Before the conflict could flare up again, Wen Si was already crying like a tearful mess.
Yin Zhe hated women’s tears. Being cried at made him irritated, and he no longer had the heart to deal with the company’s matters. He took back his phone, his facial lines growing colder. “No crying!”
Wen Si and they were not that far apart in age. She married Yin Nanbai when she was eighteen, and now she was not yet forty. Yin Zhe was only eleven years younger than her, so he could not possibly treat her as an elder. Added to Yin Man’s attitude and Wen Si’s tearful nature, when the three of them were together, Yin Zhe actually seemed like her superior.
Wen Si was intimidated by Yin Zhe’s presence. The tears in her eyes kept trembling, but she did not dare let them fall again. She pinched her voice, so thin it was like a mosquito’s. “I’m sorry.”
And all of this made Yin Youxia feel humiliated and angry.
The people in front of her were her mother and brother, but her mother was not like a mother, and her brother was not like a brother.
It had always been like this over the years. In this family, Yin Zhe’s word was law, Yin Man was arrogant and unreasonable, Yin Nanbai was authoritarian and overbearing. Only the two of them, mother and daughter, had to swallow their anger and suffer grievance everywhere.
The first time she was locked up by Yin Man, she had already thought about escape. She longed for a life without restraint, without having to be obedient.
Wen Si always told her that as long as she was obedient, Yin Man would treat her well, Yin Nanbai would treat her well, and Yin Zhe would look at her twice.
But if she was obedient, Yin Man would only think she was easier to handle, treating her like a clay doll that could not be broken, kneading and bullying her as she pleased. As for Yin Zhe, he would never look at her twice. In his eyes there was only one younger sister, Yin Man. He only cared whether Yin Man was happy or not, and he even sometimes could not call out her name.
Yin Nanbai was not bad to her, but he was not good to Wen Si at all. He had many women outside, mature ones, innocent ones, countless of them. He had not stayed the night at home for many years. She had seen all of this with her own eyes, and now he still wanted to destroy the freedom she had finally obtained.
She really did not want to marry Jiang Yan. Once she married Jiang Yan, she would completely become a chess piece in Yin Nanbai’s hands, a spear used against Yin Man and Yin Zhe. She was not stupid, she was a smart person.
She simply could not bear for Wen Si to suffer grievance again. She hoped to become strong enough, strong enough that Wen Si would no longer fear them so much, strong enough to have a sufficiently equal status to speak with Yin Nanbai, instead of this kind of flattering, pleasing, obedient compliance.
When Yin Man said she would take over Liu Siyin, she really thought Yin Man had become better, so much better that she would even care about her.
But in fact, Yin Man was still that Yin Man. She was still as cold-blooded as ever, still did not treat her as a younger sister, did not treat Wen Si as a mother, and perhaps Liu Siyin was merely something she still found amusing for now.
Yin Youxia had once imagined countless times that Yin Man would become better, would become a good older sister, one who treated her well and respected her mother, like a sister like Mei Xuying, gentle and warm, always smiling as she comforted her.
If only Mei Xuying could be her older sister. She would definitely be very obedient, very well-behaved, asking only for her sister’s love.
Of course, Mei Xuying would not be her sister, and she would not be Mei Xuying’s younger sister either. Mei Xuying, like her, had been poisoned by Yin Man for many years. She knew that Mei Xuying’s contact with her carried the meaning of shared suffering, and there was even some element of using her. She had stirred up the relationship between Mei Xuying and Yin Man more than once. She knew Mei Xuying perhaps also wanted her to become the sword that stabbed Yin Man, but she believed that apart from that, Mei Xuying also had some genuine feelings toward her.
Otherwise, how could she have torn away that beautiful mask in the hospital and stood on the opposite side from Yin Man.
Since she and Yin Nanbai both wanted her to become that sword, then she would go and be that sword. Yin Youxia seemed to have been guided by some force. She rushed over, grabbed the fork on the table that had been used to cut steak, and thrust it hard toward Yin Man’s neck. Her wrist tightened, it was grabbed by Yin Zhe. His gaze was icy. “Yin Youxia, are you asking for death?”
That fork was about to stab toward Yin Youxia. Yin Man hurriedly cried out, “Brother! Don’t!”
Then Yin Zhe flung Yin Youxia away. That small body flew a long way, and Yin Youxia crashed heavily to the floor with a loud thud. Wen Si panicked and knelt at Yin Man’s feet. “Manman, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, lock her up. It was her fault, lock her up. Please, I beg you, spare her life, spare her life!”
Would she lose years of life over this?
Yin Man looked at the woman kneeling before her, her eyes full of hesitation. She truly did not possess the original body’s bearing, and she was not decisive enough. Even now she was still thinking about irrelevant things. Before she even made a sound, Yin Zhe calmly called for someone and instructed, “Lock her in the basement.”
It was not the first time, so he was especially practiced.
Every time Yin Youxia made a mistake, darkness would follow. She had already made very few mistakes, but this time she could not escape. Yin Youxia covered her chest, her expression seeming both sad and happy. “Then kill me.”
“Yin Youxia, be obedient. It’s only being locked up for one day.”
What do you mean, only being locked up for one day.
“Do you know how terrifying it is inside? How dark it is in there? There are many pairs of eyes staring at me. The air seems to have stopped moving, it’s so stuffy, so stuffy, I’m going to suffocate soon——” Tears of fear streamed from Yin Youxia’s vacant eyes. She remembered that many years ago, on the day she developed claustrophobia.
So dark, she could not see even the faintest bit of light, and could only hear the sounds of biting and howling. There were pairs of ugly eyes staring at her.
So noisy, the sound of sharp claws scraping across the wire mesh. Their claws were so sharp, so fierce, it seemed that in the next moment they would tear the wire mesh apart.
So disgusting, the air was filled with a thick smell of blood. Those dogs had been raised on raw meat, and she might even become their food.
In the darkness, her small body curled into a ball, and her weak voice trembled as it pleaded, “Older sister, Yin Youxia is scared. Older sister, please let Yin Youxia out, okay?”
“Yin Youxia doesn’t want to be eaten.”
Yin Youxia was too frightened. Even her lips had turned pale, and sweat kept beading on her forehead. Her faint murmurs reached her ears, and Yin Man was slightly moved. “You all go down, it’s not necessary.”
“Manman, after all, she also has half the same blood as us.” Could Yin Zhe have thought she wanted Yin Youxia’s life? Yin Man’s face showed some confusion, and then she suddenly understood. Yin Zhe indeed had not treated Yin Youxia very well, but he had not been especially cruel either. As long as Yin Man did not bully Yin Youxia, most of the time they were at peace. In fact, Yin Zhe had never shortchanged anyone in the family when it came to money.
No wonder in the original novel, when Yin Youxia eventually planned to bring Yin Zhe down, she had never thought about causing Yin Zhe any actual harm.
“Woof, woof, woof!” It truly was the kind of unlucky moment when bad luck keeps coming. Little You somehow darted out from nowhere, and Yin Youxia completely lost it, desperately curling up her body, muttering, “Don’t eat me, don’t eat me!”
It was such a small dog, and yet she was terrified of it like this.
Everyone in the living room, except for the terrified Yin Youxia and the invisible Liu Siyin, was almost all looking at her with an expression that wanted to speak but feared to, as if she were some unforgivable demon, a butcher without humanity.
“Take her to see a psychiatrist.” Looking at this, Yin Youxia already seemed to be in a poor mental state. Yin Man thought that at last she had shown her good qualities, only to discover that everyone’s gaze toward her had become even more fearful. Yin Zhe was also hesitant, and Mei Xuying struggled for a moment before still stepping in front of Yin Youxia. “No, her current condition can’t take your torment anymore!”
What?
She was kindly sending her to see a doctor. How was that torment?
Was this woman not sane?
She was still confused when even Liu Siyin reached for the back of her hand and softly pleaded on Yin Youxia’s behalf. “Sister Man, please don’t get a psychiatrist to hypnotize Yin Youxia again, okay? Last time, last time she was ill for half a year before she recovered.”
What exactly had the original body done that was so outrageous!
She did not relent, and Yin Zhe did not stop her. Someone was about to step forward to pull Yin Youxia away. Mei Xuying froze, then without hesitation crouched down and pulled Yin Youxia into her arms, looking toward Yin Man. “Then send me along too.”
“That day, she really thought you had changed for the better. She came excitedly to tell me that she might have an older sister. I still remember how bright the smile on her face was then. She really wanted an older sister, but she forgot that you, Yin Man, have no humanity!”
Under Mei Xuying’s accusation, Yin Man almost felt like she was guilty of an unforgivable crime. But could someone please tell her what exactly the original body had done before now!
“Miss, you already had a psychiatrist hypnotize Miss Yin Youxia before, making her recall the scars of childhood over and over, making her touch that despair from back then over and over. This time you still want to hypnotize her again. Don’t you think that’s cruel?”
…
Yin Youxia being able to live to this age without becoming psychologically twisted is truly a miracle.
No, she would become twisted later, and by the end Yin Youxia was a crazed beauty after all. No wonder, being bullied like that by a psycho from a young age, she would more or less be affected.
The original body really did things by strictly following the principle of being ruthless and merciless, recognizing no kinship. But looking at Aunt He rushing over, no wonder Mei Xuying and Yin Youxia had the chance to topple this mountain that was the original body. Even the two elders who had watched her grow up were able to protect Yin Youxia. Just how unpopular was she?
Even Liu Siyin was pleading for Yin Youxia. Yin Man glanced at Liu Siyin. Liu Siyin’s face was pale, her lips trembling slightly, and the hand holding hers was also shaking. She was afraid.
Afraid of her ruthlessness?
Yin Man comfortingly touched the back of Liu Siyin’s hand, but she trembled even more violently. Looking at Mei Xuying’s righteous and stern expression, Yin Youxia’s weakness and pitifulness, and Wen Si’s blank astonishment, she now looked especially like that evil final boss.
No, her current body really was the evil final boss.
Yin Youxia, held in Mei Xuying’s arms, trembled without stopping. Tears soaked a patch of Mei Xuying’s clothes, and because her fingernails kept digging into her palm, blood seeped out from her palm.
So miserable.
She could not bear it, and guilt gradually rose within her.
But why should she feel guilty? Yin Youxia’s various misfortunes were not caused by her, were they? They were caused by the original body.
But she had enjoyed all the benefits of this body. Didn’t that mean she should bear even a little responsibility?
“Miss Zhang, carry Little You upstairs.”
“Brother, hurry back to the company. There are still so many things at the company.”
“Cousin, take Yin Youxia to see a doctor. Remember, it’s to see a doctor, not to be hypnotized!”
She specially added that line, and Wen Si let out a breath of relief.
Mei Xuying looked as if she had seen a ghost, staring at her with her eyes wide open, fixed on her. Yin Man did not care about her. She had Aunt He come back to push her upstairs. She had also been unlucky, doing nothing and ending up as the biggest villain.
Everyone feared her, and everyone also hoped she would die.
She let out a faint sigh, and Liu Siyin asked, “Sister Man, are you feeling sorry for Yin Youxia?”
“I…” She was feeling sorry for herself.
Yin Man held Liu Siyin’s hand. Liu Siyin’s palm was covered in sweat, sweat from nervousness and fear. Yin Man sighed again. “You are afraid of me too.”
“No, I’m not afraid of Sister Man. Sister Man treats me very well. If I were afraid of Sister Man, I wouldn’t have spoken up to plead for Yin Youxia.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“Afraid of the dark, afraid of the basement.” Liu Siyin smiled, though somewhat strained. “The Liu family’s basement is also very dark. There are many wolves in there too. A long time ago, Auntie even raised a tiger.”
So, she was afraid of the dark because she had been locked in the basement.
Yin Man silently tightened her grip on the hand she was holding. “Believe me, from now on no one will ever lock you up again.”
“I believe you.”