Surprise! The Fake Heiress is Actually an Ancient Master of Metaphysics! - Chapter 38

Returning to the villa, Tan Lingyin sprawled lazily on the sofa, dragging out her words, “Ahhh—finally, I don’t have to see Tan Yayue’s face anymore~”

Huo Jingyan sat across from her, his gaze sweeping over her disheveled collar. He cleared his throat lightly, “Ahem, mind your manners.”

Tan Lingyin quickly sat up and scooted closer to him with a grin. “Mr. Huo, once the college entrance exams are over, take me to the capital, okay? I want to meet my birth parents as soon as possible.”

She leaned in so close that Huo Jingyan could catch the faint fragrance of her with just a slight turn of his head.

The girl’s porcelain-like skin was flawless, her eyelashes thick and curled, and her sparkling eyes looked at him like a cunning little fox, yet still brimming with innocence.

His expression softened unconsciously. “Alright, as you wish.”

Tan Lingyin grinned, her small fists playfully drumming on his shoulders. “And I’ll have to trouble you, Mr. Huo, to help me make some inquiries in the capital. Otherwise, in such a vast sea of people, even if I can divine and calculate, I might not necessarily find them.”

Her sweet voice was right beside his ear, and Huo Jingyan felt his resolve weakening. His deep voice carried a hint of indulgence he hadn’t even noticed himself. “Sure.”

“Mr. Huo truly lives up to being the ‘Emperor’s Star’—such a kind soul!” Tan Lingyin blinked, her pink lips curving into a lovely smile.

Huo Jingyan’s gaze darkened as he watched her lips part and close. His Adam’s apple bobbed quickly before he turned his head away. “Alright, it’s time for you to study.”

Tan Lingyin pouted. “Got it.”

Huo Jingyan was great in every way—except for his relentless emphasis on studying. Every time he caught her playing with her phone, he’d fix her with a stern look and say, “The college entrance exams are coming up. You should focus on your studies.”

Even though she was the one taking the exams, he seemed more invested than she was, as if her failure to get into a university in the capital would have some major impact on him.

But she didn’t dislike his nagging—in fact, she’d grown used to it.

It felt really nice to have someone care about her.

…

When Tan Yayue returned home, she found Tan Hongzheng and Liu Yun sitting on the sofa, looking utterly dejected. The two sighed heavily, neither speaking a word.

“Mom, Dad, I’m back,” Tan Yayue called as she entered, followed by the driver carrying her belongings.

Liu Yun looked at her, her eyes filled with pain and sorrow, before letting out another heavy sigh.

Tan Hongzheng frowned. “Stop sighing—it’s driving me crazy!”

“You’re going crazy? You should be! If you don’t find that old bastard Ming Zhao soon, our Yueyue is finished!!!” Liu Yun shrieked at him in frustration.

Tan Hongzheng slammed his hand on the table and roared, “Do you think I’m not trying!? Who knew he’d fail both tasks and then run off with the money!”

After that day, Tan Hongzheng had completely lost contact with Ming Zhao. It was as if the man had vanished into thin air.

No one in Nancheng who had ever dealt with him could find him either.

Now, every night, Tan Hongzheng and Liu Yun could feel an eerie chill in the villa. The moment they fell asleep, nightmares would plague them.

But the worst was Tan Yayue. Not only had the ghost fetus not been transferred, her belly was growing larger by the day—it felt like she would give birth any moment now.

Liu Yun angrily threw a cushion at him, “It’s all your fault! You’re useless! Who told you to fail at inviting Master Xuanqing from the capital?”

“Useless?” Tan Hongzheng suddenly stood up, strode over, and grabbed Liu Yun by the collar. “If it weren’t for you giving birth to a daughter who died young, would we be in this mess because of her?”

“It’s all because your womb was weak. If you had given birth to a healthy child, how could our family have suffered so much?”

Liu Yun stared at him in disbelief. “You’re blaming everything on Yueyue? Are you even fit to be a father?”

Tan Hongzheng, his eyes red with rage, slapped Liu Yun across the face. “I’m more than fit! If it weren’t for me begging everywhere for help, she would have died at five!”

“It must be that old fool Ming Zhao who failed to change her fate. That’s why she’s alive now, attracting all these filthy things! Not only has she harmed herself, but she’s also ruined my financial luck!”

Tan Yayue, who had been listening nearby, burst into tears. She knelt on the floor and kowtowed to Tan Hongzheng. “Dad, it’s all my fault! Please don’t be angry anymore. If you want to hit someone, hit me!”

“My very existence is a mistake. Just kill me!”

Her cries stirred Tan Hongzheng’s paternal instincts.

He released Liu Yun and helped Tan Yayue up, his voice softening. “Yueyue, Dad was just angry earlier. Don’t take my words to heart. I’ll find a way to fix things for you.”

Liu Yun’s face was swollen, but she ignored Tan Hongzheng and pulled Tan Yayue onto the sofa, looking at her with heartache. “It’s Mom’s fault for not protecting you well.”

She gently touched Tan Yayue’s belly. “Your belly is growing day by day. Whatever’s inside will have to come out eventually. We need to find a way to hide it. No one can know you’re pregnant before marriage.”

Tan Hongzheng irritably lit a cigarette and took several deep drags.

After staring at Tan Yayue for a moment, he said, “Don’t go out these days. After the college entrance exams, I’ll arrange something. You can pick any young master you like, and I’ll send him to your room.”

Tan Yayue quickly asked, “Can I invite my classmates?”

“Sure.” Tan Hongzheng assumed she had taken a liking to someone in her class. After all, the boys at her school all came from decent families. If she fancied one, so be it.

Tan Yayue suppressed her excitement and quietly began plotting her plan.

…

On the day of the college entrance exams,

Tan Lingyin woke up early and practiced a round of Tai Chi in the yard, feeling refreshed and energized.

Today marked the first major turning point in her life after her reversal of fortune!

Just as she was about to head back inside to shower, she saw Huo Jingyan jogging into the courtyard in his workout clothes.

The tight black T-shirt, damp with sweat, clung to his firm chest and well-defined abs.

The muscles in his arms bulged, and faint veins traced along his long limbs.

Huo Jingyan took a bottle of water from his bodyguard and tilted his head back to drink.

Drops of water slid from the corner of his lips, down his chin, over his bobbing Adam’s apple, and disappeared beneath his collar.

Even drenched in sweat after his run, his sharp, handsome features and noble aura remained undiminished.

Tan Lingyin stared at his Adam’s apple and couldn’t help but swallow hard.

This guy—disturbing her peace of mind first thing in the morning!

Just as she was about to turn away, Huo Jingyan glanced over.

He walked toward her while wiping the water droplets from his neck, greeting her with a casual, “Morning.”

Bathed in the golden glow of the rising sun, his striking features made him look almost divine, as if a celestial being had descended.

Tan Lingyin felt her face grow warm and immediately spun on her heel to leave.

Huo Jingyan arched a brow slightly, watching her retreating figure with puzzled amusement.

What was that about?

She didn’t even bother to return his greeting.