Volume One, Chapter 14: Don’t Make It Look Like I Bullied You

Lin Yuxia remained silent and did not look at Fei Xun. Her plain fingertips pinched the plastic bottle, producing a faint clicking sound.

Perhaps Fei Xun was right; society should not tolerate the attitude of “the poor are always right.” Perhaps Lawyer Li deliberately avoided Han Xuejuan, not out of irresponsibility, but because the latter was truly unreasonable. Maybe from the very beginning, she should not have viewed Han Xuejuan’s case with bias, nor should she have extended help to her client beyond the scope of the law.

Only after suffering losses did she realize that misplaced kindness was foolishness.

Fei Xun noticed Lin Yuxia’s continued silence and finally ceased smiling. He uncrossed his legs, smoothed his suit, and said in a serious tone, “Lawyer Lin.”

Lin Yuxia lifted her head to look at him, seeing his expression had shifted to a strictly professional one.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Arrange a time for Han Xuejuan. I will have the company’s legal department discuss the compensation with her.”

Lin Yuxia blinked wide eyes in astonishment, thinking: Has Fei Xun lost his mind today? Not only is he not taking this opportunity to scold me, but he’s actually planning to generously help that Han woman he usually sneers at?

Fei Xun seemed to read her thoughts and said, “You heard right.”

Lin Yuxia raised a hand to support her chin that nearly dropped, about to offer polite words, when he added, “Don’t thank me. I occasionally help out stray cats and dogs.”

Lin Yuxia: “...” So I’m just a stray cat or dog in his eyes? He’s the dog! A dog’s mouth can’t produce ivory!

The matter was settled.

She stepped out of Fei Xun’s car, politely uttered a few words of thanks, and then bid him farewell.

Fei Xun suddenly rolled down the window and stared at the suitcase behind Lin Yuxia. “Business trip?”

“Oh no,” she replied, “I’m planning to visit a secondhand store to sell some unused things.”

Fei Xun smiled. “Sell your things to pay me back?”

Lin Yuxia blushed and hesitated, “...Could you wait a little longer?”

Fei Xun was puzzled; he hadn’t heard that the Lin family was going bankrupt. Why was the young Miss Lin suddenly so stingy?

“Lin Yuxia, are you really Lin Muheng’s biological daughter?”

At this, Lin Yuxia’s slender shoulders trembled before collapsing slightly, trembling.

Fei Xun was baffled. Why was she crying? He glanced outside, frowned, and said, “I was just joking. Why are you crying?”

But the grievances Lin Yuxia held inside were not new. Once her tear ducts opened, the tears flowed uncontrollably like a flood.

Fei Xun grew anxious. “Get in the car first. Don’t make me look like I’m bullying you.”

Lin Yuxia didn’t move, biting her lip as tears welled up.

Fei Xun had no choice but to open the door and pull her back inside.

He wanted to scold her but feared making her cry harder. So he rubbed his forehead with one hand while disdainfully handing her a tissue with the other.

“My young lady, please don’t cry, okay? I was just joking casually.”

In his memory, Lin Yuxia was stubborn and proud, not someone who couldn’t take a joke.

Honestly, Lin Yuxia wasn’t a crybaby, but the last two times she cried, she happened to be caught by Fei Xun.

She struggled to stop crying, wiped her tears, and, with reddened eyes, apologized softly before reaching to open the car door.

Fei Xun scrutinized her. “Lin Yuxia, are you in trouble?”

She hesitated. “Some personal matters. No need for you to worry.”

Yet when she tried to open the door again, she found it locked.

Fei Xun lazily leaned back. “Tell me, what kind of big trouble could make Miss Lin break down?”

Lin Yuxia looked back, meeting Fei Xun’s casual smirk.

Feeling she had nothing to lose since she already owed him, she decided to shamelessly ask for more help.

Minutes later, the Rolls-Royce parked by the roadside started moving again.

After hearing her story, Fei Xun said nothing more. He led her back to Shengyue Tower, withdrew five million yuan from his personal account through finance, and had a driver escort Lin Yuxia to Heng’an Hospital with her life-saving funds.

All this happened within half an hour, and he didn’t even send anyone to verify her story—uncharacteristic of Fei Xun.

After seeing her off, he sat in his boss chair, fingers interlaced on the desk, staring blankly at the dark computer screen.

He found Lin Yuxia strange, but even stranger was himself.

Since their first meeting, every time Lin Yuxia appeared, she shattered Fei Xun’s principles.

She was like a terrifying new virus, breaching his impenetrable defenses, invading his mind, altering his likes and dislikes, stirring his emotions.

Fei Xun rubbed his forehead irritably and called his assistant in to give instructions.

“Handle Han Xuejuan’s case personally. I don’t want to hear about her harassing lawyers or causing trouble on the construction site again.”

The assistant nodded and left.

*

Lin Yuxia hurried to the hospital and rushed toward the inpatient ward.

On the way, she had already decided what to tell the doctors: to treat her father boldly and confidently, using the best equipment and medicines—do whatever it took to save his life.

She had lost her mother; she didn’t want to lose her father too...

But when she arrived at her father’s intensive care room, she found the door open and the room empty.

“Where is he?” she grabbed a passing nurse. “Where’s the patient who was here?”

Her eyes were bloodshot, an unsettling sight.

The nurse timidly asked, “Who are you looking for?”

“My father, Lin Muheng!”

The nurse grew even more frightened, her voice trembling. “Mr. Lin... early this morning... he... he...”

Lin Yuxia unconsciously tightened her grip, unaware she had bruised the nurse’s arm. “What do you mean?”

“...He passed away.”

At that moment, it was as if thunder exploded over Lin Yuxia’s head.

Her ears rang, and she only saw the nurse’s lips moving, but she couldn’t hear her words clearly.

Passed away? How could he have?

She had just gotten the medical fees from Fei Xun and rushed to the hospital without a second’s delay. She had done everything she could! Why wouldn’t her father wait for her?

Her mother had, Shen Yan had, even her estranged father had...

Why couldn’t any of them wait for me?

The ringing in her ears grew sharper, as if piercing her eardrums. She staggered, her vision blackened, and she collapsed softly.

When she opened her eyes again, it was the next day.

The doctor wore a grim expression and spoke in a low, sorrowful voice.

“Miss Lin, it is with great sadness that I must inform you…”

Lin Yuxia interrupted. “Don’t say any more. I already know.”

The doctor paused but continued dutifully, “Mr. Lin’s memorial service will be held at three in the afternoon. If you wish to see him one last time…”

Lin Yuxia looked up at the ward clock. There was only an hour before three.

She gave a bitter smile.

If she hadn’t woken up in time, she wouldn’t have even seen her father’s last moments.

She got out of bed, her legs weak. She leaned on the bedpost and rested for a while before straightening up and saying, “Please tell me where it will be held.”

Jiang Lan was reluctant to spend money on Lin Muheng’s treatment but spared no expense arranging the funeral.

The grand venue was solemn and could hold a thousand people.

Dressed in black with a white camellia pinned to her chest, Lin Yuxia slowly entered the mourning hall.

She bowed deeply before her father’s coffin and then approached the tearful Jiang Lan and her daughter.

Jiang Lan sobbed as she clung to Lin Yuxia’s shoulder. “Xia Xia, your father was so cruel. If it weren’t for you and Han Han still not married, I’d have gone with him!”

Beside her, Lin Hanhan wailed dramatically, “Mom—what nonsense are you talking about? How can you even think that?”

Lin Yuxia sneered coldly.

“Jiang Lan, don’t pretend anymore. I know you’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time.”