Marrying the Short-Lived, Maniacal Eldest Miss for Good Fortune 16

Chapter 16

“Mmm…”

The young lady’s soft murmur was like a dream. She slowly tightened her wrist, pressing her cheek very close, and said in a muffled voice, “It doesn’t hurt anymore like this.”

The overly intimate gesture made Fang Yi a little awkward.

She was rarely this close to anyone, especially with their chests pressed together, almost able to feel each other’s heartbeats. The temperature was also rising, it was just—too strange.

It was like entrusting their lives to each other.

Fang Yi subconsciously felt she should pull away to ensure safety, but she couldn’t pinpoint where this sense of danger came from.

In her past life, she had raised a cat.

The little thing was a dark, fluffy ball she had picked up from the ruins. In winter, it would crawl into her arms for warmth, right by her heart, its head just peeking out from the collar of her windbreaker for air.

But one day, it got infected and grew sticky, jointed tentacles—that must have been very painful, its fur was soaked with tears or blood—it stumbled towards Fang Yi.

“Chirp!”

It hadn’t completely mutated yet. It could still recognize its owner in a crowd, and its cry was exactly the same as the night before in her arms.

For a moment, Fang Yi really thought about catching it.

But it was only for a moment.

She still fulfilled her duty, pulled the trigger, and a mist of blood exploded. Amidst her teammates’ gasps, she didn’t even spare it a second glance.

“Fang Yi, your heart is beating so fast,” the young lady looked up, placing her palm on the soft rise and fall of her chest.

Heartbeat… can she feel it here too?

The drumming grew more and more rapid.

She had been alone for too long. In a close embrace, the first thing she thought of was parting.

She didn’t know what this state meant. Even her breathing became uncontrollable, as if, as if she were sick…

Fang Yi’s whole body was incredibly stiff. She quickly pushed away the approaching young lady and, to cover up her gaffe, blurted out, “Heart disease.”

Such a heart rate was indeed too fast, higher than normal.

The playful mood that had been rising was instantly shattered, the romantic atmosphere gone.

Lin Shuxing let out a soft grunt from being pushed, but she didn’t have time to pursue the matter. She nervously grabbed Fang Yi’s wrist, “Really?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

“…”

“Just kidding.”

The young lady’s expression changed. She angrily grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. “How could you say such a thing!!”

Her health was poor, so she naturally knew how uncomfortable it was to be sick.

But Fang Yi was used to spouting nonsense, without any scruples, and hadn’t yet realized why the young lady was so angry.

By the time she reacted, the door in front of her had already slammed shut, shaking the entire corridor.

Fang Yi rubbed her nose.

The System was scared and urged her in a small voice: [Let’s go, her expression just now was terrifying. You’re lucky you didn’t get slapped!]

[Please, little mouth, shut up! Such a good atmosphere, don’t be naughty when someone is flirting!!]

“…”

Fang Yi looked back at the closed bedroom door, nodded, but it was unclear what she had understood. In her dark eyes, an emotion rose and fell.

She pursed her lips, tidied up her chaotic state, and went downstairs.

The hierarchical structure of the Lin family was a bit like a pyramid. The lights at the corners of the stairs never went out. The servants in uniform were like programmed procedures, always operating in an orderly manner according to the master’s wishes.

Just a few steps away, the silence of the second floor descended, landing on the golden chandelier.

Smack—

A somewhat harsh male voice followed, piercing the established tranquility.

“How can you not even do such a small thing right.”

“Such hot water, can the first brew of tea be drunk? Ignorant!”

Fang Yi glanced over and found that the originally empty dining room was surprisingly lively.

“How can you take care of the young lady like this? No wonder she’s never at peace.” The drawn-out tone was full of contempt and ridicule.

“I’m sorry…”

Duan Ruoxi’s voice was already soft and gentle. Now it was even lower than the dust, trembling with anxiety.

“In my opinion, you and that charlatan are all in it together. What exactly are you trying to do by infiltrating our Lin family?”

“Hehe, something like this happened as soon as you arrived. Who knows if you added something to the food?”

“Pour it all out for me.”

“Remember, the ones with the surname Lin are your masters. This is the Lin family residence. Not just anyone can be presumptuous here!”

No matter what the man said, Duan Ruoxi kept repeating “I’m sorry.” He was performing a one-man show and finally found it boring. He lifted his foot:

“Wipe it clean. I have business to attend to today, so I won’t bother with you.”

Duan Ruoxi didn’t hesitate at all and immediately bent down to wipe. The back of her hand, which had just been scalded red, had already developed a few small blisters after the man’s long lecture.

The man was Lin Lan’s brother, Lin Chong.

Although he had been sent to a remote courtyard after the family division, he was not someone these small characters could afford to provoke.

At first, Lin Chong had maintained some decency, feigning concern and asking a few questions about Lin Shuxing’s condition. When he learned that Lin Shuxing hadn’t left her room all day, he slowly revealed his fangs.

Lin Lan wasn’t here, and Lin Shuxing was sick. It was as if he could be the master here.

Duan Ruoxi had been happily making small cakes. The man took a bite, then asked her to pour tea. No matter how she poured it, he was not satisfied, spouting nonsense about the art of tea.

Finally, he slapped the scalding hot tea onto Duan Ruoxi’s hand, shattering the cup, and then accused her of being clumsy.

His black leather shoes hovered over the remains of the bone china cup. He rested his chin on one hand, enjoying the sight of Duan Ruoxi pitifully wiping his shoes with her cuff.

“Is this how you usually serve the young lady?”

He continued to speculate in a vicious tone, “You guys have it so easy, don’t you? You can just lie down and get paid by coaxing a little girl. It’s not so easy for me, her uncle.”

Lin Lan’s control over him was very strict. She had only given him a small company, barely enough to get by, and he had to watch others’ faces when doing things.

Decades ago, as the young master of the Lin family, when had he ever been so pathetic!

This time, Duan Ruoxi didn’t reply. After wiping woodenly, she was about to leave.

Lin Chong’s face darkened. “Who told you to leave? Did I say you could?”

“Got a little bit of favor and you really think you’re the master?”

Before he could finish, he stomped his foot, viciously grinding it down on Duan Ruoxi’s hand.

Duan Ruoxi’s head was bowed. She didn’t dare to dodge, watching in despair as the porcelain shards on the floor got closer and closer.

The chair under the man was suddenly kicked hard, letting out a piercing wail.

It all happened too fast. He was suspended in mid-air for a moment, his expression momentarily blank, then he lost all his strength and fell heavily.

“Aiyo! Who, who ambushed me?! Butler, security!!”

The butler ignored him and turned to bow slightly to Fang Yi.

Fang Yi raised her hand, her gaze falling on the red mark on the back of Duan Ruoxi’s hand. She pulled her to the sink to rinse it.

When Lin Chong heard that Fang Yi was Lin Shuxing’s fiancée, a venomous light immediately burst from his eyes, as if he wanted to pierce her through.

In the past, Lin Shuxing had always been the default next head of the house. The main family’s power was paramount. Even he, her uncle, couldn’t say a word against her.

But now, Lin Shuxing’s position as the heir was not stable, let alone this commoner woman who had married in!

Cold water rinsed the scalded skin. Duan Ruoxi’s head was bowed as she said guiltily, “I’m sorry… Did I cause trouble? That person is Lin Chong, the young lady’s uncle.”

“It’s fine,” Fang Yi said with no expression, reaching into her crossbody bag with one hand. “This burn is a bit serious. Rinse it for ten minutes before applying ointment.”

Fang Yi’s crossbody bag looked small, but it had a world of its own inside, stuffed with many things.

At this moment, as she reached into the right side, the hard outline of something could be vaguely seen on the bag.

Duan Ruoxi watched Fang Yi’s movements, her face hesitant. She pressed down on the hand Fang Yi was about to pull out of the bag. “Don’t get into a conflict with him. I’m fine. After all, they pay a lot. This kind of thing will heal quickly.”

She forced a smile, looking carefree. “If he doesn’t make things difficult, I’d feel a little uneasy taking such a high monthly salary.”

Duan Ruoxi looked weak, but her strength was surprisingly great. It was as if all her strength was concentrated in that iron hand, and for a moment, even Fang Yi couldn’t move.

“…”

Fang Yi noticed the small, old scars on Duan Ruoxi’s hand. “It’s ointment.”

“Ah, ointment!” Duan Ruoxi was a little surprised, her gaze drifting to the side. “Amazing. Why do you carry these things with you?”

She quickly let go and resumed her gentle and soft appearance.

Fang Yi was finally able to hand her the half-tube of burn ointment that had been squeezed out of shape.

“What did you think it was?”

Duan Ruoxi smiled foolishly and didn’t answer.

Fang Yi gave her a deep look but didn’t probe into what was hidden beneath her smile. She only asked, “Are you short on money? Make him pay you for medical expenses.”

“This is what you deserve. We are employed by Lin Lan. To be intentionally injured on the job, we can claim compensation.”

When the butler had turned and nodded just now, Fang Yi could see that Lin Chong’s status in the Lin family was not high.

That’s why he only dared to vent his anger on the employees below him.

A cowardly fool who’s all bark and no bite.

“Mmm,” Duan Ruoxi blinked slowly. “Can I?”

“Yes. Don’t say anything later. Just listen to me.”

Fang Yi turned and walked toward Lin Chong, dialing the great lawyer’s number at the same time.

She briefly explained the situation here. The other side was silent for a moment, then let out a light laugh. “Lin Chong?”

“Lawyer He.”

Fang Yi glanced at the ashen-faced man and said in a voice everyone could hear:

“Due to this gentleman’s intentional injury, the hand of the party concerned, Ms. Duan Ruoxi, has been scalded. All piano solos and world-class dessert competitions in the next year will have to be canceled, causing great economic loss.”

“He also wanted to cause further secondary harm but was stopped by me. There are other witnesses at the scene.”

“Yes, we are preparing to sue. Should we call the police for an injury report first?”

Lin Chong’s expression went from contempt to bewilderment, then to fierce anger. “Are you crazy? For such a small matter, you want to call the police and sue?”

“What a noble piece of work!”

Of course, he wasn’t afraid of Fang Yi and this inexplicable lawyer, but if it really came to a lawsuit, Lin Lan would definitely investigate what happened today.

The Lin family was full of surveillance cameras. If Lin Lan personally watched the footage, it would be hard for him to explain.

“You’re a fraud, as expected. Are you deliberately trying to extort me?!”

Picking on the weak, the man glared at Duan Ruoxi and said viciously, “Fraud is a jailable offense. You’d better think carefully!”

Fang Yi held the phone quietly and handed it to him.

On the other end of the phone, He Shuanghua was playing with a pen and softly said the man’s name, “Lin Chong, long time no see.”

A light sentence, but to Lin Chong’s ears, it was a death sentence. He cried out, “How is it you?!”

“You’re all in it together! What are you trying to do? Who sent you?”

His gaze toward Duan Ruoxi and Fang Yi was filled with fear, as if he had glimpsed some shocking conspiracy.

He Shuanghua had once won a lawsuit against the Lin family, a disaster caused by Lin Chong.

In addition to the compensation he had to pay, he was also deprived of the few inheritance dividends from his mother’s side by Lin Lan.

When these things were taken back, didn’t they end up belonging to Lin Shuxing and Lin Qingwan?

The man suppressed his anger and asked, “How much money do you want?”

Duan Ruoxi thought for a moment and tentatively held up two fingers.

Fang Yi: “Two million.”

Duan Ruoxi: ?!

Fang Yi deliberately quoted a high price, waiting for Lin Chong to bargain. With this two million as a starting point, even if she let him off with two hundred thousand, or twenty thousand, it would feel like very little.

Lin Chong frowned and looked at the two poor women in front of him with contempt. Just as he was about to sneer, he heard the voice on the phone say faintly, “Lin Chong, you’re at the Lin family’s house at this time for that project from Yanjing, right?”

The man’s pupils shrank. He quickly turned off the speakerphone and lowered his voice, “How did you know?”

What an idiot.

He Shuanghua hadn’t been completely sure at first, but hearing him say that, she immediately knew she hadn’t guessed wrong.

A major project that could drive a new industrial chain had come down from Yanjing. It had something to do with the Li family. The small company under Lin Chong’s name was also bidding, but the chances were slim.

Such a company with chaotic management and unclear authority could certainly not swallow this project. Lin Chong most likely wanted to use the strength of the main family to win over Li Sinian, cooperate with each other, and even if he only got the scraps, he would be full.

He had no money and no power. He was useless to the Li family. How could he win over Li Sinian?

Unless—

He relied on the newly returned Lin Qingwan to get close to Li Sinian.

He Shuanghua chuckled lightly and said ambiguously, “Lin Chong, you have a big appetite. So eager to place your bets and take sides so early?”

“You want to invite Li Sinian and that young lady to meet. When?”

His plan was so easily seen through. Lin Chong became anxious. “Lawyer He, you and I have no grievances, right? Why are you targeting me?”

He Shuanghua: “Watch your words. You were the one who intentionally caused harm first. Give the compensation to the little girl.”

“Then, what can you offer me?” the man asked hesitantly.

He Shuanghua casually threw the pen into the trash can and said lightly, “I can’t offer you anything, but I can decide whether Li Sinian goes to the Lin family’s house or not.”

Outsiders didn’t know about their relationship. Li Sinian hid it well.

But He Shuanghua’s tone was too casual, as if Li Sinian was just a piece of trash she could move around at will.

“Believe it or not—”

Lin Chong was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth, signed a check, and threw it on the floor, glaring fiercely at Fang Yi.

Fang Yi said, “So uncultured, throwing money around.”

She picked it up nonchalantly, patted it, and handed it to the still-dazed Duan Ruoxi.

Duan Ruoxi stared at the check, constantly rubbing it with the pad of her finger to make sure every detail on it was real and valid.

As far as she knew, Fang Yi’s family background wasn’t very good either. How could she so easily give all the money to her?

She looked up, her eyes toward Fang Yi growing brighter and brighter.

Two million. To the rich, it might just be a small toy bought on a whim, but to ordinary people, two million meant countless possibilities.

A small house in a remote area, a car for transportation, enough to buy a lot of food, no longer having to worry about being homeless, no longer afraid of not being able to pay medical bills when sick, no longer forced to do a job she didn’t like…

The two fingers she had held up at the beginning actually represented twenty thousand.

It also represented the price of a hand on the black market.

Fang Yi didn’t notice the obscurity in Duan Ruoxi’s eyes. She turned around and asked He Shuanghua on the other end of the line, “Did you get the money?”

Fang Yi waved her hand. “Got it. What did you guys talk about later? He gave the money so readily. So rich. I should have asked for more.”

He Shuanghua was very cautious. She only sent Fang Yi the cause and effect in text after hanging up.

Fang Yi was confused. Fang Yi was shocked.

[Fang Yi]: If I’m not mistaken, he wants to set up Lin Qingwan and Li Sinian in a marriage alliance to gain power and get a piece of the project?

[Fang Yi]: You’re not going to stop it? You’re even going to support Li Sinian coming? Why?

He Shuanghua’s wish was for Li Sinian to make their relationship public.

But in the original world line, Li Sinian was really just playing around outside. In the end, she got together with Lin Qingwan.

…

Of course, she couldn’t say this to He Shuanghua.

He Shuanghua: If a mere trifle can shake her determination, then this love is too cheap.

He Shuanghua: I’m willing to bet.

Fang Yi felt a toothache coming on.

They were betting on love or money, but if the mission failed, she would die.

He Shuanghua was shrewd and unyielding when handling cases. How could she be so muddle-headed when it came to Li Sinian?

To this day, Fang Yi still couldn’t understand what charm this child of fortune, Li Sinian, had. Just like when she first met He Shuanghua, she would never have imagined that someone with her personality would be willing to be a stand-in.

They often fought and had disagreements. When Fang Yi listened to He Shuanghua’s complaints, she often wanted to solve the problem at its source—

But once she really proposed any suggestions to retaliate or harm Li Sinian, He Shuanghua would tearfully lecture her on the law.

One moment it was Article 372 of the Criminal Law, the next it was “but I love her so much, she’s already apologized to me, can we go back to how we were before?”

Occasionally, she would zone out and almost think that the Criminal Law stipulated that she had to love her.

So scary.

All the love and hate in the original book seemed to be tightly entangled with Li Sinian. He Shuanghua loved her, Lin Shuxing loved her, and Lin Qingwan later loved her too…

To make so many women fight over her, to love her so inexplicably, it really made one suspect if the Li family’s industry included casting spells.

In this life, Li Sinian had broken off the engagement early on, which was sensible enough.

But then again, on what grounds did she take the initiative to break off the engagement with Lin Shuxing?

But if she hadn’t broken it off, it seemed things would be even worse.

Fang Yi ruffled her hair in frustration. She vaguely thought of a way to complete the mission, but before solving the problem, she wanted more to punch Li Sinian in the face.

No particular reason, just a simple dislike for this kind of person.