Bai Yaxin asked in a daze, "What did Tingyue go off to do?"
Fan Qing thought for a moment. "Probably to wash her hands."
Three pairs of eyes immediately fixed on her. Fan Qing waved awkwardly. "Hi, Uncle, Auntie, Sister Xiawan?"
Before Lin Tingyue came back out, the four discussed her inner voice. The four of them were now members of the Inner Voice Alliance.
Fan Qing said hesitantly, "It's not just the four of us, is it? I think lots of people could hear her today."
The way their eyes had lit up was practically a reenactment of her own reaction to juicy gossip.
Lin Xiawan added, "And it probably has something to do with distance, too. Lin Tingyue is so... loud. She's definitely screaming while washing her hands in the bathroom right now, but we can't hear anything."
Fan Qing added, "Cheng Xuan doesn't seem able to hear her."
Bai Yaxin speculated, "Could it be that people Tingyue hates can't hear her?"
"Hmm..."
Fan Qing couldn't help glancing at Lin Xiawan. Who did Lin Tingyue hate most? Lin Xiawan would definitely be first in the firing line.
Before they could discuss it further, Lin Tingyue emerged, looking utterly wilted. Like a wandering ghost, she obediently drifted over to Bai Yaxin's side. Then she suddenly spotted something and perked right up.
Everyone followed her gaze-
Three people had surrounded Cheng Xuan, who had been thrown out of the Lin Family villa. One of them was even a man.
Hahahaha, where are this emperor's sunflower seeds? Bring this emperor some sunflower seeds, quick.
But who blew up Cheng Xuan's fishpond? Hahahaha.
Lin Xiawan pressed her lips together.
When she had first heard Lin Tingyue's inner voice, Lin Xiawan had still chosen to believe Cheng Xuan.
But she soon discovered that Cheng Xuan had more than one phone. Lin Xiawan had always been meticulous, and besides, Cheng Xuan thought she loved him far too much to guard against her at all.
Lin Xiawan successfully obtained the others' numbers from Cheng Xuan.
Before the engagement banquet began, she took Cheng Xuan's phone and sent each of them a text-
Something's come up today. Call this number.
Then the show began.
Still, she had Lin Tingyue to thank. Lin Tingyue really did seem different from before.
Cheng Xuan was beaten up by the group, but he wasn't beaten to death. The police arrived and took them all away.
With no more gossip to feast on, Lin Tingyue reluctantly sat down on the sofa. By then, the banquet hall had been cleaned until it looked as good as new.
Seeing that Lin Tingyue had nothing to do sitting there, Mama Zhang placed a fruit platter in front of her, filled entirely with fruits she loved.
Holding the platter, Lin Tingyue smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Thank you, Mama Zhang."
The clear afternoon weather suddenly changed, and a torrential downpour began. Fortunately, Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong weren't planning to go out anyway. They thought it had been a long time since they had spent time with their two daughters, especially Xiawan, who had just suffered such a heavy blow.
Although Lin Xiawan repeatedly insisted she was fine, Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong still couldn't rest easy.
The four sat by the sofa, chatting as they watched television.
Lin Tingyue sat cross-legged on the rug.
This celebrity, huh? He's got some juicy dirt. He's hiding the truth that he's married
with a child
and dating one of his big fans. Pah, pah, pah.
Lin Rusong: "..."
Bai Yaxin nudged his elbow. "Change the channel. This isn't any good."
Lin Tingyue nodded.
The entertainment industry is such a mess. You can't even imagine.
Lin Rusong thought that if dramas and movies starring celebrities were off-limits, financial news should surely be foolproof.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. I've heard of this big shot. He looks so in love with his wife, but he actually wants to... ah, the channel changed.
Lin Xiawan and Bai Yaxin both suddenly turned to look at Lin Rusong, who held the remote.
Lin Rusong's hand trembled. What was wrong?
Could it be that they wanted to hear the gossip, too?
Just as Lin Rusong was about to switch back, Lin Tingyue turned her head and suddenly shrieked.
Bai Yaxin hurriedly asked, "What's wrong, Tingyue?"
Trembling, Lin Tingyue pointed at a figure drawing closer outside the floor-to-ceiling window. "Even a villa this big is haunted?"
Aaaaah, it even looks like a water ghost.
The moment the water ghost, Lin Shengyan, entered, water began pooling where he stood. Mama Zhang hurried to fetch the second young master a towel.
Lin Shengyan rubbed his hair with a rakish air as he asked, "Mom, Dad, are you watching a horror movie?"
Bai Yaxin's mouth twitched violently. Lin Shengyan must have just finished filming. His multicolored hair dye had run in the pouring rain, and his makeup was a complete mess.
Bai Yaxin rushed over in a few strides and scrubbed Lin Shengyan's face hard with the towel. "Lin Shengyan, I think you're the ghost here! Who are you trying to scare to death in broad daylight?"
Mystery solved. Not a water ghost, just my love-brained second brother.
Chapter 4
Lin Shengyan: "?"
Love-brained? Who?
Bai Yaxin asked, "Didn't you go to City C for filming? Why are you back today?"
Lin Shengyan said, "Mom, I-mmph, mmph, mmph-I was just thinking-mmph, mmph, mmph..."
Bai Yaxin slapped Lin Shengyan on the back and said sternly, "Lin Shengyan, speak properly."
Lin Shengyan looked innocently at Bai Yaxin and the towel in her hands. He wanted to speak properly, but she wasn't giving him the chance.
Every time he tried to open his mouth, Bai Yaxin's towel came swooping in.
Bai Yaxin folded the towel elegantly. "Go on, then. Why did you come back early?"
With her ears pricked up as she openly eavesdropped, Lin Tingyue secretly raised her hand.
I know this one. Because tomorrow is the day of Second Brother's goddess's competition.
In an instant, Lin Rusong, Lin Xiawan, and Bai Yaxin all looked at Lin Shengyan.
Lin Shengyan, who had also heard that voice: "?"
Damn it, who was leaking the answers here?
And that voice sounded very familiar. Lin Shengyan looked at Lin Tingyue, the only one of the four who hadn't turned her head.
Feeling Lin Shengyan's gaze, Lin Tingyue stiffened her back.
Second Brother, staring at me won't help. What's yours will be yours in the end, and what isn't yours won't become yours no matter how much you fuss. Give it up, Second Brother. There are simp dogs all around outside.
Bai Yaxin couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. Watching Lin Shengyan's face turn alternately green and white, she patted his back with evident schadenfreude.
Lin Shengyan finally exploded. "Lin Tingyue, get over here right now."
Come over for what? To pay my respects to Second Brother?
Are you kidding? I'm the boss of this family~
Lin
Tingyue walked over unhurriedly and stood before Lin Shengyan, saying sweetly, "Second Brother."
Lin Shengyan looked Lin Tingyue up and down. He had heard that this younger sister of his had taken a fall recently. After all, she had been his biological sister for the past twenty years, so he couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh. He asked awkwardly, "Has the injury on your head healed?"
Lin Tingyue: "?"
Second Brother, so this is the kind of brother you are? You're not just love-brained, you're a naive sweetheart, too?
Lin Tingyue could hardly be blamed for thinking that. In the original novel, Lin Shengyan had been the one who hated the original host most later on.
Lin Shengyan gritted his teeth. "Lin! Ting! Yue!"
He had put up with Lin Tingyue for long enough. Calling him love-brained was one thing, but she had even called him a simp dog.
Before Lin Shengyan could erupt, Bai Yaxin reached out and gave him a shove. "Hurry upstairs, take a shower, and change."
Lin Shengyan could only obediently head upstairs.
So even an award-winning actor who acts all arrogant outside still has to obediently do as he's told in the end.
Then does my insanely cocky second brother listen to Mom and wear long johns in winter?
With that thought, Lin Tingyue watched Lin Shengyan head upstairs with great interest. Lin Shengyan stumbled and only steadied himself by grabbing the railing. He was going to hide all those long johns later!
A leisurely female voice came from behind him. "Second Brother, be careful."
Lin Shengyan: "..."
Damn it.
When Lin Shengyan came downstairs after his shower, all the coloring had washed out of his hair. He had also removed his makeup, leaving him looking fresh and rather more like a celebrity.
As soon as he sat down, Mama Zhang brought him ginger soup.
Under Bai Yaxin's stare, Lin Shengyan could only obediently drink it.
Listen to Mom...
Lin Shengyan: "Cough, cough, cough, cough."
What's going on? Why did Second Brother choke? Are you okay, Second Brother-
Lin Shengyan: "..."
Once he finished, Bai Yaxin said, "Tell us, then. Why did you come back early? Your eldest brother said that if you keep running wild like this, he won't pay your contract termination penalties anymore."
Lin Shengyan said vaguely, "I don't need him. I've got plenty of savings myself."
Lin Rusong seized the opening. "Then don't use the Lin Group's money either, if you're so capable."
Lin Shengyan pressed his lips together, his handsome brows drawing tight. "I didn't sneak back on my own this time, and I didn't breach any contract. The production just happened to give us time off, so I came back to see Mom and Dad."
That's not right, is it? You were worried you wouldn't make it to your goddess's competition, so you insisted on rushing back today despite the rain.
Through wind and rain, you'll be waiting at the competition.
Bai Yaxin exchanged a glance with Lin Rusong, then said, "Since you say you came back to see us, how about staying home and keeping Mom company all day tomorrow?"
Lin Shengyan blurted out, "No."
Oh dear, oh dear. Even if you broke Second Brother's legs, he'd crawl there to watch his goddess compete.
"Lin Tingyue, you..."
"Second Brother, what's wrong?" Lin Tingyue looked at Lin Shengyan innocently.
Lin Shengyan clenched his fists. "Nothing."
When one plan failed, Bai Yaxin tried another. "Since you absolutely have to go out tomorrow, take both your younger sisters with you."
Especially Lin Tingyue. With her around, Lin Shengyan's plans were bound to go down the drain.