Falling After Marriage - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: This is My New Wife, Cheng Sangluo

Inside the silent CEO’s office.

At two ends of two desks pushed together sat two people, presenting two completely opposite scenes.

Because of her leg injury, Lin Jin sat in her executive chair holding a video conference. Her mood was excellent, brighter than the sunlight outside. The smile hooked at the corner of her lips was harder to suppress than the recoil of an AK-47, making it a rare occasion where she didn’t nitpick her management team’s reports.

She was somewhat distracted. On the surface, she appeared to be listening to senior executives report on work progress, but in reality, she was sitting sideways in her chair, arm propped on the armrest, fingertips holding a coffee cup that obscured half her face. Her gaze drifted frequently toward the person across the desk, carrying a hint of secret appreciation. She smiled; the “puppy” was serious about everything—or rather, she was obsessively meticulous.

On the other side of the desk.

Cheng Sangluo didn’t understand the professional business jargon, nor did she care about how vast Lin Jin’s empire was. Her entire focus was on the small world beneath her fingertips. She hadn’t done seal carving for quite some time, and her hands felt clumsy. After a whole afternoon, the desk was piled with discarded materials, yet not a single decent product had emerged.

In a fit of frustration, she had nimbly shed her suit jacket and rolled up her shirt sleeves. Even her tie had been tugged loose, draped naturally over her shoulders. Her expression was a complex and amusing mix of dead-serious determination and the puffed-up cuteness that came from being overly stubborn.

“Alright, if there are no other issues to discuss, meeting adjourned.” Lin Jin took a small sip of coffee and gave a lazy dismissal before closing the video conference.

Cheng Sangluo had been holding her breath, not daring to make a sound. Hearing the meeting was over, she finally poured out her grievances, her words tumbling out in a rapid fire: “I’m just baffled. You’re supposed to be a big boss worth billions—is it really okay for you to trust me with such an important official seal? I can’t imagine your twisty-turny name appearing on a ten-million-dollar contract.”

Hearing the puppy’s rant, Lin Jin rested her chin on her fingertips, stroking it thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, she teased: “That’s why I asked you to carve twenty seals of different sizes and fonts. I’ve given you so many chances for error; if you can’t produce even one good result, tsk tsk tsk, I can only say you’re ‘not capable’.”

“Hey, hey, hey! An adult should never say they’re not capable!” Cheng Sangluo grabbed a small scrap of wood and tossed it onto Lin Jin’s desk. “This kind of handiwork requires a foundation. You can’t master it in a heartbeat. I’m being serious enough!”

“If you have the leisure to argue with me, you might as well shut up and keep carving.” Lin Jin picked up the small piece of wood, pressed it into the ink pad, and stamped it onto a piece of scratch paper. The result was worse than unsatisfactory; you couldn’t even tell if it was a name or some ghost-like scribble.

She tossed the wood into the nearby trash can, offering a look of disdain: “A little advice: a boss never cares how hard the employees work; they only care if the result is satisfactory. You’re still a long way off.”

“Yeah, a capitalist exploiter and vampire like you wouldn’t care about others’ suffering.” Cheng Sangluo rolled her eyes. Strangely, as she traded barbs with the madwoman opposite her, the movements of her carving tool became unexpectedly smooth. She hurriedly called out: “Hey, hey, don’t stop talking! I found that when I argue with you while carving, my hand is incredibly steady. Don’t stop, don’t stop!”

Lin Jin suddenly felt like teasing the dog. She intentionally pitched her voice into a delicate, coquettish tone: “In what way do you want me to ‘not stop’? Like in bed, when you’re crying and begging me to stop, but I refuse to listen?”

As soon as these scandalous words came out, Cheng Sangluo got goosebumps. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and even her ears turned a shy crimson. As expected, she was thin-skinned and couldn’t handle even a few words of flirtation. She didn’t dare pause the carving knife for fear of losing the “feel,” so she could only output verbally: “Hiss… you… you woman… why do you start talking dirty out of nowhere!”

“Why act innocent with me?” Lin Jin didn’t hold back, launching another direct attack. “I’m just teasing you with words; I didn’t actually reach out to touch you. You weren’t this shy when you were tossing me around earlier. Besides, we’re a legally married couple now; what’s wrong with a bit of ‘lewd’ talk?”

With only two or three strokes left to finish the seal, Cheng Sangluo held her breath and carved in silence. Once the final vertical stroke of the character ‘Jin’ was perfectly completed, she slapped the carving knife onto the desk without a word.

She walked huffily over to Lin Jin, handing over the finished seal while leaning her face close. She had intended to say something high-and-mighty to criticize the madwoman’s lack of filter, but in the end, her stubborn mouth couldn’t produce a single word.

Lin Jin took the seal from her hand and tested it on the scratch paper. A satisfied smile finally appeared on her face. “Not bad. It’ll do.”

“Just ‘not bad’?!” The puppy shouted, waving her fingers in the madwoman’s face. “Look at this! Look! My hands are practically getting calloused, and it’s just ‘it’ll do’?”

Lin Jin’s eyes crinkled with laughter as she teased: “Are you acting spoiled with me?” She took the puppy’s hand and examined it closely. There was indeed some peeling on the index finger and thumb, mixed with several faint marks from the blade that hadn’t broken the skin. She figured Cheng Sangluo was tough and “thick-skinned,” so she didn’t feel too much pity. “Congratulations, you’re one step closer to completing the task. Nineteen more to go. Keep up the hard work.”

Having received no proper praise, Cheng Sangluo suddenly became like a wilted eggplant, leaning against the desk in silence. Lin Jin tilted her head, smiling at her disappointed little expression, and teased again: “Do you want praise that badly?”

“Who cares?” The puppy’s mouth remained stubborn. She rolled down her shirt sleeves and urged impatiently: “When are we getting off work? I’m hungry. I want a seafood feast!”

Lin Jin had intended to offer a reward kiss, but seeing the puppy’s poor attitude, she abandoned the idea. Instead, she mocked: “Do you have some kind of obsession with seafood? You can’t live another day without it?”

Cheng Sangluo did indeed have an obsession with seafood, which stemmed from a childhood where she was unloved by her father and neglected by her mother. She was a native of Zhouhai, so eating seafood shouldn’t have been a rare occurrence, but the Cheng family was poor. Supporting her useless older brother’s lavish lifestyle was already a struggle.

There was rarely any meat in their three daily meals, let alone seafood.

Her obsession started with a plate of scallion-fried baby octopus. She couldn’t remember which relative had sent the dried goods; she only remembered that one evening, as the family sat around the table, every time she reached out with her chopsticks to take a piece, her mother would slap her hand away with the end of her own chopsticks.

‘Go away, this is for your father to eat with his wine. And your brother is growing; come, Xingxing, eat more.’

Isn’t it funny? At the end of that simple dialogue, everything favored the disappointing brother. No one cared about her cravings, and no one cared about fairness.

Cheng Sangluo’s mind was occupied by these memories. Her gaze on Lin Jin became somewhat vacant, and her smile was lonely. Vivid in her memory, besides that plate of food she couldn’t reach, was her mother’s dismissive scolding and the sound of her father slurping wine. What else? Only the image of Cheng Xing holding a bowl filled with baby octopus and refusing to share even one with her.

Lin Jin stopped smiling and teasing. As if seeing into Cheng Sangluo’s thoughts, she reached out and touched her cheek. “If you want to eat it, we will. We’ll eat the best, most expensive, and freshest. And it must be cooked fresh—I’ll have Secretary Zhou arrange it and have a chef come to the house.”

“Forget it.” Cheng Sangluo’s bright eyes dimmed, and she pouted. “I suddenly don’t want to eat it. Let’s just grab whatever, or I’ll go home and cook for you.”

“But we agreed to celebrate today.” Lin Jin complained softly, catching the puppy who was about to leave. “It’s rare for you to be generous. Even if it’s deducted from your salary, this kind of opportunity is hard to come by. I don’t want to miss out.”

“Hah, you’re quite the exploiter.” Cheng Sangluo’s spirit revived slightly. Hearing the madwoman’s words, her interest returned: “You just want to suck my blood!”

Lin Jin leaned bonelessly into the puppy’s embrace, kissed the hollow of her neck, and whispered with a wicked grin: “I don’t just want to suck your blood; I want to eat your flesh~”

Cheng Sangluo smirked with her mouth twisted. The thought of pushing the madwoman away lasted only a second because the urge to kiss took over everything. She was helpless against Lin Jin’s clinginess, yet in their growing relationship, she had become somewhat dependent on this closeness.

Ring— Ring—

Just as their faces drew close, a mood-killing ringtone interrupted their intimacy.

“Tsk.” Lin Jin knitted her brows, making an impatient clicking sound.

Cheng Sangluo reached out to get the phone for her, glancing at the caller ID. Seeing it was Lin Sheng, she felt a sudden urge to eavesdrop.

Lin Jin took the phone but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she tapped the phone against her palm rhythmically, asking with a smile: “Guess what he wants from me?”

“Who knows? Just answer it.” Cheng Sangluo feigned indifference, but by urging her, she hoped to hear the content quickly.

Lin Jin still didn’t answer, instead trying to deduce the other party’s thoughts. “If it were something minor, the call would stop after two rings. If it keeps ringing like this, it means it’s something he has to find me for. I guess… maybe the Old Man has woken up and wants to see me.”

“Since the phone won’t stop ringing, why are you dawdling?” Cheng Sangluo grew impatient and took it upon herself to tap the screen and answer the call.

Lin Jin narrowed her eyes at the puppy until she heard Lin Sheng’s cold “Hello” from the receiver. Only then did she wear an inscrutable smile. “Speak.”

Toward someone she loathed, her attitude was clear: neither wasting words nor taking the initiative.

There was a silence on the other end before Lin Sheng’s deep voice spoke again: “Father is awake. He wants to see you. Come or don’t, it’s up to you.”

Cheng Sangluo heard Lin Sheng’s words, and her heart skipped a beat. For all of Lin Jin’s crazy behavior, she never fumbled at critical moments. She had actually predicted this! What was she raised on? She was so smart it was almost lawless!

Lin Jin leaned into the puppy’s embrace, her tone becoming even sharper: “Did my delay in answering give you the illusion of success? Pity, you still heard my voice. I was just playing with you and you didn’t even realize it. See you in a bit~”

Beep— Beep— Beep.

As soon as Lin Jin finished speaking, the line went cold with a busy signal. It seemed she had thoroughly angered Lin Sheng.

Cheng Sangluo lowered her head to look at the madwoman in her arms, suddenly realizing that when this woman looked down with disdain, it could give the illusion of deep affection, while in reality, that gaze was the most heartless.

At the same time, Cheng Sangluo realized Lin Jin’s predictive methods were unique. She could see through the other person’s mind and make a beautiful counter-move, just like with this phone call. She knew what would happen without answering, so she delayed on purpose to create a false sense of hope for Lin Sheng, then immediately tore it apart to give him a crushing blow.

Heh, what a frustratingly brilliant tactic!

The twilight today was not pleasing to the eye. Gray, heavy clouds blocked the sunset, hanging low in the sky as if they might collapse onto the world at any moment.

On the winding road leading to the recovery center, the black Bentley sped along. Cheng Sangluo’s driving posture was naturally handsome; she habitually kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other arm rested leisurely on the window frame.

She had intentionally lowered the glass so the silent Lin Jin could breathe the fresh mountain air and they could both remain sharp for the upcoming confrontation. The chilly wind poured into the car, making her tie flutter and ruffling the hair at Lin Jin’s temples.

Cheng Sangluo occasionally stole a glance at the madwoman beside her. She wondered what was on her mind, as she hadn’t said a word since they got in the car. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but seeing that Lin Jin wasn’t in the mood to respond, she resigned herself to being a silent driver.

As the car pulled into the recovery center’s underground garage, Cheng Sangluo found a good parking spot. Only then did she ask: “What do you need me to do in a bit?”

Lin Jin’s eyelids fluttered as if the question had pulled her back from her wandering thoughts. She was silent for a long time before speaking: “Do nothing. Just wait for me outside the ward.”

“That simple?” Cheng Sangluo arched an eyebrow in disbelief. “Since we’re running into that bastard Lin Sheng, it wouldn’t feel right not to have a showdown.”

Cheng Sangluo’s confusion was justified. Based on her understanding of Lin Jin, if anyone dared to defy or provoke her, she would seek revenge for even the smallest slight. Why was she so listless at such a critical moment today?

Lin Jin unbuckled her seatbelt and watched the puppy’s changing expressions. She scoffed: “How do you want to have a showdown? Lock him up and beat him? Or push him off the side of Cuiping Mountain?”

Cheng Sangluo pouted: “Hey, hey, I’m someone who has been through the baptism of time and labor reform. I don’t do illegal things.”

With that, she nimbly got out to get the wheelchair, helped Lin Jin into it, and walked slowly into the elevator.

During the ride up, Lin Jin silently squeezed the back of the puppy’s hand and instructed: “I’ll talk to Father alone. You sit on the bench outside and wait for me. I have only one requirement: no matter what Lin Sheng says to you, do not engage. He is a master at using words to deceive. I’m worried he’ll target your weaknesses. You must control your emotions and not fall into his trap.”

Cheng Sangluo pondered the warning. She didn’t understand why Lin Jin was so certain Lin Sheng would approach her, but considering the madwoman’s track record for being right, she nodded obediently. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Seeing the puppy being so compliant, Lin Jin showed a faint smile. She lifted Cheng Sangluo’s hand and kissed it, her tone doting: “Good girl.”

Seeing the elevator was arriving, Cheng Sangluo quickly leaned close to her ear and gave her a gentle kiss. “I’ll be guarding the door. If anything happens, just grab something and smash it on the floor. I’ll rush in the second I hear a noise. Don’t be afraid.”

She had probably had enough of Lin Sheng’s clumsy tactics and didn’t dare lower her guard, which is why she thought of this emergency plan.

“Silly, this is my territory.” Lin Jin’s smile grew more satisfied. Firstly, she was laughing at how awkward yet attentive the puppy was; secondly, she found the puppy’s cautiousness adorable. She was very pleased with this concern that belonged exclusively to her.

Cheng Sangluo pushed Lin Jin out of the elevator. The hallway was bright and spacious; being a high-end private nursing facility, there weren’t many people around. Looking ahead, she saw two figures standing at the other end of the hall, along with two burly men in suits—likely Lin Sheng’s bodyguards.

As they drew closer, a middle-aged woman sitting on a chair broke the silence. Cheng Sangluo didn’t know Ruan Jinxian, but she could tell from her appearance that she was Lin Sheng’s mother.

“So you finally decided to show up?” Ruan Jinxian’s eyes were red and swollen; it seemed she had done a lot of crying lately. “From the moment your father was rushed into surgery until now, this is the first time you’ve come to see him. Even if there are old grudges, you shouldn’t be so stubborn at a time like this!” Her complaints were soft and weak, every word accusing Lin Jin of being unfilial. She even used a handkerchief to perform a fake dab at her damp eyes.

Lin Sheng reached out to pull his mother’s shoulder, patting her comfortingly. He said hypocritically: “Mom, say less. Some people can never understand well-intentioned advice.”

Lin Jin rested her hands on the wheelchair armrests, leaning back lazily. After watching the mother and son’s fake performance, she gave a blunt, mocking smile: “There are only us Lin family members in this hallway. Don’t you get tired of acting so much?”

Ruan Jinxian was momentarily silenced by Lin Jin’s malicious mockery.

Lin Jin turned her gaze to Lin Sheng and gestured: “What are you standing there for? Do you want Father to wait even longer? You really have no sense—hurry up and push me in.”

Lin Sheng struggled to suppress his explosive temper. After all, he had to maintain appearances; he couldn’t lose face right under his father’s nose. He had no choice but to walk over to Cheng Sangluo acting like a gentleman. He shot a contemptuous glance at Cheng Sangluo, his emotions filled with hidden resentment. He likely hated this retired soldier who had appeared out of nowhere and ruined his plans.

Cheng Sangluo’s eyes glowed with a predatory light, as if coated in a layer of ice—eerie and cold. This hypocritical face was burned into the depths of her memory; in the countless nightmares she woke from at midnight, it was a detail she could never forget.

She smiled inwardly; this plan of using Lin Jin’s influence had unexpectedly succeeded, moving steadily toward today. She was finally in front of Lin Sheng. Sending this man to prison might not be far off.

Lin Sheng’s gaze didn’t linger on Cheng Sangluo for long. He turned and pushed Lin Jin toward the ward. “I am, of course, happy to serve my sister.”

The two passed through the crowd to the ward door. Lin Sheng knocked. While waiting for a response, he whispered through gritted teeth: “One failure doesn’t mean the next one will fail.”

“The taste of failure isn’t pleasant, is it?” Lin Jin smiled with confidence. “You didn’t expect it, did you? It’s so hard to kill me, so hard to transfer the Old Man, and even the Old Man had to hang on to his last breath just to wait for me. Everything is outside your expectations.”

“Whether you die or the Old Man dies—the meaning isn’t that great anymore. Everything is also outside your expectations.” Lin Sheng raised his chin arrogantly, pushed the door open, and brought Lin Jin straight to his father’s bedside.

Lin Zhen had taken a trip to death’s door and lost most of his life. He was now in a near-total state of assisted breathing. His face was sallow, and he was gaunt beyond recognition. Propped up on the bed, he looked like a thin layer of skin. Hearing the noise nearby, he slowly opened his eyes. He raised his hand slightly, gesturing for his son to leave.

Lin Sheng wanted to offer a few hypocritical greetings, but he was driven back by the Old Man’s gaze and could only turn and leave in silence. Being father and daughter, their wariness of each other was unspoken. They waited until they heard the door close before beginning their long-awaited conversation.

Lin Jin propped herself up with both hands and slowly moved herself to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. She didn’t intend to jump into the topic quickly. Instead, she tilted her head and quietly appreciated her father, who was like a dying candle.

In those deep eyes, there was initially a calm surface, but during the long gaze, ripples began to rise—ripples of mockery, arrogance, and malice, layer upon layer.

After she had fully appreciated the sight, she lowered her voice to start the conversation: “Well, you’re finally at the end. Any regrets? Tell me about them.”

Lin Zhen raised a weak, powerless arm, fumbling several times before pulling the oxygen mask from his face. “Xiao Jin…” His voice was hoarse. Just calling Lin Jin’s childhood name seemed extraordinarily difficult, as if he had sucked in all the oxygen and was still gasping for air.

Lin Jin didn’t bother to respond. She pressed her lips together and waited for her father to continue.

With his breathing in critical condition, Lin Zhen could only use the oxygen mask for a while before speaking slowly: “Actually… I’ve always known… what you wanted to do…”

Lin Jin wasn’t surprised by her father’s private investigation of her. She mocked: “So what if you knew? From beginning to end, you couldn’t stop me. Otherwise, someone like you, who values profit above all else, would have acted against me long ago, wouldn’t you?”

“The will has already been notarized… the shares of the Lin Group… the Lin family properties… including all trusts… fixed assets… I haven’t left you a single cent…”

Hearing the contents of the will, Lin Jin finally understood why Lin Sheng had been so confident before she entered. These assets worth billions were merely a bonus to her; whether they belonged to her didn’t truly matter. The only thing she found annoying was that they favored that useless mother and son.

Yet, for some reason, the powerful Lin Jin felt a wave of profound sadness upon hearing her father’s words. Sadness at the phrase “haven’t left you a single cent.” She had no desire for this heavy inheritance, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t once craved a father’s love.

Her emotions were complex; she was glad Lin Zhen’s actions allowed her to hate him to the very end, yet she mocked herself for still hoping her father would be slightly better to her at the final hour.

She suppressed the sting in her nose, her brow furrowing uncontrollably. After steadying her emotions for a long time, she smoothed her expression into a careless smile: “So? What are you trying to say? Using this method to anger your rebellious daughter one last time? Pity, this arrangement was within my expectations.”

Hearing his daughter’s calm response, Lin Zhen’s shoulders shook as he laughed with effort. “You… you always fail to learn how to be soft… other people’s children… break their heads trying to plot for some inheritance… yet you want nothing… aim for nothing… instead, it makes me feel empty…”

“Don’t look at me so highly. I have things I want too.” Lin Jin propped herself up and laughed toward the ceiling—a shrill laugh that stopped abruptly. She suddenly turned her expressionless face toward her father, as if the laughter just now had been an illusion. “I want your family of three destroyed. Once you’re dead, the good days for that pair of ‘ghosts’ will be over.”

“Heh… I know, of course… I can’t protect them…” Lin Zhen genuinely admired this daughter who never relied on him. He suddenly changed the subject: “Remember what I said to you… the last time you came to see me?”

Lin Jin thought back to their previous conversation and guessed that her father had another purpose for calling her today. She answered: “Are you trying to talk about the topic of ‘Gu-style’ education?”

“You’re smart… smart since you were a child… cough cough… cough cough…” Lin Zhen clutched his oxygen mask as if he would cough his lungs out. It took a long time for his breathing to settle. “Cough… cough… I gave the Lin family to Lin Sheng… because he has always… been the one managing the company…

Rather than splitting the shares and causing internal strife between siblings… it’s better for one person to have absolute power… This is my wish as a father… having raised him since childhood… hoping to see him stand on his own… You are different…”

Lin Jin arched an eyebrow, signaling Lin Zhen to continue his high-sounding words. “Saying that makes me curious. In your eyes, what kind of role do I play?”

“I know… even if your brother gets the whole family estate… he won’t be able to defeat you… I only want the child who wins the whole game in the end… So I’ve prepared a great gift for you… This gift has risks… You work in capital… you should know the principle that the greater the risk, the higher the reward.

Within one year… if Senyao Capital’s annual net profit is 10% higher than the Lin Group’s… you will receive 90% of the shares under my name… If you fail… you will lose 50% of your controlling stake in Senyao Capital… This gambling agreement… Even though I’ve notarized my will… it won’t affect this gambling agreement… As long as you dare to sign it, it’s valid… It just depends on whether you dare…”

After stating his true purpose, Lin Zhen was in a near-death state. He pointed to the drawer of the nightstand, indicating the gambling agreement was inside.

She was silent for a moment, then let out a laugh of helpless acceptance. “Lin Zhen, oh Lin Zhen. Even when you’re dying, you’re still thinking about messing with your son and daughter. For your obsession with collective glory and shared ruin, you’ve set up this ‘Gu-style’ education.”

As she finished speaking, Lin Jin took the agreement out of the drawer. After reviewing the contents, her smile became more satisfied. “You think you’re setting up some sibling competition? Let me tell you this: as soon as I sign this gambling agreement, within a year, the controlling stake of the Lin Group will be merged into the Senyao Group.

And your beloved son and wife will be kicked out of the house by me. You think you’ve used a gambling agreement to protect them and restrain me? In fact, this gift is exactly what I wanted. Want to know why?”

Lin Jin excelled at keeping people in suspense, causing her terminally ill father to stare wide-eyed. Lin Zhen opened his mouth to ask for the reason.

“Next year, on the anniversary of your death, I’ll tell you when I’m burning paper money. Oh, and…” Lin Jin cut him off, not giving him a chance to speak. She suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered: “Your days are numbered. Can you answer one question for me? Fulfill a wish of mine? This question has troubled me for too many years. Tell me: did you have a hand in Mother’s fall from the cliff?”

Lin Jin stared directly into her father’s eyes. When she saw a flash of avoidance, she smiled knowingly. “I have always, always wanted to pull out your oxygen tube with my own hands and watch you slowly, slowly suffocate to death. Pity I’m a law-abiding citizen and can’t have my wish. I’ll just have to use other methods to let your long pain be worse than a short one. Enjoy your remaining time—after all, you won’t see tomorrow’s sun.”

With that, Lin Jin looked at the gambling agreement in her hand. This contract was too important to let Lin Sheng see it. On a whim, she picked up a ceramic cup from the nightstand and smashed it hard onto the floor.

This conversation had nearly cost Lin Zhen his life. He no longer had much strength to say any parting words to his daughter, appearing to accept the fact that he wouldn’t survive the night.

The door burst open. The burly bodyguards couldn’t stop the agile Cheng Sangluo.

Lin Jin placed the agreement on her wheelchair and sat down. She smiled at the puppy who had rushed over: “Let’s go. We’re going for that seafood feast.”

“Oh, I forgot to share some good news with you.” She turned back to introduce her to the gasping Lin Zhen. “This is my new wife, Cheng Sangluo. We got our certificate today. You should join in the spirit—aren’t both weddings and funerals [red and white matters joyous occasions?”

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