Chapter 3: Scumbag Behavior

Ye Wanlan’s eyelashes trembled slightly: "Uncle..."

That wasn't her.

Lin Huaijin’s voice grew colder: "Don't call me that."

Over these past four years, he had become completely disappointed in his niece.

He couldn't remember how many times he had gone to find Ye Wanlan, begging her to leave Zhou Hechen and come home, to quit the modeling industry and go back to school to get a degree, but all he ever received was her disdain.

Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; they cannot withstand being stabbed over and over again.

As time went on, Lin Huaijin gave up.

He had exhausted all his efforts and still couldn't steer Ye Wanlan’s life back onto the right track; what else could he do?

Lin Huaijin had originally loved his niece dearly. When he learned that his biological brother had a child living out in the world, he immediately traveled across the country to find her, finally bringing her back from an orphanage in Hong Kong.

Ye Wanlan was precocious; she had never needed him to teach her any principles.

But when she turned fourteen, everything changed—it changed into something he could no longer recognize.

Lin Huaijin had thought perhaps it was just her rebellious phase, and he patiently guided her, right up until she chose to drop out of school after middle school to become a model, and later, even a body double.

Four years had passed; he had essentially treated it as if he had no such niece.

Lin Huaijin didn't stop walking.

"Uncle." A voice called out to him from behind, sounding obedient and sweet: "I have nowhere else to go. Can I come back?"

Ye Wanlan couldn't explain that her body had been occupied by a transmigrator; even if she did, Lin Huaijin wouldn't believe her.

She also knew clearly that these four years had caused Lin Huaijin immense pain. She couldn't even defend herself; she could only watch helplessly as her family drifted away from her.

Ye Wanlan lowered her eyelashes, her fingers tightening slightly, a surge of murderous intent rising in her heart.

Lin Huaijin finally spoke, his voice icy: "If you're back, then stay home and behave yourself."

He didn't look back, nor did he stop.

**

At this moment, Maple Leaf Hotel.

Rong Yu didn't even have time to wait for the elevator; he ran up to the seventh floor.

Two young guards followed behind him, both looking flustered.

"Tingfeng!"

Rong Yu burst through the door and let out a sigh of relief when he saw the man lying soundly on the bed.

"You scared me to death, I thought you—" Rong Yu’s words cut off.

He looked at the man, whose neck and chest were covered in a crisscross of red marks, and then at the cash stuffed into the collar of his shirt, his expression turning to one of utter shock.

Who slept with his brother?

And not only did they sleep with him, but they also irresponsibly threw money at him and ran away?!

That is truly the behavior of a scumbag!

"Tingfeng, wake up!" Rong Yu lost his composure. "You’ve been defiled! Who did this? Brother will definitely make this scumbag take responsibility for you!"

Yan Tingfeng was actually already awake, just resting his eyes and organizing his memories, but his mind was a blank slate.

Hearing the noise, he slowly sat up, his slender fingers fastening the buttons of his shirt: "The episode was sudden; I don't remember her face."

Ever since he woke up, his health had been poor—a lingering side effect from a long time ago.

He knew that once an episode hit, he was less capable than a young child, so he always needed to be alone during them. Yesterday, however, was an accident.

He vaguely remembered that he had indeed had a fierce struggle with a girl.

Even without consciousness, he could still feel her gaze sweeping over him, as if she were gently stroking every inch of his skin.

She didn't kill him, nor did she hurt him—she just slept with him?

Yan Tingfeng was thoughtful: "The surveillance."

"The hotel’s surveillance, including the nearby streets, has all been wiped," the guard said shamefully. "I'm sorry, Young Master, we cannot recover it."

Rong Yu was shocked: "The person who slept with you is a top-tier hacker!"

"Hmm. Let's go back first." Yan Tingfeng’s expression was gentle, but his eyes were deep and dark.

The other party was cautious; they certainly wouldn't find anything in the short term.

But he would find her.

The guard handed him his coat.

Yan Tingfeng draped a long black trench coat over his shoulders. He peeled off the disguise mask on his face, revealing his original features, which were even more stunning.

As pure as jade, as elegant as a pine.

Rong Yu hesitated: "Brother, actually, I don't think we can entirely blame her. After all, you are quite... delicious."

Yan Tingfeng looked at him, his smile gentle yet sharp. He raised an eyebrow, a sudden edge appearing in his demeanor.

Rong Yu shut his mouth.

He didn't say another word.

**

Lin Huaijin felt uneasy all day long.

He came home immediately after work, but even seeing Ye Wanlan sitting obediently on the sofa reading a book didn't put his mind at ease.

"You actually look like a human being today," Lin Huaijin said in a flat tone. "For the past two years, you were so desperate to cling to Zhou Hechen, I thought you’d been possessed."

Ye Wanlan was silent for a moment, then smiled: "Don't worry, Uncle. From now on, it will only be me."

Lin Huaijin frowned at her: "What are you plotting now?"

"Nothing at all, Uncle." Ye Wanlan stood up. "Wenli should be out of school by now. I'll go pick him up. Aunt should be home soon too, I'll go buy some eggs."

Lin Huaijin was incredulous: "You're picking him up?"

Lin Wenli was cold by nature, and the relationship between him and Ye Wanlan had deteriorated rapidly over the past four years, reaching the point where they couldn't stand the sight of each other.

"Yes, to build a better relationship with him." Ye Wanlan pushed the door open.

She was someone who had been reincarnated with her memories intact. From the beginning of this life, she had no father; her mother had abandoned her at age five to marry into a wealthy Hong Kong family, and she had been sent to an orphanage.

When she was twelve, Lin Huaijin brought her back to the Lin family, and from then on, she had an uncle, an aunt, and a cousin.

Lin Wenli had been clever since childhood, getting into Jiangcheng No. 1 High School with a top-ten score in the city. He was a sophomore this year, about to enter his junior year, and his studies were heavy.

But he had a high IQ, and he handled all his exams with ease.

At 7:00 PM, the school gate was bustling with people.

Lin Wenli didn't have the habit of attending evening self-study sessions; he left school to go home as soon as classes ended.

He was 1.8 meters tall, with dark, sharp brows and striking features, possessing an outstanding temperament.

Even the plain black uniform of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School looked incredibly stylish on him.

It was just that his handsome face was completely devoid of expression, making people feel intimidated.

"Wenli, is... is that your cousin?" a classmate walking with him suddenly asked. "She seems to be looking for you."

Lin Wenli raised his eyes coldly.

The girl was wearing a loose, slightly wrinkled white shirt and high-waisted black trousers, the V-neckline accentuating her long, slender neck, looking lazy and casual.

She seemed to sense his gaze and turned her head.

Facing the impact of such otherworldly beauty, the classmate was stunned: "Wenli, your cousin looks..."

Lin Wenli didn't want to be watched, so he eventually walked over. He coldly took a few bills out of his schoolbag: "This is all that's left—two hundred. Take it and disappear."

Ye Wanlan’s heart skipped a beat, as if a giant hand had gripped her heart and squeezed hard, making it impossible for her to breathe.

She said softly: "I came to pick you up so we could go home together."

Lin Wenli’s expression remained cold; he didn't speak.

Over these four years, he had seen through the essence of his cousin—hypocritical, greedy, and vicious.

Whenever she looked for him, it was always for money. At first, he believed she really had an emergency and gave her his living expenses, eating plain steamed buns for a month, only to find out she used the money to buy a pair of cufflinks for Zhou Hechen!

Pick him up to go home?

Ridiculous.

Lin Wenli ignored her and strode forward on his long legs.

Ye Wanlan followed at a leisurely pace, half a step behind him.

Several people who had been hiding in the shadows appeared at this moment. They surrounded them, blocking their path.

"Miss Ye, you finally showed up." The leader threw away his cigarette. "I thought you were going to hide forever. Tell me, why did you have to provoke us?"

Lin Wenli paused: "What's going on?"

"I broke Qin Xian's hand yesterday and crushed his ankle," Ye Wanlan said nonchalantly. "And now they've just come looking for me, that's all."

Lin Wenli slowly turned his head.

For the first time, an expression of "confusion" and "shock" appeared on his poker face.

How on earth can you say the words "that's all" so easily?!

Although the Qin family wasn't as powerful as the Zhou family in Jiangcheng, they were still one of the well-known families in the city, far beyond what the Lin family—a branch family exiled to Jiangcheng—could compare to.

He had seen the methods of these young masters; they were ruthless and vicious, capable of making someone disappear from Jiangcheng without a sound.

Even though Lin Wenli didn't like his cousin, he didn't want her to die. He whispered: "Let's go."

This was Jiangcheng No. 1 High School; no matter how arrogant the Qin family was, they wouldn't dare to make a move here.

The leader spoke again: "Miss Ye, you'd better be obedient, otherwise, if word gets to Mr. Zhou, do you think you'll still be able to stay by his side? Hurry up!"

Zhou Hechen was Ye Wanlan’s lifeline; she had always been submissive to him.

The leader looked down at Ye Wanlan, waiting for her to soften and beg for mercy.

If she begged him, he wouldn't tell Zhou Hechen that she was being disobedient.