"The Mortal Chapter Of Qing Zhuan" - Chapter 10
Family Conflict
“Zhenwei, have you made up your mind yet? Why haven’t you signed the contract?” Long Ting said, pouting flirtatiously, her hands not idle.
He Zhenwei pushed up his glasses and laughed. “Tingting, give me some more time. I need to get things properly arranged. After all, Sandmouth Mountain has belonged to the Lin family since ancient times. Trying to snatch food from the tiger’s mouth means we have to be careful not to get eaten by the tiger, right?”
Impatient, Long Ting picked up her purse and started to leave. He Zhenwei quickly pulled her back and soothed her. “Look at you, getting impatient again! Impatience isn’t a good thing.”
He Zhenwei put his arm around her and said earnestly, “Tingting, have I ever failed to deliver on a promise to you? Trust me, give me some time, okay?”
Long Ting finally rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, “You better not lie to me, or else…”
Before she could finish, He Zhenwei gave her a gentle kiss. While he was enjoying the moment, Long Ting’s eyes were already fixed on the contract on the desk.
The four criminals were eating steamed buns in the temple. Zhao Fangshuo, gnawing on a chicken leg, said, “Boss, Brother Feng, I think your plan is working. My secret investigation over the last two days shows that both the Long and Lin families have taken action. What’s our next move?”
Qin Shaojie lit a cigarette. “The Long and Lin families have been feuding for generations, but they’re not fools. If we want them to go a step further, we’ll have to get a little more serious!”
Luan Qingfeng agreed. “That’s right. Young Master Long is easy to trick, but his sister, Long Ting, is a famous human genius! Tricking her won’t be easy! And I have a feeling Lin Fengnian is still half-suspicious of us. We need to watch out for him.”
Sun Youwei chewed on half a bun and asked in fear, “Oh? What if they figure it out? Will they kill us?”
Suddenly, a flash of lightning split the silence, followed by a torrential downpour. Thunder and lightning raged, and the rain poured down. The four of them began to plot their next step.
At the same time, the curtains were drawn in He Zhenwei’s office…
When his phone rang, He Zhenwei slowly stopped what he was doing and picked it up, reporting on his work to his superior in a serious tone.
The rain outside got heavier, and the light inside grew dimmer…
On the other end of the phone, Provincial Cadre Cheng Yugang was admiring a peony flower, gently caressing its petals. With a little more force, the petals fell off. Then, he turned on some music.
“Young Master, we’ve investigated. Those men weren’t lying. The Long family is indeed eyeing Sandmouth Mountain, and Long Ting even went to the city today!”
Lin Fengnian looked at the photo, lost in thought. He recalled what Luan Qingfeng and the others had said, and a series of recent actions by the Long family made him realize he needed to make a move.
He nodded. “Long Ting went to the city. That person must be her backer. Find out who he is!”
“Yes, Young Master, don’t worry. I’ll send people to investigate right away!”
After thinking it over, Lin Fengnian decided to call Cheng Yugang. However, after several unanswered calls, he cursed angrily, “He’s old and still playing around with women! He’ll die at a woman’s hands sooner or later!”
In the evening, Lin Fengnian’s father, who hadn’t seen him all day, came to him. “Fengnian, what’s on your mind? I haven’t seen you all day.”
He quickly ran to his father, ashamed. “Father, you don’t know, but the Long family has been so arrogant lately. They’ve killed our villagers and want to steal our land. They must have someone backing them from above to be so brazen. I just called Uncle Cheng, but no one answered. I’m afraid that old scoundrel is up to his filthy business again! At his age, he has no shame! It’s infuriating!”
Lin Yulong, the father, patted his son’s shoulder and said earnestly, “Fengnian, don’t be impulsive. Think twice before you act. The Long family’s actions must be in collusion with someone above, but we need evidence. Besides, Sandmouth Mountain has been ours since ancient times. Our ancestral graves are there! So even if the Long family gets the land deed, they can’t touch our ancestral graves. What’s more, Sandmouth Mountain is still our territory, and the official document hasn’t been approved yet. As for that Cheng Yugang, you need a way to seize that old ghost! He likes women, so why not give him one? A true gentleman caters to people’s preferences. To achieve great things, you must first be willing to give things up!”
Lin Fengnian thought for a moment and looked at his father, confused. His father leaned in and whispered, “Fengnian, I remember you once saved a girl. Her name was Liu Hanxiao, I think…”
Lin Fengnian immediately interrupted. “Father! Hanxiao, she…”
His father said sternly, “A man who wants to achieve great things can’t hesitate over a woman! It’s just a woman! How can you be weak when you’re trying to achieve a great enterprise! All these years I’ve spent training you have gone to waste! Think about it carefully! Hmph!”
Lin Fengnian watched his father’s angry back and looked at the painting on the wall.
It was a birthday gift from Liu Hanxiao, a painting of them flying a kite together.
He stared at the painting for a long time, unable to calm his feelings. The thought of giving his beloved girl to Cheng Yugang filled him with rage!
But for the future of his family, he had to hide his feelings.
Torn, he could only look at the painting, and a tear fell from his eye. The beautiful memories flashed through his mind again and again, but the thought of giving her away made his heart ache. Through his blurry tears, he saw a vision:
“Hanxiao, where are you? Hanxiao, Hanxiao…”
“Hehe, silly, I’m behind you, hehe. Silly Fengnian, let’s go fly a kite, come on, hurry…”
“Wait for me, Hanxiao, slow down, there’s a cliff ahead…”
“Ah! Fengnian, save me! Fengnian! Fengnian!”
“No! Hanxiao! Hanxiao!”
Suddenly, Lin Fengnian was startled awake from the illusion. The rain outside had been falling all day without stopping, making him feel irritable. Lin Fengnian leaned back in his chair, sweat running down his face. He wiped it away, took a sip of tea, and felt a little better.
But the thought of Hanxiao falling off the cliff in his vision made his heart ache.
He hadn’t seen Liu Hanxiao in a long time. The struggle for the Sandmouth Mountain project left him with less and less time for her.
His longing for her was like the rain falling from the eaves, unending and tangled.
Perhaps lovers can share a psychic bond, for at that moment, Liu Hanxiao called. “Fengnian, are you busy? I miss you. Can we meet? If you’re not busy, okay?”
Lin Fengnian gently wiped away his tears. When he heard her voice, his tone instantly softened. “Okay, I’ll pick you up tomorrow. We’ll go fly a kite.”
Liu Hanxiao replied in a coy voice, “No, not kite-flying this time. Let’s go see the flowers.”
Lin Fengnian smiled and replied lovingly, “Okay, okay, whatever you want. We’ll go see the flowers.”
Then, her bell-like laughter came from the phone. “Okay, okay, pick me up early tomorrow. See you tomorrow, Fengnian.”
He also smiled warmly and replied, “Okay, see you tomorrow, Hanxiao.”
In truth, for Liu Hanxiao, Lin Fengnian was more of a savior. If Lin Fengnian hadn’t saved her back then, she would have long ago become a ghost on the road to the underworld, accompanying her mother.
It was a tragedy. Long Yan’s father had married Liu Hanxiao’s fourth aunt, but he then cheated on her with her mother, Liu Yusheng.
What was even more infuriating was that her mother was a decent, unmarried girl who was ruined by him.
Worse, her mother actually believed the playboy’s lies and thought he would marry her.
But when her aunt found out, the two sisters ended up fighting and trying to kill each other for a man.
Fortunately, her fourth aunt’s daughter, Long Ting, didn’t hold a grudge against her and her mother after learning about it. She even saved them, which made Liu Hanxiao grateful to her.
The two girls would often meet secretly to play. Liu Hanxiao once asked Long Ting, “Why did you save us?”
“Because I believe your mother is innocent and was also a victim. Besides, she’s my aunt,” Long Ting said seriously.
Liu Hanxiao smiled at Long Ting. “Then we’re good sisters. If you ever need my help in the future, just call me!”
Gradually, their relationship changed. Long Ting would always warn them when her mother was about to send people to kill them, helping them escape several times.
Liu Hanxiao had also tried to persuade her mother. “Mom, that man is a terrible person. Why can’t you see the truth?”
But her mother just wanted to get into the Long family. She told her, “Hanxiao, if we can get into the Long family, we won’t have to struggle like this anymore!”
Liu Hanxiao looked at her mother in disbelief. She couldn’t believe her mother was so deluded.
Her fourth aunt wanted to kill both of them. During one such chase at Sandmouth Mountain, the killers cornered them.
“Sorry, you two. We’re paid to do a job. Today we’ll send you on your way. May you be reborn into a wealthy family in your next life…” The two killers prepared to strike.
Her mother shielded her and pleaded, “I beg you, don’t hurt my daughter. She’s just a child. I beg you, let her go!”
But the killers wouldn’t listen and stabbed her to death.
Liu Hanxiao witnessed her mother die in front of her. She knelt on the ground, limp, muttering, “Mom, Mom! Mom…”
“Little girl, there’s nothing we can do. It’s your mother’s fault for getting involved with the Long family! Don’t blame me, little girl. I’ll make the cut quick so you won’t suffer!” The killer swung his knife at her neck.
Just then, as fate would have it, he ran into Lin Fengnian.
“Stop! How dare you kill a young girl, you bastards!” Lin Fengnian then threw a knife at the killer, hitting him in the throat and killing him instantly.
The other killer, seeing this, asked, “Who are you? Do you know who we were hired to kill?”
Lin Fengnian frowned. “I don’t care who you are. All I know is that you’re killing people in broad daylight on my Lin family’s land! I, Lin Fengnian, will not let you get away with it!”
When the killer heard that, he trembled. “The Lin family? This is the Lin family’s land… you’re! Lin Fengnian!” He turned and ran.
Lin Fengnian picked up the knife on the ground and threw it, killing him with a single blow. He then walked over to the girl and asked, “Who are you? Why are you on my Lin family’s land?”
She had never seen so many dead bodies and was too terrified to speak. Tears streamed down her face.
Lin Fengnian looked at her tear-stained face, like pear blossoms with rain, and asked helplessly, “Since the Long family is after you and I’ve saved you, why don’t you follow me from now on?”
She replied cautiously, “I’m not selling myself!”
Lin Fengnian coughed. “Who said anything about selling yourself?! I wouldn’t buy you! What I mean is that you’ll be my subordinate, not my woman! Do you understand?!”
Liu Hanxiao nodded. “Thank you, Young Master Lin. If you ever need me for anything, I will do it, even if it means death!”
All of this was secretly witnessed by Long Ting’s men, who reported back to her. “Miss, the Liu girl isn’t dead. She was saved by Lin Fengnian.”
Long Ting pondered this. “Lin Fengnian! Interesting!”
Later, Lin Fengnian secretly sent Liu Hanxiao to South City, where she recovered. Lin Fengnian would visit her from time to time.
Over time, she developed feelings for Lin Fengnian and confided in him about her past.
Lin Fengnian was slowly attracted to this kind and beautiful girl, and their relationship became more complex. However, due to his status, Lin Fengnian had to restrain his feelings and always referred to her as his sister.
The next day, Lin Fengnian drove her to Affectionate Hill. The hill was covered with white camellias, bright and pure.
Liu Hanxiao said happily, “It’s so beautiful, Fengnian, look! This year’s camellias bloomed so early and they’re so full! The flowers are so white, so beautiful!”
Lin Fengnian walked behind her and reminded her, “Be careful, slow down on the slope.”
They walked through the sea of flowers, and the romantic atmosphere was at its peak. Their eyes met, and the love in Liu Hanxiao’s eyes was almost overflowing.
Suddenly, a camellia fell, hitting her forehead and then the ground.
Liu Hanxiao gently picked it up and held it in her hand, her eyes filled with sorrow. Lin Fengnian looked at the girl in front of him and gently touched her forehead, sighing in his heart, “Is Hanxiao’s fate like this camellia? God, what should I do?!”
She looked at her beloved with affection. “The camellia has always been a symbol of pride and purity, and it’s dedicated to love. It’s different from other flowers; it doesn’t fall in scattered, tragic petals. Instead, it falls as a whole, which is a sign of heroism! Especially the white camellia.”
Lin Fengnian didn’t dare to look at her again. He turned away and changed the subject. “Things have been turbulent in Yancheng lately, especially at Sandmouth Mountain.”
Liu Hanxiao seemed to understand his hidden meaning. She sighed and said, “Fengnian, you saved my life. If you need me for anything, just say the word. You don’t have to be so formal.”
He stood with his back to her, holding back his tears. Hearing her words made his heart ache. He clenched his fists, trying to hide his emotions. He cleared his throat and said, “There is something I need you to help me with. But I don’t know if you’d be willing to compromise your honor…”
Liu Hanxiao’s warm fingers gently pried open his cold fists and interrupted him. “Fengnian, anything you ask of me, I will do it, even if it means death!”
Lin Fengnian’s eyes reddened. He held her hand and said, “Remember to call me whenever something happens. If you’re in a terrible situation, your first choice must be to escape!”
Her eyes were filled with tears, but she nodded and smiled at him. “Don’t worry, Fengnian. I will do my best to help you.”
And so, with Lin Fengnian’s help, Liu Hanxiao successfully got the civil service exam materials. She passed the exam and was assigned to the provincial propaganda office under Lin Fengnian’s arrangement.
Time passed day by day. Liu Hanxiao gradually gained a foothold there and understood the complex relationships between the various departments. Her network of connections was slowly starting to work.
First, she helped Lin Fengnian take over a real estate business during a bidding project, and then she tampered with the Sandmouth Mountain project, causing it to fail to get approval so far.
Her efforts paid off, and she finally got an audience with Cheng Yugang.