While Lin Jingxing and Gu Qing exchanged glances, Ye Xiangchen had already entered the room and stood within a meter of Shangguan Wan'er.
However, Shangguan Wan'er acted as if she hadn't noticed him, picked up her bowl, and drank the last of the soup. She then took a tissue, wiped her mouth, and stood up, saying, "I'm done eating."
With that, she returned to her room.
Ye Xiangchen, usually so confident and in control when managing his business empire, was left standing there, flustered and awkward, like a boy experiencing his first crush.
He opened his mouth several times, but not a single word came out.
He could only watch helplessly as her graceful figure disappeared from his sight.
"Brother, since the goddess Shangguan has gone back to her room, you shouldn't just stand here like an idiot."
Ye Yunzhou waved his hand, feeling that this errand run today was incredibly worthwhile. He had actually witnessed two of the most important men in his life fall from grace, transforming into ordinary mortals with emotions and desires, just like everyone else! And they were even love-struck fools!
After the initial shock, he inexplicably felt a sense of superiority! The ancients said, "The wise do not fall into the sea of love." Seeing both of these men submerged, did it mean he was actually quite smart?
Also, if his brother could find a sister-in-law and have a child within a year, and another within three years... wouldn't he be spared his parents' pressure to find a wife and continue the Ye family line?
Feeling as though his remaining life suddenly became bright and sunny, Ye Yunzhou suppressed the upward curve of his lips and, feigning seriousness, asked, "Brother, what exactly is going on?"
"Simply put, your brother's savior did not die after falling into the water. She was washed downstream into the mountains and rescued by a farmer's family. However, they didn't save her out of kindness. Seeing the little girl was as delicate and beautiful as a carved jade, they conceived the idea of taking her as a child bride. The little girl, perhaps from hitting her head during the fall, not only lost her previous memories but also regressed mentally to the age of three. She believed she was truly their daughter and thus lived with the farmer's family. As the years passed, the little girl grew more and more beautiful. Fearing that the girl's parents might come looking for her, the farmer strictly limited her movements and, using her supposed mental deficiency as an excuse, prevented her from attending school. She lived with the farmer's family for over ten years, until she turned eighteen. The farmer's son could no longer contain himself and attempted to commit an indecent act against her. Perhaps fate took pity on her; although the girl wasn't mentally sharp, she possessed extraordinary agility. At the critical moment, she kicked the farmer's son's 'root of evil' clean off and then pinned the farmer and his wife, who rushed in, to the ground and beat them soundly. The farmer, whose plans had fallen through, wanted to get rid of this hot potato but was also unwilling to accept defeat. He decided to marry the girl off to someone else and earn some betrothal gifts. Unfortunately, they arranged two marriages for the girl. One family had their legs broken by the girl, and the other had their house dismantled by her. Yet, they were helpless against her. Whether it was sleeping pills or pesticides, the girl could accurately distinguish them by smell and then fed the drugged soup and water back to the person who administered the poison."
"Amazing!" Hearing this, Ye Yunzhou couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
Gu Qing, who had been talking for a while, pointed at the messy tabletop. Relying on years of默契 (mòqì - unspoken understanding), Ye Yunzhou rolled up his sleeves, picked up all the plates, bowls, and chopsticks from the table, and threw them into the kitchen trash bin.
...
As if unable to bear watching her doting family spoil her younger brother into a brainless idiot, Ye Xiangchen took out his phone and sent a voice message. He then looked at the two people at the table and nodded apologetically, "I'll have my secretary send over a new set later."
"To prevent similar incidents, you should have them send several sets. And while they're at it, a refrigerator and a dishwasher. Oh, and the kitchen still needs an oven, a pressure cooker, and other appliances," Gu Qing, as the chef, made her requests without hesitation. To his surprise, Ye Xiangchen agreed without a second thought.
"Alright, I understand."
After this small interlude, Gu Qing continued the previous topic: "Perhaps it was because she was almost poisoned by the pesticide she was given, or perhaps she accepted her fate. The farmer's family finally stopped causing trouble. The little girl continued to live there for another ten years. Only recently did the girl suddenly leave that home and come to Tianshui City. The grown-up girl was stunningly beautiful and was soon scouted by an agent, becoming a trainee. Her outstanding looks and martial arts skills, which surpassed those of the fight choreographer, caught the eye of a director. She was cast as the lead in a web series and became an instant sensation."
"So, the goddess Shangguan is really my brother's savior?" Ye Yunzhou, having thrown away the tableware, plopped back into his chair and scratched his head in confusion. "After all these years, hasn't anyone found the goddess Shangguan? And Shangguan has been with that farmer's family for twenty years. Why didn't she leave earlier or later, but only recently came to Tianshui City? And became a celebrity?"
"Communication networks were far less developed twenty years ago, and rural information was scarce. Coupled with the farmer's strict control, her interactions were limited, so it's not surprising she wasn't found. As for why she left there, you'd have to ask her. However, judging by her current behavior, which is indistinguishable from ordinary people, it's possible she regained her sanity for some reason and reintegrated into society."
Lin Jingxing felt that the female protagonist also had an undeniable connection to this. Shangguan Wan'er's past was considered a "blemish" in the female protagonist's life. But how could the protagonist of a novel have a blemish? Therefore, the protagonist's halo came into play, and the novel automatically corrected this flaw. If Shangguan Wan'er hadn't regained her sanity, she would most likely have lived out her life with the farmer's family and never reappeared. But whether it was Shangguan Wan'er returning from her chrysalis or Ye Xiangchen, who viewed the male and female protagonists as enemies, their transformations all proved that the protagonists' halo wasn't truly invincible.
As for Shangguan Wan'er's experiences, she had another guess. With this thought, she unhurriedly stood up from the table, "Let me state upfront, I have no inclination to help others with their romantic pursuits, nor do I plan to find a boyfriend at this stage. So, I kindly ask all extraneous personnel to leave my home as soon as possible. My humble abode is small and cannot accommodate such great figures as yourselves."
After issuing the eviction notice, Lin Jingxing knocked on Shangguan Wan'er's door. "Sister Wan'er, it's me~" After a voice laced with an excessively sweet tone, the door was opened from the inside. Lin Jingxing, fearing the other party might change her mind, darted inside with a swift step. She then closed the door, thoroughly shutting out those bothersome gazes, and cautiously asked, "Sister Wan'er, let's say, just hypothetically! Someone framed you. Tricked you into believing they were an accomplice of your stepmother, killed your flesh and blood, intentionally angered you into killing him, causing you to bear the burden of a life, and even led to your own demise. What would you do?"