Chapter 208

Page Sixty-Four Suspicion

“Did you see someone… who looked exactly like me over twenty years ago?”

A somewhat absurd yet logical conjecture was brewing in my thoughts, much like when a drain is unplugged, suddenly making everything make sense.

“I wouldn’t forget. It was a female Taoist dressed in plain blue robes, who insisted on pulling me for a fortune-telling session.”

What the hell, a female Taoist. It sounds like another scam, just like that soothsayer Lin Ziyè met.

Lin Yuhuang asked again, “Was it someone from your mother’s side I encountered back then?”

My thoughts gradually became clearer, but I still shook my head to deny it.

I vaguely replied, “I’m not sure. I don’t even know if the person I’m looking for is the same as the one you mentioned.”

The phrase ‘over twenty years ago’ was too vague. It could have been Master Hālìlùyà, or perhaps even Uncle Zhú Běihǎi from the trials of the deity. It might even be our mother, with a span of ten years, many things could have happened.

“It seems I couldn’t help you. Do you mean she has appeared recently?”

“I haven’t seen her myself, but there are signs indicating she has appeared recently, and she was in your Balance Commercial District… Can you tell me what happened twenty years ago? Since you remember it so clearly, there must have been something significant that happened with that female Taoist, right?”

I tried to pry, but Lin Yuhuang didn’t fall for it. He shook his head and said, “That’s another story. It’s inconvenient to talk about it now… If there are no other questions, I should return to the main hall to greet important guests.”

It seemed he was preparing to leave. After all, for him, the coming-of-age ceremony was more important than anything else, and he couldn’t afford to spend too much time with me.

— “No, the reporters are still lining up to check their invitations. Once Ling Shaojie verifies their identities, you need to buy some more time!” —

Even if Cherry Sauce said this, I couldn’t find any reason to stop him.

“So, where is the main character of the coming-of-age ceremony? Uncle Lin, where is your son? Shouldn’t he be here with you?”

Lin Yuhuang was taken aback but still answered, “Ziyè still has some preparatory work to do before six-thirty. He will come and be on stage.”

Of course, I knew this. What I really wanted to ask was something else.

With squinted eyes, I asked, “Uncle Lin, if your wife had given birth to a daughter, would you still let her inherit the family business?”

His eyes were filled with shock and he guarded against the implications of my words.

— “You’re being prepared for as backup for Ling Shaojie, right? After all, if Ling Shaojie’s birth certificate falls into the Huangfu family, it would cause greater damage to them… Don’t mess up before the operation begins, say less of what shouldn’t be said.” —

I explained, “Oh, you don’t have to be so wary. I heard that the Lin family and the Huangfu family are opposites, with severe gender discrimination. But you don’t seem like that kind of person, so I took the chance to ask. I think such outdated and corrupt ideas shouldn’t carry over to our generation. This is also why I asked Aunt Zhen for an invitation.”

My speech was somewhat politically correct, and Lin Yuhuang couldn’t refute it. He only responded, “You’re right. I hope you can get along well with Ziyè… Little Meng, it’s time for you to go out.”

He pushed my back without touching me, guiding me towards the door. If I acted too obviously, he would notice that I was stalling. So, I could only slow down and continue chatting, “Uncle Lin, does your son have a girlfriend?”

“…Not yet.”

Hey! Even if your son has a fiancée, what’s going on with you, Dad?

This old pervert is definitely after me!

Summoning my courage, I asked awkwardly, “So, what do you think? Am I suitable?”

— “Pfft, you’re really going for it.” —

If not for Ling Shaojie, I wouldn’t have asked such a question. I’ll have to extort some compensation later.

— “Think about how to avoid Xia Lu’s retaliation after she finds out you’re trying to poach her.” —

This is just part of the strategy. Xia Lu isn’t that naive.

— “Xiao Kai, never underestimate a woman’s jealousy.” —

Lin Yuhuang didn’t accept directly but said, “It depends on what Ziyè thinks. After all, arranged marriages and gender discrimination are both relics of outdated thinking, aren’t they?”

He sounded open-minded, but Ziyè already has Xia Lu. Why not just refuse?

Could it be because Xia Lu beat him up, so he resents Xia Lu?

— “Considering the temperament of that young lady, only someone who truly likes her can handle her. From this perspective, Xiao Kai, your gentle nature would make you a better wife… disregarding gender.” —

Isn’t that the priority?

“Then, Uncle Lin, can you give me a phone number? Yours or your son’s?”

“That’s fine… Uh, Ling Meng is quite frugal, huh?”

Seeing my old phone from three years ago, Lin Yuhuang couldn’t hold back either. He pursed his lips and said, “Then I’ll give you Ziyè’s contact. My phone might be inconvenient.”

“Oh, understood!”

Once I get those 20,000 yuan from Ling Shaojie, I’ll definitely get the latest flagship phone. No more embarrassment.

— “Ling Shaojie has slipped in, no need to delay anymore. Withdraw, we should prepare for the operation.” —

To prevent Lin Yuhuang from getting suspicious, I followed him back to the main entrance, only to run into Xia Lu by sheer bad luck.

Today was Lin Ziyè’s coming-of-age ceremony, and as his fiancée, she had changed out of her usual punk look into formal evening wear, exuding a transformation akin to a wild chicken turning into a phoenix.

She hesitated for a moment, then pretended not to recognize me.

“Uncle Lin, who is this sister?”

“Little Lu, let me introduce you. This is Huangfu Lingmeng.”

“Huangfu is… that Huangfu family?”

“You two are around the same age, you could be friends.”

Lin Yuhuang always seemed a bit off. Just now, he gave me his son’s phone number, and now he wants me to befriend his fiancée.

Can this friendship be trusted?

Doesn’t he fear his son’s fate?

“Lingmeng, shall we go inside and chat?”

Xia Lu didn’t mind; she took my hand and pulled me toward the auditorium, but this seemingly casual move contained an unyielding force, nearly dislocating my arm.

“Ouch! Ouch! What are you doing?”

Once away from Lin Yuhuang’s sight, Xia Lu turned and pressed me against the wall, poking my chest and scolding, “I was going to ask you the same thing! How did you get ahead and meet with Uncle Lin? If anything goes wrong, how will we proceed with the plan?”

“If he stands at the entrance, Ling Shaojie won’t be able to enter.”

This intimate pose made Xia Lu uncomfortable with the surrounding gazes, so she released me.

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to distract Uncle Lin?”

“It’s an emergency. How’s Ziyè doing?”

When asked about her fiancé, Xia Lu shrugged.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since morning. Who knows what he’s up to behind the scenes, but he’ll definitely act around six. I know him; he wouldn’t screw this up.”

Ling Shaojie allowed Lin Ziyè free rein, so there was no need to inquire further. However, this unusual situation made people suspect he was secretly planning something.

I glanced at my phone; it was 5:40.

There were only twenty minutes left until the coming-of-age ceremony began. Most guests had arrived, including many reporters and photographers. By now, the ceremony couldn’t be easily canceled.

Now was the perfect time to interrogate Lin Yuhuang.

Entering the auditorium, I pointed to the half-level above.

“Shall we wait up there?”

“Why sit up there? It’s inconvenient.”

“There are fewer people, making it easier to move around. We’re not here to eat.”

Behind the stairs, in a corner of the auditorium, was a reserved area for media. Ling Shaojie, wearing sunglasses and a camera around her neck, was adjusting equipment with other reporters. She glanced at me but didn’t react.

Facing the father who had abandoned her, even though she had mentally rehearsed countless times, she still felt nervous.

Today was her birthday, a day she should be enjoying blessings…

Before going upstairs, I noticed a familiar figure at the entrance of the auditorium.

I turned to Ling Shaojie, and she seemed equally stunned, having also noticed.

Seeing me standing still, Xia Lu pushed me.

“What’s wrong with you?”

I pointed to a middle-aged woman in a red dress with her long hair tied up at the entrance.

“She is Aunt Lin, Lin Danhan, Ziyè’s aunt and the senior student’s aunt. She took in the abandoned senior student and gave her the birth certificate… Have you never seen her before?”

Xia Lu looked surprised.

“No, but I know of her. Women in the Lin family have low status, so she rarely appears in the main house.”

The rumors about the Lin family seemed true.

Lin Yuhuang was talking to Aunt Lin, but the distance was too far to hear.

— “Tsk, trouble big.” —

But this distance wasn’t a problem for Cherry Sauce. Timing wise, the reconnaissance black substance swallowed by birds should have been excreted by now.

— “Aunt Lin came to warn Lin Yuhuang. She suspects Ling Shaojie will cause trouble at the coming-of-age ceremony and even thinks Ling Shaojie might have already infiltrated… Lin Yuhuang is arranging patrols, so finding Ling Shaojie is just a matter of time.” —

My brows furrowed.

Xia Lu asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Uncle Lin knows the senior student is here and has arranged staff to catch her.”

Aunt Lin’s appearance could jeopardize our plan.

“Ziyè can’t let her be caught before his action… Sigh, there’s no choice, I’ll help!”

Seeing several staff members heading toward the media area, Xia Lu, wearing a long evening gown, flipped and landed from the nearly two-meter-high stairs, grabbing Ling Shaojie’s wrist first.

— “‘Come with me! I allow you an exclusive interview!'” Xia Lu said solemnly. —

What’s with this thought-speech narration?

In any case, Xia Lu dragged Ling Shaojie out of the side door before the staff could reach them.