Chapter 1168 — Qiu Lingshan's Refusal: Xie Yufeng Crouched on the Ground, Clutching His Head — the Instant He Heard Qiu Lingshan Say So, He Knew He Could No Longer Keep Up the Act. All He Could Do Was Raise His Head, Limp to His Feet, and Say, "Qiu Lingshan, I'm Yufeng... Yufeng of the Yu family..."

As he spoke, Xie Yufeng reached out his hand, about to take Qiu Lingshan's in greeting.

"The Yu family? Yufeng? What are you doing here?" Qiu Lingshan started slightly, never expecting to run into a man of the Yu family here — and still less understanding how someone from the Yu family had come to be her fiance.

Seeing that Qiu Lingshan had no intention of shaking his hand, Xie Yufeng grew rather awkward. "Lingshan, Grandpa Song must have told you about us, hasn't he? I was hoping to invite you out tomorrow, so I came ahead of time to scout the place..."

"Wait — what do you mean, 'us'? What about us? What did my grandfather tell me?" Qiu Lingshan cut him off, brow furrowed tight, and demanded as she stared at him.

"Our marriage, of course. My father has already settled it with Grandpa Song — the match is arranged..." Xie Yufeng, too, was taken aback by her words; he had never imagined that Qiu Lingshan knew nothing of it. Could it be that the Song family had not spoken to her yet?

"How could I know nothing of such a thing?" Qiu Lingshan regarded Xie Yufeng coldly, finding him thoroughly unreliable — could this fellow be an impostor? She was betrothed to a scion of the Yu family and knew nothing whatsoever of it herself; what in the world was going on?

"Er..." Qiu Lingshan's question caught Xie Yufeng off guard as well, though he did not panic. "Call Grandpa Song, and you'll see for yourself whether what I've said is true or false!"

Things having gone this far, and the two of them having already come face to face, Xie Yufeng no longer cared how wretched he looked; whatever else happened, the matter had to be pinned down first.

"Liu Wangli, keep an eye on these three. I'm going to make a call." Qiu Lingshan's face flickered with uncertainty. She could not yet judge whether the man before her truly belonged to the Yu family, but from his confident bearing it was very likely the truth — yet when, in all this time, had she ever been betrothed to a son of the Yu family?

"Yes, Captain Song!" Liu Wangli posted men to keep watch on Xie Yufeng and his two companions, and at the same time clicked his tongue to himself: No way — someone here to steal another man's girl? And from the sound of it, the man's family and the Captain's were old family friends? Then what was to become of Wei Zhao?

Qiu Lingshan strode back to the police car with a dark face and quickly dialled her grandfather Song Xiangwen's number.

"Shanshan, what brings you to call your grandfather?" Song Xiangwen picked up the phone, delight in his voice. Qiu Lingshan had become the old master Song's pride, and so every time her call came through, his spirits were high.

"Grandpa, a man claims to be Yufeng of the Yu family, and says he is my fiance. What is all this about?" Qiu Lingshan had no time for pleasantries and asked straight out.

"Oh? Hehe, Yufeng of the Yu family — now there's a fine young man! Well, Shanshan, satisfied? Your grandfather chose him by your own standard; among the younger generation, the only one who surpasses you is Yufeng!" Song Xiangwen said with a laugh. "He's an expert at the mid-stage of the Xuan Rank!"

"Mid-stage of the Xuan Rank?" Qiu Lingshan started slightly. This Yufeng was rather formidable, to possess such strength! Yet for all that she thought well of his power, she felt not the slightest stirring in her heart. Never mind that her heart was already spoken for — even had it not been, she would never have looked twice at this Xie Yufeng!

On first impressions alone, Qiu Lingshan's opinion of Xie Yufeng was appallingly low: beaten until he looked like a bloodied gourd, and hiding it for fear she would find out — what sort of man was that? Daring to act but not to own it? Nowhere near Wei Zhao!

When Wei Zhao was hurt, he was simply hurt; he had never put on any act with her. That was a real man. One look at that womanish Xie Yufeng told her he was no good!

"So? Satisfied, are you?" Song Xiangwen said not without pride. An alliance by marriage with the Yu family was heaven-sent good fortune; the Song family's standing from here on could be counted as secure as an angler in his boat. So long as Qiu Lingshan moved among them to smooth the way, the Song family would certainly remain one of the Nine Great Families — and might even rise in the ranks!

"Grandpa, how can you decide my affairs for me? I don't like this Yufeng, and I won't marry him!" Qiu Lingshan made no attempt to conceal her feelings and stated her position outright. On such a matter she could not dissemble; she had to make her wishes known as quickly as possible, for the longer it dragged on, the worse it would become!

"Shanshan, whatever for? Didn't you say that your man must be stronger than you? Yufeng satisfies that condition — his strength far exceeds yours. Doesn't that meet your requirements exactly? And he is of the Yu family, a match in standing; to my mind this is the greatest of good fortune. Why aren't you satisfied?" Song Xiangwen asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Grandpa, affection cannot be forced. I have no feelings for him — none at all. I don't like him!" Qiu Lingshan said with finality.

"Shanshan, this marriage your grandfather has arranged for you — every great family envies it!" Song Xiangwen said, his expression turning grave. "Shanshan, feeling is something that can be cultivated; but a junior as outstanding as Yufeng you couldn't find even by lantern light!"

"Grandpa... I already have someone in my heart..." Qiu Lingshan set her teeth and said.

"Someone in your heart?" Song Xiangwen froze for a moment, his face darkening. "Who is it? Don't tell me it's that boy from the Chen family?"

"Oh, Grandpa, just don't ask!" Qiu Lingshan naturally could not name Wei Zhao. For one thing, his identity was not to be exposed yet; for another, he already had a girlfriend, and she could hardly tell her grandfather that she meant to become his secondary wife.

"This matter, however you look at it, was settled between me and the head of the Yu family — Yufeng's father, Yu Shuixing. It cannot be changed, unless that Chen boy can force Yufeng to withdraw of his own accord, which is plainly impossible!" Song Xiangwen said evenly. "Shanshan, I hope you won't be willful, and don't forget what you've always stood for! Enough said — the rest is up to you. The matter is settled!"

"Grandpa!" Qiu Lingshan stared at the disconnected phone in her hand, seething. What had come over the grandfather who had always doted on her? Was the family's interest really so important? Was the Yu family really that wonderful?

She sighed, though she was not all that worried. So what if it was the Yu family? Hadn't Wei Zhao beaten one of them to death and left another wounded? Qiu Lingshan believed that if Wei Zhao truly cared for her, he would never let her marry into the Yu family — only she was not yet certain of that.

Still, matters between her and Wei Zhao were plainly going well. At the very least, their relationship had gone from open enmity to good friendship, and then a step beyond friendship — as for becoming lovers, they were already very close indeed.

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