Volume One, Chapter 12: What Do You Amount To?
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Lin Yuxia’s eyes suddenly reddened as she pressed, “What exactly is his illness?”
Jiang Lan sobbed, “Sudden cerebral hemorrhage.”
Lin Yuxia staggered a step, barely steadying herself against the wall.
When Lin Muheng was young, he worked tirelessly to earn money; now, in his later years, he used money to buy his life.
After turning forty, he underwent biannual health checkups, with a dedicated health specialist managing his diet and routine. All his health indicators had been normal—how could he suddenly fall ill?
Her mind was in chaos, her heart heavy, and the incessant crying of Jiang Lan and her daughter beside her only made her more agitated.
“Stop crying,” she snapped softly.
Lin Hanhan cried even louder, accusing, “Do you think everyone has a heart of stone like you? Dad is like this, and you haven’t shed a single tear!”
Lin Yuxia truly couldn’t cry; her tears had long dried up, sixteen years ago.
She shouted furiously, “Will crying help? Dad’s not dead yet, so why are you all crying like it’s a funeral?”
She rarely lost her temper, but this shout carried the bearing of the eldest lady of the Lin family, startling Jiang Lan, her daughter, and even the servants present.
While everyone was still stunned, Jiang Lan slowly approached Lin Yuxia.
Turning her back on everyone, only Lin Yuxia, face to face with her, could see the expression on Jiang Lan’s tear-streaked face—an expression filled not with sorrow but with sharp cruelty.
Jiang Lan gave a cold smile and leaned close to Lin Yuxia’s ear, whispering:
“This family isn’t yours to command.”
Lin Yuxia would only truly understand the real meaning of those words five days later.
After desperate efforts, Lin Muheng’s life was saved, but he remained in the ICU, his existence barely sustained by machines and medication.
That day, Lin Yuxia took leave from the law firm specifically to visit her father in the hospital.
Through the glass door, she saw her father lying there, hooked up to countless devices, and couldn’t help but think bitterly of Han Xuejuan’s husband.
Fortunately, the Lin family held shares in Heng’an Hospital, and wealth was no issue. For an ordinary family, spending so much to prolong life would be impossible.
After seeing her father, she intended to consult the doctor.
The attending physician was absent, leaving only a junior doctor on duty. When he learned that Lin Yuxia was the patient’s daughter, he said curiously:
“Don’t you know? The patient’s spouse—your mother—plans to give up treatment.”
Lin Yuxia was stunned. “Give up treatment? That can’t be!”
Her family lacked neither money nor people; her father was still alive—why would they give up?
The young doctor hesitated, then suddenly slapped his own head in self-reproach.
When Lin Yuxia pressed for more details, he only shook his head, claiming ignorance.
Turning away, Lin Yuxia returned home, determined to confront Jiang Lan.
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At that moment, Jiang Lan was entertaining a guest at home—nationally renowned family law attorney You Mingyi.
When Lin Yuxia entered, the two were shaking hands, apparently just concluding a business matter.
Having returned to the country only recently, Lin Yuxia was unfamiliar with the top legal figures and did not know Attorney You.
She walked straight to Jiang Lan and asked, “The doctor said you want to give up treatment on my father. What’s going on?”
Jiang Lan was slightly taken aback and frowned, thinking to herself: Who was careless enough to reveal this to Lin Yuxia?
She ignored Lin Yuxia momentarily, first instructing the butler to see You Mingyi off, then finally turning to answer.
“So you already know? Then I’ll be straightforward.
“Old Lin’s cerebral hemorrhage is severe. Even with surgery, it caused irreversible and serious brain damage.
“Continuing treatment offers only a ten percent chance of waking up. Even if he does, he’ll likely be a senile invalid.
“Lin Yuxia, if you truly love your father, would you want to see him, so proud and dignified, reduced to a senile wreck in his old age?”
Lin Yuxia inwardly sneered. The villain was accusing first.
“Jiang Lan,” she called her by name, “even if the chance of recovery is slim, there’s no reason to give up now. At least with treatment, there’s a ten percent hope; without it, death is the only outcome.
“Jiang Lan, you’ve lived with my father for over twenty years. You’d rather watch him die? Are you even human?”
Jiang Lan’s anger flared as she glared at Lin Yuxia, hurling insults: “You bastard, living off me, and still daring to act up in front of me?
“It’s not your money, so you play the dutiful daughter here! Do you know how much the hospital costs per day? Do you think I’m your family’s ATM?”
Lin Yuxia’s eyes widened in disbelief—so the real reason Jiang Lan wanted to abandon treatment was because she couldn’t bear the expense?
“Hasn’t my father given you enough money for his medical bills?”
“What a joke! What you call money given to me? The lawyers say it’s marital property!”
Jiang Lan paused, sneering coldly: “Almost forgot—you’re a lawyer too. You should understand better than me.”
Lin Yuxia realized then—Jiang Lan didn’t want to save anyone; her true motive was to seize the Lin family’s vast fortune!
She never imagined that the woman who played the virtuous wife before Lin Muheng was in truth so venomous.
A strange sadness for her father welled up within Lin Yuxia.
Rubbing her forehead, she chuckled quietly to herself, then went upstairs without looking back at the viper.
Locking her door, Lin Yuxia leaned against it, lost in thought.
Han Xuejuan, with nothing to her name, still ran everywhere to save her husband in a vegetative state, while Jiang Lan, rich beyond measure, was willing to give up on a husband who could still be saved.
The absurdity of it all overwhelmed her.
Jiang Lan controlled the family’s finances, but she clearly wouldn’t spare a single cent more.
Though reluctant to trouble Shen Yan, when a life hung in the balance, Lin Yuxia had no choice but to turn to her brother for help.
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She took out her phone and dialed Shen Yan’s number.
Across the city, Shen Yan was accompanying his girlfriend, Xiao Tian, at a mother-and-baby mall.
He had no intention of a long-term relationship with Xiao Tian, let alone marriage, but with a child on the way, he agreed she would keep it and was willing to ensure her a comfortable life thereafter.
He planned to tell her all this after the baby was born.
The two were tired from shopping and had found a restaurant to eat.
When Lin Yuxia’s call came in, Shen Yan had just gone to the restroom, leaving his phone on the table.
Xiao Tian saw the caller ID—“Yuxia”—and a sly, cold smile curved her lips.
“Hello? Little sister Yuxia?” Her tone was playful, clearly in a good mood.
Lin Yuxia immediately recognized the voice; her eyes darkened. “Where’s my brother?”
“He’s busy right now.”
Lin Yuxia’s voice was cold. “Give me the phone. I need to speak with him.”
“If you have something to say, you can tell me. We’ll be family soon anyway.”
Lin Yuxia’s patience snapped. Her voice turned sharp and unforgiving: “I don’t have time to joke around. Let me talk to my brother!”
Sensing Lin Yuxia’s anger, Xiao Tian laughed triumphantly.
“You’re so worked up, Yuxia. Why drop the innocent act now? Finally showing your true colors?
“Yuxia, what are you anyway? Just my defeated rival, a lapdog begging for scraps beside Shen Yan. So, what favors do you want from him this time?”
Lapdog? Lin Yuxia’s face went pale; her fingers trembled slightly.
She wanted to retort but knew Xiao Tian was right—she was here to ask Shen Yan for money.
As the cruel and sharp taunts continued through the receiver, Lin Yuxia couldn’t bear it any longer and abruptly hung up.
Suddenly, someone snatched the phone from Xiao Tian’s ear. She whipped around to meet a pair of ice-cold eyes.
Her heart twitched, and she quickly donned a sweet facade. “Little sister Yuxia called. I was just telling her…”
“You can leave now,” Shen Yan cut her off mercilessly.
“What?” Xiao Tian was stunned.
Shen Yan’s expression remained impassive. “We won’t see each other again. I’m arranging for the hospital to perform an abortion. Ten million yuan as a breakup fee will be transferred to your account after.”
He paused, looking at Xiao Tian, who was dumbfounded, his deep eyes devoid of any emotion:
“Now, you can get lost.”