Chapter Two: A Direct Encounter

Chapter Two: A Direct Encounter

Before Yuan Lingling took over the body, it was indeed the case.

Xie Guanglian would come to see her predecessor almost every day, not because he truly loved her, but because her predecessor was easy to deceive.

Initially, her predecessor was interested in Shen Caisheng not only because he had no parents but also for a very important reason—he was wealthy.

Not just her predecessor, but many eligible girls in the vicinity wanted to marry him once they knew of his existence.

Everyone said that Shen Caisheng’s name was well-chosen, as he lived up to it. His greatest advantage was just like his name—making money. Shen Caisheng had been lucky with money since he was a child. While others might trip and fall, he’d find cash on the ground.

Over the years, his family had thrived the most.

It was said that the Shen family used to be a poor household, known for being dirt poor in the area. But ever since Shen Caisheng was born, the family gradually began to thrive.

However, if making money were really that simple, Yuan Lingling would have changed her name to Yuan Youcai (meaning ‘Yuan Has Wealth’).

Yuan Lingling couldn’t speak for the past, but according to the book’s description, before the reform and opening up, many people made their fortunes through black market dealings. As the villain of the story, how could Shen Caisheng not be involved in such activities?

In fact, Yuan Lingling suspected that his current claim of being in the transportation business might actually be a cover for black market trading.

He was wealthy and not stingy, so he naturally gave a lot to her predecessor.

However, most of the money in her predecessor’s hands was either taken by her family or given to Xie Guanglian. Now, Yuan Lingling only had just a few bucks left, otherwise, she wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen eating roasted sweet potatoes.

Her thoughts raced, but Yuan Lingling’s reaction only took a few seconds.

“No, he comes occasionally, always talking about money. I thought he was well-dressed, so I didn’t expect him to be so strapped for cash.” Yuan Lingling wasn’t sure how much Shen Caisheng knew, but it was true that her predecessor had given away money, so she had to provide an explanation.

“I lent him some money a few times before, so as not to appear stingy. But he keeps coming back, and now he even asks me for travel money when he goes on trips. If his family is wealthy, why is he like this?”

As she spoke, Yuan Lingling even puffed her cheeks in frustration. By the time she realized it, Shen Caisheng’s gaze was already fixed on her.

She quickly straightened her face. Shen Caisheng’s eyes were too intense, as if they could see right through a person. But this was her old habit, and no matter how many times she tried to correct it, it didn’t change. She decided to let it be, as she couldn’t pretend to be her predecessor in every situation.

She wasn’t sure if Shen Caisheng had noticed something, but he kept staring at her.

“Is… there something on my face?” Yuan Lingling’s heart pounded as she reached up to touch her face.

Shen Caisheng’s gaze shifted downward to the side of her nose and said, “There’s a bit of dust.”

Yuan Lingling reacted after a moment and quickly wiped her face with her hand. After two months of care, her hands were much fairer than before, though she was still just skin and bones.

“Instead of lending money to others, you should keep it for yourself and eat more.”

After saying this, Shen Caisheng felt it was unnecessary and changed the subject. “Keep the hen for eggs. We’ll make a stew for dinner.”

He wanted to say more, but the gossip from the neighbors flashed through his mind, and he ultimately didn’t speak further.

Yuan Lingling saw it as a warning. She didn’t dare to retort, nor was it necessary. She silently nodded and then casually picked up the hen that was still clucking nearby. Yuan Lingling was surprised—it was quite heavy.

She had grown up in the city and had never kept such animals. Did Shen Caisheng mean for her to keep chickens? In this freezing weather, they couldn’t keep them in the yard, could they? What if the chickens froze to death?

Just as she was about to ask, Shen Caisheng walked past her wordlessly and expressionless, and went straight outside.

Yuan Lingling pouted. She didn’t want to go out and feel the pressure he brought, so she continued to huddle on the stool, basking in the stove’s faint warmth.

But not long after, a series of clattering sounds came from outside. Yuan Lingling stepped to the door and saw Shen Caisheng working with a stack of wooden planks he had found somewhere.

His slender fingers pinched the ink line and gave it a light flick, leaving a thin black line on the wooden board. Following the line, he sawed the board apart, then nails and hammers came into play. In no time, small pieces of wood were pieced together by him.

"Do you need my help?" After admiring for a while, Yuan Lingling finally stepped forward. Standing around doing nothing wasn't helpful, even though she had no idea what he was doing.

To her surprise, Shen Caisheng didn't even lift his eyelids. "No, you take care of your own things."

Take care of her own things? What did she have to do?

In the few days since she arrived in this world, the most she had done was sleep and eat. Thinking of this, Yuan Lingling couldn't help but yawn again.

Pregnant women tend to be sleepy, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Seeing that Shen Caisheng had no intention of speaking further, Yuan Lingling simply went back to her room to catch up on sleep.

Having just eaten her fill, as soon as she lay down on the heated bed, she felt drowsiness take over and knew nothing more, with the clattering sounds outside becoming a lullaby.

When she woke up two hours later, she half-opened her eyes and listened carefully, hearing no movement. Only then did Yuan Lingling slowly get out from under the quilt. She didn't see Shen Caisheng in either the inner room or the living room, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Opening the door to the living room, a chilly breeze swept in, and Yuan Lingling nearly stepped back inside. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of half a head outside the courtyard, and a wave of irritation washed over her—it was Xie Guanglian, as persistent as ever.

Climbing over the courtyard wall, how bold!

Xie Guanglian obviously saw Yuan Lingling too, waving frantically at her. His silly look made Yuan Lingling want to smack him with a shovel.

Yuan Lingling didn't want to deal with him, but she felt that dragging it on wasn't the solution. It was better to just cut ties outright.

Still groggy from just waking up, she pulled her hands into her sleeves, opened the door to the living room, and quickly walked toward the edge of the courtyard.

As she moved, she caught a glimpse of the locked gate to the courtyard out of the corner of her eye. Yuan Lingling's steps halted. She turned her head and looked around—had Shen Caisheng not gone out?

Wasn't this cramping her style?

But since she had already walked into the courtyard, it would seem odd not to respond to Xie Guanglian now.

"Lingling, what's going on? I've been waiting here for you for so long."

Outside the courtyard, someone had planted an osmanthus tree. This tree wasn't particularly cold-resistant, and it was rare in the north. But this one was growing quite well, already taller than the courtyard wall, making it a perfect aid for thieves.

"What are you doing climbing over my wall? What would people think if they saw?" If Shen Caisheng found out she was being unfaithful to him, he would surely go mad. Who could tolerate their wife cheating on them, even if it was just in form?

"Shen Caisheng just came back. Are you looking for him? I'll go get him for you." Yuan Lingling called out nervously.

Hearing Yuan Lingling speak to him in such an unfriendly tone, Xie Guanglian was briefly taken aback. But upon hearing the latter part, he realized she was joking. It was freezing, and she showed no concern for him. No wonder Shen Caisheng, who could have his wife and child warm on the heated bed, was always out and about.

"Don't try to fool me. I saw him leave, but why did he climb over the wall instead of using the door?"

Hearing this, Yuan Lingling breathed a sigh of relief. She thought to herself, wasn't it to guard against you, sneaky one? She adjusted her sleeves and asked, "What do you want from me?"

Xie Guanglian was at a loss for words. What else could he want? He had seen Shen Caisheng return with so many things in his hands. Shen Caisheng himself was never home—could this woman eat all that by herself? Wasn't she afraid of overeating?

But he couldn't say it outright. Normally, he didn't even have to say anything, and this woman would deliver the good stuff to him. What was going on today?

He put on a smile and said, "I just missed you. Even a moment without you makes me feel uneasy."

Yuan Lingling inwardly rolled her eyes. Did this guy think he was being affectionate? With his cowardly demeanor, the original host must have been truly desperate for affection.

"What should we do?" Yuan Lingling sighed, pretending to be sorrowful. "I was planning to let you go to Yangcheng first, and I'd join you after some time. But if you can't stand being apart from me, what should we do?"

"Why?" Xie Guanglian didn't understand her meaning. Why did they have to separate and then go together?

If it weren’t for her, how would he ever afford to go to Yangcheng?

He’d heard Yangcheng was a place where land cost a fortune, and everything was pricier than in the capital. How could he manage without money?

Yuan Lingling had no idea what he was thinking, so she kept up her act.

"It’s all Shen Caisheng’s fault," she said, as usual, venting her frustration with him. "I don’t know if he heard some gossip outside, but when he came back, he asked me if someone had been here. He told me to hold onto all the money from now on, and if I ran out, he’d send me back to my parents."

Seeing him deep in thought, Yuan Lingling kept spinning her tale. "I was thinking, Brother Guanglian, why don’t you head to Yangcheng first and find a place to stay? In the meantime, I’ll try to squeeze more money out of Shen Caisheng, and once I have enough, I’ll come find you in Yangcheng. Sound good?"

Yuan Lingling lowered her eyes, looking anxious. "I’m worried if he finds out, it could hurt you."

Every word seemed to be for Xie Guanglian’s benefit, and though his heart wasn’t stone, his greed outweighed any gratitude.

"So, could you... lend me some money for the trip..." Xie Guanglian couldn’t bear to leave empty-handed, so he pretended to be poor.

Yuan Lingling looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "What can I do? Shen Caisheng might’ve figured something out. He interrogates me if I’m even a penny short. Not just the money, but even the stuff he brought back today—he made it clear I’m not to give it to anyone. Otherwise, I’d have given you that hen to make soup. He must know something, or else..."

As Xie Guanglian listened, he cursed Shen Caisheng a thousand times in his mind.

He won’t eat it himself, and he won’t let me have it either.

Sooner or later, I’ll sleep with this foolish woman and cuckold him!

"Let’s not take anything, Brother Guanglian. Let’s run away now. Don’t worry, even if we end up begging, I’ll never leave you."

Xie Guanglian, who’d been feeling smug, suddenly shuddered at her words. His foot slipped as he tried to step onto another branch, and he tumbled down.

Thud!

Yuan Lingling’s mouth twitched. That had to hurt.

"Brother Guanglian, are you okay?" Yuan Lingling called out half-heartedly before slowly opening the gate. Watching Xie Guanglian struggle to rise from the snow, Yuan Lingling nearly laughed out loud.

But she still looked slightly anxious on her face. "Brother Guanglian, you don’t have to be so touched. When the time comes, I’ll stick by you through thick and thin."

Xie Guanglian didn’t want to share any sorrows; he only wanted to enjoy the good life. "Lingling, you’ve really moved me. How could I ever let you suffer? Let’s do as you said. I’ll go to Yangcheng first, and when you get the money from Shen Caisheng, come find me."

He didn’t forget to add, "We’ll make the money and pay him back."

"Brother Guanglian, you’re such a good man," Yuan Lingling lied sweetly. "Then it’s settled. Make sure to tell your aunt and the others not to come looking for me. You know Shen Caisheng’s no fool." She was too lazy to deal with them.

Xie Guanglian thought to himself, if he’s not a fool, then who is? If he weren’t a fool, how could he have fallen for a woman like you? If he weren’t a fool, how could he not know his own woman was cuckolding him?

While mentally complaining, Xie Guanglian also knew the power of his own mother and younger sister. The two of them probably thought the entire Shen family belonged to them.

"I know, don’t worry," Xie Guanglian said, even feeling a bit melancholy. "Later, I’ll have to scrounge up some travel money. You know, at home, everything goes to my eldest brother first."

As he said this, Xie Guanglian kept his eyes on Yuan Lingling, and only when he saw her usual look of heartache did he feel somewhat reassured.

Yuan Lingling pretended to be anxious on the surface, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Maybe I should grab some money for you. Take it and go. If he finds out, I’ll just follow you. Let him keep his precious money!"

At first, the kitchen was dimly lit, and Xie Guanglian couldn’t see clearly. But now, seeing Yuan Lingling’s big, teary eyes, her small face flushed with anger, and her beauty against the snowy backdrop, Xie Guanglian’s heart skipped a beat.

He thought, if this woman behaves herself, he might not be against living with her in Yangcheng.

"Lingling, you’re gorgeous."

As if possessed, Xie Guanglian reached out to touch Yuan Lingling’s face, but unexpectedly, Yuan Lingling stepped aside, avoiding him.

His hand froze in mid-air, and just as he was about to feel annoyed, his gaze shifted behind Yuan Lingling, and he suddenly froze in place.

Yuan Lingling followed his gaze, her fingers trembling slightly. "You... you’re back."