C14 Danger

"Are you serious? Don't lie to me." Bai Chuman stared at him, blinking her dry eyes. She tried hard to suppress the sting in her nose, but her voice still carried a hint of tears. Over the past three years, she had changed, but the thought of toppling the Bai family due to their vast differences in status was something she dared not even dream of.

"It's true, as long as you behave," Jiang Yichen slowly touched her face, tucking the strands of hair from her forehead behind her ear. His beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's time for those people to pay for what they've done."

As fall settled into Araamouth, the weather gradually cooled. However, the Jiang family, the city's most prominent household, was far from peaceful. The company's stock market experienced inexplicable turbulence, only to quickly stabilize again, leaving shareholders and investors feeling like they were on a roller coaster. Yet, no one within the company paid much attention to this minor fluctuation, nor did anyone delve into its ultimate cause. Compared to this insignificant loss, the rumor of Jiang Yichen waking up weighed heavily on the hearts of the Jiang family's younger generation.

At the Jiang Estate, the sound of shattering porcelain echoed. The servants stood trembling on the sidelines, too scared to move. A quick glance at the dangerous man before them left them pale with fear, and the floor around them was a chaotic mess.

Lingxi's fist clenched tightly, shards of the wine glass digging into his palm. Red wine mixed with blood dripped steadily from his fingers, yet he seemed oblivious to the pain. He glared at the photo beside him, his teeth gritted, eyes closing momentarily as he took a few deep, trembling breaths.

Outside the old house, a new wave of commotion erupted. A woman's screams faintly reached his ears, causing Lingxi to furrow his brow. Exhausted, he leaned back against the sofa, eyes shut.

Yilin forcefully shoved aside the servant blocking her path, her long nails leaving bloody marks on the person's face. Gone was the obedient and well-mannered demeanor she usually displayed in front of elders. She pushed through the crowd, her high heels clicking as she made her way into the old house. The chaos in the living room caught her eye immediately—Lingxi, hands covered in cuts and blood, sat coldly on the sofa, staring at her.

Seeing the bloodthirsty look in his eyes, Yilin hesitated, her heart quivering as she stopped in her tracks, words caught in her throat.

"What are you doing here?" Lingxi suppressed his inner rage. The doctor from the estate quickly arrived, carefully kneeling beside him to tend to his wounds. As the tweezers extracted glass from his palm, Lingxi's brow arched slightly, causing the doctor to break into a nervous sweat.

"I heard he's awake," Yilin rushed in, her lips pale with fear. "This can't be true."

Lingxi tossed a stack of photos at her feet. A flash of humiliation crossed Yilin's face, but she bent down to pick them up. Seeing the familiar face in the pictures, she gasped, covering her mouth as tears streamed down.

"What do we do? What do we do? He's awake, and he must remember it was me... it was me..."

"Why panic?" Lingxi looked at her with disdain. "You betrayed your own brother. Didn't you ever think this day would come?"

Yilin knelt on the floor, tears of despair flowing, glancing up at Lingxi's unbothered expression. She crawled over in a hurry.

"You must have a way, right? You have to help me, or else... I'll end up dead at Yichen's hands."

Lingxi lifted her chin with a finger, observing the panic and fear on her face, a chilling smile playing on her lips.

"You're his sister; you know better than anyone how ruthless he can be. But do you think those old folks will just sit back now? Don't worry, if I could make him 'disappear' once, I can do it again. And you..." Lingxi's tone softened. "Just be a good, innocent little sister, and that's enough."

Jiang Yilin's chin was already bruised, but she didn't dare to fight back. She closed her eyes in despair, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

Outside Maplecrest Villa, the red leaves covered the reddish-brown roof, and a thick layer of golden, dry leaves carpeted the ground. Taking a deep breath, the crisp autumn air filled her lungs.

The servants had already placed all the luggage. Bai Chuman, holding Jiang Yichen's arm, looked back at the charming little villa with a hint of reluctance. She had arrived when the maple trees were lush and green, and now, as the leaves blazed red, it was time for her to leave. She knew that once Jiang Yichen spread the news of her awakening, she would eventually have to leave this place, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.

With these thoughts, Bai Chuman sighed softly.