Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Chapter 6

1

After so many years of hard times, Lin Chenxin had developed a good habit of not letting anything go to waste.

Moreover, she was still in her adolescence, still growing, so of course she wasn't going to shortchange herself.

She cleaned her plate. Lin Chenxin wiped her mouth slowly and deliberately.

The rising sun outside filtered through the tree branches, casting dappled shadows that sketched a clear ink-wash painting on the bluestone path.

Perhaps because she was full, she actually felt a sense of peaceful contentment.

After so many years, she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d had a good, solid meal and just sat and watched the sun.

As if timing her meal precisely, several servants entered through the moon gate with their heads bowed, silently clearing the dishes from the table.

Lin Chenxin snapped out of her reverie, watching them in silence.

Not long after, another group of servants filed in carrying trays, placing outfits into the wardrobe.

In addition, there were some personal feminine items, as well as daily necessities, including various jewelry and cosmetics—everything she could possibly need.

In this regard, the Chen family did not treat her poorly; on the contrary, they were extremely considerate.

Lin Chenxin stood where she was, her expression cool.

These items were so complete it seemed she would never need to go out again.

After putting everything away, the woman in charge stood before her with her head lowered and said softly, "Breakfast is at eight in the morning, lunch at half past twelve, and dinner at half past six. Your meals will be delivered daily. To avoid disturbing the Young Master and the Young Mistress, no one will usually bother you. If the Young Mistress has any needs, just ring the bell in the courtyard. Madam has said that as long as the Young Mistress dutifully stays by the Young Master’s side, she will do her best to fulfill any request."

After speaking, without waiting for Lin Chenxin to ask anything, the woman turned and left.

The others followed behind, slipping out the threshold as smoothly as fish, disappearing through the moon gate in an instant.

Lin Chenxin opened her mouth, then swallowed her unspoken words.

So that was that.

She was truly under house arrest.

Lin Chenxin gave a wry smile and stepped outside.

—

Perhaps the reality of being under house arrest prompted Lin Chenxin to recalibrate her thinking. She began to feel that she had been somewhat impulsive yesterday.

The series of events since entering the Chen family had kept her in a state of high tension. Now, having calmed down, she realized she had been a bit too on edge.

In fact, both the debt issue and her sister’s surgery could now be properly resolved. The money obtained from the Chen family could also take good care of her younger siblings. Since she couldn’t leave anyway, it might not be so bad to live here temporarily for now.

Once this thought took root, she couldn’t shake it off. Looking around again, this place didn’t seem so unbearable after all.

Of course, it might also have been because that last meal was truly that good and that filling.

As if a weight had been lifted, she took a deep breath, her heart suddenly feeling clear and open. She began thinking about how to make the best of her time here.

She spent some time thoroughly exploring the Junzi Courtyard, inside and out.

It wasn’t particularly large, and it was thoroughly desolate.

The front courtyard at least had a bluestone path, stone tables and chairs, and a few osmanthus trees planted. On closer inspection, one could appreciate a certain elegance and leisureliness.

The backyard, however, was completely overgrown with weeds. An unused well lay abandoned there. Once night fell, it wasn’t much different from an unvisited haunted house.

But the experiences of these years had tempered Lin Chenxin’s heart, making it more resilient. She actually felt that the desolation wasn’t such a big problem.

After making a full circuit, she had a general understanding of the "territory" where she would temporarily settle down, and her heart was no longer troubled.

Just then, her account received a seven-figure transfer. Lin Chenxin raised an eyebrow, feeling even more lighthearted and content.

She transferred half of the money to the Kindergarten Principal.

Shocked to receive such a large sum for the first time, the Principal immediately called, muttering a pious prayer.

Before anything else, she began praying for God’s forgiveness.

—"Miss Lin, even though reality is full of trials, we should not listen to the whispers of demons."

Lin Chenxin smiled and said, "Principal, rest assured, my pure heart always believes in God."

The Principal’s eyelids twitched.

"Please keep it. This is a token of goodwill from my husband’s family. How could I refuse? Please accept this money properly. My brother is still young; please make sure he eats and drinks well and gets the best nutrition."

Lin Chenxin grinned, showing her white teeth.

She had been raised in affluence since childhood—affluence in all aspects. After this ordeal, she deeply understood the importance of a strong body.

Now that she had the means, she naturally wanted to raise her younger siblings well too.

"Another one million is my donation... no, it’s a donation from my husband to the kindergarten, hoping to improve the children’s lives."

The Principal’s kindergarten was similar to a charitable orphanage.

Most of the children there were in situations like Lin Chenxin’s family, and those working there were either devout believers dedicated to good deeds or volunteers.

The Principal fell silent briefly. After a moment, she said, "Thank you for your generosity, and thank your husband for his kindness."

Lin Chenxin laughed.

"We must also thank God."

"Thank God."

After hanging up, Lin Chenxin, in high spirits, transferred the remaining money to Doctor Jiang.

She couldn’t rely solely on the hospital’s official donation channels. If possible, she also wanted to use money to attract some donors.

She had genuinely considered asking the Chen family to find her a kidney.

But for now, the waters of the Chen family were unfathomable, and she didn’t dare go too far.

Asking for money was one thing; crossing the line would be hard to manage.

Putting away her phone, Lin Chenxin felt warmed by the sunlight overhead.

She walked out of the backyard, paused for a while in the long corridor, then headed toward the study from before.

While it was still light out, she was determined to see Young Master Chen; otherwise, after dark, she feared she wouldn't have the courage.

She stood before the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

But there was no response from inside.

She leaned close to the door, cleared her throat, and whispered, "Are you there?"

Only her own voice broke the silence.

She coughed uncomfortably, then pressed her whole body against the door again, tilting her ear to listen while tentatively saying, "I'm coming in."

After speaking, she inwardly scolded herself.

Sneaking around like this made her feel like a thief.

She coughed again, louder this time, unsure if she was speaking to anyone or just trying to bolster her own courage.

"I'm coming in!"

With that, she mustered her resolve and pulled the door open.

But there was no one inside; all she could see were bookshelves.

She looked around and stepped in.

It hadn't seemed this big from outside, but now inside, she realized calling it a study was an understatement—it was more like a small library.

The books ranged from historical classics to modern literature, almost everything one could imagine. Lin Chenxin even caught sight of ancient bamboo scrolls and many priceless antique texts.

She marveled at the richness of the collection, and even the air she breathed was filled with the scent of ink.

Winding her way past the towering bookshelves, she didn't find Young Master Chen but instead came across a desk.

On it lay an open book, its ink still fresh, containing Buddhist scriptures transcribed in gold ink.

Lin Chenxin felt a twinge of unease.

She simply couldn't connect Young Master Chen's imposing appearance with Buddhist scriptures.

But the calligraphy was exquisite. They say handwriting reflects one's character, and judging by these neat, elegant characters, one would think the writer was a composed, introverted, and refined gentleman.

As she gazed, Lin Chenxin's heart grew calm. She stood by the desk, flipping through the pages one by one, lost in the book for a long time.

Only when sunlight fell on her face did she snap out of it, noticing a name written in the book.

—Chen Gujun.

—

Lin Chenxin returned to her room, pulled open the door, and froze instantly.

Inside sat a tall, slender figure facing the doorway, though it was unclear how long he had been there.

Half-hidden beneath long hair, most of his face was obscured, but a pair of eyes peered directly at her through the strands.

Startled, Lin Chenxin held her breath for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and stepped inside.

This time, however, she was wiser. She gripped the doorframe tightly with one hand, preventing the door from suddenly closing behind her like it had the night before.

The person opposite noticed her movement, his gaze shifting to her hand on the doorframe.

Lin Chenxin pressed herself against the half-open door, feeling the sunlight on her body for a sense of security.

Neither of them spoke.

The night before, she hadn't seen clearly, but now Lin Chenxin noticed that Young Master Chen's hair was a mix of gray and white, black strands interwoven with white, which made him seem aged.

Her heart stirred, and for some reason, she felt a different feeling.

It seemed this person wasn't as terrifying as he appeared, especially when sunlight fell before him, harshly illuminating his figure. Sitting in the shadows, he instead radiated an indescribable sense of loneliness.

She softened her breathing, leaning slightly forward to peer beneath the hair at Young Master Chen's face.

Seeing those red symbols again was still frightening. The marks weren't entirely like the beauty of tattoos; instead, they carried a chilling, curse-like quality, stretching from his neck all the way to his face.

However, if one ignored those eerie symbols, Young Master Chen had an exceptionally refined and handsome face.

He shared Mr. Chen's deep-set eyes, high nose bridge, full lips with elegant lines, and a facial contour less stern than Mr. Chen's, with a clear yet not sharp jawline.

This must have come from his mother.

She knew that the current Ms. Liang wasn't Young Master Chen's biological mother, since their ages didn't match up.

And Mr. Chen's second marriage was no secret to the outside world.

The more she looked, the more she found Young Master Chen quite handsome, and much of her fear dissipated.

Lin Chenxin studied him intently for a long time, leaning halfway out, though her hand behind her still clung tightly to the doorframe.

Suddenly, those eyes fixed directly on her.

Lin Chenxin jolted, snapping back to reality, and quickly retreated, pressing herself against the doorframe.

After a moment, she looked at his face, swallowed hard, and asked, "Are you staying here tonight?"

She had checked—the entire Junzi Courtyard had no guest rooms for rest, only this bedroom was habitable.

Clearly, before she arrived, this had been his territory.