Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

Being a gigolo?

Bai Yaxin’s eyebrows twitched. She had always thought her second brother was just lazy and unfocused, but she never expected Bai Weiye to stoop this low.

Bai Yaxin immediately warned him coldly, “You’d better watch your back out there.”

Bai Weiye scoffed, “What do I have to worry about? You should be the one careful—don’t get scammed or your husband might dump you.”

“What are you talking about?” Lin Tingyue snapped angrily. “Apologize to my mom!”

“Apologize for what? Who does this fake heiress think she is, throwing her weight around?”

“That’s so unfair!”

Bai Weiye glanced at Bai Yaxin’s darkening expression and said, “Let me break it to you. A buddy from school hooked me up with a business deal. I’ve got plenty of chances to strike it rich. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even outdo certain people someday.”

After speaking, Bai Weiye shot a pointed look at Lin Rusong. It was clear who he meant.

That didn’t even faze Lin Rusong, who simply smiled.

But when Bai Weiye insulted his wife and daughter? That wasn’t something Lin Rusong could easily ignore.

Lin Rusong replied calmly, “The Bai family has always been upright and honorable. It’s just a shame that such a bad seed like you grew in such a good family.”

“Lin Rusong, you—”

“Yeah no… striking it rich might not work out. Uncle might end up losing his shirt—I mean literally, down to his underwear!”

*Pfft—*

Lin Chengyan couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter. Before Lin Rusong finished speaking, Lin Chengyan jumped in to fan the flames. Bai Weiye glared at him and snapped, “Lin Chengyan, what’s so funny?”

Still chuckling, Lin Chengyan waved his hand dismissively. Bai Weiye only got more furious. “Is this the manners the Lin family teaches?”

Lin Chengyan finally caught his breath and retorted sarcastically, “Uncle, with that toxic attitude of yours, don’t you think your old classmate secretly hates you by now?”

“You—”

Bai Weiye clenched his jaw, too angry to say anything else, and stormed out.

Feng Chao, who had stayed quiet until now, finally spoke: “Man, the room just got 100% more breathable.”

“LMAO! I declare Grandma the queen of the roast today! Second Uncle’s savage comebacks must run in the family.”

Lin Chengyan shrugged and flexed dramatically, mouthing silently: *What can I say? It’s a gift. Never been burned in a verbal smackdown.*

Lin Yuhuan pushed up his glasses: “Facts only. No cap.”

Lin Chengyan: …

“But what did Second Uncle mean earlier when he told Mom not to get scammed?”

Lin Tingyue’s fingers flew as she flipped through something. “Mystery solved. Turns out Second Uncle was talking about *me*.”

Lin Tingyue was equal parts annoyed and done.

Bai Yaxin’s heart went out to her.

Indeed, many relatives and friends couldn’t understand why Lin Tingyue, the supposed heiress, was still kept at home after Xia Wan had been officially welcomed back.

But for Bai Yaxin, Lin Tingyue was the child she had raised herself. The effort she had poured into raising her and the bond they shared couldn’t just be reduced to a label like “fake heiress.”

Compared to Bai Weiye, she actually trusted Lin Tingyue more.

Bai Yaxin patted Lin Tingyue’s head, and Feng Chao watched with envy. “Grandma wants a turn too!”

“Grandma is good, Mom is good, everyone is good—only Uncle’s the bad one!”

Feng Chao, stroking Tingyue’s hair, was surprised by this remark and burst out laughing. She murmured, “Tingyue’s hair is so dark and shiny—she’s destined for great fortune!”

“Grandma, I love hearing that! Tell me more!”

Lin Tingyue blinked earnestly at Feng Chao, making the older woman’s eyes crinkle with delight as she showered Tingyue with praise.

By the time they finished their meal and prepared to leave, Lin Tingyue was completely full of herself.

“I’m not the old Lin Tingyue anymore—I’m Ultra Lin Tingyue now!”

The whole family laughed.

After returning home, Bai Yaxin, still worried, called her eldest brother and asked him to watch out for Bai Weiye.

Bai Weiye’s relationship with the family had deteriorated over the years. Though Feng Chao hadn’t severed ties with him, she acted like he didn’t exist whenever he visited.

She no longer gave him money and told Bai Yaxin and the others not to either.

But in the end, he was still family.

Bai Weijian told her he’d take care of it and urged Bai Yaxin not to worry.

Naturally, she trusted her elder brother. After hanging up, she stopped worrying about it.

A few days later, Tao Tao successfully gave birth to a baby girl. Wu Qianyun called to pass on the happy news, and Bai Yaxin decided to buy some gifts and visit Tao Tao and the newborn at the hospital. Since Lin Tingyue was the only one at home, she took her along.

Lin Tingyue asked, “Mom, do you really like having me come with you?”

Bai Yaxin answered without hesitation, “Of course! You’re our good-luck charm—how could I not be happy with you by my side?”

After hearing this, Lin Tingyue sat up taller.

Watching her like this, Bai Yaxin thought she really did resemble one of those lucky cat figurines placed on shop counters—except…

Bai Yaxin playfully shook Tingyue’s hand.

Lin Tingyue said with a laugh, “Mom, I’m not a cat.”

Bai Yaxin cleared her throat awkwardly. “Who said? Sometimes you really do look like one.”

Lin Tingyue went along with it.

“Mom just wants to have a cat, doesn’t she?”

Bai Yaxin couldn’t stop smiling. Why would she need to get a cat when she already had two?

When they arrived at the mall, Bai Yaxin and Lin Tingyue stepped out of the car.

On the square in front of the mall, it looked lively as a large crowd had gathered. Driven by curiosity, Bai Yaxin and Lin Tingyue joined the crowd to see what was going on.

"Does it really work?"

"Guaranteed! No matter what health problem you have, take my medicine and you'll be cured."

"Is this available at hospitals?"

"Man, hospitals are just out to scam money! They want you to take a different pill for every single ailment!"

"How much is it?"

"300 bucks a pill. This bottle has ten pills, but I’ll only charge you 999—practically throwing in a free one. Take one daily with warm water. If it doesn’t work after ten days, come find me. My own elderly family members take this stuff—they’re over ninety and still healthy as horses!"

That pitch convinced quite a few people.

Lin Tingyue looked at the small transparent bottle in the vendor’s hand, which contained ten tiny pills no bigger than rice grains.

"300 bucks a pill? You're practically mugging people!"

Some folks about to pay: "Huh?"

Before even taking the medicine, the truth came out?

"Tsk tsk, the cost to make this is probably just a couple of bucks."

Seriously?

That cheap?

Someone voiced skepticism: "What if it doesn’t work?"

"Didn't I already say? If it's fake, I'll pay you tenfold!"

"If it's fake, you'll pay tenfold? In ten days, these scammers will have moved on to another location! They con a place and then skip town!"

"And those pills are just sawdust soaked in soy sauce and rotgut!"

The crowd grew furious.

This wasn’t just deception—it was total zero effort!

The crowd flipped the stall.

Though the plainclothes officers didn’t know why the public wasn’t falling for it today, they rushed forward and hauled off the scam artists peddling fake medicine.

As the police hauled off the scammers into patrol cars, Bai Yaxin and Lin Tingyue went inside the mall.

Picking gifts for adults and babies wasn’t Lin Tingyue’s thing, but Bai Yaxin had everything picked out in no time.

"This one’s for Tao Tao, and this one’s for the baby."

"That’s so thoughtful of you! Considering the adults too. Usually after giving birth, some people only focus on the baby—even on the mother’s birthday, they give her diapers and onesies. It shouldn’t be like that!"

Our Tingyue nailed it.

A mother isn’t just her child’s mom—she’s her own person too.

...

“I told you not to come, but here you are anyway,” Wu Qianyun said. But she was grinning ear to ear when she saw Bai Yaxin.

Bai Yaxin asked, “How’s Tao Tao?”

“Tao Tao played with the baby for a bit and has fallen asleep now.”

“We’ll let them be, then. I picked out some gifts for Tao Tao and the baby. When she wakes up, could you give them to her?”

“Guess I’ll take ’em, then.”

“Of course—they’re for Tao Tao and the baby, not for you.”

Wu Qianyun chuckled and asked, “Hello? Mom and grandma here—do I not get a vote?”

“Oops, my bad! Totally blanked on your gift. Congrats on becoming a grandma!”

Wu Qianyun cracked up.

Bai Yaxin glanced around—they were in the lounge—and asked, “Where’s Old Xiang?”

“The nanny made soup, but he didn’t trust her not to mess it up, so he went back to grab it himself. No clue what his deal is.”

“Typical dad—wants everything perfect for his kid.”

After chatting a while longer, Bai Yaxin and Lin Tingyue got ready to leave. Wu Qianyun saw them to the door and just then spotted a crowd gathering outside the neighboring room.

The nurse looked ready to snap. “Let me ask one more time—who’s the baby’s father?”

Every guy yelled at once: “Me! Me!”

The nurse groaned. “Guys, cut it out—this is a hospital.”

“Who’s causing trouble? I’m Nana’s OG sweetheart—that baby’s gotta be mine!”

“The hell you say! I’m Nana’s man—that kid’s mine!”

“What, ex-boyfriends don’t get a shot? You scrawny losers—none of you stack up to me!”

“Back off, all of you. I’ve got the marriage certificate—I’m Nana’s legal husband. The rest of you losers can scram.”

“Holy crap, maternity ward drama is next-level.”

“So who’s actually the dad?”

“No clue… Wait, did two dudes…? Oh god, help.”

Nurse: Some days, I’m this close to dialing 911.

Lin Tingyue and Bai Yaxin stepped into the elevator one after another. Bai Yaxin’s phone rang—Bai Weiye calling.

“Bai Yaxin, didn’t you say I’d get scammed? Well, I’m about to close the deal! Who the hell do you think you are?”

Bai Yaxin frowned at the drunken slur in his voice. “Bai Weiye, where are you?”

“Not your damn business!”

“Oh hell… Their side’s packed… It’s a full-on rager…”