Chapter 73: Without Morality, You Cannot Hold Me Hostage

"Don't trouble yourself, let me do it," Lin Wenyan said hastily.

"It's alright, Brother Lin, I'll handle it," Zhao Lan'er replied, pouring a bowl of water and handing it to him.

For some reason, Lin Wenyan dared not meet her eyes. He gulped down the water, wiped his mouth, and stammered, "Sleep early," before fleeing back to his room.

Zhao Lan'er didn't dwell on it, set the bowl aside, and went to bed.

...

Lin Sangqian had a dream.

She saw a young man walking by the riverbank, who suddenly noticed a basket drifting on the water. Inside was a crying infant.

Startled, he quickly fished out the basket, cradled the child in his arms, and soothed it gently.

Miraculously, the baby soon stopped crying and even offered him a faint smile.

The young man's expression softened; feeling a strange kinship with the child, he took the infant away.

The baby's tiny hand clutched a jade pendant.

But before Lin Sangqian could make out the pendant's details, she awoke with a jolt.

Daylight poured in through the window.

She sat up, her head still dizzy.

What a peculiar dream.

The young man in her dream was unfamiliar, yet oddly familiar.

Lin Sangqian got out of bed, washed and tidied herself, finally feeling awake.

Stepping outside, she saw Zhao Lan'er already bustling about with Aunt Niu and others; Lin Wenyan was helping as well.

"Little sister, you're up," Lin Wenyan greeted with a smile. "I saved breakfast for you."

"Brother, what time is it now?" Lin Sangqian asked.

Lin Wenyan glanced at the sun. "Almost noon, I think."

"What? It's already so late?" Lin Sangqian exclaimed, rarely sleeping in so late.

Could it be because of last night's dream?

She skipped breakfast, asked Lin Wenyan to hire an ox cart, and loaded up the marinated chicken feet.

"Brother, come with me to deliver these. Lan'er, I'll trouble you with preparing lunch for everyone today. Let Mother help you."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Zhao Lan'er promised.

Everyone was a bit disappointed to miss Lin Sangqian's cooking at lunch, but being fed at all was a luxury—they couldn't complain.

Lin Wenyan and Lin Sangqian delivered twenty-five pounds of chicken feet to Fortune Banquet Restaurant. Lu Chengren was delighted at the sight, promptly paid Lin Sangqian a tael of silver and five hundred coins, and instructed the staff to update today's menu to include Spicy Chicken Feet.

"Girl, how are the five people I sent over?" Lu Chengren asked warmly.

"They're great—honest and hardworking," Lin Sangqian replied with a smile. "Thank you, Manager Lu, for your efforts."

"Nonsense, helping you is my duty," Lu Chengren said with a broad grin. "Just give me more chicken feet if you can."

Twenty-five pounds a day would never be enough. After all, the dish served both as a meal and as a snack with drinks, and it kept well for several days.

"Don't worry, they're getting more skilled by the day."

Meanwhile, the Yu family's carriage pulled up in front of Fortune Banquet Restaurant.

Guan Yanqing stepped down, but Yu Jingxiao remained seated, lifting the curtain. "Something came up at one of our shops. I need to go check on it. You go ahead and eat, don't wait for me."

"I'll go with you," Guan Yanqing said.

"No need!" Yu Jingxiao replied quickly. "Try the food here—maybe you'll like it. It's no easy feat finding something you enjoy."

With that, he didn't wait for Guan Yanqing and ordered the driver onward.

Lin Hongda, Yu Jingxiao's personal bodyguard, naturally went with him.

"Young master, why don't we go in and try the food?" An Yu, Guan Yanqing's bodyguard, suggested. "Since Yu Jingxiao recommended it so strongly, it must be worth it."

Guan Yanqing nodded and stepped into Fortune Banquet Restaurant.

After chatting with Lu Chengren about future plans, Lin Sangqian prepared to head home.

Lu Chengren warmly invited her and Lin Wenyan to stay for lunch, and she didn't refuse.

As she descended the stairs, she spotted a young man of extraordinary bearing sitting at a table.

Handsome, she thought.

But beside him, a man dressed as a bodyguard was gripping a child, scolding him with a frown.

The young man sat indifferent, as if it were none of his concern.

The child struggled desperately, his face streaked with tears.

Onlookers whispered and pointed. Yang Shi stepped forward to mediate, and the bodyguard finally released the child, who dashed away as if fleeing for his life.

"Are they bullying that child?" Lin Wenyan whispered to Lin Sangqian, "That's too much."

The young man left without eating, taking his bodyguard with him.

Yang Shi sighed and hurried over to them.

"Oh, what a headache—why must I run into such troubles?" he lamented.

"Brother Yang, what happened?" Lin Sangqian asked.

"I'm not quite sure. Apparently the child accidentally bumped into them? Kids, a few words would suffice—why so harsh? Look how frightened the child was."

Lin Sangqian nodded, saying nothing more.

After all, she hadn't witnessed it all—perhaps the incident was more complicated.

The siblings ate a little at the restaurant before heading home.

Just outside, before they'd gone far, a figure suddenly appeared before them.

"Cousin, Sangqian!"

Lin Sangqian looked closely—it was Lin Shuimei.

"What do you want?" Lin Wenyan immediately shielded Lin Sangqian behind him, his voice cold.

"Cousin, why are you so cold to me? We're family, after all," Lin Shuimei said plaintively.

Lin Wenyan snorted, ignoring her.

"You've moved to town and never invited me over. I don't even know where you live! And my mother worries about you..." she started, but Lin Sangqian laughed.

"Sangqian, what's so funny?" Lin Shuimei asked awkwardly.

"Oh, I just find your thick skin amusing."

"How can you say that?" Lin Shuimei forced a smile. "I know I was wrong before—I was young and foolish."

"Enough. Stop pretending," Lin Sangqian said coldly. "Go tell your mother and Li Fulan's family, don't expect anything from us. When we lived in the village, we avoided confrontation out of laziness, but now we're far from you, there's no need for restraint."

Seeing Lin Shuimei's face darken, she continued, "Don't try to use family ties to guilt us. Our family isn't exactly famous for its morals."

If I have no morals, you can't guilt me.