Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

“What kind of partner? That Peng Yi is clearly Li Ren’s mistress!!!”

*Mistress?!*

Jiang Yin suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her hand was still clasped with Li Ren’s, and he asked with deep concern, “Yin, what’s up? You look sick.”

Jiang Yin really didn’t want to believe that Li Ren had cheated, but she’d already heard about Lin Tingyue’s mind-reading ability from her mother.

Lin Tingyue couldn’t possibly be wrong—but Li Ren wouldn’t cheat either.

These two ideas tore at her mind, leaving Jiang Yin frozen, unsure what to do. Her face grew even paler.

Seeing this, Bai Yaxin took Jiang Yin’s hand and said, “Yin’s just overthinking things.”

Bai Yaxin led Jiang Yin forward and whispered, “Wanna call your mom?”

Bai Yaxin thought that if Li Ren really *had* cheated, Lin Jiaxin would skin him alive—and Jiang Yin would at least have someone to lean on.

But Jiang Yin felt differently. She instinctively didn’t want to bother her mom. She was grown up now—she should learn to handle things herself.

She forced a smile. “No need, Dajiuma.”

“Alright,” Bai Yaxin patted the back of Jiang Yin’s hand gently. “We’ve got your back.”

“Yeah.”

Jiang Yin nodded.

Bai Yaxin turned around and said to Li Ren, “Yinyin has already agreed to come over for dinner. Why don’t you join us too?”

Li Ren glanced at Peng Yi, hesitating slightly. “Then…”

“Peng Yi can come too. It’s just another plate at the table.”

Bai Yaxin saw it clearly—Peng Yi gave a slight nod, and only then did Li Ren agree.

Bai Yaxin barely stopped herself from eye-rolling.

Lin Shengyan, however, made a show of rolling his eyes so hard they practically rolled out of his head. He snapped, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think Peng Yi was your wife.”

Li Ren’s voice turned cold. “Watch your mouth.”

Li Ren’s glare could melt steel, but Lin Shengyan wasn’t fazed. Still flipping his eyes dramatically, he brushed past Li Ren and headed to the car.

“Wait—plot twist?”

Lin Shengyan almost wrecked the car.

Bai Yaxin barked, “Eyes on the road, dumbass!”

“Yeah, yeah, *Mom*.”

If he’d known Lin Tingyue was going to start spilling tea in the car, he wouldn’t have signed up to drive—big bro should’ve driven instead.

But as Lin Shengyan glanced at Lin Yuhuan, he noticed that although the latter was pretending to sit stiffly in the passenger seat, his ears were twitching like a rabbit’s.

That's really just sitting back and gossiping, oblivious to everything else going on.

Lin Chengyan: "..."

How disgraceful!

"This Peng Yi is actually from Thailand. She came here to lure Li Ren over there, and he actually bought it. I mean, who falls for that? Do they really think someone would partner with you, put up all the money and do all the work, and not expect anything in return?"

An affair turning into telecom fraud?

Time to call the cops.

Before Lin Chengyan could even signal, he saw Lin Yuhuan take out his phone, send a text, and coolly report the crime.

At this rate, the police should give his older brother a Citizen's Award, right?

The Lins and Jiang Yin rode in one car, while Peng Yi and Li Ren were in another.

When they arrived at the villa, Li Ren got out of the car and acted the perfect gentleman—opening the door for Peng Yi and shielding her head as she stepped out.

Couldn't have been more considerate.

After doing all that, he was worried about blowing his cover in front of the Lins, but when he turned around, all he got were looks of... sympathy mixed with disdain, like he was some kind of sucker.

Who the real sucker is remains to be seen.

Li Ren lowered his head and smirked.

Once everyone settled in the living room, Zhang Ma served tea and said, "Ma'am, dinner should be ready in about half an hour."

Bai Yaxin nodded. "Alright, you may go now."

Before half an hour had passed, the police showed up. Peng Yi kept her cool. "Didn’t we already settle this at the station? What’s this about, officers?"

"Your financial dispute with the other party may be resolved, but the investigation into identity fraud and telecom fraud is just getting started."

Peng Yi tightened her grip. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Li Ren frowned. "Officers, this is my business partner. There’s no way she’s involved in telecom fraud."

Lin Tingyue had had enough.

"Identity fraud—you didn’t even hear that part?"

"We're waiting for dinner, the cops are waiting to get credit, Peng Yi’s waiting to be arrested, and Li Ren… well, he’s left with nothing."

Isn’t he the one who got scammed out of everything?

Jiang Yin finally snapped. "If there's something wrong, the police will investigate. They won’t frame her. Why are you so defensive?"

Li Ren looked genuinely confused. "Jiang Yin, what are you saying? Isn’t it normal for me to stand up for my partner?"

"Normal? It’d be normal if you were defending her against rumors or lies, but these are the police—what exactly are you defending her from?"

"Jiang Yin, don’t be ridiculous. Are you going to accuse me of being with Peng Yi next?"

Jiang Yin let out a bitter laugh. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

"Fine! Yes, I'm with Peng Yi. But you always see things that aren't there, jumping at every little rumor—who could ever put up with you?"

"You…"

Before she could even begin her tirade, Li Ren lost his temper first.

"Hold on, none of that matters because I really love you. Even though you're privileged but full of flaws, you can't have kids—why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

Jiang Yin: "?"

"Who says I can't have kids? And if you love me, why do you care so much about children?"

"Because I love you, I want a child—proof of our love!"

"What kind of messed-up logic is that?"

"Some go childfree for love, others cheat for love!"

Jiang Yin pointed at Peng Yi and said, "So, are you saying Peng Yi is willing to give you this 'proof of our love'?"

"To be honest, Peng Yi is already pregnant. I was planning to send her away before breaking it to you, but since things have come to this, it doesn’t matter if it’s sooner or later."

"Oh, I get it now! It was Auntie who called Jiang Yin about Cousin’s family matters. Li Ren was snooping around and mistakenly thought Jiang Yin couldn’t have kids. So gross—eavesdropping..."

"And he misheard 'impotence'—convenient hearing, but first-class cheating skills."

"Also, Peng Yi can’t possibly be pregnant because she’s..."

She's what now?!

Just as the Lin family was eager to hear more, the police interrupted.

An officer cut in sternly, "Cut the excuses. We’ve been monitoring your scam operation for some time now."

Without another word, the police moved to take Peng Yi away.

"A-Ren."

Peng Yi’s tearful face looked pitiful—but Lin Tingyue couldn’t care less because—

Li Ren shouted, "She’s pregnant! You can’t do this to a pregnant woman!"

The officer at the back paused and glanced at his superior for instructions. After receiving confirmation, he said, "Your 'partner' here is transgender. Transgender women can’t get pregnant."

"Transgender?!"

Li Ren stumbled and face-planted, howling, "No way! No way!"

Once the police were gone, Bai Yaxin asked Jiang Yin to stay for dinner, but she declined politely and made to leave.

Coolly walking past Li Ren, she suddenly felt him grab her pant leg. "Yinyin, please, I was tricked! I’m hurting—I can’t lose you, Yinyin!"

Jiang Yin nailed him right in the groin. As Li Ren writhed in agony, she said coldly, "Wasn’t sure if you were hurting before, but now I know."

"Damn, savage."

Zhang Ma piped up right on cue, "Ma’am, dinner’s served."

Bai Yaxin eyed the crowd still reeling from the drama and said, "Let’s eat first. Zhang Ma, get someone to haul out the courtyard trash."

"Right away, Madam."

...

A few days later, Lin Xiawan came back from overseas and ended up going to a banquet with Lin Tingyue.

On the way, Lin Tingyue kept asking Lin Xiawan about what had happened during those days.

"Xia Wan, we totally watched all your streams, you know."

The time zone difference was huge. Just imagining them fighting sleep but still waiting in front of the TV for the official livestream made her melt a little.

Lin Xiawan patted Lin Tingyue's head and said, "So you already know everything, huh? Why ask again?"

"The TV only shows the highlights. I want to know everything about you, Xia Wan, including the difficulties you faced."

Lin Xiawan paused. Lin Tingyue hugged her, snuggling into her neck, then patted the top of her head and said, "But I know that no matter what happens, you’ll get through it, right?"

Lin Xiawan blinked. Her eyes glistened briefly as she replied, "Yes."

Lin Tingyue looked at her seriously and said, "Xia Wan, you’ve been through a lot."

Lin Xiawan gave Lin Tingyue’s cheek a playful squeeze. "Thank you, Tingyue."

The original heroine, Lin Xiawan, was like a flower pushing through tough times. Despite being mistreated by her adoptive parents, targeted by the impostor heiress, and mocked by all sorts of people, she still worked hard on the things she loved and eventually got what she rightfully earned.

She was really something special.

When Lin Tingyue read the book, she had wanted to tell her, "You’ve been through a lot."

Now, she finally got the chance.

They arrived at the banquet villa.

Just as Lin Tingyue and Lin Xiawan stepped out of the car, a woman walked right past them.

The woman rushed straight into the arms of a glamorous lady at the entrance, gushing, "Mom, I missed you so much!"

"Alright, alright, you’re a married woman now, still so clingy! Go say hello to your father."

"Okay."

Lin Tingyue froze.

Staring at this seemingly happy family of three, her mind was blown.

"How is family this complicated?!"

"A dad can also be a granddad?!"

Wait, what?!