Chapter 86: No One Will Die, Right?

The bald man grinned widely at her words, revealing a set of yellowed teeth stained by years of smoking. “I have to admit, you’re the most sensible one here.”

“But why did Kewei end up marrying a wife like you?” Lian Changsheng, short of breath from anger at Meng Jiao’s words, spat out, “What a calamity for this family!”

Feeling misunderstood, Meng Jiao muttered under her breath, “Aren’t I trying to get Kewei out too? Hmph, it’s your son who owes money, not me. Why are you taking it out on me?”

Lian Youyou rummaged through her bag, produced a bank card, and held it up. “Big brother, you’ve all seen the state of our house now; you can probably guess we really have no money. There’s only 1.5 million left in this card. I’ll find a way to come up with the rest, is that acceptable?”

As a newcomer, her earnings weren’t high yet; this money was from her role in “The Legend of Dezhao,” plus some from endorsements and magazine shoots. She had also made significant donations to charity.

“1.5 million? Are you treating us like beggars?” The tall man was instantly enraged, snatching the card from her and flinging it to the ground. “We heard from your uncle—she said her niece is a celebrity! And a celebrity only has a little over a million to her name? Are you playing games with us?”

Clearly, Lian Kewei had boasted plenty in front of these men.

The bald man grabbed Lian Youyou and began to drag her outside. “No money, huh? Then come with us. You’ll pay your uncle’s debt for him!”

“Grandma! Grandpa!”

“Let go of our child!” Shi Xuezhen and Lian Changsheng lunged to intervene, but the tall man easily shoved the elderly couple far aside.

“Dad, Mom, what are you doing?” Meng Jiao reluctantly went to help Lian Youyou’s parents, scolding, “Do you really think they’ll eat Youyou alive? Look how worked up you are. When Kewei was detained in Macau, neither of you seemed this anxious.”

Seeing Lian Youyou being dragged away with no one able to help, Shi Xuezhen broke down in desperate tears.

“It’s all a curse. That wretched Fan destroyed my daughter, and now he’s ruining my son… What have we ever done to deserve this torment…”

Hearing her mother cry, Lian Youyou’s heart ached and she joined in, sobbing, “Grandma, please don’t cry, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

Her comfort only made Shi Xuezhen weep harder.

Shi Xuezhen’s crying grew so intense that her knees buckled, and she collapsed backward, losing consciousness.

Thankfully, her husband Lian Changsheng caught her in time, preventing her from crashing onto the cement yard.

“Grandma! Grandma! Don’t scare me! Grandma!” Lian Youyou broke free from the man’s grasp, screaming hysterically as she threw herself over, frantically shaking Shi Xuezhen.

Since the death of her daughter Lian Meng, Shi Xuezhen had suffered tremendous psychological stress, compounded by age and hereditary low blood pressure. She’d had this problem since then—if she cried too hard, she would faint.

“Dear, wake up! Xuezhen, wake up!” Lian Changsheng called out, pinching Shi Xuezhen’s philtrum as he’d always done before.

Usually, this would revive her, but this time, no matter how hard he pinched, she did not wake.

Lian Changsheng kept at it, while Lian Youyou began chest compressions and desperately shouted for her mother.

“Mom—Mom—” Lian Youyou knelt on the ground, her cries tearing from her chest. If her mother truly died, she could not go on.

Had her life really come full circle only to be at Fan Chi’s mercy once again?

Once before, Fan Chi had caused her death; was she now doomed to watch helplessly as he indirectly brought about her mother’s end?

No one paid attention to what Lian Youyou was calling her mother—every eye was fixed on Shi Xuezhen’s motionless body.

The bald man, noticeably uneasy, muttered, “Is someone really going to die here?”

“Why are you just standing there? Let’s go! You want to wait for them to call the police?” the tall man barked, grabbing the bald man and running for the car.

Lian Youyou continued chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth, shouting at Meng Jiao and Lian Haohao, who stood frozen like statues, “Call emergency services! Now!”

“Oh… right…” It was the first time Meng Jiao had witnessed such chaos; she was terrified, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

After making the call, since the paramedics wouldn’t be able to find the right village entrance, she dragged Lian Haohao to wait for them at the main road.

Lian Changsheng dashed into the kitchen, returning with a jar of sugar and a pair of chopsticks. “Youyou, step back,” he said.

He dipped the chopsticks in sugar, forced open Shi Xuezhen’s mouth, and dabbed the sugar onto her tongue.

After pinching her philtrum a while longer, Shi Xuezhen finally opened her eyes slightly and slowly sat up.

“Grandma… You’re finally awake…”

Lian Youyou was about to ask how her mother felt when she noticed something wrong—her mother’s eyes seemed dim and lifeless.

“I’m dying…” Shi Xuezhen half-opened her eyes, her voice barely audible. “Youyou, look after your grandpa for me, that’s my only worry… I’m going to see your mother now…”

Was she delirious? Was this her final lucidity?

“Don’t scare me, please don’t scare me, Grandma! You can’t leave me!”

Now, Lian Youyou was filled with regret.

She should have agreed to Fan Chi’s terms…

What did pride matter compared to her mother’s life?

What was the point of revenge if it meant sacrificing her family?

Her daughter had vanished in the turmoil—did her mother have to be dragged into it too?

At last, a bit of light returned to Shi Xuezhen’s eyes, but her face was still pale, lips parted as though she wanted to speak but couldn’t.

The ambulance wailed into the courtyard, and two medics rushed in with a stretcher.

After Lian Youyou explained what had happened, the doctor listened to Shi Xuezhen’s heart, took her blood pressure, and, seeing no immediate danger, helped carry her to the kang inside to rest.

“It’s nothing serious,” the doctor said. “It’s likely just a faint from emotional distress. Still, I advise you let her come with us for an ECG, just to be sure.”

Shi Xuezhen shook her head, her voice weak. “No, I don’t need to go. This isn’t the first time it’s happened.”

“Grandma, it’s better to have you checked, just to be safe,” Lian Youyou urged.

Shi Xuezhen rolled onto her side, away from lying on her back. “No, no—why waste the money?”

“If the patient insists, we should respect her wishes,” the doctor said, packing up. “But you really must take care—don’t get yourself so worked up at your age. The family should get her to drink some sugar water. Somebody come sign the papers.”

Lian Changsheng went out to sign. Shi Xuezhen looked at Lian Youyou and asked, “Youyou, you really can’t help your uncle?”

Lian Youyou gently patted her grandmother’s chest and forced a smile. “Don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll find a way to save him, I promise.”

But what else could she do now?

She had just nearly lost her mother—she couldn’t risk anything more.

…

Lian Youyou sat on Lu Ming’s sofa, looking around.

Lu Ming’s apartment at the Seaside Residence was about 200 square meters, valued at 130,000 per square. If she sold her share, it’d be enough to pay off the debt—but sadly, the house wasn’t hers.

Lu Ming came out of the study, cradling his dog, after finishing his lesson prep and shutting his laptop. Seeing her troubled expression, he asked, “Is something bothering you?”

Lian Youyou opened her mouth, hesitating to confide in him.

“Lu Lu, how much do you earn a month as a university professor?”

“After taxes, a bit over eight thousand, not quite nine.”

“And before, when you were a CEO?”

“I didn’t have a salary; I just took dividends from the company,” Lu Ming replied, eyes lowered. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, just…” Lian Youyou blushed, embarrassed. “Lu Lu, do you… have twenty million?”

“I do,” Lu Ming frowned, “but my father just started a cruise business with Lu Corp. I thought it had promise, so I invested most of my money. But if you need it urgently, I can talk to my dad and have some of my funds withdrawn.”

At the mention of his father, Lu Zhijun, Lian Youyou immediately replied, “No, no, it’s nothing. I don’t really need that much.”

Lu Zhijun had always been a meticulous man—even as a student. If Lu Ming asked to pull out funds, he would definitely demand reasons.

There was no way she could tell the truth and risk his family thinking badly of hers.

“What’s really wrong, Youyou?” Lu Ming gazed at her, as if he could see into her heart. “Are you in trouble?”

Her expression told him she was indeed in trouble.

“It’s nothing, really,” Lian Youyou said, scooping up the dog and heading for the bathroom. “Time for Handsome to have his bath. Wait until I’m done, then you can wash up.”

Lu Ming watched her retreating figure and sighed helplessly.

She was clearly in trouble, yet refused to say a word. It seemed he would have to investigate on his own.

…

Lian Youyou tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, rehearsing how to humble herself before Fan Chi and how to hand in her resignation to her boss, Richard.

But when she stood outside the hospital room the next morning, after mustering her courage for ages, she still couldn’t bring herself to knock.

The moment she knocked on that door, she’d be signing her “indenture” with Yunyan.

She would no longer be Lian Youyou, but would become Fan Youyou…

To knock was to admit defeat, to bow completely to fate.

With a deep breath, as if walking to her doom, Lian Youyou lowered her head and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

She entered, and to her surprise, besides those she’d seen yesterday, there was another man in the room.

“Guide?”

“What a coincidence, Lian Youyou,” the guide turned to her, approaching. “Perfect timing, I was just about to summon you, but you’ve come on your own.”