Li Yun'er's face was swollen, and even speaking caused her cheeks to ache excruciatingly.
But compared to her deafness, she couldn't care less about the pain on her face.
However, no matter where she hurt, nothing stung her heart more than Han Junyan's words.
A chill as if plunged into an ice cellar sent her falling into a bottomless abyss, and as she felt the coldness approach, her whole body trembled.
Li Yun'er's grip on Han Junyan's hand gradually loosened, and she slumped powerlessly to the ground.
Due to inertia, the skin on her cheek twitched, aggravating the swelling and causing intense pain, yet she remained oblivious to it.
Gazing ahead with vacant eyes, Li Yun'er raised her hand in disbelief to touch her ear, still unable to accept the fact that she was deaf.
"No, it can't be. I can't, can't become deaf, I absolutely cannot..."
Once the most dazzling star in Lancheng, she now found herself in such a predicament, and suddenly didn't know what to do.
Thinking of the instigator, Li Yun'er's unfocused gaze gradually sharpened. The fingers covering her ear curled, then clenched tightly into fists. Gritting her teeth, she uttered, "Meng Jingwei! Meng Jingwei! I... I will never be at peace with you!"
She whispered each word, seemingly with all her strength, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
Han Junyan watched her pain-stricken expression without a trace of sympathy.
Instead, he sneered, "To do what is impossible, you have only yourself to blame." He turned, walked to a chair nearby, and sat down, crossing his legs. His gaze was sharp. "Before coming to the Yin clan, I repeatedly warned you not to provoke Meng Jingwei. Didn't you understand what I meant?"
"I..."
Because of her deafness, Li Yun'er found it difficult to hear him clearly. Her left ear was completely muffled, as if stuffed with cotton, driving her to distraction.
She wanted to angrily refute Han Junyan's words but didn't know what to say.
After a long pause, Han Junyan spoke again, "Do what you should do, and stay away from her. Otherwise, not even the Jade Emperor himself could save you."
The last time at the royal palace's bonfire feast, Meng Jingwei had tried to kill Li Yun'er, and he had provided assistance.
If she weren't still of some use, Han Junyan would never have bothered to save this foolish woman.
"Take care of yourself."
Han Junyan dropped these words, turned, and left the bedroom.
As he reached the living room entrance, he instructed the guards stationed there, "Watch her. Don't let her leave."
"Yes, Mr. Han."
The guards nodded slightly and immediately gestured to others to guard the doorway.
After leaving the residence, Han Junyan drove away, intending to visit Anthony and discuss strategies.
The car weaved through the streets at a slow pace, his gaze constantly scanning the shops lining the road.
Suddenly, several figures caught his eye.
He saw that not far away, at the entrance of a shop, Meng Jingwei waved goodbye to a woman in red. A man stood beside Meng Jingwei.
His hands were tucked into the pockets of his loose, casual pants, and he stood tall, exuding an imposing aura.
Han Junyan adjusted the frame of his gold-rimmed glasses and looked closer. That person... "Tie Zhuzi? No, that's not right!"
The memory of his encounter with 'Tie Zhuzi' at the bonfire feast outside the royal palace suddenly flashed into his mind.
The opponent, merely defending and never attacking, could effortlessly block all his moves.
At the time, he had felt that this man's skills were extraordinary but hadn't thought much of it.
But from this angle, the man called 'Tie Zhuzi' no longer appeared as hunched as he usually did.
Apart from his somewhat darker complexion, ordinary features, and a mole on his face, his build and demeanor were identical to Qing Muye's.