Chapter 29 Tonight, You’ll Share a Room with Me

When they returned home, Zheng Mei immediately rushed into the bedroom and soon emerged dragging a suitcase behind her.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Lin Qingqian stepped forward to stop her.

With a scowl, Zheng Mei shook off her hand. “First, there’s a crippled child! Now there’s an old one too—just more burdens! I can’t live like this anymore!”

“Mom!” Lin Qingqian shot her a look, urging her to say no more.

“Don’t call me that! I’m going back to my parents’ house. You can suffer through these hard days on your own!” Zheng Mei stormed out without a backward glance.

Lin Daonan sat grim-faced on the sofa, while Lin Qingqian quietly stayed by her grandfather’s side. Lin Changli, as if nothing had happened, tied on an apron and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

He set out four dishes and a soup on the table, opened a bottle of wine, and respectfully invited his father to the table.

“Dad, don’t dwell on it. Even if our whole family is driven out of the Lin clan, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll take care of you in your old age,” Lin Changli said, placing bowls and chopsticks in front of Lin Daonan.

Lin Daonan nodded. “I’ve weathered far greater storms in my life—this is nothing. As long as I live, you are a Lin, my good son! One day, I’ll take you back to the family, and let Changren see with his own eyes what a disgraceful son he’s been.”

Despite his graying hair and recent illness, Lin Daonan’s spirit soared with pride.

Listening to her grandfather’s words, Lin Qingqian felt heartened; a smile broke across her face. Lin Changli, too, smiled and turned to Ye Tianci. “No matter what anyone else says, to me, you’re already my son-in-law. Come, let’s drink to that!”

“Thank you, Uncle Lin!” Ye Tianci raised his glass.

After a few rounds, Lin Changli grew tipsy, his face flushed. He slapped Ye Tianci’s shoulder. “I can’t stand my brother’s treachery and arrogance. I wish I could attend the Tang family’s apprenticeship banquet tomorrow, just to see what happens. Tianci, I know you’re no ordinary man—do you have any way to get us in?”

Ye Tianci smiled faintly. “Uncle Lin, if you want to go, I’ll take you and Qingqian to the Longxiang Grand Hotel tomorrow.”

Under the table, Lin Qingqian discreetly kicked Ye Tianci, shaking her head to keep him from making empty promises.

After two more drinks, Lin Changli was thoroughly drunk. “Tianci, you have no idea how hard these years have been for me,” he said, tears streaming down his face as he clutched Ye Tianci’s hand.

“Dad, you’ve had enough,” Lin Qingqian said quickly, helping him to his room.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ye Tianci called Liang Xianrong to explain the situation. Liang Xianrong exploded with anger, threatening to fire Lin Changren immediately and crack down on the Lin family with ruthless force.

Ye Tianci stopped him. “Remember the saying: when heaven wishes to destroy someone, it first lets them go mad with pride. Grant him more power for now.”

“Mr. Ye, I understand. This tactic of yours—luring the enemy deeper—is brilliant! I’ll follow your lead.”

Hanging up, Ye Tianci then contacted Tang Zhenguo. “At the apprenticeship banquet for your granddaughter Tang Qiong tomorrow, there are certain people I do not wish to see…”

When Lin Qingqian returned, Ye Tianci had just ended his call. She looked at him curiously, parting her lips to ask, but swallowing the words.

“Are you wondering who I was calling?” Ye Tianci asked.

She nodded. “I was curious, but I won’t pry into your private affairs.”

Ye Tianci smiled. Lin Qingqian was kind, resilient, well-educated, and knew how to respect a partner’s boundaries—a rare and precious woman indeed.

“Your father wants to attend the Tang family’s banquet tomorrow? I just made arrangements,” Ye Tianci told her.

Lin Qingqian gave him a gentle smile. “I know how much my father has suffered all these years. Whether you’re bluffing or not, whether you can pull it off or not, I truly thank you for caring about him.”

“Grandpa is sleeping in your room, and there’s no spare. Go freshen up. Tonight, you’ll be sharing my room.”

With that, Lin Qingqian headed into the bedroom first.

Watching her graceful figure, Ye Tianci’s heart raced.

Night fell, gentle as water.

A faint fragrance drifted in Lin Qingqian’s room. They did not share the bed; Ye Tianci made a makeshift bed on the floor, sitting cross-legged.

She eyed him curiously. “Can you really sleep like that?”

“I’m used to it,” Ye Tianci replied.

She was silent for a moment, then asked, “Did you really make all the arrangements for tomorrow?”

“Yes. You and Uncle Lin can come with me to the Tang family banquet.”

Sitting on the floor with his eyes half-closed, Ye Tianci stilled his mind.

“I hadn’t wanted to go, but now you’ve got me curious about tomorrow’s banquet.”

“Oh, right—what happened to your leg? You’ve never explained it before. Can you tell me now?”

Lin Qingqian sat on the bed, her gaze full of curiosity.

Ye Tianci opened his eyes. “Do you really want to know?”

She nodded earnestly. “I accepted our engagement—I can’t be completely in the dark about you. If it’s a secret, I won’t pry.”

She was truly considerate.

Ye Tianci smiled and began, “It’s not really a big secret. It all started fifteen years ago. That year, my mother and I were forced to wander to Shucheng…”

He recounted the events of fifteen years past, omitting certain details—he didn’t mention that he belonged to the Ye family of Yanjing, nor did he bring up his father, Ye Xiaoyao. He also kept silent about the seven dark moles on the soles of his feet, the Mark of the Seven Stars.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Lin Qingqian or wanted to hide things on purpose—telling her would do her no good.

When he finished, Lin Qingqian was astonished. “So it was Qi Changling who hurt your leg! How cruel the Qi family patriarch is, to harm even a five-year-old child!”

Ye Tianci’s gaze turned cold. “Qi Changling didn’t just cripple me; he abducted my mother, left me to wander the streets, and kept us apart for more than a decade. I don’t even know if my mother is still alive.”

Lin Qingqian looked at him with compassion, her eyes soft. “Tianci, I can’t believe you’ve suffered so much since you were little. I’m sure your mother is still alive—maybe waiting for you somewhere. You’ll be reunited one day.”

Ye Tianci smiled faintly. “Thank you for your kind words. I believe that day will come.”

“So what will you do next? Are you going to take revenge on Qi Changling?” she asked softly.

Ye Tianci nodded. “The feud between me and the Qi family cannot be reconciled. Of course I will.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Lin Qingqian said, “Tianci, I know I shouldn’t try to stop you—but I still want to ask you not to seek revenge on Qi Changling.”

“Why?” Ye Tianci asked, puzzled.