9 – Chapter 9
The Devil’s Whisper
“What?” Even Old Master Lin, who had lived over seventy years, could no longer remain calm, his face full of astonishment. When had Tao Tao ever said such things?
The two stood facing each other inside and outside for a long time, neither speaking.
Someone must have informed Wang Ling about the commotion at the entrance. She brought Lin Jinyi and several servants to watch the spectacle, seemingly delighting in the trouble. Before she even got close, her shrill voice reached everyone’s ears.
“Oh my, I heard Young Master Duan has come knocking?” Wang Ling covered her mouth while walking, snickering without regard for her own biological daughter. It seemed the worse Second Miss Lin’s reputation became, the more comfortable her own future would be…
She raised her voice even louder, as if trying to summon all the household servants to witness the humiliation. “Oh, Old Master, I’ve long said that Tao Tao has grown up and learned to keep secrets in her heart. She never tells anything to me, her own mother…”
When Mama Wang told Wang Ling that the blind man from the Duan family had come, she was in the middle of painting her nails. Upon hearing the news, she excitedly stood up immediately, not caring that she had smeared nail polish on her skin.
The young maid beside her trembled fearfully. Wang Ling waved her hand magnanimously: “Step aside, don’t block my view!”
This blind man from the Duan family had appeared at their banquets a few times over the years, but each time he was surrounded by men in black, preventing outsiders from seeing much. Wang Ling had craned her neck to catch glimpses before – she knew this young master Duan was not only blind but also crippled, as he sat in a wheelchair!
Although rumors circulated that Young Master Duan was exceptionally handsome, his blindness, lameness, and violent, bloody nature…
Coupled with his alleged dislike of women and preference for tormenting female servants, no prominent family in Rong City was willing to marry their daughters to him…
If her country bumpkin daughter could marry into that family, it would be perfect! Even better if he tortured her to death! She didn’t want this uneducated, ugly daughter anyway – having Jinyi was enough.
No one could threaten their position in the Lin family!
The more Wang Ling thought about it, the happier she became. But when she reached Old Master Lin and saw the man sitting in the wheelchair, she froze on the spot.
Who would have thought this cripple would be even more handsome than the rumors suggested? Just sitting there silently, his presence alone dominated the entire scene!
Lin Jinyi also stood momentarily stunned.
Wang Ling stepped forward, shielding her eldest daughter, and addressed the man in the wheelchair: “So you’re Duan Yuan? The one who’s been messing around with my younger daughter?”
“Who are you?” The man’s thin lips parted without any emotion.
“I’m Tao Tao’s mother, hehehe.”
“Tao Tao…” Duan Yuan gently repeated the name, his tone lingering and ambiguous, like tender whispers meant for a lover.
Seeing things progressing as she hoped, Wang Ling couldn’t wait to speak: “With rumors spreading like this, if you’re a real man you should take responsibility. Although my daughter grew up in the countryside and has a ruined reputation, she’s still the Lin family’s eldest young lady! Perfectly matched with someone like you…”
As Wang Ling’s words fell, a silver needle shot forward!
Instantly, those still-moving lips were pierced from top to bottom by the slender silver needle, immediately silencing them.”Who did you say stinks?” A voice cold enough to pierce through bone marrow came through, like the whisper of a demon king.
While Wang Ling’s face turned ashen with pain, she finally recalled the rumors of Duan Yuan’s brutality and instantly grew fearful. Covering her mouth, she took a step back and cast a pleading look toward Old Master Lin.
But Old Master Lin merely glanced at her lightly, sighed without speaking, his expression seeming to say she deserved it!
Wang Ling admitted defeat, but Duan Yuan wasn’t done pursuing the matter.
“Heh… weren’t these rumors spread by Madam Lin’s people?”
Duan Yuan remained calm as he spoke these words, immediately causing Wang Ling’s expression to darken. She turned and shot a meaningful glance at her eldest daughter.
Lin Jinyi immediately spoke up in explanation: “Grandfather! You mustn’t listen to such nonsense! How could Mother possibly do such a thing to her own daughter! And Duan Yuan, don’t you dare make baseless accusations!”