Dongqing City, Lou Residence

Lou Yin just finished a set of English oral training exercises in her study as her phone on the desk continued to vibrate incessantly.

Picking up the phone, she found over twenty unread messages.

"Yin Yin, I couldn't hold back today... I'm sorry!"

"Yin Yin, there's nothing between Lou Shu and me. It's you I like, truly!"

"Yin Yin, can you respond to my messages, please?"

...

Yan Qing, her cousin Lou Shu's boyfriend from university. She had met him several times when he came home with Lou Shu for meals with her uncle and aunt.

Today was the anniversary of her father's death. Her mother was not mobile due to poor health, and her uncle was away from home. Hence, she planned to visit the cemetery alone.

However, it happened that Yan Qing came over to help Lou Shu get something. He claimed it was on the way and volunteered to drive her there.

Who could have expected, as they arrived at the parking lot, he suddenly cornered her, confessing his love to her whilst leaning in for a kiss.

He refused to let her out of the car despite her struggles.

At the thought of this, Lou Yin felt an intense wave of nausea. She promptly deleted all his messages and blocked him.

Stepping out of the study, she made her way to the guest room at the end of the hallway.

Her father passed away unexpectedly five years ago, while her mother lost the use of her legs and fell ill, never to recover.

At that time, she was only twelve years old and had no ability to take over the family business, thus it was taken over by her uncle, Lou Yan.

She looked towards the two guest rooms at the end of the corridor, feeling somewhat dazed.

After her uncle took over her father's company, he took his wife, Chen Xue, and cousin, Lou Shu, into the villa.

She and her mother moved from the master bedroom to the guest room, living off the goodwill of others from then on.

Lou Yin, holding her book, was startled by a loud slamming door noise downstairs as she passed the stairs.

Bang—

"Lou Yin, come out!"

It was Lou Shu's voice.

Lou Yin didn't move, nor did she make a sound.

Crash—

The sound of a vase being violently smashed came from the living room downstairs, "Lou Yin, are you playing dead? I will count to three, if you don't come down, I will smash all these junky vases your dad bought!"

"How dare you!"

"It's my home, what wouldn't I dare?"

Lou Yin looked at her, "It's also my home."

"Your home? Haha! When you and your mom had nowhere to go, it was out of my dad's kindness that you were taken in. After living here for this long, you really take yourself too seriously!"

The hand of Lou Yin clutching her book tightened gradually, but her voice was as gentle as always, "This house was bought by my dad after founding FeiTeng, this is my home!"

After Lou Shu heard the news about Yan Qing wanting to break up, she became livid. Without even bothering to change slippers, she barged in, her hair disheveled and in a total mess.

Compared to Lou Yin's gentle demeanor, she seemed like a shrew.

At that moment, the door to the master bedroom opened and Second Aunt Chen Xue emerged with a cat, her face showing no delight.

"What's with this ruckus? Have some manners!"

Hearing Chen Xue's voice, Lou Shu immediately swapped to a wronged expression and flew into Chen Xue's arms while sobbing.

"Mom, Yan Qing wants to break up with me... because of her!"

Chen Xue's piercing gaze swept over Lou Yin’s innocent face, "Is that so?"

Lou Shu nodded vehemently, waiting smugly for Chen Xue to take her side.

Lou Yin quickly shook her head, "Second Aunt, the matter is not like this..."

Chen Xue frowned and headed towards the guest room at the end of the hall. Lou Shu, smirking triumphantly, followed closely.

Lou Yin looked at the direction of the guest room, feeling a spike of anxiety.

It was their father's death anniversary today, nobody was permitted to disturb their mom, especially not for such a trivial matter.

Lou Yin hurried after them and stood in their path, "What are you up to?"

"What are we up to? Failing to raise a child properly is the parent's fault. If you're shamelessly seducing Shu's boyfriend, we certainly need to talk to Lin Sang! Did she not keep a check on herself that she brought up a daughter of the same nature?"

Chen Xue's words were loaded, and her comments deeply hurt Lou Yin's mother. Lou Yin's eyes were fierce, "Stop talking nonsense. It is Yan Qing who has been harassing me."

"Harass you? The Yan family are social elites of the East Qing city. What are you that Yan Qing would stoop so low to harass you?"

Lou Yin laughed mockingly, "Indeed, I am a nobody. Yet, why would Yan Qing not pursue my sister who has such a high status? Instead, he pursues me. Does this imply that my sister is even less than a nobody?"

Lou Shu was unable to accept this reality. In which ways was she inferior to Lou Yin?

She was the young miss of the Lou family!

Regardless of the past, everything now belonged to Lou Shu.

Lou Yin was just a beggar with nothing to her name!

Even if Yan Qing was enamored with her, the Yan family would never accept a woman of her status!

Lou Shu lunged forward, and before Lou Yin had any chance to react gave her a hard slap across the face!

She had been craving to slap that bewitching face of Lou Yin!

"I heard rumors that your mother is not a decent woman. Just after your father's death, she tried to seduce my father, not even realizing that she's crippled. How could my father possibly be interested? Now, she has even begun to seize everything for me! You mother and daughter are exactly the same: shameless sluts!"

Lou Yin covered her face, corners of her mouth seeping blood.

She looked around, her cold glare focused on Chen Xue and her daughter.

Chen Xue felt uncomfortable under her gaze, pointing at her nose she taunted further, "What are you looking at? Am I wrong? When your mother was seducing your uncle, I was right outside..."

Her words were cut short as the guest room's door suddenly swung open with a bang.

Lin Sang pushed the wheelchair out, coldly glaring at Chen Xue and her daughter.

"Yinyin, come over here."

Chen Xue protectively pulled her own daughter, Lou Shu, behind her, her arrogant expression growing with disdain. "Lin Sang, you've raised such a good daughter, she's learned all your foxy, seductive tricks. Why, isn't it because you couldn't crawl into Lou Yan's bed that you're so discontent, so you let Lou Yin inherit your mantle to seduce Yan Qing, dreaming of instantly flying to the tree to become a phoenix?"

Lin Sang turned her cold, displeased face to look at Lou Yin next to her; her small face slightly flushed, she still endured despite having suffered such an injustice.

"Are you okay, Yinyin?"

"Mom, I'm fine."

Lin Sang nodded and finally looked at Chen Xue and her daughter. After a moment of contemplation, she pushed the wheelchair a little further forward. "Chen Xue, even if the company is being managed by Lou Yan now, you shouldn't forget that when Yinyin turns eighteen, everything will return to its rightful owner. I won't pursue the abusive words you threw at Yinyin tonight, but you must get out of the Lou family immediately!"

"Get out?"

The cat in Chen Xue's arms instantly bristled and jumped from her arms. She stepped forward, leaning in close. "Lin Sang, don't pretend that I don't know about all the disgusting and shameless things you did with Lou Yan. Just because you slept in his bed after feeling lonely five years after my brother's death, don't think you can…"

Before she could finish, Lin Sang struck Chen Xue in the face with a Buddhist prayer bead bracelet in her hand.

Chen Xue shrieked in shock, clutching Lin Sang's clothes, and in one move, forcefully pushed Lin Sang and her wheelchair down.

"Mom, mom."

Lou Yin hurriedly ran downstairs. As Lin Sang lay there, her vision growing more dizzy, she said, "I, I'm fine, Yinyin, don't be scared."

Besides a bleeding wound on her forehead, there were no visible injuries. Lou Yin supported Lin Sang, sitting her up with great sympathy. "Mom, mom."

Chen Xue slowly descended the staircase, coldly looking at the two by the entrance. "Dream on if you think you can kick me out."

Lou Yin sprang up like an enraged little beast, but Lin Sang grabbed her, "Yin Yin."

A servant came in from the door, nodding towards the outside, "Second Madam, there is a visitor."

"Who is it? Send them away."

The servant hesitated, mumbling, "It's a guest from Si Jiu City."

A guest from Si Jiu City, at this time?

Before Chen Xue could react, footsteps were already coming from the door. A figure pierced through the darkness and arrived.

Fu Mingting strolled in, his expression serious and cold when he saw what was happening at the door.

"Sister-in-law."

In a matter of steps, he helped Lin Sang sit back in the wheelchair. His movements were quick and agile, yet restrained and respectful.

Lin Sang adjusted her hair and laughed, "You're here. I'm sorry to trouble you."

Fu Mingting took a step back, his gaze brushed past Lou Yin, who was biting her lip in a mix of resentment and unwillingness. He was a smart man, it wasn't hard to guess what had just happened.

His clear and handsome eyes turned cold, his gaze turning drowsy.

Listening to the conversation between Fu Mingting and Lin Sang, Chen Xue also understood their relationship, but she was wary because this man was from Si Jiu City.

"May I know your surname, sir?"

Fu Mingting stood under the lamp, tall and slender. Dressed in a black coat, he looked as sharp as a sword. His eyes, like a hawk's, swept over Chen Xue and her daughter, took their measure for a moment before withdrawing his gaze.

"Sister-in-law, let me take you to the hospital first."

Lin Sang nodded in agreement, grabbed Lourin's chilly little hand, reassured her with a smile. "Let's go, Ying Ying."

Lourin bit her lip, turning around to push the wheelchair ahead with Fu Mingting following closely. When they were almost at the door, a large palm landed on her small head and gave it a gentle rub. She glanced sideward, Fu Mingting remained as charming as ever, his eyebrows warm and smiling.

She quickly withdrew her gaze, the fingers gripping the wheelchair suddenly tightened.

This man evoked a sense of familiarity, yet she couldn't remember where she had seen such a handsome face before.

Stepping out of the villa, there was a black Range Rover parked outside, its lights as bright as daylight. Lin Sang glanced at the dark scene and sighed lightly.

"Ying Ying, this is your father's... comrade, Fu Jiu."

In November, the wind in Dongqing was chilling to the bone. She shivered a little and, glancing from the corner of her eye, she nodded politely. "Hello, Uncle Fu."

Fu Mingting held his lips and didn't say a word, thoughtfully rubbing his fingertips.

His mischievous eyes had a hint of the chilliness of a snowy cedar tree. Comrade, uncle? It was clear that they were trying to establish this relationship. After five years, Lin Sang was still so stubborn.

The passenger door of the car opened and Qingchuan greeted them with a glance, "Master Jiu."

The Land Rover was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate three people in the back seat.

Lin Sang was on the left side, Lourin in the middle close to her, and Fu Mingting on the right side, with a space for one person in the middle.

The car was quiet, with Lourin wholeheartedly looking at Lin Sang, holding her cold hand. The outside world, with its passing lights, reflected on Lourin's pale little face on the window. She bit her lip guiltily, her teary eyes full of grievance.

Fu Mingting sat quietly on one side without interrupting, his slanted gaze, however, didn't leave the reflection on the window even for a moment.

Only when Lin Sang took Lourin into her arms did she catch Fu Mingting's gaze.

The two of them looked at each other in silence, a myriad of emotions hidden beneath.