BXBX NOVEL Chapter 57
Similarly, when Zhu Yeqing and Anna read their diaries, in Chen Fan’s eyes, it looked as if they were just daydreaming. This detail was only noticeable due to Zhu Yeqing’s keen observation.
On the other hand, Anna, who had spent a lot of time with Chen Fan, had actually shared many of her thoughts with him face-to-face. Yet, when she initially saw Chen Fan, she told him about having a copy of his diary right away. But the words couldn’t come out, and even if she tried to explain, no sound would emerge.
This made Anna suspicious, wondering if there was some kind of rule at play. After carefully recalling Chen Fan’s resolve to follow the storyline, it all made sense to her.
Some things indeed seemed beyond change, but Anna didn’t feel that she necessarily had to live by the rules of a novel.
[I’m laughing to death, haha! Now I remember—this Anna has a weird fetish.]
[She likes being hit by her man.]
[In other words, the harsher she gets beaten, the more she likes it—a real masochistic tendency.]
[Maybe it’s just a difference in aesthetics between countries. If she were in China, wouldn’t she get criticized to death?]
[A perfectly talented, capable, handsome guy who’s good to you—you don’t like him. But instead, you prefer a guy who would give you a slap in the face and think that’s manly.]
[I’m laughing so hard his boxers are about to fly off.]
[Maybe I should just slap her around a bit when I’m bored?]
Reading this far, Zhu Yeqing was utterly shocked and turned to look at Anna across the way.
“Who would’ve thought, sis, you really play big and wild.”
Anna, completely confused, thought, “Is this really how my character is set up? Is this what I’m supposed to be like? Do I really have nothing better to do than find men to hit me?”
[But Anna’s a pitiful soul too, quite similar to Lin Qingyue—a princess by title but, facing the strength of a large family, destined to become nothing more than a tool.]
[Still, the grand duke treats her well, gives her everything she wants, leaving nothing unmet.]
[And yet, she still resents the grand duke. Alas, that poor man gets killed by Ye Aotian in the end, and Anna even elopes with him.]
[Why not live a comfortable life? Why choose a poor one? Addicted to rebellion or something? Whatever, doesn’t concern me as long as she doesn’t bother me.]
Chen Fan put down his phone and closed his eyes to rest.
Anna, after reading this section of the diary, found herself unable to remain calm for a long time. She had never imagined herself to have such a character setup.
In other words, she would marry someone, betray the man who deeply wanted to marry her, and then finally, utterly ruin him before eloping with Ye Aotian?
“Really? Will I really go that far?”
Although Anna admitted to herself that she indeed had a rebellious streak and wasn’t too fond of certain aspects of royal life, it didn’t mean she was someone despicable to this extent.
The diary clearly conveyed a deep sense of ridicule from Chen Fan, making her recognize his personality all the more. Chen Fan seemed to especially despise people who rely on their family’s resources to enjoy life yet endlessly resent their family for not understanding them.
When the car arrived at its destination, Anna was still unable to make sense of it all, but a slight determination had formed within her heart.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if she initiated a conversation with the grand duke to express her thoughts. But would everything really go as she wished? Obviously not.
The group exited the car, and over here, Chen Fan walked alongside Zhu Yeqing, who linked arms with him.
Anna followed suit, and the three of them walked side by side into the Golden Flower Hotel. The hotel had specially prepared a salon in the banquet area on the top floor.
Although time was tight, the hotel staff, working overtime under Jin Lan’s orders, ensured everything was in place. This so-called salon is also known as a high-class cocktail party.
Many people would attend, making it a prime opportunity for numerous socialites to hook a wealthy husband. Practically every second-generation wealthy heir in Qincheng had been forced to get up early.
William needed to adjust to the time difference, so he decided not to sleep today and play all day. And though wealthy heirs rarely slept until noon, with the orders given, they had no choice but to push through it.
But once they reached the scene and had some drinks, each of them perked up again.
Upon arriving at the venue, Anna and Chen Fan parted ways. Chen Fan’s diary left Anna feeling shaken, and she began to question her entire existence.
Unable to find a direction for her next step, she’d never anticipated becoming such a person in the future. This was indeed a common dilemma—most people, if they could speak to their past selves, would undoubtedly tell them not to become who they are now.
Anna felt the same way; she loved playing, loved sparring, and loved to release energy through fighting, but that didn’t mean she’d turn into a woman who would betray her husband and family. To be with a man who beat her.
Perhaps if she hadn’t known, she might eventually have gone down that path. But now that she knew, she was in agony. Seeing herself from this perspective, she even began to despise her future self.
From an initially hot-tempered girl, she now transformed into a woman tinged with sadness. But in Chen Fan’s eyes, she was simply a lunatic.
Only a lunatic would act this way.
Finding a spot, Chen Fan sat down, picked up a glass of champagne, and sipped quietly, awaiting the arrival of the protagonist and the heroines.
At 11 o’clock, Lin Qingyue, dressed in a white evening gown, entered the scene, captivating everyone’s attention. People exclaimed and sighed, truly, the most beautiful woman in Qincheng had to be her.
Meanwhile, Jin Lan had yet to appear, which made Chen Fan curious, as this character was indispensable at this point in the timeline. When Jin Lan entered the scene wearing a purple qipao, everyone was stunned.
Chen Fan spat out his drink.
“Damn it, I left the house without my meds; anyone have any on them?”
Chen Fan anticipated Jin Lan’s arrival but had never seen her in a qipao before. It wasn’t just Chen Fan; even the author of the novel wouldn’t know how to describe Jin Lan.
The novel described Jin Lan as a fully mature woman with a figure that rivaled a twenty-year-old’s and an alluring gaze brimming with sensuality.
She exuded a distinct official vibe, but there were also details that described her in subtle terms—a figure not losing to anyone and curves that could rival Western beauty standards.
When reading the novel, Chen Fan had imagined this type of woman with curvaceous hips, knowing she would look amazing in a qipao.
Beautiful.
However, seeing someone truly wearing it was rare, as in official circles, most women wore suits or uniforms. Appearing in this outfit today, Jin Lan gave off the vibe of a woman from the Republican era.
Perhaps this was what the “Thirteen Slits” would look like.
[TN: 十三衩 (Thirteen Slits): This term describes a traditional high-slit cheongsam (qipao) that was popular in the Republic of China era, often perceived as elegant and bold.]
Several wealthy young men immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look at Jin Lan. Looking at Lin Qingyue was fine since she was a peer, but staring at Jin Lan would mean staring at a senior.