed very angry, but he couldn't take it out on Lan Changming, so he could only vent his anger on the Ye family," Cheng Tianxun said.

Qin Yan didn't understand: "Why is he angry?"

"He didn't know you were Lan Changming and Du's daughter; he just thought you were an illegitimate child," Cheng Tianxun said. "Otherwise, you might have married Cheng Tianyu."

Qin Yan thought for a moment.

Cheng Tianxun turned his head to look at her: "What, you think it's okay?"

"No," Qin Yan said seriously, "I don't want to be a mother to my husband and find a baby to be my husband."

Cheng Tianxun couldn't help but chuckle: "You've learned to be sharp-tongued from Lin Chuan."

Qin Yan looked back at him: "Do I really need to go and learn from Lin Chuan?"

"Are you indirectly insulting me?"

"What I mean is, I just want to find a real man to be my husband," Qin Yan said.

She spoke with a very serious expression.

Cheng Tianxun was overjoyed, lifted her chin and kissed her: "Good taste, Mrs. Cheng."