"What?"
"Dad, can you say that again?"
"You want to completely expel Youling from the Shen family and sever all ties?!"
"Good heavens, that's going too far..."
After hearing Shen Qiushi's solemn declaration, Shen Xin, Dong Mingfeng, and the others were all dumbfounded, unable to believe their own ears.
Shen Qiushi said calmly, "Since you're worried that Lin Tang will drag down the entire Shen family, this solves the problem. If Shen Youling is no longer one of us, she can't implicate us."
"I object! On what grounds?" Dong Mingfeng shouted. That senile old fool! Causing trouble the mont he wakes up. It would have been better if he'd just died!
"Hmph, I'm still in charge of the Shen family. Objection overruled! My decision is final!" Shen Qiushi's expression turned cold as he directly ordered Shen Xin to contact the dia and issue a public announcent to make the matter official.
"Dad!" Shen Xin was on the verge of tears. He couldn't comprehend it at all. "Why would you rather expel her, only to send her off to die with that jinx, Lin Tang?!"
"Because they are a couple destined by heaven, and that cannot be changed!" Shen Qiushi stated stubbornly. "If they can't overco this trial, then that is their fate."
"..."
Superstitious! Utterly superstitious!
Shen Jiayue also found it hard to accept. After all, this was the younger sister she had grown up with. But seeing Shen Qiushi's obstinance, she opened her mouth, then closed it, deciding not to say anything and invite his wrath. Actually... this might be for the best. Now the Shen family's fortune will be all mine. A flicker of secret delight sparked within her.
Lu Zizheng was initially disappointed. My little sister-in-law is being cast out of the family? Will I still have a chance to enjoy her charms? Wait! If that bastard Lin Tang keeps refusing to take her in... Lu Zizheng's eyes lit up as he imagined Shen Youling, holess and utterly alone. If he were to show up at just the right mont, offering help when she was most desperate… wouldn't that be a golden opportunity?
***
Although Lin Tang hadn't said so, Shen Youling had already guessed he was staying in Villa Number One. Looking across the water, she saw how magnificent the villa was. By comparison, the Shen Residence seed like a dog kennel. A mix of complicated emotions washed over her, and she sighed quietly. That beautiful Wei Zichu must have let him stay here. Is she in love with him?
"Wow, what a pretty big sister!"
Huang Jifen, holding little Wu Xinyu's hand, was returning from grocery shopping. Lin Tang had given them key cards, allowing them to enter and leave Villa Number One freely. The clothes they wore now, while not expensive brands, were fresh and clean, with no trace of their forr lives scavenging on the streets. The only thing that couldn't be changed for the mont was that Wu Xinyu was missing teeth on one side of her mouth, causing her to speak with a lisp.
She gazed at Shen Youling, her eyes shining, and said indistinctly, "Sister, are you a fairy who ca down from heaven?"
Shen Youling was in a terrible mood and only managed a forced smile without saying a word. Seeing this, Huang Jifen gently pulled Wu Xinyu back, signaling her not to bother the stranger.
Then, Shen Youling watched as the two of them passed through the gate, crossed the bridge, and headed toward Villa Number One.
"Huh?" Shen Youling was stunned. They actually live in there too? What's their relationship with Lin Tang? Could they be his mother and... daughter?
She was taken aback by her own speculation, yet she felt it wasn't entirely far-fetched. After all, she knew nothing about his past. Her thoughts were in turmoil. She considered calling Lin Tang to ask him directly—she had gotten his number from Ge Shijian when they went to find him that morning.
No, I'll just wait for him to co back and ask him then...
As she was pondering, her phone rang. It was her mother, Dong Mingfeng.
A mont later, Shen Youling's body trembled, her expression frozen. Grandpa wants to disown ? To cast out with nothing?!
It was too sudden, catching her completely off guard. Just hours ago, they had said that everything would be forgiven if she could bring Lin Tang ho. How had it now beco a matter of her being cast out, regardless of whether she reconciled with Lin Tang or not?
"Sigh!" Dong Mingfeng sighed on the other end. "It's all because of that damned Lin Tang. Yan Renjie is bound to kill him for revenge sooner or later. Your grandfather is afraid you'll drag us all down with you, so he decided to just abandon you..."
"!!!" Shen Youling was speechless, and tears instantly blurred her vision. She never imagined that would be the reason.
"I... I understand! Mom, please take care of yourself. Forgive your daughter for being unfilial..." Shen Youling choked out, about to hang up.
"Wait a minute!" Dong Mingfeng suddenly added. "Your grandfather also said that if you can get the formula for the Origin-Restoring Qi Soup from that nace Lin Tang and bring it back, he will rescind his order!"
This was a lie. Shen Qiushi had said no such thing; Dong Mingfeng had made it up on her own.
Shen Youling couldn't be bothered to question it. Disheartened, she had no intention of trying to steal a formula to win her way back into the Shen family. She no longer wanted to persuade Lin Tang to return. She no longer wanted to see him. She no longer wanted to ask if Wu Xinyu was his daughter.
It didn't matter anymore. None of it mattered.
She just wanted to find a deserted corner and quietly wither away. Stumbling, she turned and left. The world was vast, but she had no idea where ho was.
***
That evening, Lin Tang returned to Villa Number One. He carefully stored away the Seven-Star Begonia, sternly warning Wu Xinyu and her grandmother not to touch it. Although the plant was extrely toxic, it could be used as a life-saving dicine under special circumstances. If he could gather a few other specific poisonous herbs, he could even refine the Seven Emotions Pill, which would also boost his power.
During dinner, Lin Tang asked if there had been any problems with Wu Xinyu's school enrollnt, offering to find soone to help if needed.
Huang Jifen chuckled and shook her head, explaining that she had rely shown the villa's key card when she inquired at a nearby kindergarten. They had imdiately agreed to let Wu Xinyu join a class at any ti, even offering to waive the fees.
"That's good." Lin Tang patted Wu Xinyu's head, not worried in the slightest about patting her bald.
Wu Xinyu giggled foolishly, then said, "Big Brother, Grandma and I t a fairy sister today! She was super, super pretty! You're a celestial being who descended to earth, so why don't you go marry her!"
"You're such a smart aleck!" Lin Tang flicked her forehead playfully and asked casually, "Just how pretty could she be? Prettier than my ex-wife?"
"What does 'ex-wife' an?"
"Uh—" Lin Tang took out his phone and scrolled through his photos. Back at the hospital, after saving Shen Youling from Hou Baoshu, he had been completely smitten by her charmingly innocent sleeping face. So... he had secretly taken a few pictures. Of course, he had only photographed her face, not her body. He had no desire to get caught up in a photo scandal.
"Here, this is the sister," Lin Tang said, showing the picture of Shen Youling.
"Hey! That's the fairy sister I t!" Wu Xinyu exclaid in surprise.
"Ah? So she's the boss's wife?" Huang Jifen panicked. She had failed to bring the lady of the house inside with her. What a dereliction of duty! Will the boss get angry and kick out?
Lin Tang was stunned as well. He hadn't expected Shen Youling to co all the way here to wait for him. Where was she now?
Whatever. It's not like I plan on going back to the Shen family anyway, he thought, and continued eating his delicious dinner, not even considering going out to look for her.
Suddenly, his phone began to ring urgently. He glanced down at the screen...
***
The sky was pitch-black, with the lights from countless hos twinkling like distant stars.
Shen Youling walked with an expressionless face. Her feet ached, but she didn't stop, because she didn't know where to stop. She had already checked her bank accounts and found they were all frozen. With no cash on her, she couldn't even afford a hotel room.
Shen Qiushi had made this ruthless move, figuring that once Shen Youling was penniless and with no way out, Lin Tang couldn't possibly remain hard-hearted enough to ignore her tragic plight. But in all his calculations, he never expected that Shen Youling wouldn't go to Lin Tang for help.
Before she knew it, she had wandered into an unfamiliar, deserted area. A cold night wind blew, and she wrapped her arms around herself, her delicate body shivering. Tears threatened to fall again.
As she passed under a circular pedestrian overpass, her eyes darted nervously. She realized that several n had been following her for so ti.
...
She forced her aching feet to move faster, breaking into a run.
"She spotted us!"
"Get her!"
"Hey, little beauty, what's the rush? You've got nothing better to do, so why not stop and chat with us brothers for a bit!"
"Hahaha!"
They let out lewd laughs as they easily caught up and surrounded her. From a distance, they had only seen her slender figure and assud she was attractive. Now, seeing her exquisite face up close, they were all stunned into silence.
GULP.
HISS.
"My goodness..."
So swallowed hard, others sucked in a sharp breath, and a few muttered in awe. Then, as if they had all been shot up with a massive dose of adrenaline, their faces flushed and the veins on their necks bulged, their breathing growing ragged.
"We hit the jackpot!"
"Damn, this is more exciting than winning the lottery!"
"Beauty, you're ours tonight!"
Shen Youling's heart sank. I'm in deep trouble...
Thankfully, fate hadn't completely abandoned her. A car suddenly drove past.
"Help! Help !" Shen Youling scread.
The n cursed their bad luck, turning away guiltily to pretend they were just walking by. To their surprise, the driver had no intention of getting involved. He stomped on the gas and sped off.
Overjoyed, the n turned back and closed in on Shen Youling again.
She abruptly crouched down, picked up a rock, and threw it. It struck two of them, cracking their heads open and sending them staggering backward. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Youling broke through their circle and ran again. Gasping for breath, she fumbled for her phone and dialed Lin Tang's number.
In that mont, she cast aside all her reservations and pride. All she hoped for was for Lin Tang to co and save her.
"Shit!"
"Fucking bitch!"
"I'm gonna fuck you up!"
The n furiously gave chase. They saw her tumble down a slope by the side of the road and disappear into a dense thicket of trees. Without a second thought, they slid down the slope after her.
BEEP...
Inside the woods, Shen Youling's heart was pounding in her throat. She pressed the phone tightly to her ear.
Then she heard the cold, automated voice: "Sorry, the person you are calling is on another line…"
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