Whoever Falls in Love First is the Dog - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: In That Moment, She Felt Her Sanity Shatter

Chen Yanxing was brought back this time to take the place of Chen Xingxing in an arranged marriage.

The Feng family of Jiangcheng had long-standing ties with the Chen family. Their eldest son had recently returned from abroad, and both families were keen to strengthen their relationship, so they arranged for the suitable-aged Chen Xingxing to marry the eldest Feng son.

While that Feng young master wasn’t considered bad among his peers, Chen Xingxing simply looked down on him and stubbornly refused to marry. Chen Zhiyu had no choice but to bring back her forgotten second daughter, Chen Yanxing, from the mountains to take Chen Xingxing’s place in the marriage.

Last night, both families were supposed to have dinner to finalize the arrangement, but Chen Yanxing simply didn’t show up—and her phone couldn’t be reached either.

It was a major embarrassment in front of the Feng family. As a result, Chen Zhiyu didn’t even go to the company today, waiting at home specifically for Chen Yanxing’s return.

But who would’ve thought—Chen Yanxing not only had no proper excuse but even lied about losing her phone and getting lost?

Seeing her like this, Chen Zhiyu’s anger flared. She stood up and grabbed Chen Yanxing’s arm harshly, saying, “Everyone was there—except you! Why are you always the special one?”

“What are you, some big shot? You think you can disrespect the Feng family?”

Chen Yanxing frowned. Chen Zhiyu’s grip was really strong—she was caught off guard, and the pain shot straight to her nerves.

But she quickly suppressed her emotions and replied, “Chen Xingxing was there too, so just let her marry—”

Before she could finish, a slap landed hard across her face.

Chen Yanxing’s face was knocked to the side, her messy hair falling over her now-reddened cheek.

She clenched her soft hat in her hand, pressing down the fire burning inside her.

Lowering her eyes, she hid the disgust and revulsion under her thick lashes.

“You’re the older sister—if you don’t marry, how can she?” Chen Zhiyu snapped.

“But eldest sister didn’t marry either…” Yanxing began.

Chen Zhiyu raised her hand again, and Yanxing instinctively flinched.

Seeing her reaction, Chen Zhiyu didn’t strike her again, but pointed at her in frustration. “You’ve really grown a spine, haven’t you?”

Yanxing pressed her lips together, staying silent. To Chen Zhiyu, her silence was defiance.

Furious, Chen Zhiyu raised her hand again—fortunately, Chen Yanjing, the eldest child, returned just in time and pulled Yanxing away from their mother’s wrath, only to be ordered to kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment.

After learning roughly what had happened, Chen Yanjing looked upstairs, toward the direction of Chen Xingxing.

Chen Xingxing scoffed and turned smugly back to her room.

She couldn’t understand why her sister always helped Chen Yanxing, both openly and behind the scenes. Not that she cared for Chen Yanjing’s support anyway.

Sitting on the couch, Chen Xingxing looked at the photos on her phone. Though she didn’t know why someone else ended up in Yanxing’s room that night, she still had some leverage over her now.

Still…

The fire downstairs had burned hot enough—no need for her to add more fuel.

Kneeling in the ancestral hall, Chen Yanxing looked at the ancient memorial tablets. She pulled her black hat back onto her head.

She raised a hand to her neck. Last night, Shen Mengke had bitten her hard right there. It still hurt to the touch, but even more, it left behind a tingling aftertaste.

She hadn’t planned to go to that dinner at all, but Chen Xingxing’s rowdy friends showed up.

They shouted things like “New Generation Youths don’t accept arranged marriages!” and dragged her to a drinking party.

Yanxing knew exactly what their intentions were, yet she still went along.

Soon after, they started pouring drinks—and drugging her.

But she hadn’t drunk much—she disliked alcohol. She took advantage of their distractions to fill her stomach and was about to leave when her body suddenly gave out.

It felt like everything had been drugged—even the air.

Her mind was fuzzy. Someone helped her onto a hotel bed, and in her daze, she heard voices around her.

She couldn’t make out what was said, but she knew she was in trouble. Then a hand reached out to touch her body.

Yanxing caught the hand and, using the last of her strength, pushed the person away.

She stood up, leaning against the wall, using its coldness to stay conscious.

Using the excuse of calling the police, she drove the girl away—only to look up and see Shen Mengke leaning against the doorframe.

Shen Mengke smiled slightly—her eyes, like a fox’s, seductive and captivating.

In that moment, Yanxing felt her sanity collapse.

Foxes are agile predators with strong territorial instincts, often marking their boundaries with urine or scent glands.

Recalling how Shen Mengke had insistently left her marks all over her last night, Yanxing chuckled unconsciously.

“You’re still laughing? Guess I didn’t hit you hard enough.”

A voice came from behind, making her instantly sit upright on her knees.

“It’s me,” Chen Yanjing sighed, walking toward her.

Seeing it was her older sister, Yanxing visibly relaxed. She knelt back down and stared silently at her.

Chen Yanjing crouched beside her, holding a jar of ointment.

“Where’d you get the hat?”

Yanxing said nothing.

Yanjing was used to her silence. She opened the ointment and muttered, “Why can’t you just go along with Mother?”

“Go along?” Yanxing stopped her from applying the ointment, took it in her hands, and examined it. “Go along by marrying myself off? Why don’t you do it?”

Yanjing wasn’t offended—she even laughed. “Since when did you get such a sharp tongue? But the moment Mother speaks, you go silent.”

“Nothing worth saying to her,” Yanxing muttered, putting the lid back on the ointment and fidgeting with it.

Yanjing’s eyes fell on the back of her sister’s neck and she frowned. “Where did you go last night? Got bitten by mosquitoes?”

Yanxing’s hand froze, and she immediately covered her neck. “No…”

She wasn’t good at hiding things. Yanjing chuckled but didn’t push further.

“The matter’s settled for now. Last night, both families lost face. That Feng guy is a jerk—brought his girlfriend to the dinner in front of both families. Even the Fengs were humiliated and kept apologizing to Mother. So for now, you can relax.”

Yanxing raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yanjing. “For now?”

Yanjing looked troubled. “Last night… Xingxing suggested…”

“To send me back again?”

Yanxing wasn’t surprised—she smirked coldly. Once she lost her value, she’d be kicked out of the Chen family again.

“Yanxing, what I mean is—find a job before Mother says anything.”

“I originally wanted to bring you into the Chen Group, but…”

She didn’t finish, but Yanxing already knew—Chen Zhiyu didn’t want her anywhere near Chen family business. She wasn’t even allowed to live in the family home, let alone touch the core enterprise.

Yanxing lowered her head, turning the small jar of ointment in her hand. After a while, she finally said, “I understand.”

The Chen family had always been a dictatorship ruled by Chen Zhiyu. To bring the family to its current status, she had to be ruthless and decisive.

Like an ancient emperor, she allowed no dissent.

Even Chen Yanjing—already accomplished and successful, admired by peers and elders alike—still couldn’t escape her control.

Yanjing was brilliant—far more so than the pampered Chen Xingxing. But in the Chen family, only someone like Xingxing, who held “favor,” had any say.

But…

Without Yanxing, wouldn’t Xingxing be the one forced onto the marriage stage?

Yanxing sneered. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Let Xingxing enjoy her moment—Yanxing was just waiting for the day she’d fall.

Seeing her sister keep her head down, Yanjing assumed she was upset.

She knew well how their mother was biased and neglectful—but even she didn’t have much say in the matter.

So she gently patted Yanxing’s shoulder. “Get up, Mother’s gone to the company. Go get some rest.”

Yanxing composed her expression, stuffed the ointment back into Yanjing’s hand, and avoided her help to stand up on her own.

“I won’t be staying here anymore,” Yanxing said, glancing at the ancient tablets. “She can’t stand the sight of me. If I keep hanging around, it’ll just remind her to throw me out faster.”

Then she smiled faintly and looked at Yanjing. “Thanks.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Yanjing stared, stunned by that rare smile. She quickly asked, “Where are you going?”

Yanxing waved without turning around. “To wander.”