Zhao Ru gripped Zhao Qi's hand tightly. "I want to cut ties with Yun Mingning."
Then Zhao Ru fixed Yun Yongchang with a hard stare. "Make your choice."
Yun Yongchang gave a bitter smile. "Aru, how am I supposed to choose? On one side is the woman I love, and on the other is my biological son. Aru, you..."
Yun Yongchang crouched in front of Zhao Ru. "Let's get to the bottom of this before we talk about cutting ties, all right?"
Yun Yongchang was anxious. Why was Zhao Ru so adamant? Had she discovered something?
Impossible. He had kept it hidden perfectly all this time.
When Bai Yaxin arrived, she saw Yun Yongchang crouching in front of Zhao Ru with a tender expression. Lin Tingyue's words about murdering his wife still echoed in her ears. As though terribly provoked, she went straight over and shoved Yun Yongchang to the floor.
Zhao Qi was dumbstruck.
What was going on? Her sister wanted to cut ties with her son today, and now her sister's good friend was getting physical with her brother-in-law.
Bai Yaxin was very close to Zhao Ru, so naturally, she got along well with Zhao Qi too. Bai Yaxin had no younger sister of her own. She and Zhao Ru spent time together, and she had always treated Zhao Qi as her own younger sister.
Zhao Qi knew Bai Yaxin's temperament. If even Bai Yaxin couldn't stop herself from laying hands on her brother-in-law, then...
Zhao Qi was different from Zhao Ru.
Ever since getting married, Zhao Ru had stayed at home. Even after the assets were divided, she had entrusted all her property to people she trusted to manage it. Meanwhile, Zhao Qi now managed all the companies under the Zhao Group.
Zhao Qi was a career woman, and she keenly sensed that something must have changed drastically somewhere.
She immediately sent her assistant a message, telling her to investigate.
While Zhao Qi was sending the message, Yun Yongchang climbed up from the floor. He had a mild temperament, but even the mildest person couldn't maintain his composure after being shoved like that by Bai Yaxin.
Yun Yongchang frowned. "Bai Yaxin, what are you doing?"
"Yun Yongchang, what are you shouting for?" The Lin Family, who had been a step behind Bai Yaxin, only arrived then. Lin Rusong strode forward on his long legs and stood in front of Bai Yaxin.
The sight of the mass of people behind Lin Rusong made Yun Yongchang's expression turn even uglier.
In Lin Yuhuan's eyes, Yun Yongchang was an extremely dangerous individual. Since he was so dangerous, corresponding measures naturally had to be taken.
So he had called over a dozen bodyguards to accompany them to the Ming Family villa. Lin Xiawan thought that wasn't enough, so Lin Yuhuan added a few more, bringing the total to exactly twenty.
The bodyguards all wore suits, and every one of them was built like a wall. At first glance, they certainly stood out.
Yun Yongchang asked coldly, "This is my Ming Family's private business. What are you all doing here?"
Bai Yaxin sat down beside Zhao Ru. "Since it's family business, that's all the more reason for me to stay with Aru. I was with her when she gave birth too."
Bai Yaxin deliberately stressed the words "gave birth" as she discreetly watched Yun Yongchang's expression. Sure enough, she saw his expression shift.
Bai Yaxin's heart sank. Could everything Tingyue had said be true?
He couldn't drive these people away, and trying would only sour relations with the Lin Family. Yun Yongchang said, "Since you're here, talk some sense into Aru. What mother would reject her own child?"
"A mother rejecting her own child?" Bai Yaxin raised an eyebrow. "Not necessarily, right?"
Yun Yongchang agreed, "You think it's absurd too, don't you? But Aru has set her heart on it."
Zhao Ru said wearily, "In any case, I'm not raising this son anymore. Yun Yongchang, raise him yourself."
Was Mom really planning to give up on him?
Yun Mingning panicked. "Mom."
Zhao Ru stiffened. She covered her face in anguish. "I'm not your mother."
Just as the atmosphere froze, a woman's voice rang out-
Wow, it's so lively here.
It's not over yet? Aunt Zhao actually hasn't thrown Yun Mingning out?
And then there's Aunt Zhao's husband. If I call the police now, what if they say there's no evidence?
Everyone looked toward
the doorway. It was none other than Lin Tingyue, who had arrived late.
Lin Tingyue had originally intended to come with them.
Unfortunately, there were too many bodyguards and not enough cars in the garage, so Lin Tingyue had to wait at the villa for Uncle Zhang to go back and pick her up.
Call the police?
What did my brother-in-law do? Why call the police?
Her phone chimed. Zhao Qi received the message from her assistant, and her pupils contracted. She rose from the sofa and said firmly, "Call the police. We have to call the police."
Then she looked at Yun Yongchang, gritting her teeth. "Yun Yongchang, what were you planning to do to my sister?"
By the time the Yun Family's affairs were dealt with, three days had passed.
Lin Tingyue had just finished harvesting another batch of fruit in the orchard-actually, she had only picked some of the biggest, reddest ones. If she really picked everything, she would probably need a truck to carry it all.
Earlier, Lin Shengyan had even told her that the Lin Family owned a private winery and asked whether she was interested.
Although Lin Tingyue wasn't interested in the slightest, she was still stunned.
They even had a private winery, so surely they had private helicopters and a private airport too.
Lin Shengyan had looked at her disdainfully, thinking she had damaged her brain in the fall. He gave her a hospital VIP card, then waved and made himself scarce.
Just thinking about it left Lin Tingyue indignant.
She carried her basket inside. Lin Xiawan was the only person in the living room, and she called her over to sit.
Lin Shengyan had returned to City C for filming. Lin Yuhuan and Lin Rusong had gone to the company early that morning, while Bai Yaxin was upstairs on the phone with Zhao Ru.
When Lin Tingyue came over, Lin Xiawan first glanced at her basket. Ah, so it was fruit.
She had listened to "The Little Girl Picking Mushrooms" for almost two hours and had figured Lin Tingyue was picking mushrooms in the woods.
Finding out they weren't mushrooms actually left her rather disappointed.
Mama Zhang appeared just in time and took Lin Tingyue's basket away.
Looking at Lin Tingyue's cheeks, which had turned slightly red in the sun, Lin Xiawan took a wet wipe and wiped away her sweat.
Who would have thought that just a week ago, her relationship with Lin Tingyue had still been so terrible?
"Thank you, Sister Xiawan."
"You're welcome."
Mama Zhang brought Lin Tingyue some iced orange juice. As Lin Tingyue drank it, she suddenly said, "Isn't that Aunt Zhao?"
Lin Xiawan turned too and saw Zhao Ru and Zhao Qi coming across the lawn. After a moment's thought, she sent Bai Yaxin a message.
Just as Zhao Ru and Zhao Qi entered, Bai Yaxin came downstairs.
She said in surprise, "You got here so quickly?"
Zhao Ru said, "We were already on our way when I called you."
Mama Zhang brought out three more glasses of room-temperature orange juice.
None of the three touched them. They all stared intently at Lin Tingyue.
*?*
Why are they all looking at me? Do they want theirs iced too?
Lin Tingyue asked tentatively, "Would you like iced orange juice?"
Zhao Qi shook her head and said cheerfully, "Room temperature is fine for us."
"Okay."
Bai Yaxin took the initiative to ask, "How did things go?"
Zhao Qi looked at Zhao Ru. Zhao Ru had suffered quite a blow over the past few days, and even her carefully applied makeup couldn't hide the haggardness on her face. She said, "Xiao Qi, you tell them."
Zhao Qi began, "Yun Yongchang is suspected of attempting to murder my sister, as well as switching the two children. He's been locked up now."
Lin Tingyue found it strange. She hadn't done anything yet, so how had Aunt Zhao and the others found out everything and even gotten Yun Yongchang locked up?
Lin Tingyue asked, "How did you find out?"
In fact, it was largely thanks to Lin Tingyue. If her inner voice hadn't made Bai Yaxin and Zhao Ru behave so unusually, Zhao Qi would never have thought to ask her assistant to investigate Yun Yongchang.
"My sister has to take heart medication regularly. My assistant discovered that Yun Yongchang had deliberately switched her medicine. Then the police found irregularities in his finances. He transferred several million to an account every year, and that led to the discovery that he had switched the children."
Oh, my heavenly granny! Is that really the level of competence an assistant is supposed to have? That assistant is practically Holmes!
Hearing this, Zhao Qi couldn't help laughing. Lin Tingyue was the real Holmes. Although so much had happened, Zhao Qi felt it was still a good thing for her sister. At least she had seen the true face of the man sharing her bed.
She reached out to stroke Lin Tingyue's hair and handed her a card.
The card glittered, instantly catching Lin Tingyue's eye. She asked, "What's this?"
"This card receives the bonuses and dividends from shares in the Zhao Group. From now on, it's yours."
This was also what she and Zhao Ru had decided after discussing it. They felt they ought to thank Lin Tingyue.
Huh, me?
But I didn't do anything.
Zhao Qi thought for a moment, then added, "I just like you so much."
Damn it, I knew it. No one can resist my charm.
"Hahahaha."
What are they laughing at?
Lin Tingyue tucked the card into her pocket.
Chapter 9
On Saturday, Fan Qing came to see Lin Tingyue.
They hadn't seen each other since Lin Xiawan's engagement party and had only chatted on their phones. The moment Fan Qing arrived, she made her way to Lin Tingyue's room with practiced ease, and then-
She lay down comfortably on Lin Tingyue's bed, letting out a contented sigh for good measure.
Lin Tingyue: ...
So why wouldn't you lie down at home instead of coming here to lie down, aaaaah!
Fan Qing jolted in fright and sat up. Damn it, how had she forgotten that she could hear Lin Tingyue's inner voice?
This best friend of hers looked so gentle, but why was her voice so loud?
Looking at it another way, didn't this mean she could learn every little thought in Lin Tingyue's head?
So Fan Qing reached out and hooked a finger under Lin Tingyue's chin. With a slightly grave air, she asked, "Woman, who do you love most?"