Lin Sinian pressed the phone screen off in the hospital room, stood up, and changed clothes.
Assistant Sun called the driver on the tablet: "Chairman Lin, should the next two meetings be postponed to Saturday? The partners said Saturday works fine…"
"Postpone them to…" Lin Sinian paused, "Monday."
She said she would come on Saturday. Though he couldn't tell if it was said in anger… Lin Sinian still decided to keep Saturday free.
Chu Tianqing's Bentley pulled into the front courtyard of the Lin ancestral estate.
Shen Xinglan: "So this is the plot you're supposed to complete at the hospital tomorrow? The system is giving advance warnings now?"
"I don't know, I have no memory of this little plot at all. What I want to know is—why would kissing get your pants wet?" Chu Tianqing, one big peony, looked at her best friend, another big peony.
Shen Xinglan was silent for three seconds: "I'll look it up for you tonight. Could it be… like our eldest niece—when feelings are particularly intense, there's bodily fluid discharge? If he kissed her forcefully while she was sitting on his lap, that could wet… the pants."
"Just end me…" Chu Tianqing was grateful for the system's advance notice. She had no time right now to figure out how to complete the damn system's melodramatic quest—they had more important things to do.
Shen Xinglan sighed: "Qingqing, if it comes down to it, just let the system deduct the money. We've already been docked over five thousand anyway; a little more won't matter."
Chu Tianqing steadied herself—she couldn't panic now, it would shake morale: "Let's go settle things with the old fogeys first, then think about it tonight. I'm smart enough to figure something out. There's no way I'm letting the system take my money!"
As the two got out of the car, a servant came to guide them.
They walked through the main hall and guest rooms, arriving at the sandalwood hall in the central courtyard.
Chu Tianqing's high heels sank into the thick carpet of the old Lin estate.
In the square sandalwood hall, Second Uncle Lin, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle sat in the huanghuali armchairs at the head.
Second Uncle had the face of an old fox, his walnut hand-massagers clicking away as his eyes brimmed with calculation.
Third Uncle, dressed in exquisite traditional Chinese attire, savored rock tea worth hundreds of thousands per catty, occasionally making "shhh-ahh" slurping sounds.
Fourth Uncle's gaze wandered—a man of unstable temperament, his leg bouncing the whole time.
The three were unmoved by Chu Tianqing's Euro-American mixed-race makeup, barely sparing her a glance, maintaining their stern elder personas.
But when they saw Shen Xinglan with two jet-black braids, standing there gracefully yet somewhat at a loss, the three visibly softened.
Chu Tianqing set aside her sharpness, replacing it with a demure smile that said "I know my place": "Hello, uncles. This is my best friend, Shen Xinglan. Sorry to disturb your leisure today."
"Hello, uncles." Shen Xinglan twisted her hands together, greeting them timidly without lifting her head.
"Little Chu's here—come, have your friend sit." Second Uncle paused his walnut-turning and gestured upward.
Chu Tianqing led Shen Xinglan to the guest seats.
The layout of the sandalwood hall naturally carried a pressure of "judgment."
Chu Tianqing cut straight to the point—
"I already explained my purpose for coming today to Second Uncle on WeChat, so I won't belabor it."
"Now that Sinian has lost his memory—doesn't even remember who I am, let alone have feelings for me—that prenuptial agreement is like a chasm between us."
"I've finally seen it clearly now: in the Lin family, it's still the uncles who have the final say."
"Little Chu, you've changed your tune rather quickly." Second Uncle narrowed his eyes.
They'd met Lin Sinian's little wife twice before, and Chu Tianqing had never once given them a pleasant expression.
"One must climb higher, after all," Chu Tianqing sighed. "With Sinian's amnesia, I need to plan for myself early. I only ask that the uncles guarantee I can keep my position as the chairman's wife."
Chu Tianqing seized the moment to dangle the "bait," taking Shen Xinglan's hand—
"This is Lin Zhichen's fiancée, and my best friend. She and Achen have secretly loved each other since their school days."
"Shen Xinglan has no other qualities—she's just stubborn, devoting herself entirely to that money-losing research work."
"If the uncles simply allocate her a monthly allowance of twenty thousand yuan, she'll be grateful for life."
"She and Achen already pledged themselves to each other. Why not grant her wish and let her marry Achen to 'ward off evil'? To the outside world, it shows the Lin family's loyalty and righteousness; on the inside, Achen's share of the equity would be locked down tight, wouldn't it?"
"Otherwise, the uncles can at most get half of Lin Zhichen's shares—the remaining fifty percent would fall into the hands of Lin Zhichen's aunt."
Second Uncle's gaze was unfathomable.
Fourth Uncle glanced at Second Uncle.
Third Uncle set down his teacup, looking at Shen Xinglan with barely concealed greed in his eyes: "She's really that obedient?"
Chu Tianqing raised her hand, lightly tapping her temple: "Obedient as can be. Her head is filled with nothing but academics and research. In daily life, you can treat her like she's autistic—or even…"
Lowering his voice, Chu Tianqing's tone carried a hint of menace: "What if Lin Zhichen… has an accident someday?"
The three old men exchanged glances, each already knowing the answer in their hearts.
But what they wanted was far more than that…
Lin Er spun a pair of gourd walnuts in his hand and shot a look at Lin San and Lin Si.
Lin San leaned in close to his ear and whispered—
"If word gets out from Lin Zhichen's side about 'negligent care' leading to complications, isn't that a perfect scapegoat?"
"Twenty thousand a month? We spend more than that feeding a dog. Second Brother, this deal is a guaranteed profit."
Lin Si leaned in too: "Second Brother, three birds with one stone! It's 'killing with a borrowed knife' and 'hiding the truth from the sky'! The Lin family's reputation won't be tarnished in the slightest!"
Lin Er frowned and shot Lin Si a sharp glare.
His dim-witted fourth brother was making too much noise…
Chu Tianqing pretended to see and hear nothing, sipping tea with Shen Xinglan.
The three Lin uncles lived quite comfortably—even their guest tea was top-grade first-class Baihao Oolong.
Once they'd finished their discussion, Chu Tianqing set down her teacup.
"I hope the 'gift' I've brought today will satisfy you uncles."
Chu Tianqing looked toward Second Uncle Lin, seated in the position of honor.
Lin Er crossed his legs and smiled arrogantly: "Twenty thousand a month for her living expenses is no problem, but…"
"Shen Xinglan must sign a 'Clean Exit Pledge,' transferring 100% of her shares to us free of charge."
Chu Tianqing blinked—exactly as expected.
She swept her gaze across the three Lin uncles: "Surely that's not the only condition? Why don't you three uncles put all your conditions on the table?"
Lin San took a sharp sip of tea: "This little girl Lanlan works in research, right? She could livestream while taking care of Lin Zhichen every day—earn some goodwill for the Lin family."
"If the stream does well, she can even sell products. All revenue goes to the family account, as a token of filial respect for us uncles' tea money."
Chu Tianqing looked at Lin Si.
Lin Si bounced his leg and waved his hand casually: "Second and Third Brother have thought it through thoroughly. I'll just add a supplementary clause."
"What supplementary clause?" Chu Tianqing asked.
Lin Si: "Just have this little Shen sign a contract stating: 'If Lin Zhichen passes away during her care, she bears full legal responsibility and forfeits all assets.' That's all."
"Anything else?" Chu Tianqing asked.
Lin Er looked at Lin San and Lin Si: "That's all for now. Of course, we can add supplements anytime we think of something later."
Chu Tianqing and Shen Xinglan exchanged a glance, both relieved.
The two communicated silently through their eyes—
These three old farts only had this much in them. They didn't even have as many "dirty tricks" as the two of them had planned!
Thinking of the series of little combos they'd prepared, both fell silent for a moment.
This whole show felt like using a cleaver to kill a chicken.
Honestly, the two of them had a bit of a talent for being villainous female supporting characters.
Chu Tianqing even suspected that she and Shen Xinglan had somehow bound themselves to some kind of "crime system"!
Lin Er sneered: "Little Chu, why so quiet? If you want to secure your position as the wife of the Lin Group's president, you have to pay your dues. The doors of the Lin family aren't so easy to walk through."
Chu Tianqing lowered her head and chuckled softly.
When she looked up again, the meekness in her eyes had instantly transformed into bone-piercing coldness.
"Since you uncles enjoy signing contracts so much, I have a document for you to look at as well."
Chu Tianqing unhurriedly pulled the scanned copies of the "Designated Guardianship Agreement" from her bag—three copies in total.
She wouldn't hand them over personally. She nodded to the butler standing at the entrance of the hall, giving him a "come here" look.
After receiving Lin Er's approval, the butler delivered the three documents to each of their hands.
"Glasses." Lin Er held out his hand, and the butler had already brought over his reading glasses.
Lin San fished his reading glasses from the pocket of his Chinese-style jacket and frowned at the document.
Only Lin Si, alone among them, patted himself down all over and still couldn't find his reading glasses.
Several minutes passed. Lin Er and Lin San had already begun discussing the contents of the "Designated Guardianship Agreement," while Lin Si hadn't read a single word of the document.
"Second Brother, Third Brother, have you seen my glasses?" Lin Si held the document out at arm's length, then brought it close, then held it far again.
Without his reading glasses, everything was a blur—he couldn't see a thing.
Lin Er shot Lin Si a look of frustration at his failure to live up to expectations.
Lin San clicked his tongue, whispered a few words to the butler, and a moment later the butler brought over a spare pair of reading glasses.
"Got them! I can see now!" Lin Si put on the reading glasses and finally started reading the document.
Chu Tianqing watched Lin Si's whole ordeal and instantly understood the saying, "When people get old, everything they do is heartbreaking."
Lin San was the first to toss the document aside.
Without even lifting his eyelids, he said: "Little Chu, who can verify the authenticity of this 'Designated Guardianship Agreement'? All we're seeing is a photocopy. Where's the original?"
Chu Tianqing rolled up the photocopy in her hand and tapped it carelessly against the table—
"Third Uncle, at your age you should drink more brain-boosting supplements. This agreement bears the notary office's center-seam seal. If you have any doubts, take the group's legal team to the notary office and verify it yourself."
"As for where the original documents are? Let me tell you, the originals are in the hands of the law, and the law is currently in my hands."
"If you find the photocopies hard to read, you can sign a guarantee stating that 'any losses to the group incurred by questioning Lin Zhichen's guardianship shall be borne personally,' and I guarantee that within two hours, I'll have a notary deliver the originals to you."
Chu Tianqing had turned their own tactics against them.
Shen Xinglan, standing behind her, adjusted her glasses and calmly recited a string of notarization numbers and the name of the witnessing lawyer.
"You—" Lin San rose furiously from his chair, only to be pressed back down by Lin Er's raised hand.
Slow-witted Lin Si had only just finished reading the documents and hadn't been following their exchange.
He was so shocked he nearly knocked over the tea table: "This… what does this mean?"
"The meaning is simple," Chu Tianqing said, speaking slowly and raising her voice, as if afraid they were hard of hearing. "When Lin Zhichen was of sound mind, he entrusted his right to life, his property rights, and the disposal rights to all his shares under his name—fully and completely—to Shen Xinglan, the future 'Madam Lin Zhichen.'"
Lin Er fixed her with a suffocating gaze and called her by her full name: "Chu Tianqing, that's not what you said earlier…"
Chu Tianqing tilted her head, rose from her seat, and smiled innocently—
"What did I say? I said she's obedient—obedient to me. I never said obedient to you all."
"I said the shares are locked down—locked in Shen Xinglan's hands. I never said locked in my uncles' hands."
"As for what you uncles call 'taking the fall,' 'fooling the heavens and crossing the sea,' 'killing with a borrowed knife'…"
"I live-streamed this entire conversation to Chen Qingci, CEO of Chen Media. Your deliberate scheming to seize the property of Chen Qingci's gravely ill nephew, and your attempts to incite me to abuse him—President Chen heard every word clearly."
"If I send this to the board of directors, and Chen Media gives it a good spread, Lin Corporation's stock tomorrow might be worth more than just a limit-down."
Lin Er's face darkened to black. He said nothing, the walnut worry beads in his hand nearly crushed to powder.
Lin San suddenly stood up, pointing at Chu Tianqing: "You little girl, you dared to set us up! And you've allied with that venomous woman from Chen Media!"
"Second Brother, Third Brother, what do we do?" Lin Si's lips were purple as he fumbled a pill from his pocket and swallowed it, trembling.
"Don't get so worked up, uncles." Chu Tianqing planted one foot on the rosewood tea table and leaned forward slightly.
"The situation has changed now. It's no longer me relying on you all—it's you who need to beg us. If you don't want to wake up tomorrow morning to Lin Corporation's stock price crashing, you'll cooperate and fully support this marriage."
"I gave you uncles face earlier for one reason: so that next week's wedding between Shen Xinglan and Lin Zhichen would be a pleasant affair for all guests, and to keep outsiders from laughing at the Lin family."
"But since you uncles have rejected the face I offered, then I see no need to protect the Lin family's reputation either."
Chu Tianqing shot Shen Xinglan a look.
Shen Xinglan pulled three wedding invitations from her bag and placed them on the rosewood tea table.
A cold smile curled at the corner of Chu Tianqing's mouth—
"I've delivered the wedding invitations. Whether you uncles come or not is up to you."
"However, if you uncles don't understand basic etiquette and your blessings for the love between the Lin Corporation vice president and my best friend aren't sincere enough, I can't say what Chen Media will write about it. You uncles can look forward to that."
Chu Tianqing took Shen Xinglan's hand and turned to leave.
Behind them, they ignored—
Lin Er's fury as he hurled his walnuts to the ground; Lin San's frantic cursing; and Lin Si, darting back and forth between "Second Brother, what do we do?" and "Third Brother, what do we do?" like a headless fly—a perfect Sha Seng with only three lines of dialogue.
Chu Tianqing heard Lin San cursing himself into a coughing fit and burst out laughing.
"Lin San says we're young but deeply scheming. Why do I feel like that's a compliment for us? Isn't he just praising us for being early bloomers—clever and ambitious?"
Shen Xinglan undid her braid, loosening her scalp: "Lin San also said we girls don't have a shred of what girls should be—more wolfish than boys. And… he's not wrong, is he?"
Chu Tianqing caught another faint string of curses: "Oh, now he's cursing my aunt too, saying we're the most venomous of women…"
Shen Xinglan shrugged: "Girls help girls. If girls don't team up with girls, are we supposed to team up with those old farts? Dream on!"
They had already reached the second courtyard, where Lin San's cursing could no longer be heard.
"Babe, do you think they'll come to the wedding? I'm still counting on their red envelopes."
Chu Tianqing remembered that many of the three uncles' children were already married.
Which meant Lin Zhichen had certainly given gifts at their weddings. Even if the old farts didn't show up in person, their red envelopes would do just fine.
Shen Xinglan laughed and poked her cheek: "Pfft, you've already 'dug the pit and filled in the dirt' for them—are you really afraid they won't come? Qingqing, you have no idea how lethal you are."
Chu Tianqing blinked: "I thought I was very gentle today. Wasn't today about respecting our elders?"
Inside an avocado-green Bentley.
Chu Tianqing blocked the car window with her clothes as she and Shen Xinglan changed in the spacious back seat.
Shen Xinglan had been enduring that puffy-sleeved floral dress for far too long. She wasn't used to wearing skirts, preferring pants instead.
She changed into a knit cardigan and jeans, pulling her hair—which had been curled by the braids—into a low ponytail. She felt much more comfortable now.
Chu Tianqing peeled off the overly fitted suit and swapped it for a hoodie and wide-leg jeans.
"The wedding is next Sunday. We have less than a week to prepare. Do you have anything special you want to—"
Chu Tianqing's words were cut off by her phone ringing.
"It's Lin Zhichen's aunt, Chen Qingci. Let me take this." Chu Tianqing answered the call and chatted for a few moments right in front of Shen Xinglan.
After hanging up, Chu Tianqing waved her phone: "Your husband's aunt wants to take us out for dinner. Speaking of which, what should you call your future mother-in-law's sister?"
Chu Tianqing could never keep track of family titles.
Shen Xinglan: "Just call her Aunt."
"Come on, we need to get our story straight. We can't slip up in front of Aunt. This morning, this is how I made up your and Lin Zhichen's love story for her…"
Luckily, she had a good memory. Chu Tianqing repeated verbatim the "secret crush" story she'd told the aunt that morning.
After listening, Shen Xinglan's expression was remarkably calm: "No risk of slipping up, because the senior I had a crush on in middle school and fantasized about in high school looks almost exactly like Lin Zhichen. I can really get into character."
Chu Tianqing's eyes went wide: "Whoa! You never told me they were the same person?"
Shen Xinglan: "That happened to be the period when we were fighting—we had a cold war for over a month. And even if you'd asked, I wouldn't have known who he was. I still don't know his name to this day."
"That time…" Chu Tianqing remembered the only falling-out they'd had as teenagers. Good thing they'd made up later.
"You really kept your head buried in books during school. You didn't even know who the student council president was."
Chu Tianqing filed away this juicy bit of old gossip to dig into later.
She checked the navigation. From the Lin family estate to the Japanese restaurant where Chen Qingci had arranged to meet them, it would take about forty minutes without traffic.
Friday afternoons were prone to major traffic jams, so they'd need to leave immediately to avoid being late.
Chu Tianqing moved like a nimble little monkey, swinging one long leg over the center console and into the driver's seat: "Let's head out first and discuss the wedding on the way."
Shen Xinglan got out from the back seat and gracefully settled into the passenger side: "Alright, I'll keep an eye on the navigation for you. Drive safe."
The avocado-green Bentley rolled smoothly out through the vermilion gates of the Lin family estate.
After a few dozen meters on the service road, Chu Tianqing turned left, passing a Cullinan entering the service road in the opposite direction.
Assistant Sun turned from the passenger seat: "Chairman Lin, that's your wife's car. She's already left the estate."
Lin Sinian said coldly: "I'm not here to see her."
Half an hour later.
In the Sandalwood Hall at the center of the Lin family estate—
Lin Er, Lin San, and Lin Si, the three "old quails" who had just endured Chu Tianqing's "beating," hadn't even recovered yet.
Then Lin Sinian proceeded to tear them apart with a blistering scolding.
Assistant Sun felt a chill run down his spine listening from the side. He knew that before the amnesia, Chairman Lin had always been sharp-tongued with his uncles.
Now, even with amnesia, his firepower had somehow gone up a notch.
Lin Sinian's storm of humiliation landed every word precisely across the weathered faces of Lin Er, Lin San, and Lin Si.
He didn't speak loudly, but every word drew blood, slicing open the three men's greedy facades like a scalpel.
The theme of Lin Sinian's visit to the estate today was—
"On the Severe Consequences of the Three Elder Lins' Heinous Attempt to Devour Their Own Nephew's 'Inheritance'"
Lin Sinian didn't dwell on motives. He only laid out the consequences.
One bloody example after another was laid before the three old men.
If not for Chu Tianqing's reminder, the amnesiac Lin Sinian would never have known that his three uncles had been scheming against Lin Zhichen.
Lin Sinian coolly pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, looking at his three uncles like they were vermin.
His voice was low: "Since you three are so eager to feast on Lin Zhichen's 'inheritance,' you must have quite the appetite. How about I pack you up with the leftover food from the estate and ship you off to the detention center?"
"And also—your hands have been reaching a bit too far, uncles. You dare to touch the staff at my private residence?"
"Or do you think that since I've been away, you should help me save some money?"
Lin Sinian let out a cold laugh—
"Since you're so good with numbers, why don't we settle this account once and for all? Third Uncle, your daughter Lin Jiaojiao bought thirteen Birkin bags in Paris three years ago—were those charged to the group's 'labor protection supplies' account?"
"Second Uncle, that 30 million yuan in 'marketing fees' you approved for Lin Sen's shell company four years ago—were you planning to collect it back after he's released from prison next year, or were you planning to explain to the auditors yourself why a branch company's promotional project needed to be contracted to a second-degree invalid who can't even read a financial statement?"
"Fourth Uncle, that company's registered address is the same as the villa you bought in the hills for your 'goddaughter.' Since you've had my gardener removed, shouldn't your 'goddaughter' also get down and mow her own lawn?"
Lin Sinian finished reviewing the "illustrious achievements" of his three uncles from previous years, as provided by Assistant Sun, while in the car.
Every single one of those charges had been held in reserve back then.
If any of the three uncles made a move, Lin Sinian could have them sent away at any moment.
The only reason he kept them around now was for the sake of the group's image.
As long as they were content to play "mascots," Lin Sinian wouldn't touch them—just drag them out now and then to knock some sense into the old bastards.
The three old men had just weathered Chu Tianqing's assault, only to be torn apart again by her husband's scathing reprimand.
The resentment they'd accumulated was enough to send eight hundred Sadakos bursting out of a well like popcorn.
The pair of expensive walnut worry beads in Lin Er's hand had already been crushed to pieces, and the fleshy muscles on his face twitched violently.
But Lin Er knew he was in the wrong, and he couldn't out-argue Lin Sinian anyway. He sat stiffly in the huanghuali armchair, clinging to his dignity with a death grip, not saying a word.
As long as he remained in the seat of honor, he was still Lin Sinian's elder—the man had to call him Second Uncle when they met.
Lin San clutched his chest, trying to steady his breathing, clearly left winded by Lin Sinian's words—
"Lin Sinian, you two might as well open a funeral service for the group!"
"Chu Tianqing digs the graves, and you, Lin Sinian, bury the bodies. You two are truly made for each other—I wish you a hundred years of happiness!"
Lin Si picked up the invitation that had been thrown on the floor, already conceding defeat: "Sinian, we'll all go to Lin Zhichen's wedding, alright? We'll bring the biggest red envelopes, won't let anyone outside see the Lin family as a laughingstock."
Lin Sinian was about to leave but stopped in his tracks: "What wedding?"
Lin Si thought Lin Sinian was asking deliberately, just to mock them.
He counted himself unlucky and said, "Your little wife came right before you did. She brought her best friend to 'push for a wedding'—next Sunday, her friend and Lin Zhichen are getting married. She came today specifically to deliver the invitation to us."
Lin Sinian's jaw tightened instantly, his face turning terrifyingly dark, his fingertips whitening as he clenched them.
Did she even remember she was married? How much had she been hiding from him?!
Seeing Lin Sinian's sudden change in expression, Lin Si sensed something was off.
So Lin Sinian didn't know his wife had come by, nor that her best friend was marrying his cousin Lin Zhichen?
Carefree Lin Si grinned, delighted to stir the pot. He sidled over, feigning earnest advice—
"Sinian, your Fourth Uncle isn't one to lecture, but your marriage is like it never happened!"
"Your wife won't even tell you her best friend is getting married—and to your own cousin, no less. You haven't given her enough security or trust!"
"Your Fourth Aunt tells me everything. You still need practice in that department, boy. Want your Fourth Uncle to teach you a few tricks?"
Lin Sinian looked at his uncle's smug, sarcastic expression and felt his anger spike.
Lin Si might as well have written "Your wife doesn't want you anymore" across his face!
An upscale traditional Japanese restaurant in the east of the city.
Chen Qingci had reserved the most private room available.
She sat alone in the extremely quiet karesansui-style private room, with a real bamboo grove visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Excessive silence could sometimes be a form of torment for someone with severe depression.
Chen Qingci repeatedly adjusted the pair of chopsticks on the table that were already perfectly aligned.
She would even stare at the ripples in the matcha tea in her cup until her gaze went unfocused and her brow knitted into a tight knot.
A light, quick footstep broke the silence.
Chen Qingci looked toward the wooden door.
"Little Aunt~" A clear, bright voice laced with laughter came through as Chu Tianqing pushed the door open like a warm breeze carrying sunshine.
Chu Tianqing gave Chen Qingci a big hug: "Thank you for your help today, Little Aunt."
The furrow between Chen Qingci's brows smoothed out: "Let me say congratulations first—congratulations to you two young ladies for winning a beautiful battle. Today, Little Aunt is treating you to a celebration."
"Let me formally introduce you—Shen Xinglan, a senior in the Elite Program at the University of Science and Technology, majoring in biopharmaceuticals."
Chu Tianqing pulled Shen Xinglan forward, her smile like a sweet, clingy kitten: "This is your fiancé Lin Zhichen's little aunt, Chen Qingci, CEO of Chen's Media."
"Little Aunt." Shen Xinglan's smile was faint as she gave Chen Qingci's hand a light shake.
"Lanlan, we're family now." Chen Qingci hugged Shen Xinglan with visible emotion.
Shen Xinglan stood stiffly in place.
She wasn't used to close physical contact with anyone other than Chu Tianqing—man or woman.
Chu Tianqing had only managed to break through because she'd practically barged into Shen Xinglan's life like a home invasion when they were kids, forcing her to eventually get used to the physical contact.
Chu Tianqing noticed Shen Xinglan's discomfort.
She immediately set down her bag and turned to Chen Qingci with pleading eyes.
"Little Aunt, the place you picked is way too upscale. Looking at the entrance, I thought it was some high-end private meditation retreat. Lanlan and I drove past it three times following the GPS before we dared to go in."
She patted her flat stomach: "I'm so hungry—is there any dessert to tide us over?"
"My fault. This place only has Japanese on the sign—the location I sent you was under its Chinese name." Chen Qingci released Shen Xinglan and pressed the call button on the tablet.
Chen Qingci: "Qingqing, Lanlan, do you have any dietary restrictions or allergies?"
Chu Tianqing answered smoothly: "I don't eat ginger. Lanlan doesn't eat scallions or raw food. That's all."
A server in a kimono slid open the partition door: "President Chen."
Chen Qingci nodded. "First, two servings of miso soup, two servings of sea urchin chawanmushi, two servings of snow crab and sturgeon roe rice steamed in a pot, two servings of abalone tempura, and two servings of wagyu aburi sushi."
Chen Qingci's gaze softened as she looked at them. "The two kids are hungry, so make it quick. One of the OMAKASE orders has a no-raw-food restriction—have the chef prepare everything cooked. The remaining two orders can be served normally."
Soon, a table full of delicate dishes of all sizes was set before Chu Tianqing and Shen Xinglan.
Chen Qingci said, "Eat first. After you finish, your aunt has some things she wants to talk to you about."
Chu Tianqing didn't stand on ceremony—she was genuinely hungry.
Chu Tianqing immersed herself in a sea of delicious food, and the little figure in her mind couldn't help but pop out again—
Demon Tianqing transformed into Angel Tianqing, rolling around in the steamed rice with sweet crab meat and rich crab roe, bowing in admiration to the fatty, succulent tuna belly, and dancing on the springy, tender abalone tempura like it was a trampoline…
Unlike Chu Tianqing, who accepted everything that came her way and savored the food with full immersion, Shen Xinglan was quite picky about eating out, not touching some dishes at all.
Fortunately, the Japanese restaurant had a wide variety of dishes. When Chu Tianqing tried something she thought Shen Xinglan would like but wouldn't proactively try, she would describe the flavor and texture to her, letting her decide whether she wanted to give it a shot.
In the end, Shen Xinglan also ate her fill.
After being diagnosed with depression, Chen Qingci had a very poor appetite. She ate very little at dinner, or sometimes skipped it entirely, and her body had rapidly grown thin.
She watched the two girls with great interest—two completely different personalities.
Chu Tianqing was like a blaze of fire, Shen Xinglan like a pool of water—both lovely girls.
Without realizing it, Chen Qingci was also influenced by Chu Tianqing's hearty appetite and ate the most satisfying dinner she'd had in months.
Chu Tianqing started nibbling on a melon.
Shen Xinglan set down her chopsticks.
Chen Qingci had long stopped eating, waiting for them to finish.
Chen Qingci took out a deep red velvet box from her bag and handed it to Shen Xinglan.
"Aunt, what is this?" Shen Xinglan opened the box in confusion.
Inside the velvet box lay an emerald diamond ring, with a vintage and substantial design.
"Wow, what a beautiful ring!" Chu Tianqing exclaimed, holding her melon.
"Lanlan, this is Achen's mother's…" Chen Qingci's voice turned hoarse as she mentioned her sister. She paused, then continued, "This is what my sister left for me, but I'll never have a use for it in this lifetime. Now I'm entrusting this ring to you."
"I can't accept this." Shen Xinglan refused outright, snapping the box shut and pushing it back to Chen Qingci.
Chen Qingci placed the box back in her hands. "Lanlan, I know you've endured a great deal of injustice by marrying Achen. You are our Chen family's benefactor. This ring—you must accept it."
Shen Xinglan furrowed her brows and glanced at Chu Tianqing.
Chu Tianqing met her gaze and squeezed Shen Xinglan's hand under the table, hinting that she shouldn't refuse in front of her.
Accepting it now was the choice that would put Chen Qingci at ease.
Chen Qingci took out several documents from her bag.
"I've spoken with the doctors. With a professional care team in place, Achen recovering at home would be more beneficial to his rehabilitation."
"I'll cover all the costs for converting the room into a hospital ward at home—that's already underway."
"Before your wedding next week, Achen will be able to come home."
"Every month, the Chen Corporation will pay you 100,000 yuan as living expenses."
"You're still a student, so you'll definitely continue your studies. Whether you want to study abroad in the future or need financial sponsorship, the Chen Corporation will fully support you."
Shen Xinglan subconsciously frowned.
This topic was something she and Chu Tianqing hadn't rehearsed beforehand.
Chen Qingci hadn't even asked her anything about her love life—she just started giving her a ring and money right off the bat…
For a moment, Shen Xinglan didn't know what to say.
"Aunt, Lanlan really hasn't thought that far ahead."
Chu Tianqing picked up the conversation, nodding politely. "Let me thank you on her behalf first."
"Shen Xinglan has a pure academic brain. When you talk to her about funds or living expenses, she has no concept of it at all. All she thinks about is…"
Chu Tianqing looked at Shen Xinglan, scratching her head in a troubled manner. "Lanlan, what's it called again? The blood-brain… what?"
Shen Xinglan seemed to snap back to attention, her eyes lighting up for a moment—
"The penetration of the blood-brain barrier. The reason the medications on the market are ineffective for Lin Zhichen is that their molecular structures are too large to cross the blood-brain barrier."
"I'm currently working on using nano-targeted carriers to deliver high concentrations of neural repair factors directly to the damaged areas of the brain. What we need to do isn't to wake him up—it's to repair him first."
"As for neural remodeling, I've looked into Lin Zhichen's original data. The neuronal connections in his frontal lobe are still firing. There's hope…"
Chu Tianqing held Shen Xinglan's hand and pressed it three times with slight force—their secret signal.
Shen Xinglan stopped.
Chen Qingci was stunned for a long moment.
She couldn't understand these technical terms, but she was deeply impressed by Shen Xinglan's expertise and confidence.
Chu Tianqing handed her a warm hand towel.
"Little aunt, Lanlan is a genius in medicine in my heart. She said there's hope, that it can be repaired, so it definitely can be. We just need to take good care of her daily life and let her focus on her research in peace."
Chen Qingci cast an admiring gaze toward Shen Xinglan.
She turned to Chu Tianqing and said, "Qingqing, you're right. Whether it's the wedding or matters at home, I'll handle everything. Lanlan doesn't need to worry about any of it."
Thinking about personally managing the young couple's wedding, Chen Qingci felt a rare flicker of joy and excitement.
It had been a long time since she'd felt the emotion of "happiness."
Chen Qingci picked up her phone and muttered to herself, "Lanlan, are you free this Sunday? Custom wedding gowns definitely won't make it in time, but we can look at some haute couture ready-to-wear pieces and have the tailor adjust them…"
"Qingqing, you and your niece also need dresses—you're definitely the maid of honor. Then I'll need to book fittings at two more stores."
"And the drink menu, invitations, wedding favors, return gifts! You don't need to worry about any of those—I'll handle them."
Chen Qingci suddenly felt that life had something to look forward to again.
Her world was no longer empty and hollow; her heart was suddenly filled with something solid and substantial.
After the meal, Chu Tianqing had planned to drive Shen Xinglan home.
They couldn't spend this weekend together.
Shen Xinglan had to leave Saturday afternoon for a conference out of town and wouldn't return to the capital until Thursday.
Chen Qingci could only "drag" her to Vera Wang that evening to get her measurements taken first.
The fitting would take at least half a day, and many styles would need to be ordered in. Since Shen Xinglan was traveling for work over the weekend and wouldn't be in the capital, the bride's gown fitting would have to wait until next Friday.
Time was tight, and the bride's and maid of honor's dress fittings couldn't be scheduled together either.
Chen Qingci arranged the maid of honor dress fitting for Chu Tianqing and Lin Nanxi on Saturday.
Friday evening, at the private Vera Wang boutique.
Shen Xinglan stood like a puppet doll as the staff positioned her and took her measurements.
Before she'd even tried on a single gown, she was already looking at Chu Tianqing with a "please spare me" expression.
Chen Qingci glanced at Shen Xinglan, who showed zero interest in the wedding dress, and shook her head helplessly.
She said quietly, "Qingqing, I'll communicate directly with you about the wedding flow and other matters. You can fully represent Lanlan anyway."
Chu Tianqing tapped on her tablet to select wedding gown styles that would suit Shen Xinglan, marking them for ordering, and nodded. "Just communicate with me, little aunt."
Chen Qingci volunteered to drive Shen Xinglan home—they were heading in the same direction anyway, so it was more convenient.
Shen Xinglan waved goodbye to Chu Tianqing and got into the passenger seat of Chen Qingci's car.
They'd chat a bit on the way to get to know each other better.
Chu Tianqing reminded Shen Xinglan to text her on WeChat when she got home, then said goodbye to them and drove back to the villa.
Just as her car passed the security booth, Chu Tianqing slammed on the brakes.
"Good evening, ma'am. Welcome home."
Four young men in uniform stood in the booth, giving her a crisp salute.
"Did I take a wrong turn…" Chu Tianqing's hand froze on the steering wheel. She glanced at the navigation—no, this was right!
The European-style streetlights that had been dark for half a month now lit up one after another, like a relay, from far to near.
For the first time, Chu Tianqing realized the lights on the internal road hadn't been broken—they just hadn't been turned on…
As she drove along, she saw gardeners trimming the lawn that had gone untended for so long, working through the night.
The villa was brightly lit, and the housekeeper stood at the door waiting for her: "Ma'am, you've worked hard during this time."
"No hardship—serving the people." Chu Tianqing was still completely dazed.
An overwhelming sense of having come home to the wrong house kept "attacking" her brain.
From the moment she stepped through the door, "Good evening, ma'am" rang out around her constantly.
Chu Tianqing replied with a string of "Hello, hello…" and retreated to her own room.
Leaning against the door, she muttered to herself, "What's going on? Why is everyone back?!"
Before she could fully calm down, a polite knock came at the door behind her.
"Ma'am, I'm Zhang Ma. Sorry to disturb you—would you have a moment to come up to the third floor with me?"
Chu Tianqing opened the door.
A kind, friendly middle-aged woman stood at the doorway.
She remembered Lin Nanxi mentioning that "Zhang Ma" was the household manager.
"Of course, Zhang Ma." Chu Tianqing followed her into the elevator to the third floor.
She rarely came up to the third floor—she usually only moved between the first and second floors.
This entire floor was Lin Sinian's territory.
The only time she'd been up there was when she and Shen Xinglan snuck into Lin Sinian's study to search his computer. She hadn't been back since.
"Ma'am, the master's master bedroom is this way."
Zhang Ma led Chu Tianqing to a heavy black walnut door.
The moment the door swung open, Chu Tianqing instinctively held her breath.
Lin Sinian's master suite was unimaginably large, with a color palette of polar gray and cold black.
Past the outer sitting room, the center of the bedroom was dominated by an oversized floating bed. There were no nightstands—instead, luxurious stone surfaces extended from the walls.
The bedding was heavy mulberry silk in dark gray, casting a cold metallic sheen under the light, smooth without a single wrinkle.
Chu Tianqing narrowed her eyes. Silk bedding was comfortable, sure—but once it got wet, it left deep, ambiguous marks.
Thinking about how fair Lin Sinian's skin was, lying on the dark silk bedding…
Even though he was an old thing of thirty, he still had some charm—especially that pretty face, that narrow waist, and those long legs. Tsk tsk tsk.
Up until this moment, Chu Tianqing was still reveling in the "perverted" little thrill of touring someone else's master bedroom and snooping on their private affairs.
Zhang Ma brought over four or five new pillows of different styles and placed them on the bed.
Zhang Ma turned around and asked, "Madam, why don't you try the pillows and see which one you like?"
"Huh?" Chu Tianqing's smile froze on her face.
"Once you've picked a pillow, you can also choose which side you'd like to sleep on." Zhang Ma maintained her professional smile throughout. "The master instructed that whichever side you prefer is fine."
What—what do you mean, which side to sleep on?!
Chu Tianqing couldn't smile anymore. She hadn't even figured out how she was going to forcefully kiss Lin Sinian in the hospital room tomorrow—kiss him until he was breathless, kiss him until he was broken—and now she already had to consider the matter of sleeping together with him.