Arranged marriages are often coded as forced marriage. As far as Lu Xingyan knew, half of the marriages worldwide are arranged even to this day, some good, most bad. Even to this age, it is used to strengthen two families' relationships and business.
As for Han Yehan's case, Lu Xingyan could already guess that it was because of strengthening his family. She could only guess that whoever was arranged for him, it is probably a woman who came from a family that has a connection with the Azure Republic.
"After giving them your word, you're finally trying to break it after getting what you wanted?" Even if she sounded like she was against his request, she has actually made up her mind in helping him out of it already.
He lowered his head, "I can't just let her control my life anymore, you know."
Lu Xingyan furrowed her brows in confusion. "Her?"
He smiled a bit, clenching his fists as he did. He was quiet for a while, not giving her any answers.
"Xiao Ye?"
A sigh was heard from him before he finally looked at her, "Are you going to pretend or not?"
Just by looking at him, she knew that she won't be able to hear everything out from him at that moment. It was not like she was going to force him especially when she can somehow see the sadness in his eyes. "I already said that I'm going to help you, you know." She reached out and patted his head, "For now how about we go back to this?" She asked as she turned her gaze back to the books that were on the table.
He looked at the books as well before chuckling, "Yeah, I would like that."
She took her note filled with the information she gained concerning the sketches she has drawn.
It was weekend so they had all the time they need in searching for pieces of information related to her sketches. That was their plan in the first place. The library was open even during weekends and since Han Yehan promised to help her, they began working on it.
As lunchtime came, they went out to have their lunch in a restaurant located near the school. While they were eating their food, Han Yehan suddenly remembered something, making him place the chopsticks down.
"I knew it."
Lu Xingyan paused and turned to him upon hearing his words, "Knew what?"
"That logo. No wonder it looked familiar, it's a family crest. In fact, It's the Murong family crest."
"Murong family? What do you mean by Murong family?" She asked in confusion, obviously, she never heard of such family.
"As far as I know, that family is one of the founders of the Azure Republic. Members of the family, including their servants, usually have a tattoo of their family's crest. The only thing that differs their positions is the coloring of the tattoo. It's..." He paused upon realizing something. His face suddenly turned serious as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't tell me that... You saw someone with this kind of tattoo?"
She slightly shook her head, "No, I haven't seen it from someone."
"Then how did you know of that crest?" He asked with a frown. It was impossible to draw something like that unless she has seen it.
Lu Xingyan pursed her lips, she was hesitant whether or not to tell him that it was from her dream.
"Xiao Xing, where did you see it?" He inquired once again with his scrutinizing gaze.
She sighed in defeat as she finally confessed, "Believe it or not, I just saw it from my dream."
"Your dream?"
She nodded as she honestly replied, "Yes. You already know that most of the sketches I have are from my dreams..."
Han Yehan was quiet for a while. He didn't know whether to believe her but if it is Lu Xingyan, he knew that she wouldn't lie on something like this especially when she, herself, was searching for an answer concerning the sketches she made.
He heaved out a heavy sigh, "It won't appear in your dream if you haven't seen it from somewhere... or someone."
"Why? What is the deal with the Murong family?" She was curious about it especially when she noticed how tensed Han Yehan became after he remembered that the logo she drew was related to the Murong family.
It was only normal for Han Yehan to hesitate especially when he knew how dangerous the family is.
What was more alarming was that... the Murong family is supposed to be gone. All members of the family should be dead while the family's followers were either locked up or dead unless there were others who went in hiding?
"Xiao Ye?" Lu Xingyan's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What is it?"
"I don't think I should be telling you about them." He faced his food and picked up his chopsticks.
The brows above her eyes ended up knitting together into a frown at what he said. "You have to tell me."
"There's nothing important to know." He replied before he continued eating the rest of the food in front of him.
"That is for me to decide." She insisted.
Han Yehan didn't say a word since he was eating and this only annoyed Lu Xingyan.
"Xiao Ye."
He paused from taking a sip from his drink as he glanced at her and said, "I'll tell you later. You should finish your food first."
Lu Xingyan turned to the remaining food on her plate. She was not hungry anymore but before she could say a word and persist from asking, she was interrupted by him, "I will tell you back at the library."
The sides of her lips were stretched into a straight line but there was no use in arguing back especially when he has already told her that he will tell her.
She picked up her chopsticks and continued eating the rest of the food.