Second Sister Ye Lingshuang’s attitude toward Lin Zhixu changed from frustration that she was hopeless to devoted admiration.
“Zhizhi, you’re so clever! Your ex-husband went bankrupt, so you immediately traded up and found a new husband to fleece. That was brilliant. Second Sister was so naïve to call you stupid earlier. I’m sorry.”
Lin Zhixu’s speed at trading in the old and cashing in on the new had even left the usually calm and collected Eldest Sister unsettled.
“Little Sister, you divorced Nan Zhou yesterday, and today you’re registering your marriage with Gu Tingshang. How did you manage that?”
Lin Zhixu spoke in a pitiful little voice.
“He tricked me! How was I supposed to know he was such a bad guy? I suppose it’s my own greed, too. He said he’d give me a hundred million as a betrothal gift, and I was so stupid I just went and married him.”
Second Sister thought Lin Zhixu wasn’t stupid at all. She was a downright genius.
“Zhizhi, you did the right thing. A hundred million as a betrothal gift? Of course you should marry him. You’d be a fool not to.”
“If anyone wanted to marry me, I’d say yes for five million, let alone a hundred million.”
Grandpa pulled Second Sister away and bluntly mocked her.
“Forget five million. If someone were willing to marry you even with a five-million dowry thrown in, you should thank Buddha.”
“Just look at yourself. You’ve got a full-sleeve tattoo and dress like a female bandit. What man would want you?”
Second Sister was already tall and sturdy, and years of martial arts training had left her covered in hard muscle. She didn’t care for dressing up and had a fiery temper, so she was still single.
Even the bookish Third Sister, who spent all her time in the lab, had people pursuing her.
Only Second Sister couldn’t find a boyfriend even when she went after one herself. Mostly because no one dared to date her.
Her fists were harder than iron, and her temper was fiercer than the Bull Demon King’s. Who would dare cross her?
Third Sister, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up.
“Grandpa, give me the money. I just had an idea: I could develop a brainwave-controlled micro-nanorobot for use in biomedicine and micromanipulation. I’ll need money to build a team and buy equipment.”
Ye Shuyun’s mind was a walking scientific detection instrument. If she said she needed money, she had to be supported.
Grandpa made up his mind at once and handed the check to Third Sister Ye. “All right. Shuyun, you take this money for now.”
Third Sister added, “It’s still not enough! Little Sister, I’m afraid you’ll have to raise two more hundred-million-yuan sums.”
Lin Zhixu cried out, “Me? I’ve already given you all my money. My pockets are empty now—I don’t even have five hundred yuan. Where am I supposed to get another two hundred million for you?”
Third Sister pushed up her glasses and said with a straight face, “Go ask your new husband for it.”
Lin Zhixu was so frightened she backed away several steps. “I can’t. He’s so fierce.”
Third Sister’s expression remained stiff and solemn as she lectured her.
“Sleep with him. Be sweet to him and coax him into giving you money. Be a little more flirtatious, a little more seductive, and your husband will give you a little more.”
Pfft!
Eldest Sister couldn’t help laughing. The bookworm who usually had to look away even when a kissing scene came on TV was actually encouraging her younger sister to seduce a man.
She must really be desperate for money.
“Ugh, no!” Lin Zhixu rejected the suggestion.
“If you want to go, then you go. You don’t talk much, and he’s a man of few words. I think you two would be a perfect match. You can go sleep with him.”
Ye Shuyun folded her hands and put on a serious, earnest air as she solemnly explained things to Lin Zhixu.
“I’m a woman with morals, manners, and integrity. He’s your husband. It wouldn’t be right for me to sleep with him!”
Hahahaha!
Ye Lingshuang laughed so hard she couldn’t hold it in. She was speechless at her silly younger sister and her bookish Third Sister. What kind of bizarre theory of education was this?
One of them dared to suggest it, and the other dared to take it seriously.
Eldest Sister Ye Wanlan laughed too, pressing a hand to her forehead.
The two prettiest girls in the Ye family were both hopeless in love: one was naïve, the other clueless. It was enough to give anyone a headache.
“Third Sister, you’d better stick to your research. Don’t get involved in Zhizhi’s affairs. I’ll find a way to deal with the money.”
Ye Shuyun said, “Eldest Sister, the company is expanding into new projects right now. How could it spare any money? Let Little Sister ask her husband. She can get money that way fast!”
Ye Lingshuang chimed in, too. “Exactly. A hundred million for marrying him, five million for sleeping with him. I heard Gu Tingshang is pretty handsome, too. Why wasn’t I born that lucky?”
It wasn’t just Second and Third Sister who agreed with the idea. Even Grandpa thought it made sense.
“Zhizhi, the revival of the Ye family depends on you. Back then, the Gu family swallowed up most of our businesses. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for you to claw some of that money back.”
“And the car accident that killed your parents and cousin definitely wasn’t an accident. It was deliberate murder. The Gu family must know something. See if you can find the truth and evidence from back then.”
Lin Zhixu lowered her eyes, tears of sorrow welling in them.
She clutched her stomach as a dull pain began to stir in her abdomen again.
“It hurts!”
Eldest Sister rummaged through the medicine bag and found Lin Zhixu’s medical record. When she saw the word “tear,” her face turned livid with anger.
She wrapped Lin Zhixu in her arms, then scolded the family.
“Why are you putting such a heavy burden on Zhizhi? She’s so delicate—how could she bear it?”
“I’ll find a way to deal with the money. A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years. You’re all pressuring Zhizhi, and I can’t bear to see her suffer.”
“Our precious, delicate girl shouldn’t have to let anyone mistreat her. If Gu Tingshang treats Zhizhi badly, she should divorce him. Money, revenge—none of it matters as much as Little Sister.”
“So what if the Ye family regains its place as Jincheng’s richest family? Have any of you thought about Zhizhi’s happiness?”
Ye Wanlan’s roar struck everyone like a clap of thunder.
The soul-shaking question rang in their ears.
Ye Lingshuang immediately slapped herself hard across the face twice. “I’m sorry, Zhizhi. Second Sister was ignorant. I was wrong.”
Ye Shuyun bowed to Lin Zhixu as well. “I’m sorry, Little Sister. Third Sister was wrong, too.”
Old Master Ye Xiuyuan’s cloudy eyes filled with tears.
“Wanlan is right. I’ve grown muddleheaded. A gentleman’s revenge needn’t be taken at once. The Ye family will have its day again. The greatest source of strength is for the four of you sisters to be healthy and love one another.”
Ye Shuyun quickly mixed medicine for Lin Zhixu, Ye Lingshuang went to get a heating patch, and Ye Wanlan went to find her some clean clothes.
Surrounded by her family, Lin Zhixu felt warm inside.
The power of love was greater than money or influence.
After changing into fresh clothes, Lin Zhixu drank steaming brown-sugar water. With Second Sister massaging her through the heating pad, she felt comfortable all over.
Suddenly, her phone rang again. It was the same unfamiliar number.
“Ah! Stay away!”
Lin Zhixu was so frightened that she threw the phone far away.
Ye Lingshuang asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s Gu Tingshang. Hang up, quick!” Lin Zhixu had huddled in a corner behind the curtains and didn’t even dare poke her head out.
She couldn’t help it. She had been doted on all her life and had never seen how cruel the world could be.
Gu Tingshang was probably the cruelest person she had ever met.
Cold and brutal, he bullied her, threatened her, and yelled at her.
Ye Lingshuang looked at Lin Zhixu, then turned to Eldest Sister. She didn’t dare answer either.