Chapter 271: Background Events

Later, Fu Hongxia moved to the location of the school, which was also where her adoptive father had settled.

Three years passed, and Fu Hongxia had blossomed into a stunning beauty. Combined with her intelligence and wit, she completely bewitched her so-called adoptive father—who was, in reality, her lover—to the point where he became infatuated and often deferred to her. The shady dealings he engaged in were no longer hidden from her.

Using her intelligence and beauty, Fu Hongxia gradually inserted herself into her adoptive father’s so-called “business ventures.” In truth, she had become half the mastermind behind them. Never one to forget a grudge, she had never forgiven Pi Xinhong for the harm she had caused her in the past. She ordered her subordinates to assault Pi Xinhong before selling her—believed to be dead—as a ghost bride, ensuring that even in death, Pi Xinhong would find no peace.

This past summer, Fu Hongxia was admitted to a normal university, putting her in the same city as Lin Fang.

If not for Lin Fang’s request for him to investigate, Lin Guicheng would never have known that Fu Hongxia’s influence had already begun to secretly encroach upon the Lin family’s business. It was possible she would soon target Lin Fang herself. Fu Hongxia had long harbored resentment toward Lin Fang—for not helping her during the fight with Pi Xinhong, and for harshly driving her away when she had tried to switch beds. Now, she was eager for revenge.

Lin Fang frowned in confusion. “But Pi Xinhong didn’t follow her to another province back then. How could she have been assaulted by Fu Hongxia’s people?”

Lin Guicheng replied, “Deceptive marriages, human trafficking, and corpse theft—that’s the business Fu Hongxia and her adoptive father are in. Pi Xinhong was tricked into a sham marriage, which led to her tragic fate.”

Sun Siyuan added, “Pi Xinhong’s stepfather—Fu Hongxia’s adoptive father—left three years ago. After that, Pi Xinhong’s mother drank pesticide and committed suicide. Pi Xinhong was left to care for her half-brother.

This autumn, her brother disappeared. After she was deceived into marriage, her mother’s grave was dug up, and her body was stolen. We suspect that both Pi Xinhong’s brother’s disappearance and her mother’s grave robbery were orchestrated by Fu Hongxia.”

“That’s very likely,” Lin Fang said, worried. “Has Uncle Cheng made arrangements back home?”

Lin Guicheng nodded. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve already assigned extra people to watch over your parents, your brothers, and their wives. Little Yuanyuan also has round-the-clock protection. Your parents and Er Linzi have been through tough times before—they’re calm. Your sisters-in-law were a bit panicked, but I’ve arranged for them to stay in my territory in the county town.”

“Thank you, Uncle Cheng. I appreciate your effort,” Lin Fang said sincerely.

“Why thank me? I’m a Lin too,” Lin Guicheng replied, his tone meaningful.

“Right, right—you’re a Lin. You’re my uncle, and I’m your niece,” Lin Fang said with a laugh, resuming her massage for him.

Lin Guicheng chuckled. “That’s right. I’m getting older and more useless. If I ever become truly immobile, I’ll have to rely on you to take care of me.”

Lin Fang, focused on the massage behind him, didn’t notice the bitterness in his smile.

After finalizing their plans, Lin Fang offered to help Lin Guicheng rest in the back, but he waved her off. “Wood and I will stay at Hongping’s newly bought place. Don’t worry about me. If anything comes up, I’ll have someone contact you.”

Lin Fang didn’t insist. “Alright. Hongping’s place is close to the hospital, so if you feel unwell, it’ll be easier to get medical attention.”

Driving to a residential complex near the Provincial People’s Hospital, Chen Siyuan carried Lin Guicheng up to the third floor and into a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment.

This was Guo Hongping’s newly purchased home. She had only cleaned it and furnished it with basic necessities before being sent back to Qiyue County by Lin Fang.

After settling Lin Guicheng in the sunny master bedroom, Chen Siyuan headed to the kitchen to boil water. Lin Guicheng stopped him. “Wood, hold on. I have something to ask you.”

The bedroom had only a bed, no other furniture. To make it easier for Lin Guicheng to speak, Sun Siyuan sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in, keeping silent as he waited.

“Wood, tell me the truth—do you like Lin Fang?” Even though Sun Siyuan had carried him up, sparing him exertion, Lin Guicheng’s voice was still labored.

Sun Siyuan neither nodded nor shook his head. He merely lowered his eyelids briefly before meeting Lin Guicheng’s gaze again.

Having spent years by his side, Lin Guicheng understood his every mannerism. This was as good as an admission. He sighed. “Ah—you and Lin Fang aren’t suited. She would never be with you.”

Her heart belongs only to Qi Biao, the man she’s known since infancy. Over a decade of affection isn’t something one can simply let go of. Though she rejected him and returned to this life, Qi Biao followed. He’s out there somewhere, searching for her. Sooner or later, they’ll meet. Whether it’s you or any other man, the chance of winning Lin Fang’s heart is slim to none.

These words Lin Guicheng could only think, not speak aloud.

As Lin Fang had said, he truly treated Sun Siyuan like a son. He hoped Sun Siyuan could find a suitable wife, someone to care for him and fill the void left by his lack of parents. Yet Sun Siyuan had set his heart on Lin Fang. Knowing full well this unrequited love would go nowhere, Lin Guicheng could only offer this feeble attempt at dissuasion.

Sun Siyuan’s gaze drifted to the window before returning to Lin Guicheng. “I’ll protect her,” he said, then stood and left the room.

Behind him, Lin Guicheng closed his eyes. He knew he couldn’t stop Sun Siyuan.

But sleep eluded him. The purpose of his trip to the provincial capital weighed heavily on his heart—he was here, waiting for a hope with no certainty.

Two nights ago, the old monk had appeared in the mirror on his wall, telling him that his otherworldly self had been drained into a desiccated corpse by Dong Panyu. He could never return.

Originally sustained only by his energy, Dong Panyu had suddenly gone mad, absorbing the life force of all living beings around her after being invaded by an unknown entity. Not only had he been quickly drained, but even Lin Yuan’s energy would have been completely consumed had the old monk not intervened.

Since Dong Panyu’s life had been forcibly ended, the energy she had absorbed—both Lin Yuan’s and his own—could never be recovered.

When he asked about Lin Yuan’s condition, the old monk told him that the remnants of her energy and soul had separated from her body, perhaps drawn by Lin Guicheng’s longing. They were slowly drifting toward this world. However, due to their weakened state, the journey was slow, and they had strayed off course multiple times.

Now in this world, attracted by similar energy, Lin Yuan’s spirit had reached the skies above the Provincial People’s Hospital. Soon, it would merge with that similar energy, becoming part of another living being. The old monk urged Lin Guicheng to wait—if fate allowed, he might yet meet the person carrying Lin Yuan’s remnants.

Overnight, Lin Guicheng aged considerably. When Sun Siyuan saw him the next morning, his reaction mirrored Lin Fang’s—shock. For the first time, he defied Lin Guicheng’s wishes, insisting on taking him to the hospital. But in the end, he relented and drove them to the provincial capital. On the way, they ran into Guo Hongping, who handed Sun Siyuan the keys to her apartment.

As for Sun Siyuan, his heart had been anything but calm since seeing Lin Fang earlier. Now that Lin Guicheng had exposed his feelings, his mind was in turmoil. After setting the kettle on the stove, he stood there, lost in thought.

Deep down, he understood Lin Guicheng’s words—he and Lin Fang were not meant to be. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking about her. In all his life, this was the first time he had ever liked a girl.

Sun Siyuan had no memory of his parents and had never attended school. Everything he knew had been taught to him by Zhou Guicheng—later Lin Guicheng. After Zhou Guicheng’s accident and recovery, he suddenly changed his surname to Lin and began teaching him martial arts. Sun Siyuan never questioned how the once-frail Zhou Guicheng had acquired such skills, nor any of the inexplicable changes that followed. He only knew this man genuinely cared for him.

When he first met Lin Fang, she was just a small, plain girl. He had helped her grind ink only because Lin Guicheng valued her—he felt nothing himself. But at some point, that fragile girl who once seemed like she might vanish in the wind had taken root in his heart. Even knowing it was impossible, he couldn’t bring himself to let her go.

So be it. If it’s impossible, then it’s impossible. He wouldn’t chase hopeless dreams. As he had told his boss earlier, he would simply devote himself to protecting her.

The whistle of the boiling kettle snapped Sun Siyuan out of his thoughts. Having rationally settled his feelings, he poured the hot water into a thermos, grabbed a glass from the living room cabinet, and returned to Lin Guicheng’s bedroom.

In a room across from the Provincial Normal University, Qin Yi sat by the window facing the school entrance, staring intently for nearly an hour without moving.

On the bed against the wall behind him, Xiao Fei lay on his side, watching Qin Yi with curiosity. Unable to hold back any longer, he asked, “Hey, were you a monk in a past life or something? Practiced meditation? How can you sit still for so long without getting tired?”

Without turning, Qin Yi tossed back, “If you’re bored, take over.”

“Fine, I’ll take over. I was worried you’d turn into a statue.”

Xiao Fei got up, walked to the window, and picked up the binoculars on the table, scanning the opposite building. “Can you even see anything from this distance? I’ve never seen you use binoculars.”

Standing, Qin Yi retrieved an unfinished palm-sized carving from the bedside drawer before answering. “Of course I can see. I could count the legs on a caterpillar over there.”

Putting down the binoculars, Xiao Fei plopped onto the chair Qin Yi had vacated and smirked. “Yeah, right. What caterpillar? And since when do caterpillars have legs?”

When Qin Yi didn’t respond, Xiao Fei turned to see him sitting on the bed, engrossed in carving. He had been working on this piece for days—a man and woman in ancient attire, the man kissing the woman.

“Qin Yi, when did you learn to carve? I’ve never seen you do this before. Who are these people? Some drama characters? That guy isn’t you, is it?” Xiao Fei quickly turned back, not wanting to miss anything.

Having not done this in years and with a body far weaker than in his other life, Qin Yi’s hands were already unsteady after just minutes of carving. He paused, flexing his fingers habitually, and gazed at the beloved figure in his hands. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”