Chapter 23: Supporting a Useless Brother? Not Happening!
Lin Zhifeng was so infuriated by that wicked and stupid family that she burst out laughing.
S*lling a girl wasn’t an easy task. The original owner had simply been unlucky enough to cross paths with Yang San, who needed a bride to ward off bad luck. And Laidi was only fifteen—there was no way they could find another match for her in such a short time.
“Nothing’s more important than eating—just ignore them. Evil people will be dealt with by other evil people,” Lin Zhifeng said with a relaxed expression, comforting Xie Laidi. With such a powerful troublemaker on their side, how could they possibly be outmatched by a few little pests?
Xie Laidi nodded obediently and followed Lin Zhifeng toward the food street. When they reached a cake shop, she suddenly stopped and tugged on Lin Zhifeng’s sleeve.
“Big sister, I’ll be right back—wait for me,” she signed quickly, gave a shy smile, and ran into the store.
Less than five minutes later, she came out holding a small, slightly lopsided four-inch cake.
“I secretly made this yesterday afternoon and froze it overnight… I don’t know if it’s still good,” Xie Laidi signed shyly, lips pressed together as she handed the cake to Lin Zhifeng.
“If you made it, it’s definitely delicious!” Lin Zhifeng had never eaten a birthday cake before—not even in the original owner’s memories. She looked at the sweet little cake full of love with eager anticipation.
The two of them discussed it as they walked, eventually deciding to try Western food for the first time. While they headed to the only Western restaurant in the county, back in their home village, the so-called “Great Immortal” had just stepped out of the Yang family’s house.
She had quietly stuck the spirit talisman on Madam Yang as instructed, and the strange reaction it caused left her utterly fascinated.
She recited the memorized incantation, and watched as Madam Yang’s eyes regained clarity. Naturally, Madam Yang began speaking about how she had arranged for a nineteen-year-old daughter-in-law.
“A real immortal—she even figured out the surname was Xie!” the so-called Great Immortal exclaimed, hearing Madam Yang talk about someone who acted as a go-between and connected them to the Xie family, who had moved to the county. The eldest daughter, Xie Zhaodi, had just turned nineteen—perfect to marry Yang San and ward off bad luck.
“The immortal said to beware of someone with the surname Xie. That must be the head of this family! Hmph, trying to restrain me? I’ll make them suffer!” The fake immortal, having dealt with the matter, returned home with a spring in her step to her garishly decorated house.
At the same time, Li Amei had just walked out of the home of the village’s most famous matchmaker, Granny Qian.
When Granny Qian heard they wanted to arrange a marriage for Xie Laidi, her wrinkled face scrunched up even tighter. No matter how sweetly Li Amei tried to persuade her, she only replied with one line: “I wouldn’t dare do anything illegal.”
“Pah! Like you didn’t sell your fair share of little girls back in the day. Now you want to act all high and mighty?” Li Amei spat on the ground as soon as she stepped out, speaking loud enough for Granny Qian inside to hear every word.
Granny Qian shot a glare at her departing figure. Then, her eyes narrowed in thought, and she turned back into the house to call her old friend Auntie Bao.
Li Amei visited two matchmakers in a row and got absolutely nowhere. Meanwhile, Xie Yaozu wasn’t having much luck either.
He didn’t dare go to Brother Qiang, so he turned to two drinking buddies he halfway trusted, trying to find out if any rural relatives were looking for a wife.
But those drunken freeloaders didn’t care about rural relatives. They even mocked him, asking if he was planning to sell Wang Tingmei—maybe let the brothers have some fun with her first.
Xie Yaozu cursed them out and hung up, wandering the streets in frustration, practically grabbing people at random to ask if they wanted a child bride.
In contrast, Wang Tingmei—who was standing in front of the Hengrui—was having a much better time than those two.
She wasn’t sure if the security guard had been briefed beforehand, but after she stated her name and reason for coming, he treated her with exceptional politeness—escorting her to the reception lounge, pouring tea and water. The warm welcome made Wang Tingmei feel quite at ease.
However, every time she asked to see Zhao Xiao, the guard would dodge the request with vague replies, never giving a straight answer.
“Is Zhao Xiao even in the building or not? If he is, just point me in the right direction—I’ll go myself.”
“Mr. Zhao’s whereabouts are confidential. I really don’t know. Hey, it’s about lunchtime already—how about I order some takeout and we eat together?”
Wang Tingmei was indeed a little hungry. Hearing his offer, she nodded without hesitation. “Go ahead. Four meat dishes, two vegetable ones, and a soup. Also, send someone to find out where Zhao Xiao actually is.”
The guard had been subtly hinting that she should just go home and eat. He never expected her to actually accept. Deep down, he felt utterly contemptuous. If it weren’t for orders from above, he would’ve kicked her out already.
He walked out silently to place the food order, making sure to add a note requesting a receipt for reimbursement. With that much food, he sure wasn’t going to pay out of pocket!
Meanwhile, at the Western restaurant, Lin Zhifeng and Xie Laidi were so full their bellies were round and tight.
They had tried everything they’d never eaten before—salads, sweet soups, steak, pasta—and finished it off with the wobbly little cake as dessert. It was pure satisfaction.
As Lin Zhifeng was mulling over the idea of staying elsewhere for the next few days to avoid trouble, a delighted voice suddenly called out behind her.
“Zhaodi! It’s your birthday today?”
Lin Zhifeng turned around to see Bai Ruyue in a kitchen staff uniform, beaming brightly.
“Yeah! You work part-time here?”
“Mhm! I’ll give you the employee discount later. Happy birthday!”
Lin Zhifeng smiled and thanked her warmly. Come to think of it, Bai Ruyue would eventually become the original owner’s aunt by marriage. “Something good happen to you recently? You’re glowing.”
Bai Ruyue’s cheeks flushed, but she didn’t act coy. She sat down beside Lin Zhifeng and whispered, “I think I’m in a puppy-love relationship!”
Half-shy, half-proud, she told Lin Zhifeng all about how she met Qin Jiaming and how they started seeing each other. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, as if pink bubbles were floating around her head.
Lin Zhifeng had always had a good impression of her. But remembering how things went in the original plot—with all the painful twists and heartbreaks—the little devil in her heart folded its arms in disdain. That tired old storyline needs to be broken!
“You first met Qin Jiaming when he was with Bai Jiaojiao, right? I’ve heard she always tries to steal things from you. You should keep your guard up.”
Bai Ruyue’s heart tightened. She had actually sensed something off—lately, Bai Jiaojiao’s gaze toward her had changed.
Still, she trusted Qin Jiaming. Besides, in her view, if a boyfriend couldn’t maintain proper boundaries with others, then he wasn’t worth having anyway.
But Lin Zhifeng’s reminder brought a detail back to her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. A few nights ago, Bai Jiaojiao hadn’t come home until very late—and that same day, Qin Jiaming hadn’t replied to her messages for a long time.
She couldn’t help but confide in Lin Zhifeng. Ever since the last time she’d been saved, she’d come to trust her deeply.
Lin Zhifeng, having seen the plot ahead, naturally knew the full story.
Bai Jiaojiao had indeed dressed herself up flamboyantly and gone to lie in wait at the entrance of Qin Jiaming’s apartment complex. But she couldn’t get past the gate, and after begging the security guard for hours, he finally called Qin Jiaming.
But Qin Jiaming simply told the guard he didn’t know her and had her thrown out, leaving Bai Jiaojiao so furious she broke the heel of her high-heeled shoe with a stomp.
That night, the reason Qin Jiaming hadn’t replied to messages was because he was sick with a high fever. He had been drifting in and out of sleep until the security guard’s call finally woke him up.
Bai Jiaojiao, limping, had gone to the pharmacy to buy medicine—just in time to see Qin Jiaming’s driver there, buying fever medicine. That’s when she seized the opportunity to twist the story and deliberately lead Bai Ruyue into misunderstanding him.
“Ruyue, you’ve got to be more mindful!” Lin Zhifeng said earnestly. “If something’s bothering you, just ask him directly. Clear the misunderstanding right away. Later on, the two of you should make a pact—if anything comes up, speak up immediately. That’s how a relationship lasts.”
She spoke with heartfelt seriousness. After all, ninety-nine percent of the drama in the original plot came from the couple’s refusal to talk.
If you don’t say it and I don’t say it, the story drags on. You misunderstand, I misunderstand—and voilà, the supporting girl gets her chance.
But Lin Zhifeng had no intention of letting that angsty love-triangle drama play out. This was a romance novel—might as well go all in on the sugar-sweetness!
