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filled Yan Gen when he realized the identity of this person. Female lead ah... why can't you wait for this antagonist to be gone before you decided to go home, he won't stay for long. How could he when he's right inside the tiger's mouth?

While Yan Gen assessed her, Li Mei did the same too. While he feels dread upon seeing Zhilan's mortal enemy that will caused her death, she feels embarrassed and a bit envious in his presence.

"I didn't know that you'll visit the Li estate today"

A light smile graced her lips and her cheeks redden a bit. Li Mei saw Zhilan in some occasions and she admired her beauty. When a girl started to compare herself to someone that isn't her level, she will naturally feel envious and her confidence will lessen by a few points. Even girls couldn't help but admire Zhilan's bewitching face and astounding talent.

Scholars have write poems about her who's not just a pretty face, most of it contained praises if not scorns, for a woman such as she, can cause great changes within the imperial court. This is what the Wei clan intended, in the past generation, a consort Wei caused turmoil and Zhilan will repeat that history. For a woman to have both beauty and talent is definitely not a good thing for she will became a threat.

Li Xia stepped in front of her like a knight as if he's being bullied, lifting her right eyebrow at Li Mei with an upturned chin, arms crossed in front of her chest, intending a fight.

"Why can't she visits on her own? It's not like you're the one she's going to visit. Don't tell me that you're the one who owns this estate thus we need your permission to receive guests?"

Li Xia's tone is full of scorn, to which Li Mei replied in a low voice, feeling wronged, like a pitiful girl who was being ganged up by mean girls.

"No, It's not like that..."

From this point, it looks like they were the one who's bullying Li Mei. Yan Gen was a bit startled at this so he hastily grabbed Li Xia's shoulders to stop her from picking a fight. How could they bully our female lead-sama? They're digging their own graves.

He returned her smile, causing Li Mei to received a slight shock. Zhilan had never regarded her as one she should befriend with, such barbaric woman who doesn't recognized social order and customs, that's why she outrightly ignored her even when she's nearby, Zhilan couldn't bother herself to throw her a glance. She's a sore eyes, and Li Xia also feels the same way.

This female lead is really good at acting innocent and weak. She beat up those hooligans in the street and still bravely walked around outside, unharmed. She can fight those imperial soldiers who dares to abuse the poor yet in front of these elegant and graceful noble young ladies who don't have much fighting experiences and couldn't even hurt a fly, she acted like a beaten up puppy in the corner when they're yet to do something.

"It's nice seeing you too..."

Yan Gen uttered those words, plastering an enchanting smile. He's trying to be nice so he could get out of this predicament. However, it seems like he made it worse. Though his tone was pleasant to hear and his smile is beautiful, the words said held a different meaning. Li Mei is wearing a dirty male outfit, looking flustered after having fun outside while Zhilan look this clean and composed, wearing a beautiful hanfu and fragrant sachet.

His words are dripping in sarcasm, full of mockery. This isn't his intention. Li Xia on the other hand was quite pleased of her backings, she thought that Zhilan will side to her two-faced cousin since she lost her memories. Who knows that her words are much more poisonous than hers? As expected of Zhilan, losing her memories didn't blunt her sharpness.

The atmosphere thicken like dark clouds. Li Mei lowered her eyes, crystal liquids are hanging on her thick lashes. Yan Gen swallowed nervously. What has he done? He needs to get away from his looming death.

"We must go now"

After abruptly saying those words, he grabbed Li Xia's arms and walked passed the bullied female lead. In an otsider's point of view, Zhilan can't bear to see her unsightly image and walked out.

Li Mei stared at his fading figure, the maid by her side comforted her by saying that she can still be friends with Zhilan if she wears a pretty hanfu the next time around they met. That's right, this female lead here wants to be friends with a villainess like him. Troubles will always find Yan Gen even if he wants to avoid it, he will still get entangled with the main characters, willing or not.

When they were finally out of Li Mei's sight, he let out a heavy breath and let go of Li Xia's arms who then lead the way, her steps are light as if she can fly. Upon reaching her courtyard, light snacks are immediately served to him and Li Xia started to fill him informations about Li Mei without him asking.

"You don't know but that cousin of mine is two-faced. Does she think that just because she's the eldest miss of the Li clan from the first main branch, she can easily get away with anything? It angers me that she can do whatever she likes and only received a scolding without being punished because the old madame couldn't bear to see her suffer. Hah, what rubbish! People in this world should all feel suffering and she's no exception. It's not like she'll be sheltered by our maiden home forever, the rest of us worked hard in order not to be called an unfilial child who couldn't appreciate what our parents have given to us, be it clothes, foods, shelter, and education. We have to sit in our lessons for hours to learn the Four Virtues and three obediences of women, if we made a mistake, we received a punishment for not paying attention. She, on the other hand is as free as a cloud, not worrying about anything. It will be good if she learned even one of those three obediences. Her brain is in reverse, the obedience that was taught to us 'obey your father before marriage' makes her more disobedient. She couldn't even write a single paragraph in poetry, her music is horrible, her calligraphy barely passed as readable, much less when it comes to painting. As an eldest miss of the Li, she should be responsible and mastered all those things already, she should be a model for us younger than her yet she became a bad example to us. You tell me, how can this shameless, wild, irresponsible, untalented and stupid girl be favored by the matriarch and the first master? It's simply outrageous... besides, she's also..."

Yan Gen doesn't know when will she came to a stop. The snacks served to him look appetizing but he wants to go home right now. He can't sit properly here, it feels like he's sitting on thorns the longer he stayed here.