"Pillows…" Chu Tianqing's mind raced as she feigned composure. "Let's take these pillows to my room first. I'll need a few nights to test them out before making a decision."
"Very well." Zhang Ma noted it down on her tablet.
A servant then entered and took the pillows away.
Zhang Ma looked up with a smile. "Then which side would you like to sleep on, madam?"
Chu Tianqing: "…"
So there was no getting around this topic?
She wasn't ready to share a bed with Lin Sinian just yet—or rather, sharing a bed for a purely platonic sleep was fine, but if something actually happened…
Chu Tianqing wasn't opposed to what happened in bed. The big girl did crave his face and body, but she felt that having an emotional foundation made things better—that when the time came, reaching the finish line together in both body and mind would be far more satisfying, right?
"I haven't decided yet. Once I pick out the pillows, I'll bring the suitable ones up to match this mattress, try out which side is more comfortable, and decide then." Chu Tianqing adopted a "delay it one more day if I can" mentality and made up a random excuse.
Zhang Ma maintained her smile and walked to the bedside to explain professionally—
"You see, madam, the current mattress was custom-made entirely according to the master's needs."
"Since you and the master have different body types, heights, and sleeping habits, we need to know which side you'll sleep on in order to order a new mattress."
"Once you confirm your side, a sleep specialist will come to the house tomorrow to conduct a sleep assessment and sleep management plan, and will select the most suitable mattress for you."
"After that, we'll place a new order to replace the current mattress—one side customized to your needs, the other to the master's."
After explaining, Zhang Ma looked at her patiently with a smile.
Chu Tianqing: "…"
Well, that was an eye-opener. Even the wealthy had this much fuss over sleeping, with dedicated personnel managing their sleep.
But then she reconsidered: "Zhang Ma, won't a custom mattress take a long time?"
Zhang Ma nodded. "Since it's a handmade mattress, the production period is about three weeks."
"Then the left side it is." Chu Tianqing pointed randomly, feeling like she'd been given a death sentence with a stay of execution.
"Very well, madam. This way, please." Zhang Ma guided her through the cool-toned corridor of the bedroom.
Zhang Ma stopped before what appeared to be a wall of stone panels.
As the sensor system detected someone approaching, two massive frosted glass sliding doors silently parted to both sides.
What unfolded before Chu Tianqing was a vast space stretching horizontally across the entire floor.
Chu Tianqing felt like she might get lost.
Lin Sinian's master suite was comparable in size to an entire flat.
Zhang Ma slightly turned and made a "please" gesture—
"The walk-in closet on the left is the master's. The mistress's walk-in closet on the right has always been empty. This is what the master designed as the 'Mirror Space.'"
Chu Tianqing stepped into the mistress's walk-in closet on the right.
Though completely empty, every detail of the design exuded luxurious refinement.
Zhang Ma introduced everything meticulously—
"Madam, the back panels of your wardrobe are inlaid with light-transmitting marble. When your clothes are hung up, the system will automatically detect the fabric's color and adjust the optimal lighting."
"The internal partitions are fully wrapped in top-grade lambskin, to prevent any subtle snagging on silk fabrics."
"Next week, an organizer will come to assist us with arranging your belongings."
Before a row of empty rotating jewelry cabinets, Zhang Ma registered Chu Tianqing's fingerprint according to the system protocol.
Zhang Ma: "The fingerprint locks on the jewelry cabinets and watch cabinets are synchronized. The fingerprint lock on the master's closet has already been synced with your fingerprints."
Chu Tianqing walked a full circle around the massive closet.
Standing before the enormous floor-to-ceiling mirror, she was surprised to discover that her closet was actually connected to Lin Sinian's.
There wasn't even a door between the two closets.
"This…" Chu Tianqing wandered into Lin Sinian's closet and poked her head out. "There's no door between the closets—won't I be seen completely naked when changing?"
Zhang Ma remained composed: "The closet was designed according to two requirements from the master."
"First, Symmetry—emphasizing the complete consistency of the two spaces, symbolizing the equality of your and the master's status."
"Second, Borderless—symbolizing the absolute transparency and intimacy of the relationship between you and the master."
"Alright then." Chu Tianqing gave Zhang Ma a thumbs up.
The job of a luxury household manager was definitely not something just anyone could do well. With that level of professionalism and that arsenal of emotional value-adds, she deserved that five to six hundred thousand annual salary.
After touring her future bedroom, Chu Tianqing returned to her second-floor room with mixed feelings to remove her makeup.
Fortunately, while taking off her makeup, inspiration struck—she'd figured out how to complete the system's Plot Mission tomorrow: [Pin the headache-ridden, weakened Lin Sinian down on the hospital bed and kiss him forcefully, even… kissing his pants damp, tearing the corner of his mouth, and letting out a villainous laugh while praising how sweet his blood tastes].
With the big problem solved, Chu Tianqing prepared to take a bath to unwind.
Shen Xinglan had just arrived home and sent her a WeChat message to confirm she was safe.
Chu Tianqing chatted with her over voice call while soaking in the bath.
In just the hour since she'd gotten home, enough surreal things had happened to make for some great gossip with Shen Xinglan.
"Lanlan, tell me that's not ridiculous—does a capitalist really need management even for sleeping? And that mirror in the walk-in closet is so huge, you can see everything happening in the other person's closet from it!"
"I'm thinking, since this is a Restricted-genre novel after all, does Lin Sinian have some kind of special kink? That mirror is way too big!"
Chu Tianqing lay comfortably in the bathtub with a face mask on, venting freely.
Shen Xinglan's voice carried a hint of concern as she fired off a series of questions—
"Those are all minor things. You need to think about this: Lin Sinian is being discharged next week—how are you two going to sleep?"
"The lifestyle butler already went to order a custom mattress—that must have been Lin Sinian's instruction, right?"
"He's lost his memory and doesn't know you have a marriage of convenience. I suspect he never even considered sleeping in separate rooms?"
Chu Tianqing: "I've actually thought of a countermeasure—it can buy us some time, but…"
Rubbing her temples, Chu Tianqing felt a headache coming on: "It's just that it won't hold for too long. Lanlan, a 31-year-old old man shouldn't be able to perform anymore, right?"
Over the phone, Shen Xinglan tried to explain in the simplest terms possible—
"I do have some theoretical experience. My senior fellow apprentice works in male pharmaceutical research and development—what's commonly called 'Viagra-type' drugs."
"About 40% of men over 40 experience some degree of erectile dysfunction."
"Though I hate to admit it, Lin Sinian is 31, and the original book describes him as healthy in every way except for the amnesia. Theoretically speaking, he shouldn't have this kind of problem."
"But my senior also said that in the last decade, the proportion of people aged 20-30 purchasing medication has increased by about 20%."
"From what you've described, Lin Sinian handles a mountain of work every day. Stress, staying up late, and psychological anxiety can all cause testosterone levels to drop, making it impossible to get a normal erection. What if he happens to be part of that 20%?"
Chu Tianqing pressed her palms together in prayer: "Please, please let him be impotent. Then I'll just treat him as a roommate who doesn't bother me and I don't bother."
Shen Xinglan: "I have another idea."
Chu Tianqing perked up: "What?"
Shen Xinglan's voice turned low and mysterious: "I can get some prescription-controlled psychiatric medication. I guarantee he'll sleep like a corpse every night."
"That effective?!" Chu Tianqing was wildly tempted.
Shen Xinglan: "As long as you can accept the side effects."
"Are they… really serious side effects?" Chu Tianqing still harbored some illusions.
Shen Xinglan: "With long-term use of this kind of medication, the GABA receptors in the brain become dulled—meaning the person becomes slow and stupid. It's also addictive, causes significant liver damage, and leads to hair loss. The person becomes ugly."
Chu Tianqing had already conjured up the image of a Lin Sinian with a crooked mouth, squinty eyes, drooling, bald, and shambling around like a zombie from Plants vs. Zombies.
A chibi devil version of Chu Tianqing immediately popped into her brain, rolling its eyes and holding up a big red X—
Don't you come near me!
Chu Tianqing sat up abruptly in the bathtub with a splash: "Help! I don't want a zombie sleeping next to me!"
And besides, if she actually did that—using controlled medication on Lin Sinian—
What difference would that make from the original owner using "Obedience Water" and "Obedience Candy" on him?!
Hmm? Chu Tianqing suddenly figured out where the original owner had gotten all those addictive controlled substances.
With a best friend who was a biopharmaceutical powerhouse, what couldn't she get her hands on?
The original owner and her best friend were basically the morality-free "evil versions" of her and Shen Xinglan—a pair who were "criminal" on top of "criminal."
Chu Tianqing could only pray that maybe Lin Sinian was a Platonist?
Shen Xinglan laughed out loud: "Just kidding with you. That would be way too 'criminal.' Use your method to stall for a few days first, and we'll figure something else out."
"Hmph, you're messing with me again!" Chu Tianqing suddenly grew worried about Shen Xinglan. "Oh, by the way, babe, you're getting married next week. How are you planning to tell your parents?"
Shen Xinglan: "I'm not telling them in advance. I'll just notify them after it's done. There's nothing much I need to take from that house anyway—just my computer and some books."
Chu Tianqing: "Then they… won't they blow their tops?"
Shen Xinglan shrugged it off: "They'll probably kick me out of the house when they find out. But isn't that exactly what I want? Being watched like a college entrance exam candidate while I'm already a senior—it's more than enough."
Chu Tianqing: "True. Once you move out, you can officially start your independent lab. Remember to request marriage leave from your advisor—you can get up to a month."
Shen Xinglan didn't hesitate: "No need. I'm getting married on the weekend—it won't affect my classes."
Chu Tianqing: "…" Look at the level of a top scholar!
At the mention of the independent lab, Shen Xinglan's voice carried a hint of excitement: "After I get married, the first thing I'll do is check how much money is in Lin Zhichen's account. The equipment for the independent lab needs to be ordered in advance—I'm not using some castrated version…"
Chu Tianqing remembered that during their junior year, Shen Xinglan had strongly pushed to upgrade the school lab's microscope.
The two-photon confocal microscope Shen Xinglan requested cost over eight million yuan per unit.
Their proposal was flat-out rejected by their advisor before it was even submitted, and Shen Xinglan and Chu Tianqing had been venting about it for ages.
"Lab equipment must be really expensive, right?" Chu Tianqing had no concept of what a biomedical lab required.
Feeling thirsty from her bath, she picked up a glass of water and took a sip.
"What I need is certainly pricey—I just hope his account has at least five hundred million…"
Shen Xinglan didn't finish the sentence.
Chu Tianqing nearly spat out her water. "Five hundred million?!"
Shen Xinglan's tone was calm: "Five hundred million is just the startup capital. I haven't even counted the costs for equipment maintenance and upgrades, computing power, and servers down the line."
Chu Tianqing stared, utterly dumbfounded.
So raising a bestie cost this much money? Ugh, she really needed to work hard!
Saturday morning.
Chu Tianqing didn't sleep in—she was up at seven.
She'd promised to take Lin Nanxi to the hospital today to visit her two uncles.
There was plenty of time to spare, and since Shen Xinglan wasn't around this weekend, she and her niece could go to the hospital whenever they wanted on Saturday.
It was the only thing on the agenda for the weekend, and Chu Tianqing was even considering taking Lin Nanxi camping on Sunday to clear their heads.
High school seniors were under a lot of pressure and needed some relaxation.
But the moment Chu Tianqing opened her eyes that morning, she received a long list of to-dos from Lin Zhichen's aunt, Chen Qingci—
Saturday 2 PM: bridesmaid dress fitting.
Saturday 6 PM: tasting the wedding banquet's main courses and desserts.
Saturday 8 PM: finalizing the wedding cake, party favors, and wedding candies.
Sunday 9 AM: "scent aesthetics" evaluation at the wedding venue.
Sunday 11 AM: wedding space, music, and flow arrangements…
The entire Saturday and Sunday were packed solid, except for Saturday morning, when Chen Qingci had left half a day free for their hospital visit.
Chu Tianqing suddenly felt a surge of urgency and jumped out of bed: "For Lanlan's perfect wedding, let's go!"
She quickly washed up and tied her hair into a neat bun.
Since she'd be trying on dresses today, she changed into an easy-to-remove cream-colored slip dress, layered with a fluffy chick-yellow cashmere cardigan, and soft-soled lambskin flats in the same shade as the dress.
Lin Nanxi had helped her pick out this outfit last Saturday.
When Chu Tianqing had stepped out of the fitting room back then, Lin Nanxi's eyes had lit up, and she'd immediately told the shop assistant to wrap it up.
Lin Nanxi said she looked like a freshly baked, soft and fragrant lemon soufflé—sweet yet refreshing.
Chu Tianqing checked herself in the mirror, quite pleased with today's look, and smirked smugly: "My niece sure has a sweet tongue."
Chu Tianqing clattered down the stairs, pondering which flavor of instant noodles to grace her breakfast with.
"Pickled cabbage and chili? Spicy beef? Better keep it light in the morning—Tang Daren noodles with a corn sausage, an egg, and a small handful of cilantro…"
Muttering to herself, she reached the first floor and immediately caught the aroma of baked goods—butter, wheat, and coffee—wafting through the air.
"What the…" Chu Tianqing stopped at the last step, rubbing her eyes, thinking she was hallucinating from hunger.
On the usually empty dining table, a row of silver serving dishes sat steaming.
Golden, flaky croissants, garlic baguettes, pistachio ciabatta, and an assortment of bagels filled an entire platter.
Smoked salmon was arranged like roses, paired with glistening capers—absolutely tempting.
Seasonal jams, butter, sour cream, maple bacon, and all the other Western breakfast staples were laid out in full.
On the other side of the table sat several Chinese breakfast options: crab roe soup dumplings, custard buns, wonton noodles, bird's nest congee…
Even the little side dishes for the congee were served in exquisite Ru porcelain dishes with a sky-blue glaze, as refined as exhibits in the Forbidden City.
Chu Tianqing instinctively looked around—
The vast living room, dining room, and kitchen… were all eerily quiet.
As far as her eyes could see, there wasn't a single person.
As if the raucous "hundred-person welcome" from last night had been a figment of her imagination.
"Zhang Ma?" Chu Tianqing called out tentatively.
"Good morning, ma'am."
Zhang Ma emerged from some unseen corner: "The head chef prepared both Western and Chinese options for breakfast. Please try them all—he'll adjust based on your preferences. Let me know if you need anything."
Chu Tianqing nodded: "Good morning. This is way too much."
Zhang Ma glanced at her watch: "Miss will be home in about ten minutes and can join you for a bite. Today is the head chef's first time cooking for you, so there's a wider variety. He won't prepare this much going forward."
"Enjoy your meal. Call me if you need anything."
With that, Zhang Ma retreated back out of sight.
Chu Tianqing sat down and picked up a crab roe soup dumpling, popping it into her mouth—the sweet, savory broth exploded on her tongue.
Oh my god, this was Michelin-level dim sum!
She tried a little of everything, and each item was delicious—stunningly so.
Mid-bite, she accidentally knocked over a small dish of ginger-shred vinegar onto the tablecloth.
"Yikes, napkin, napkin…"
As she turned to look for one, a white-gloved server suddenly appeared from some corner.
He moved as lightly as a cat, his footsteps utterly silent.
"Madam, allow me." The attendant bowed and pressed a warm towel over the stain, then set down a freshly made cup of warm honey-lemon water before silently disappearing around the corner again.
Chu Tianqing froze, chopsticks in her mouth, for a few seconds.
It was unbelievable—the Lin family seemed to have been cast under some extraordinary "invisibility spell" of the wealthy.
Last night's grand return had been nothing more than a thorough cleansing of the dust and "poverty stench" accumulated over the past half month.
And now, everything had returned to order.
The multi-thousand-square-meter mansion operated like a perfectly tuned precision instrument, with all its parts turning efficiently in places she couldn't see.
Chu Tianqing set down her chopsticks and propped her chin on her hand.
This feeling of "everyone's invisible except me" was, damn it, utterly intoxicating.
She indulged for a few seconds, then quickly snapped back to reality.
No—she had to be wary of capitalism's sugar-coated bullets!
The table full of black truffles and Michelin-level food was certainly delicious.
But if tomorrow the mansion reverted to the dilapidated state she'd first arrived to, or if she had to move into a rental or a dormitory—
The Chu Tianqing who ate instant noodles with an egg for breakfast would still accept it calmly and find the noodles just as tasty.
She needed to constantly remind herself that the foundation of this luxurious life all bore the surname "Lin."
Everything in the mansion was given by Lin Sinian.
What he could give easily, he could take back effortlessly.
What wasn't hers was, in the end, a castle in the air.
Chu Tianqing took a deep breath, her eyes turning clear and sharp once more.
She could enjoy this overwhelming wealth, but she must never depend on it wholeheartedly.
Lin Sinian and the Lin family were resources for her and Shen Xinglan—resources to be used wisely.
She wouldn't invest her heart in this grand game of make-believe.
Switching instantly into "client" mode, Chu Tianqing's money-making strategy became even clearer.
Once Shen Xinglan's wedding was over, she was going to go all out and rake in serious cash.
The driver picked up Lin Nanxi from school in the Maybach.
"Little aunt! I'm home~" Lin Nanxi's sweet, soft voice echoed through the foyer.
"Xiaoxi, did you have breakfast?" Chu Tianqing's seat happened to face the foyer, and she waved her over.
Lin Nanxi looked much better than last week.
Her dark circles had faded considerably, her complexion was bright, and her big, watery eyes sparkled with vitality—no longer the aggrieved, sulky little thing from before.
Chu Tianqing felt inexplicably happy seeing her niece.
It seemed their talk with Lin Nanxi last week had genuinely helped.
Lin Nanxi sat down beside her and linked arms with Chu Tianqing. "I ate at school. Little aunt, are you done?"
Chu Tianqing: "Mm, I'm done."
Lin Nanxi's eyes lit up. "Then let's head straight to the hospital—I really want to see little uncle and Uncle Achen."
"Alright, let me run upstairs to grab something, and we'll leave right away." Chu Tianqing went upstairs to brush her teeth and rinse her mouth.
She stopped by the study and picked up a red envelope with Lin Nanxi's name written on it.
When Shen Xinglan had handwritten the wedding invitations on Friday morning, she'd written one for their future niece Lin Nanxi as well.
Chu Tianqing tucked the invitation into her bag and returned to the first floor.
A familiar figure stood in the foyer.
Seeing Chu Tianqing approach, he greeted her with a beaming smile.
"Madam, I didn't get a chance to speak with you yesterday. Chairman Lin has transferred me back—from now on, I'll be at your dedicated service."
"Hello, welcome back." Chu Tianqing recognized him—the driver who'd taken her to school on her first day.
"Shall I drive you to the hospital? Your Bentley, or…" The driver picked up a tray laid with over a dozen luxury car keys. "The young master instructed that all the cars at home are yours to drive as you please."
Chu Tianqing took the avocado-green Bentley key from the tray.
"This afternoon, Xiaoxi and I have personal plans—I'll drive myself. I'll contact you if I need anything."
She didn't believe Lin Sinian would say something as sappy as "drive any car you like."
At most, he'd said "she can use the cars"—that was definitely the driver embellishing on his own.
The driver quickly added, "You have my WeChat and number—I'm on standby anytime."
"Let's go, Xiaoxi—off to the hospital." Chu Tianqing gave the driver a nod, waved her hand, and Lin Nanxi followed like her little shadow.
On the way to the hospital.
Chu Tianqing drove steadily.
Signaling for lane changes, yielding to others, and steering clear of any idiot drivers without even honking.
This driving style only applied when Chu Tianqing had passengers in the car.
If she were driving alone, once she'd gotten used to the vehicle—
Chu Tianqing drove fully in attack mode, her dashcam footage rivaling a racing game.
She herself felt that the moment her hands touched the steering wheel, it was like a demon possessed her—her mouth running nonstop, cursing from the moment she pulled out, and only stopping when the car stopped.
Lin Nanxi sat in the passenger seat. "Little aunt, you drive so smoothly—even better than the driver uncle. I don't feel carsick at all in your car."
Chu Tianqing gave a sheepish smile. "Right? I think my driving skills are pretty great too."
Lin Nanxi beamed with a smile. "Auntie, do you like the color of this car? That day, Uncle's assistant specifically came to ask me, and I picked this color at first sight. I remember Sister Lanlan said that day that you love avocado green the most."
"It's quite nice." Chu Tianqing appreciated such a "filial" niece.
Choosing the same color for a car and a little toy was quite creative.
It made her filter her thoughts every time she got into the car.
Lin Nanxi lowered her eyes and said shyly in a soft voice, "Auntie, this week… I followed the advice you and Sister Lanlan gave me. The little toy I bought at Women's Candy last time works really well. After using it at night, my daytime study state has improved a lot, and my concentration is better too."
"As long as it helps you, that's good. Get yourself in a good state, and next month at the midterm mock exam, we're taking back the first place we lost!"
Chu Tianqing was genuinely happy for Lin Nanxi.
Although as the original female lead, her niece's senior year of high school wouldn't be smooth sailing—she would still face many hardships set up by the dog author.
But Chu Tianqing was confident she could help her get through the subsequent "trials" smoothly.
"Mm, I have to get back to first place." Lin Nanxi nodded firmly, then suddenly remembered something. "Did Sister Lanlan not come today?"
Chu Tianqing: "She has an out-of-province conference to attend, and she's leaving this afternoon."
Lin Nanxi said regretfully, "I see. I remember Sister Lanlan studied biopharmaceuticals and was the top scorer in the college entrance exam. There are a few science problems I wanted to ask her about."
Chu Tianqing: "I'll send you her WeChat in a bit. You can ask her on WeChat, but…"
She remembered that she hadn't yet mentioned to Lin Nanxi that Shen Xinglan was getting married next week.
Now was actually a good opportunity.
Chu Tianqing continued, "From now on, when you come home on weekends, you'll see Shen Xinglan often. If you have academic questions, you can ask her all at once on the weekends."
Lin Nanxi: "Won't that be too much of a bother for Sister Lanlan?"
Chu Tianqing: "No, helping you with high school problems is basically relaxation for a study god."
Lin Nanxi's tone was cheerful. "That's great! Is Sister Lanlan moving in to live with us?"
Chu Tianqing: "She's holding her wedding with Lin Zhichen next Sunday, and after they get married, she'll live at your Uncle Achen's place. It's so close to us—you can see her whenever you want."
Lin Nanxi's eyes widened, as if she was trying to process what Chu Tianqing had said—
"Sister Lanlan, marrying Uncle Achen? Isn't Uncle Achen… in a coma? No, wait, when did they even get together?"
Chu Tianqing explained calmly, "That's right, Lin Zhichen is in a coma, but that doesn't stop them from getting married."
Lin Nanxi: "It… doesn't?"
Chu Tianqing smiled.
"It doesn't. Shen Xinglan and Lin Zhichen had a mutual crush on each other back in their school days. When your little uncle and I started dating, they reconnected."
"Your Sister Lanlan decided to marry him for two reasons: one is that she truly loves him, and the other is that her research direction can help your Uncle Achen. She needs an identity that allows her to stay by his side."
Lin Nanxi was silent for a full several minutes.
Then the pure-and-innocent persona suddenly blurted out, "So, the senior that Sister Lanlan told me last week she had fantasized about—that's Uncle Achen?"
Chu Tianqing: "…"
"She never told me about that either. Why don't you ask her yourself?"
My dear niece, you really are the female lead of a Restricted-genre novel—after all that talking, the only thing you remember is Shen Xinglan fantasizing about a senior…
Lin Nanxi slapped her forehead, her little face full of chagrin. "Then Uncle Achen… can't play with the couple's toy I gave them either? Ugh, I gave a gift that didn't even hit the mark!"
Chu Tianqing: "Uh… I heard from your Sister Lanlan that people in a vegetative state still have senses and needs, so the couple's toy you gave them might actually help promote their marital bond."
After that, Lin Nanxi was silent again for a long time.
It wasn't until they were almost at the hospital that she spoke up. "Auntie, I still think Sister Lanlan shouldn't marry Uncle Achen."
Chu Tianqing asked curiously, "Why?"
Lin Nanxi took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and said—
"It just feels unfair to Sister Lanlan. She's such an outstanding person; she deserves someone better. It's just…"
"I'm not saying Uncle Achen is bad. If Uncle Achen weren't in a vegetative state, I would sincerely wish them well."
"But right now, with Uncle Achen's condition… I don't know how to describe it. He might never wake up. What if he stays in a vegetative state for years, over a decade, decades?"
"Sister Lanlan would have to take care of him and watch over him the whole time."
"Auntie, sometimes I think that when Little Uncle lost his memory, it was especially unfair to you too."
"You and Sister Lanlan are both such wonderful girls. How is it that when you marry, you both run into these kinds of things?"
The more she spoke, the sadder she became, and Lin Nanxi's beautiful eyes brimmed with tears. "If I were your mother, your sister, your little sister, I would be so, so heartbroken…"
Chu Tianqing parked the car and, reaching across the center console, gently embraced Lin Nanxi, who was sobbing softly.
Her niece was a girl with strong empathy, a kind heart, and an unshakably sound sense of right and wrong.
Chu Tianqing said, "Xiaoxi, this is your Lanlan sister's choice. All we need to do is support her decision."
Lin Nanxi choked out, "I understand…"
Chu Tianqing deliberately kept her tone light. "From now on, we're one family. Isn't that something worth celebrating and being happy about?"
Lin Nanxi stopped crying.
She said timidly, "If I'm being selfish… I get to have two such wonderful aunts. I must be the luckiest niece in the world."
Chu Tianqing's eyes curved into crescents. "Then be selfish just this once. We'll make you the happiest niece in the world."
Lin Nanxi blinked. "I'm sorry, little aunt. I always thought being selfish was wrong…"
Chu Tianqing pressed her index finger to Lin Nanxi's lips. "I've told you before what I hate hearing most, haven't I? Family should say 'I love you' more often."
"I love you so much, little aunt." Lin Nanxi hugged her tightly.
Chu Tianqing patted Lin Nanxi's shoulder soothingly, feeling her niece's dependence on her.
But in the end, Chu Tianqing couldn't stay by her side forever.
In the book, the "wicked aunt" would exit the story a year or so later. She would accompany her as far as she could.
"Here, your Lanlan sister asked me to give you this." Chu Tianqing casually pulled a red envelope from her bag and handed it to Lin Nanxi.
Lin Nanxi took the envelope. "This is… Lanlan sister's wedding invitation?"
Chu Tianqing said proudly, "She wrote it by hand."
Lin Nanxi's eyes sparkled. "This is Lanlan sister's handwriting—it's so beautiful! The writing of a top student looks blessed by the gods. I admire her so much."
Chu Tianqing narrowed her eyes, feigning jealousy. "Hmph, you don't admire me?"
Lin Nanxi hugged her arm. "I admire you too. I admire both my aunts."
In the car, Lin Nanxi had just been crying her eyes out, tears and snot running freely.
After all, she was an eighteen-year-old girl who cared about her appearance. Before going upstairs to see her little uncle, she insisted on tidying herself up in the restroom.
Chu Tianqing waited for her on the first floor of the inpatient building, feeling a bit troubled.
When she had handed the wedding invitation to Lin Nanxi just now, she noticed there was another invitation in her bag—the one Shen Xinglan had written for her.
It suddenly hit Chu Tianqing: neither she nor Shen Xinglan had thought to prepare an invitation for Lin Sinian.
As Lin Zhichen's closest relative, someone who was like an elder brother to him, it simply wouldn't do for Lin Sinian not to be invited to the wedding.
But Lin Sinian—crafty, calculating, and deeply shrewd—wasn't someone easy to fool, even with amnesia.
The three uncles of the Lin family had accepted Lin Zhichen and Shen Xinglan's marriage only because they'd been blatantly threatened, afraid of jeopardizing their own interests.
Lin Zhichen's aunt, Chen Qingci, had accepted the wedding on behalf of his maternal family—first, because she'd found an emotional anchor in it, and second, because she genuinely hoped her nephew would wake up.
Lin Nanxi could accept her beloved Achen uncle's marriage because she was innocent and kind, never one to judge others with malice.
What would Lin Sinian think of this marriage between Shen Xinglan and Lin Zhichen? What stance would he take? Would he even step in to stop it?
Chu Tianqing couldn't predict any of it.
Clutching the wedding invitation Shen Xinglan had written for her, Chu Tianqing had a flash of inspiration.
She glanced at her bag—luckily, she had a pen on her. Suddenly, she had an idea.
[Force a kiss, kiss until it's wet, kiss until it bleeds]—and making Lin Sinian accept his cousin's marriage. Chu Tianqing intended to accomplish both.
She pressed the elevator button, rode up to Lin Sinian's hospital room door, and pushed it open…