“What?! He ran away?! What’s going on with Second Uncle? Can’t even catch a single old man?!”
Yu Lin stood up in anger, pacing back and forth as she muttered to herself.
“For some reason, I just feel uneasy… Yu Mu’an’s reactions aren’t exactly like last time. Could it be that she…”
Her expression darkened.
In her previous life, she had drugged Yu Mu’an, cut off her hands and feet, and subjected her to endless torment and humiliation.
Yet that day, for some inexplicable reason, Brother Hong got drunk and accidentally killed Yu Mu’an.
To make matters worse, the emperor somehow learned of it. His dragon-like wrath descended, and they were both sentenced to death on the spot.
No chance to plead; instant execution!
The moment the executioner’s blade pierced the back of the neck and chilled the brain, she still shivered at the memory.
Aunt Zhao, not hearing clearly, stepped forward anxiously and tugged at her:
“Lin’er! What do we do now? That old man will he betray us?”
Yu Lin coldly shook off her hand. “Rather than worry about that, think carefully why that old man ran away!”
A chill ran down Aunt Zhao’s spine. She stammered: “You… you mean…”
Yu Lin gripped her handkerchief, face clouded. “It can only mean he was prepared!
No one can stay unguarded for over ten years. Someone must have approached him recently, which is why he was on alert in advance…”
Aunt Zhao panicked. “Then we should go after him! No need to bring him back alive kill him on the spot and stop this from becoming worse!”
Yu Lin turned sharply. “Let’s go! We’re going to the manor.”
Aunt Zhao frowned. “Why go to the manor now?”
Yu Lin: “I need to fetch someone a very useful person. Maybe she can help me find that old bastard…”
“Where exactly are we going?”
Just as mother and daughter stepped out, they ran into the stepmother and Yu Mu’an.
Yu Lin glanced at the stepmother, then at Yu Mu’an, and suddenly smiled.
“I’ll accompany Aunt Zhao to the manor to collect a debt, then we’ll go to Yuhua Tower for dinner. Mother, you and sister go ahead?”
Her gaze flicked to the stepmother, eyes carrying a subtle meaning.
The stepmother recalled Yu Lin’s words in the carriage on her wedding night and narrowed her eyes.
She turned to Yu Mu’an: “An’er, want to go to Yuhua Tower for dinner?”
Yu Mu’an remembered that in her previous life, Ju Hong was the one Yu Lin picked up at the gambling den on this very day.
This time, Ju Hong had already been intercepted by her and was on her side. Of course, she wanted to go see Yu Lin’s expression it would be amusing.
Yu Mu’an obediently nodded. “Sure, An’er will go with Mother whatever works.”
Yu Lin showed a trace of disgust.
Just then, Xie Jinghong returned. Hearing the plan, he said: “In that case, let me, the son-in-law, arrange this meal. I’ll go ahead to Yuhua Tower and wait for you how about that?”
Yu Lin, not wanting Xie Jinghong to see everything, readily agreed.
The group split into two parties.
Underground gambling den.
Yu Lin wore elegant clothes, a sheer veil covering her face. In front, Granny Liu was responsible for questioning.
The others silently followed at a moderate distance.
Granny Liu presented the Marquis’s mansion badge to the manager:
“Our lady heard that recently, one of your people found an ugly child?
Our lady said she’s devoted to the Buddha and couldn’t bear to see such cruelty, so she sent me to buy the child and provide some food.”
The manager, seeing the few masked young ladies from a wealthy family, was initially confused, then suddenly realized: “Oh! You mean that wretched mutt? Yes, yes! I’ll fetch him!”
Yu Mu’an’s eyes narrowed.
What was happening?
The “wretched mutt” called Ju Hong in the previous life wasn’t she the one Yu Mu’an had rescued in advance? Had she rescued the wrong person?
The manager immediately instructed someone to fetch the child, while complimenting Granny Liu: “No wonder she’s the Marchioness! Such generosity!
Come, come! It’s him! Quickly kneel and give thanks! The Marchioness of the Marquis’s mansion specially came to buy you!”
A small, filthy figure was kicked to the ground, trembling and kowtowing: “Thank you, noble lady! I will serve you as your beast of burden! Thank you, noble lady! Thank…”
A boy?
Yu Mu’an furrowed her brow, calmly glancing at Yu Lin.
Yu Lin’s body trembled slightly, instinctively stepping back.
Clearly shocked.
From the sound of it, the figure was a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy.
What? The wretched mutt was supposed to be a girl!
Seeing Yu Lin still unmoved, Granny Liu hesitated, looking back at her.
All eyes were on Yu Lin.
She feigned composure: “Granny, let’s bring the child back quickly so we can report to the lady.”
Granny Liu understood the hint the correct person had been found.
She played the part of the steward-maid, handing over money and child.
As they passed by, Yu Mu’an heard Yu Lin muttering to herself:
“Disfigured… called the wretched mutt…”
Her stepmother beside her let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.
Yu Mu’an keenly observed the subtle expressions between them and lowered her gaze.
It seemed her stepmother had come to terms with Yu Lin?
Why? Stepmother and Aunt Zhao had always been at odds what could sway her now?
Why did her stepmother deign to attend in person?
Yu Mu’an recalled Yu Lin’s deliberate invitation to Yuhua Tower, and realized.
Yu Lin must have revealed her reborn identity to the stepmother, using it as leverage to win her over.
This entire scene was to prove to her stepmother that she truly knew what would happen in the future.
The trip to Yuhua Tower was part of the plan as well…
If she remembered correctly, last life there had been a major incident at Yuhua Tower on this very day someone had died in the street.
Kyoto, Suzaku Avenue.
Evening. The sun sank in the west.
The clouds glowed from pink to red, and the air was filled with the delicious aroma of food.
Pedestrians bustled along the street. Ornate carriages passed, drivers shouting to clear the way.
At Yuhua Restaurant’s upper pavilion, in the VIP area, Yu Lin held Xie Jinghong by the railing, speaking flirtatiously.
Aunt Zhao and the stepmother sat at the table, quietly sipping tea.
Yu Mu’an handed tea to her stepmother, then heard Aunt Zhao whisper proudly:
“My Lin’er and that boy Hong really are a match made in heaven! Look at them so perfect together. It reminds me of how the Marquis…”
A sudden shout from downstairs cut off Aunt Zhao’s boasting.
“You come here without money and order a huge meal?! Dare to eat at Yuhua Restaurant without paying? You must be out of your mind!”
A penniless scholar was roughly pushed outside, stumbling and falling twice.
Two waiters ran after him, fists raised to beat him.
“You didn’t even ask first! How dare you eat here without paying! Who gave you the courage?!”
“Today, you’ll pay for this!”
The scholar wailed, begging for mercy, stammering incoherently.