Chapter 68: The Scoundrel Warns Her to Beware of Scoundrels

With that, Lian Youyou picked up the apron tossed aside and walked into the kitchen.

“Fang Chi, wherever you came from, just go back there. We’re busy getting ready for the New Year. If you don’t leave, we’ll have to call my mom over, and don’t blame us if she comes and finds you here—she won’t let you off easy,” Shi Xuezheng said, tossing the things Fang Chi had brought back at him. “Take your useless junk with you! We don’t want it!”

The gifts Fang Chi had brought had already been opened by the quick-handed Lian Kewei. When Shi Xuezheng threw them, the contents spilled out onto the floor. Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to what had fallen: instead of the health supplements labeled on the packaging, the box was filled with bundles of hundred-yuan notes.

It had been Lian Kewei who opened the box earlier. Based on Lian Youyou’s knowledge of him, he’d always had a habit of stealing money from the family since childhood, and this time he’d probably taken quite a bit. Noticing Lian Youyou’s strange look toward him, Lian Kewei felt uncomfortable, reflexively pressing down on the money hidden in his pocket.

“Mom, that’s too much,” Lian Kewei said, after securing the cash he’d pilfered, pretending nothing had happened. He bent down to help Fang Chi pack the money back into the box. “My brother-in-law was kind enough to bring gifts, and you’re being so ungrateful!”

Lian Youyou and her parents ignored him, continuing their tasks—preparing ingredients, wrapping dumplings—as if Fang Chi were invisible.

Lian Kewei sealed the box and handed it to Fang Chi. “Brother-in-law, I’m really sorry. My family’s just country people, not used to city ways, don’t hold it against them. If you ever need anything, just look for me. Don’t be shy.”

Lian Kewei’s life wasn’t easy, either. He worked hard, but all his money went to his wife and child. His wife didn’t work, claimed to be a full-time housewife, but really just idled at home, spending her days on beauty treatments and shopping. Her monthly expenses on beauty and health supplements alone topped ten thousand yuan. His son was disappointing, barely scraping 480 points on his high school entrance exam, failing to get into a public school. Through connections, Lian Kewei managed to enroll him in an expensive private school that allowed him to take the spring college entrance exam.

So despite Meng Jiao and Lian Haohao’s glamorous appearance, their wealth was squeezed out of Lian Kewei’s own thrift; for years, he hadn’t bought himself a single new piece of clothing.

If his sister Lian Meng were still alive, he wouldn’t be so deferential to Fang Chi. But fate was cruel—Lian Meng died young.

When she passed, Fang Chi took possession of her inheritance. Yet the family still had their father’s factory to rely on, and life was comfortable. But Lian Kewei was no businessman. When his father handed over the factory to him at thirty-seven, within a year, he’d run it into bankruptcy.

Fang Chi handed Lian Kewei a business card. “If you ever need anything, call this number. I’ll do what I can to help. And these two boxes—since your parents won’t accept them, I can’t take them back either. You take them home.”

Lian Kewei’s fawning finally paid off. He wiped his hands, shook Fang Chi’s hand eagerly. “Thank you, brother-in-law! Thank you!”

Lian Youyou’s mood had been good today, but Fang Chi’s arrival soured it completely. There was an electric meat grinder in the kitchen, but she insisted on using two cleavers, venting all her anger onto the mound of meat on the chopping board.

“Youyou, come home with me for a bit. Your grandparents are here, they really want to see you,” Fang Chi said, standing at the kitchen door.

Lian Youyou ignored him, chopping the meat even harder.

Fang Chi tried again, “Just come with Dad this once. Your grandparents haven’t seen you in years, and now that you’ve made something of yourself, they really want to see you.”

Lian Youyou replied, “Forget it. I’m just a girl, not some son meant to bring glory to your Fang family. I won’t go and offend them.”

Lian Youyou always treated elders kindly; after all, everyone grows old, and caring for them is caring for oneself.

But with Fang Daxiang and Ma Shoujuan, she simply couldn’t. They disgusted her.

Fang Chi persisted, “Just come back with Dad for New Year’s Eve dinner—it won’t interfere with your dinner at your grandparents’ place tonight. Our family eats early.”

His hometown tradition was to have New Year’s Eve dinner around three in the afternoon.

Lian Youyou still ignored him.

“Youyou, last time you took a few paintings from home without my permission, didn’t you?” Seeing she had no intention of going with him, Fang Chi played his last card.

Lian Youyou didn’t even look up, focused on chopping meat. “Those paintings were my mother’s, they’re our family’s belongings—I don’t need your permission.”

Fang Chi pressed on, “Regardless of whether you think they belonged to your mom or to you, your Aunt Qu is planning to send the remaining paintings and calligraphy to an auction tomorrow.”

This finally worked. Lian Youyou stopped, mid-chop. “Those are my mother’s things, my grandfather gave them to her as part of her dowry. You have no right to auction them off!”

“You said it yourself, they were dowry. Dowry belongs to the husband’s family after marriage, so it’s Fang family property now,” Fang Chi said matter-of-factly. “Since they belong to our Fang family, we have every right to auction them. Besides, our home isn’t decorated in a Chinese style, and I don’t like calligraphy and paintings—they don’t suit us.”

With a clang, Lian Youyou stabbed the cleaver upright into the chopping board. “Those are our family’s things. You are not allowed to sell them!”

“Fine, come with me now and take your paintings back. If you don’t, Aunt Qu has arranged for the auction house to pick them up tomorrow.”

Lian Youyou shot a sideways glance at Lu Ming, letting out a cold snort from her nose.

Fang Chi felt uneasy under her gaze—it was the same look Lian Meng used to give him when he did something wrong. “Why are you snorting at me?”

“I’m snorting at how your rhetorical skills grow more impressive every day. No wonder you’re a big director—so good at twisting words,” Lian Youyou sneered. “You’ve managed to talk me into a corner again.”

…

After changing clothes and applying a light touch of makeup, Lian Youyou followed Fang Chi out of the house.

Lu Ming came out with them, looking worried. “Youyou, you’re going to the Fang family?”

“Yes, Lu, you go home first,” Lian Youyou gently straightened his slightly messy collar. “I know what I’m doing. You should hurry home to prepare for the New Year—your parents must miss you since you rarely visit.”

Fang Chi opened the passenger door for her, “Get in.”

Lian Youyou gathered her coat and bent to get into the car. Before leaving, she joked with Lu Ming, “Lu, see you next year!”

It was her second time riding in Fang Chi’s car—the last time was at the film set.

Lu Ming watched as Fang Chi’s car disappeared from sight, then went back to greet Lian Youyou’s parents before heading home himself.

He wondered if Youyou would end up clashing with Qu Wuyan or Fang Xiaoyun again…

Hopefully, everything would be fine.

Fang Chi drove and asked Lian Youyou, “You and your boyfriend seem to get along well. Are you planning to get married?”

“None of your business.”

“Youyou, you’re grown up now and free to date, but as your father, I have to say a few words,” Fang Chi began to lecture, exploiting his seniority. “I remember seeing your boyfriend at the hospital—he’s your teacher, right? He’s good-looking, but he’s already out in society, far more worldly than you. He’s fair-skinned, looks just like the type who seduces girls. You’re still young and inexperienced—be careful not to let him fool you.”

“……”

What right did Fang Chi have to say this to her?

A scoundrel warning her about scoundrels…

Fang Chi continued, “I didn’t want you to enter show business—I was afraid your solitary nature wouldn’t suit it. But since you’ve decided, I can’t stop you. Still, you should quit that company, Xin Cheng. I know Richard, the boss there, and he’s no good. You might not know this, but when he was your mother’s agent, he tried to take advantage of her many times. You should stay away from him. If you want to be an entertainer, join my Cloud Smoke Group.”

Lian Youyou dug her pinky into her ear. “Do you know why my mother stopped liking you?”

“What did you say?”

“Because you’re full of lies. Not a word out of your mouth is true.” Her answer was concise and cutting.

Fang Chi remained earnest, trying to convince her. “Youyou, maybe you’ve been blinded by Richard’s sweet talk. When your mother and I were young, before you were born, your grandparents didn’t know, but I do, so—”

“Stop the car!” Lian Youyou finally lost her patience, her voice sharp.

Fang Chi was stunned. “We’re on the highway.”

“If you brought me out just to talk about these pointless things, I want to get out right now!”

She even suspected that the rumor about Richard being her godfather was started by Fang Chi himself.

Seeing how upset Lian Youyou was, Fang Chi had no choice but to stop his attempts at sowing discord.

“Let’s listen to a song,” Fang Chi said, turning on the car stereo to change the subject.

…

When they arrived, Qu Wuyan, Fang Xiaoyun, Fang Daxiang, and Ma Shoujuan were already enjoying their unique afternoon New Year’s Eve feast.

At the dining table, the four chatted and laughed, the atmosphere harmonious. The housekeeper opened the door for Fang Chi and Lian Youyou.

Qu Wuyan, Fang Xiaoyun, and Fang Daxiang all frowned when they saw Lian Youyou, but Ma Shoujuan greeted her with a smile, setting down her chopsticks and stepping forward. In her heavily accented, awkward Mandarin, she said, “Youyou, do you still recognize your grandma? Grandma can’t remember how many years it’s been since she saw you. Youyou, have you missed grandma?”