Feng Ce took a long time to pull his gaze away from the figure that had run away in a panic.
He couldn’t say what he felt. In a moment, he remembered the piece of bread that had fallen to the ground and was stuffed into her pocket. A thought popped into his head.
Now that she’s lost her meal card, won’t she starve to death?
However, this thought only flashed through his mind before being thrown to the back of his mind by the big Young Master.
She was not Ye Yan. Whether she starve to death or not was none of his business.
Feng Ce bent down to pick up his own card, about to leave, when his fingertips suddenly stopped.
The photo on the other card lying on the ground showed a girl facing the camera, smiling serenely.
Even the curve of her lips was exactly the same as the person in his heart.
As if by magic, Feng Ce took Li Jing’s meal card and put it in his pocket.
That night, Feng Ce thought for a long time while looking at his phone, finally dialing that number.
Beep—Beep—carpreads.pages.dev
After two rings, Feng Ce suddenly remembered that she might still be resting, so he quickly hung up.
Feng Ce tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Finally, he stared at the photo on the meal card for a long time.
-—–
On the other side.
In the morning, xx Bay Castle.
The sleeping beauty woke up, pushed open the window and looked out at the sea.
Ye Yan—who had once won the Best Actress award, possessed the most beautiful appearance, but also suffered from the worst health. Such a woman, she should naturally be held in the palm of everyone’s hand.
The housekeeper gently handed her the phone: “Miss, young master Feng called you last night.”
A strange light flashed in Ye Yan’s eyes, but she still smiled gently.
Her eyes drooped, her fair face was exquisite and beautiful, with a fragile feeling.
They rarely disturbed her rest, but these past two days, Lingchu and A’ce had called her one after another. Something must have happened around them…
Ye Yan took the phone and sent a message to Feng Ce.
[A’ce? I’m so sorry I didn’t answer your call in time. I will always be there when you need company.]
Then Ye Yan put down her phone and looked out at the sea.
Even though she was abroad, she didn’t need to ask about many things. Those who were infatuated with her would bring some information to her.
Ye Yan picked up the phone and chatted with her old friends in China for a while.
Soon, someone mentioned the girl Fu Lingchu had been in contact with recently. And that girl happened to be from the same university as Feng Ce.
Ye Yan still faced the sea, smiling gently and harmlessly: “… Miss… Li?”
“I want to get to know her. I’m curious.”
The next day, two new entries appeared in Li Jing’s transaction details.
One from Feng Ce.
At 3 am, the big Young Master topped up the meal card with 10,000 yuan, which went directly into her account.
The other… from Ye Yan.
100,000 yuan.
Li Jing raised her eyebrows and clicked to take a closer look.
Shortly after the big Young Master’s emo moment, Ye Yan, who was abroad, spent 100,000 yuan to hire a private detective to investigate the person “Li Jing.”
This was also a financial transaction conducted under her name, so it also went into Li Jing’s account.
She found the details very convenient. Not only were the time, place, and people clear, but she could also know what these people were doing ahead of time.
It seems that Ye Yan, the sickly White Moonlight, was more aware of her threat than the three male leads and their fangirls, and was already participating in the plot.
Li Jing smiled.
She raised a glass in the air as a toast, adding Ye Yan to the rank of leeks.
-—–
Fu Lingchu didn’t receive any reply from Ye Yan for the next day, and he couldn’t hold back anymore.
The happiness he couldn’t get from Ye Yan, he could only find it in the substitute. After all, A’yan was a distant fragrant flower, while Li Jing was a weed that could be easily grasped in his hand.
Fu Lingchu recalled those stubborn eyes from the scattered contract fragments—
Even if Li Jing wasn’t tempted by money, could she ignore her family?
When Li Jing was called to the office by her advisor and received a call from her uncle, she wasn’t surprised at all.
Fu Lingchu had made his move, the forceful acquisition line officially began.
The grandmother who raised Li Jing was in poor health and had long been sent to a nursing home by her son, Zhao Shi, who ignored her. Only Li Jing would visit the old woman regularly, bringing some daily necessities and skincare products, while Zhao Shi spent his days drinking and gambling. Fu Lingchu didn’t even need to lift a finger to deal with such a person.
On the phone, the middle-aged gambler, who had achieved nothing in life, had a hoarse voice full of greed: “It’s your good fortune that President Fu has his eyes on you. So many people beg to be close to him, but he doesn’t even look at them!”
“Li Jing, be sensible. This is for your grandmother! You just need to keep President Fu company, and your grandmother can be transferred to the best nursing home! Otherwise, no other place in the city will dare to take her!”
Of course, Zhao Shi wasn’t concerned about his own mother. Being able to climb onto Fu Lingchu, even if the other party dropped a few crumbs from his fingertips, would be enough to make him ecstatic.
Li Jing remained silent throughout Zhao Shi’s speech. In the end, Zhao Shi’s tone became increasingly impatient and vicious: “You little b*tch, what are you pretending for? If it weren’t for me, would you have grown up this big? You’re a ungrateful wretch—”
Li Jing interrupted him: “Tell me the location.”
Zhao Shi choked, then excitedly said: “It’s right outside your school gate. There will be a luxury car to pick you up. I’ve never even been in one—”
Li Jing hung up the phone directly and left the advisor’s office.
As she walked out, she said to the system: “It’s a bit troublesome not having a phone.”
System: “Indeed.”
Li Jing: “I need to figure out a way to get one.”
System: “……Can’t you just buy one?”
Li Jing’s current balance: 512,878.1 yuan. Enough to buy a box of phones!
Li Jing said seriously: “I won’t spend a single extra yuan of my own money until I’ve saved enough for a Main God-level oceanfront villa.”
System: “……” You’re something else!
Since she was going to meet Fu Lingchu, Li Jing reluctantly put away her warm red padded jacket and changed into her most worn-out single garment.
The special assistant waiting at the school gate saw that Li Jing wasn’t wearing the red padded jacket and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, quickly handing her a white package.
“Miss Li, it’s cold. Put this on.”
He couldn’t let Fu Lingchu see Li Jing dressed in bright red.
Li Jing checked her account in the background. This was actually bought for her by the special assistant with his own money. Li Jing felt a little embarrassed. Why did workers have to make things difficult for other workers?
So she obediently put on the white jacket.
They didn’t speak a word along the way, going straight to the nursing home.
Fu Lingchu was already sitting there, accompanied by the director, who was personally attending to him, serving tea and water.
Fu Lingchu, unhurriedly, smoked a cigarette, gazing at the thin figure walking in, as thin and stubborn as that day.
But now, fate and reality had bowed her proud head.
Fu Lingchu, in a sharp suit, his aura as powerful as ever, his blade-like gaze fell on Li Jing, a slight mockery on his lips, as if he were looking at an animal that had thrown itself into a trap: “Did your uncle tell you everything?”
Li Jing kept her head down, silent.
Fu Lingchu’s eyes were cold and ruthless, the crushing pressure of someone in a high position. His gentleness was reserved only for Ye Yan, while facing Li Jing, he had a sense of sadistic pleasure.
The special assistant stepped forward at the right moment and explained: “Your grandmother will be in a better nursing home, receiving better treatment. The medical expenses will be paid by President Fu and will be deposited regularly into your grandmother’s guardian’s account.”
Li Jing raised an eyebrow in her heart: Oh, she knew now what kind of benefits Zhao Shi can get.
Fu Lingchu’s gaze remained on Li Jing, and after a moment, he beckoned: “Come here.”
The girl stubbornly remained still, her head lowered: “I have a request.”
The plot had to move forward, but she couldn’t just go through it for free.
Fu Lingchu scoffed.
Once you cross the threshold of shame, you finally start asking for money?
It was not impossible, after all, he had plenty of money, and for now, he couldn’t find anyone whose face was more similar to Ye Yan’s.
But he wouldn’t give her too much, after all, she was just a counterfeit, just a temporary use.
Fu Lingchu said casually, “How much do you want?”
The girl in front of him raised her head, her face, as delicate as Ye Yan’s, was pure and flawless. Her voice was low, but her tone was firm: “Guardian, fill in… my name.”
Fu Lingchu’s eyebrows rose slightly.
It seemed she also understood that if the money goes to Zhao Shi, it would only evaporate at the gambling table, not a single cent would reach her grandmother.
However, even though she was being exploited by her family like this, she didn’t think about escaping, did she? Pathetic and pitiful, she deserved to struggle in the mud.
Fu Lingchu leaned back, “Alright.”
System: “…”
The special assistant beside him had already efficiently helped Li Jing with the guardianship procedures.
Li Jing was very satisfied, Zhao Shi wouldn’t get a single cent, and her grandmother’s care and treatment were guaranteed by her.
“But do you know what I’m missing?” she asked the system.
The system had been watching her every move, and now it could only humbly ask, “What?”
Before Li Jing could answer, the staff member handling the procedures spoke up, “Please leave the guardian’s phone number.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Jing immediately blushed with embarrassment, then said in a nonchalant tone, “I don’t have… I, I don’t use a phone!”
System: “…”
So that’s where she was waiting! Li Jing said the whole phone, it was really the whole phone!
Who understands? Only it understands.
Fu Lingchu saw it all, naturally understanding that Li Jing was too poor to afford a phone.
The redness on her face added a touch of color to her overly pale complexion due to malnutrition, her beautiful eyes were bright and moist, her long eyelashes were fluttering nervously, trying to hide her embarrassment.
She was very much like A’yan, yet completely different.
The noble CEO’s gaze deepened, then he let out a light scoff, casually waving his hand.
Soon, the omnipotent assistant delivered a fruit phone, the latest model, with the largest memory, priced at 11,399 yuan.
“This is from President Fu for you.”
Li Jing heard the system’s counting sound, the money had been deposited.
So she pushed away the white box, as if she had reached her limit, “Fu Lingchu, isn’t your humiliation of me enough? I don’t want your phone!”
Fu Lingchu sneered, “Ungrateful.”
His patience had completely run out, just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard the girl’s soft voice.
“I… I just want a small flip phone.”
Fu Lingchu: “?”
System: “?”
Li Jing: “Two for the price of one, don’t be a fool.”
An hour later.
Li Jing carefully tucked the brick-like flip phone into her pocket, her thin figure left the nursing home.
A while later.
Fu Lingchu’s favorability +3%
System: “?”
System: “Male lead, please wake up!!!”
end of chapter
carp: men are so cheap~~~