The sun baked the grass until the blades curled, and the ground, dampened by the previous night’s rain, had been scorched dry by midday.
Bai Yujiao returned home, and even before she had fully stepped through the door, she could hear her mother, Liu Qing, boasting to a friend over a video call.
"Oh, our Jiaojiao is Lin Du’s personal therapist, you know. She’s terribly busy; she left for the Lin Residence first thing this morning and hasn’t even come back yet."
"Lin Du is the son of the richest man in the country, after all. The Lin Group will be his one day."
"Her future is absolutely limitless."
"Our Jiaojiao is so outstanding, Lin Du is bound to like her. If the two of them hit it off, our Bai Family will be related to the wealthiest family in the city."
The person on the other end of the line was clearly weary of this talk. After offering a perfunctory agreement, the conversation shifted. "I heard your biological daughter was found?"
The smile on Liu Qing’s face stiffened. Thinking of that country bumpkin who had arrived with a woven plastic bag, she retorted with unconcealed disgust, "That wild girl from the village? She doesn't hold a candle to Jiaojiao."
"She’s been gone for over a decade, raised in the sticks—she’s bound to be ruined. I’ve heard those village girls sometimes marry forty-year-old men and start having kids at eighteen."
"The Bai Family has only one daughter, and that wild girl is *not* a daughter of our family!"
The more Liu Qing talked, the darker her complexion became. Losing all interest in the conversation, she abruptly hung up the video call.
"Ma'am, here is the beauty-enhancing herbal tea Miss Jiaojiao prepared for you." Mother Li, a savvy housekeeper who had served the Bai Family for decades, knew everyone’s preferences by heart.
Liu Qing hadn't intended to drink anything, but upon hearing it was specifically prepared by Jiaojiao, she took the tea and sipped it. "Jiaojiao is the most sensible. She’s so talented and capable, yet even in her busy schedule, she still makes time to prepare tea for me."
"Indeed, Miss Jiaojiao has been the most sensible since she was a child, unlike that village girl from yesterday—totally uncouth and embarrassing," Mother Li added, pouring another cup for Liu Qing as soon as the previous one hit bottom.
Liu Qing felt her temples throbbing. Glancing at the sofa across from her, she felt a tightness in her chest.
"Has this living room been disinfected? Go and disinfect that sofa over there, along with the coffee table and everything else that wild girl touched yesterday."
"The entire living room has been cleaned, but disinfect it again. I keep smelling this earthy stench—it’s just bad luck."
As Liu Qing held her tea and started toward the stairs, Bai Yujiao entered the house with a grim expression.
"Mom, if you don't do something, our Bai Family is going to lose face across all of Jing City!"
"What’s happened?!" Liu Qing’s brow furrowed. She set down her tea, her eyes filled with concern.
"It’s that wild girl from yesterday and the stunt she pulled."
"Wait, aren't you supposed to be at the Lin Residence for Lin Du's therapy? How did you run into her?"
"Not only did I run into her, I caught her in Lin Du’s bed!"
"What!!!"
"The reputation of our medical family is going to be ruined throughout all of Jing City!"
Bai Yujiao glanced at Liu Qing’s face, her eyes brimming with tears as she covered her face and began to sob. "That wild girl... she’s capable of anything, no matter how shameful. To think... to think she actually crawled into Lin Du’s bed. I..."
Liu Qing felt the world spin, and as she stood up to react, she collapsed back onto the sofa.
"Mom! Mom, what's wrong? Don't scare me like this, Mom!" Bai Yujiao signaled to Mother Li.
Mother Li immediately called Bai Jianshu at the hospital.
***
At the Lin Residence, Bai Yu walked out of Lin Du's room to find over 99 notifications in the [Animal Chat Group]. Daju and Dobin were locked in a heated war of words.
Assistant Liu approached with a smile. "Miss Bai Yu, Madam Fang would like you to join her for lunch."
"Huh?" The young girl paused, slightly stunned. She remembered that the Madam Fang whom Bai Yujiao had mentioned was no pushover, and a wave of melancholy washed over her. She pointed toward Lin Du’s bedroom door. "Is Young Master Lin not eating lunch?"
"Young Master Lin does not like to see people. He usually eats in his room."
Bai Yu pursed her lips and scratched her head. *He doesn't like to see people? Am I not a person?*
The Lin Residence was vast. Following Assistant Liu through twists and turns that felt like a labyrinth, Bai Yu felt incredibly anxious and pulled out her phone to check on Daju.
The [Animal Chat Group] was in total chaos.
*Dobin:* "Just you wait, you fat cat. One day I’m going to cook you."
*Orange Cat (Daju):* "Hahaha... it’s so comfortable lying in the boss’s arms, eating the freeze-dried snacks the boss feeds me. Absolutely delicious..."
Dobin was so angry he was spewing nonsense.
Amidst the bickering, Bai Yu timidly chimed in.
*Bai Yu:* "Daju, Madam Fang invited me to lunch. What do I do? Is she going to eat me?"
*Dobin:* "Hmph, my grandmother is not someone to be trifled with. Get ready to be kicked out of the Lin Residence."
*Orange Cat:* "Just you wait... Meow is requesting to enter the battle... Shut your foul dog mouth, or see if I don't poop on your head!"
*Dobin:* "You're the one who’s foul!"
*Orange Cat:* "Wait, no, I can't poop on you. Meow is afraid you'll find it delicious and eat it all up, and still complain there wasn't enough."
Dobin sent a 'gritting teeth' emoji.
Seeing the cat and dog arguing so intensely that her own plea for help had been buried, Bai Yu’s heart sank.
"We’ve arrived at the dining room, Miss Bai Yu. Please." Assistant Liu turned back and realized no one was behind him. Scanning the area, he spotted a shadow hiding behind a red pillar.
"Assistant Liu, I'm not very hungry. How about we skip lunch?"
"Please don't worry, Miss Bai Yu. Madam Fang is very kind. Her heart is entirely set on Young Master Lin; she only wishes to express her gratitude."
"Really? She won't eat people?"
A smile stiffened on Assistant Liu's face as he offered a very logical explanation: "Eating people is against the law, Miss Bai Yu."
The dining room of the Lin Residence was also very traditional. A five-meter-long table was illuminated by dim, antique wall lamps. Everywhere she looked, there was mahogany furniture, ancient paintings, potted peonies, and carved folding screens.
From the moment she entered the dining room, Bai Yu had been hiding behind Assistant Liu. It wasn't until she was seated that she dared to poke her head out and catch a glimpse of the "kind" Madam Fang.
A beautiful woman in a pale green qipao sat with her back straight and her posture elegant. Her hair was swept up in a simple, refined bun, secured with a jade hairpin. Her features were remarkably similar to Lin Du’s, though she lacked his gloomy, brooding quality, appearing instead exceptionally cold and aloof.
Even though the table was only two meters wide, the aura radiating from the woman made Bai Yu feel as if she were a hundred meters away. Bai Yu twisted her hands under the table until they were practically knotted. *Is this what they call kind? If this is kind, then every kind person in the world must have jumped into a river to drown by now...*
"Where are you from, Miss Bai Yu?" Madam Fang spoke first.
"Xiangyun Village, a small village on the border," Bai Yu replied. As soon as she said it, she felt it was improper and touched her forehead, feeling a bit annoyed.
Madam Fang clearly didn't know where Xiangyun Village was, but out of courtesy, she changed the subject in a toneless voice.
"There is no need to be formal. This meal is simply to thank you for finding my son."
Bai Yu exhaled in relief. "You're welcome. It was just a small favor."
"The Lin Residence does not keep outsiders."
As soon as Madam Fang spoke those words, the sliver of hope in Bai Yu’s heart finally died. "Miss Bai Yu, finish your meal, take the reward, and then please leave."
Bai Yu felt the meat in her mouth become difficult to swallow. After hearing Madam Fang, she silently set down her chopsticks.
"I apologize for the intrusion."
"There are many girls in Jing City your age who dream of living in the Lin Residence. You are not the first."
Madam Fang’s gaze remained cold, her words gentle yet cutting like a blade. "Eat more. You won't find the Lin Residence's chef anywhere else."
For the first time, Bai Yu looked at the feast before her and felt a lack of appetite. "I’m used to simple food. I’m not really accustomed to these dishes."
Madam Fang picked up a small piece of fish, then languidly set her chopsticks down. "Very well. Not everyone can get used to living in the Lin Residence. I understand. Someone..."
Before Madam Fang could finish her sentence, a loud, excited voice echoed from outside the door.
"Madam!"
Madam Fang looked thoroughly displeased. "What is it? Where are your manners?"
"Young Master Lin... Young Master Lin has come for lunch!"