Chapter 129: What Is Your Relationship with My Mother?

Lin Wanbai stared at him intently. After a long moment, with a calm expression and a serene tone, she said, "Otherwise, why don't you tell me everything you know about me? No matter what kind of past it is, I can accept it."

"What about my family and friends? Where are they now, and what kind of ends did they meet? Tell me everything, can you?"

Fu Yanchuan laughed, a bitter and mocking laugh. "What good is knowing? What can you do? Commit suicide all over again? Lin Wanbai, oh Lin Wanbai, you truly fail everyone who has ever been good to you! In the end, you still lean toward Fu Luxing!"

"You are just pathetic. When people give you the cold shoulder, you insist on throwing yourself at them. The one who truly loves you, you reject, preferring instead to crash against the southern wall until your head is broken and bleeding. As if that wasn't enough, you drag everyone else down with you into that bloodshed. Everyone meets a desolate end, and in the end, you still choose to commit suicide! You are utterly ridiculous! Where on earth have your courage, your fighting spirit, and your refusal to yield been eaten by dogs?! Just for the sake of one Fu Luxing, look at what you've turned yourself into!"

"You deserve this! You thoroughly deserve this!" Tears streamed down his face with his impassioned outburst. Just a single tear, which he longed to wipe away, but lacked the physical ability to do so.

Lin Wanbai took a breath, maintaining her composure. "You can curse me however you like, as long as you consider that whatever you've become is because of me, that I ruined you! If you won't tell me, fine. Just tell me where my family is, and I will go look for them. I won't implicate you."

Fu Yanchuan snapped, "You're going to look for them? Do you think they haven't suffered enough, that you still need to go and find them? What can you possibly do if you go find them now? Aside from destroying others and yourself, what else are you capable of?!"

She bit her lip, struggling to suppress the nameless fury rising in her chest.

He burst into bitter laughter. A few seconds later, his expression darkened again. Veins bulged on his forehead, and he clenched his jaw tight. Slowly, bit by bit, he managed to calm himself down. "Sit down."

Lin Wanbai did not move. She picked up her phone and said, "Then I will go find them myself. There has to be a way!"

"Sit down!" His tone grew heavier.

Ignoring him, Lin Wanbai turned and walked toward the door. She had been drinking, and even the most timid person, under the influence of alcohol, acquires a certain amount of daring. Furthermore, Lin Wanbai was far from timid, whether before or after her amnesia.

"Get back here!" Seeing her walk away without looking back, Fu Yanchuan was overcome with rage. He operated his motorized wheelchair, darting rapidly toward her and stopping right in her path. "Do you think you've grown powerful now, that your wings have hardened, so you can afford to completely disregard me?"

Lin Wanbai rubbed her forehead, licked her lips, and fixed her gaze on him. "I am not disregarding you. Actually, I know that despite your harsh words, you've actually been quite good to me. Every single thing you've done has been to help me. You also know that this kind of help cannot last forever; a person must ultimately rely on themselves. If you refuse to tell me about the past, it's simply because you hope I will focus on making myself strong. Once I am strong enough, when my memories finally return, I won't be so helpless that my only resort is to jump from a building and commit suicide."

"Actually, I can sense your feelings for me. I truly can, even if there is resentment in your heart." She let out a breath, squatted down so that her eyes were level with his, reached out to take his hand, and after locking gazes with him in silence for several seconds, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Fu Yanchuan's turbulent, frantic heart softened instantly within the span of that kiss. His anger and hostility vanished into thin air at that moment, and even his eyes gentled.

The kiss was terribly brief. In that instant, how he wished he could hold her hand, pull her into his arms, and tell her that from this day forward he would protect her for the rest of her life and never let her suffer any harm again.

Yet he could not. He lacked the capacity to do so. The ache in his chest blurred his vision. The moment a tear escaped, he immediately closed his eyes and pressed his lips firmly together. Only after his breathing steadied did he speak. "Sit back down. Do not act on impulse. One day, you will see your family again and bring them a good life."

His tears still slipped through the corners of his tightly closed eyes. Seeing this, Lin Wanbai reached out and gently wiped them away. The nameless fire in her heart slowly extinguished. She then pushed him back to the dining table. When he opened his eyes again, his expression had returned to normal.

Lin Wanbai also resumed her previous demeanor, as if the argument and the kiss had never happened at all.

Lin Wanbai poured out the red wine, replaced it with juice, and continued eating her meal. She smoothly changed the subject and began chatting casually.

The meal lasted for two hours, and the three dishes were completely cleaned up. After washing the dishes and checking the time, Lin Wanbai still took him downstairs for a stroll. Just as the walk ended, it was time for him to leave.

She saw him into his car. "Have a safe trip."

Fu Yanchuan glanced at her, and just as she was about to close the car door, he murmured an apology.

His voice was quiet, and he wasn't sure if Lin Wanbai had heard it. It was swallowed by the closing of the door, or perhaps she hadn't heard anything at all.

...

Ever since that day, Lin Wanbai threw herself into her work with even greater diligence, sorting out every single relationship within the corporation and the Yuan family with absolute clarity.

In private, she hired a private investigator to look into Lin Yao. Since Lin Yao was her half-sister, investigating through this particular thread would surely unearth a significant amount of information.

She kept this endeavor hidden from Ji Jie and Ye Qiu.

As luck would have it, when the client referred to her by the Hong Kong connection made an appointment to meet, Lin Wanbai arrived fifteen minutes early, only to catch the client deep in conversation with a private investigator.

The other party clearly had not expected her to be so early, and her complexion turned rather unsightly.

Naturally so; hiring a private investigator to tail one's own husband was, for someone of their social standing, quite a shameful affair.

Though Lin Wanbai left immediately upon realizing the situation, it still managed to displease the client. It was the very first time her habit of arriving early had proved so unwelcome.

"Mrs. Song."

Mrs. Song walked over to her table, sat down opposite her, checked her time, and said, "We still have ten minutes before our scheduled appointment. Why did you arrive so early?"

Lin Wanbai replied, "I have a habit of arriving early. When meeting clients, I always like to reach the venue a few minutes or even tens of minutes ahead of time."

"Quite meticulous. One wouldn't expect such attention to detail from a young man."

Lin Wanbai merely smiled without answering. At a time like this, speaking as little as possible was the wisest course of action.

Perhaps sensing a kindred spirit in her amiable demeanor, Mrs. Song glared into space for a moment before letting out a slight sigh. "It's not that we women are unwilling to trust you men, but rather that you men are simply too polyamorous. How could having just one at home ever be enough? If it weren't for the current monogamy laws, you men would probably never be content without taking concubines."

Lin Wanbai could only offer a polite smile.

"Someone like you, Mr. Lin, shouldn't lack for women around you, right? Most of them probably throw themselves at you, don't they?"

"To be honest, not really. Perhaps I appear a bit aloof on weekdays, so female colleagues tend to keep their distance, or perhaps my status simply hasn't reached the point where they feel the need to throw themselves at me."

"You are quite an honest man. In this day and age, why must women make things difficult for women? When it comes to successful married men, these girls only think of plucking the fruit, never sparing a thought for the woman who stood behind him all those years. That's why these young girls with substandard morals need to suffer bitterly first; only then will they learn which men can be touched and which ones must not be."

A waiter arrived with their coffee, and Mrs. Song shifted the topic of conversation.

In truth, this Mrs. Song was quite young, looking to be barely in her twenties, beautifully styled, made up, and thoroughly fashionable. Lin Wanbai found it difficult to imagine why Mr. Song would ever stray when such a fresh flower was already displayed at home.

Could it truly be that home-grown flowers could never compare to wild ones, and no matter how fragrant or beautiful they were, the women outside were always perceived as better?

That was a sentiment Lin Wanbai could never fathom.

After sipping her coffee twice, Mrs. Song finally got down to business, presenting the floor plans of her villa to Lin Wanbai along with several photographs.

"Personally, I prefer a modern style, but my husband leans toward European aesthetics. Ideally, I'd like to see the two combined. Xiaomei mentioned that your designs are exquisite and possess a unique style. Since I haven't found a designer who truly suits my taste, and you happen to be in Macau, I wanted to meet and see if you can come up with a style I like. Those are my requirements—feel free to use your imagination."

"Free use of imagination" always sounded liberating, but in practice, it was notoriously difficult to handle.

Lin Wanbai gave the drawings a brief glance, put them away properly, and asked Mrs. Song to send the photographs to her via WeChat.

"Mrs. Song, I have a somewhat presumptuous request."

"Go ahead."

"Could you possibly have your private investigator look up some information for me regarding a certain person?"

Mrs. Song raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down. "Hiring a private investigator shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"

"Of course it's not difficult, but finding a reliable one isn't so simple. I haven't been in Macau long, and my personal network isn't fully established yet, so it's hard for me to find an investigator I can truly trust. Moreover, if I search on my own, I'm afraid the person I'm investigating might find out—their status is far higher than mine, after all, and an unreliable investigator would easily blow my cover. But a private investigator hired by Mrs. Song herself would certainly be different, so..."

"Who is it?"

Lin Wanbai showed her a photograph. "Lin Yao, a dancer. I've attended two of her performances and was deeply captivated. I'd love to know more about her background, and I hope Mrs. Song can help me with this. If you are willing to help, I will waive my design fees entirely until you are completely satisfied. How does that sound?"

After a brief hesitation, Mrs. Song agreed.

"Seeing as you show a fair bit of sincerity, I'll help you with this favor." In truth, her decision was swayed more by superficial charm than anything else; Lin Wanbai’s current face was indeed exceptionally handsome, and when her friend recommended him, the recommendation wasn't primarily about his design prowess, but rather highlighted the striking appearance of Lin Qin.

Aside from not being exceptionally tall, his features were practically flawless. She had never laid eyes on a man born with such devastating good looks.

Meng Jiayi had experienced it firsthand as well.

Perhaps because she had just learned of her own husband's infidelity, seeing Lin Qin now inevitably stirred up illicit thoughts of her own. To be frank, who couldn't cheat? Infidelity wasn't a male patent, and women weren't the only ones in this world—there were plenty of good men out there too.

Why was it always men who couldn't control their lower halves?

After chatting for a while, Meng Jiayi invited her to stay for dinner, but Lin Wanbai politely declined.

She could vividly sense the wounded wife's desperate need for comfort, but that was a form of solace Lin Wanbai had no intention of providing.

Meng Jiayi did not press the matter further. Once they finished their coffee, the two parted ways.

Lin Wanbai returned home, carefully studied the floor plans, and began her design work. She also exchanged a few messages with Meng Jiayi. Once the conversation started, the other woman poured her heart out; a woman harboring unresolved inner turmoil possessed an overwhelming urge to confide in someone.

At first, Lin Wanbai replied to a few messages, but as the flood of words grew unceasing, she stopped responding with equal enthusiasm.

As dinnertime approached, she remembered that Fu Yanchuan was coming over to eat. Tidying up her workspace, she headed toward the kitchen just as the doorbell rang. She hurried to the door and found Fu Yanchuan already waiting outside.

"It looks like you haven't prepared dinner yet."

Lin Wanbai smiled apologetically. "Indeed not. I met with a client today and was buried in blueprints ever since I got back, completely losing track of time. If you don't mind, how about I cook some instant noodles for you?"

"That's fine. It's been a long time since I've had instant noodles. Let me taste your culinary skills at making them."

"That's wonderful."

She wheeled him inside, while his subordinates quietly waited downstairs.

Lin Wanbai had previously bought a large pack of instant noodles from the supermarket, and it hadn't even been opened yet.

As she went to the kitchen to cook, her phone on the coffee table kept pinging incessantly, creating quite a racket. Fu Yanchuan glanced at it.

Lin Wanbai proactively explained, "It's just that client of mine. It seems her husband is cheating on her, and presumably lacking anyone else to confide in, she keeps venting to me continuously. On the other hand, I suspect she might have taken a fancy to me."

In this regard, Lin Wanbai's intuition was usually quite accurate.

If not for physical attraction, how could Meng Jiayi have agreed to help her so easily when they had only met once?

And now, speaking so incessantly—it was impossible that she hadn't taken an interest.

Fu Yanchuan chuckled. "You're quite confident."

"This isn't confidence, it's instinct. I can sense she genuinely harbors some romantic interest in me, and compounded by the blow of her husband's betrayal, she likely has those kinds of thoughts."

When the water boiled, she dropped the noodles into the pot. Within moments, the aroma of instant noodles filled the room. For the sake of his health, Lin Wanbai added only a tiny bit of the seasoning packet, tossed in some fresh vegetables from the fridge, and cracked a poached egg into it, making for a surprisingly rich bowl.

Lin Wanbai cooked a large batch, grabbed two small bowls, and shared the meal with him.

She took a bite herself, then swapped chopsticks to feed him a bite.

It felt deeply domestic.

It had been a very long time since Fu Yanchuan had experienced such a feeling. He felt warmth spreading through his entire body—deep, profound warmth.

Though it was merely simple instant noodles, he felt it tasted better than any feast he had ever eaten.

Whether the pre-amnesia Lin Wanbai or the post-amnesia version, she always possessed a magic that could grant warmth and confidence to others.

Pulling him out of a sunless abyss.

Lin Wanbai paid no attention to Fu Yanchuan's expression at that moment. While watching the news broadcast, she picked up her phone to reply to Meng Jiayi, fearing the woman might otherwise lose her mind.

At that very moment, Meng Jiayi was at home alone, caring for her child. Earlier, her husband had called again to say he wouldn't be coming home for dinner or sleeping over—a pattern that had persisted for nearly half a month.

He claimed it was a difficult client whose child had been injured, requiring round-the-clock care to demonstrate sincerity.

She had even checked with the company, and the story checked out.

Yet she simply refused to believe it. Hiring a private investigator to look into the matter confirmed her suspicions: he was merely using work as a pretext to cohabitate with that woman surnamed Ye.

These grievances were impossible to share with friends, let alone family. Thus, only Lin Qin remained as an outlet for her endless complaints, leading to a situation that quickly spiraled out of control.

A week passed in this manner. Lin Wanbai's preliminary design drafts were completed, and right on cue, Meng Jiayi received a lead.

On Saturday, the two agreed to meet in person.

Meng Jiayi chose the location, and Lin Wanbai navigated to the address sent to her.

The destination was outside the city center, surrounded predominantly by residential zones, though local amenities were quite comprehensive. Meng Jiayi had chosen a restaurant. When Lin Wanbai stepped inside, a sweeping glance failed to locate her.

It wasn't until Meng Jiayi called her and directed her to a specific table that she realized her client was completely disguised, looking remarkably like someone out on a stakeout.

A fisherman's hat, dark sunglasses, a face mask, and very plain clothing—she looked entirely different from her previous appearance.

Lin Wanbai frowned. "What is this? What are you planning?"

"I've thought it over. I refuse to sit here and wait for my demise; I have to do something. Whether it's dealing with my husband or that homewrecking vixen, I won't let either of them off easy," she muttered viciously, both hands clenched into fists as if she were preparing for a street brawl.

Lin Wanbai sat down, cleared her throat, and said, "Mrs. Song..."

"Why are you still calling me Mrs. Song? Call me Jiayi."

"Ahem, very well, Jiayi. I think it would be best if you didn't act rashly. Didn't you say there was news today? Besides, I've already drawn up the preliminary drafts. Take a look and tell me if there's anything you dislike or want changed so I can modify it promptly. What you said last time was a bit too vague, actually..."

Before she could finish, Meng Jiayi snatched the blueprints right out of her hands, folded them up, and shoved them into her bag. "Let's put work aside for today. We are going to settle my personal business first!"

With those words, she grabbed Lin Wanbai's wrist and dragged her straight out of the restaurant.

Her target was precise, and she already possessed the exact address.

Twenty minutes later, Lin Wanbai and Meng Jiayi stood side by side outside the door of Apartment 1601 in Building 3. Just as Meng Jiayi reached out to press the doorbell, Lin Wanbai quickly held her back. "Would you like to reconsider? Didn't your husband say this was work? What if this genuinely is a client's home? If you barge in like this, wouldn't you ruin his work and humiliate him?"

"Work? Working together between a man and a woman—what kind of work is that? Even if it is work, it's using work as an excuse to carry on an affair inside a client's house. As his legal wife, this kind of work attitude is the absolute first thing I refuse to tolerate!" With that, she pressed the doorbell with her free hand.

She rang it repeatedly, but after waiting for a considerable length of time, the door remained closed. Lin Wanbai breathed an inward sigh of relief and advised, "Let's not make a scene. Being this reckless won't do you any good."

Clearly, a woman devoid of reason is terrifying. Meng Jiayi refused to listen to a single word of caution, pressing the bell once more, and when that yielded no response, she began pounding on the door.

Fortunately, she refrained from shouting; if she had started screaming, the entire neighborhood would have heard.

"Who are you looking for?"

A man's voice drifted out from behind them.

Meng Jiayi instantly froze, whipping her head around. Lin Wanbai turned as well, and the moment she saw the newcomer clearly, her entire body stiffened.

It was none other than Fu Luxing!

She nearly turned on her heel and sprinted away, but she forced herself to endure. In a fraction of a second, she reined in the shock and panic washing over her, swallowed hard, adjusted the collar of her shirt, and followed Meng Jiayi by taking a half-step back to stand behind her, lowering her gaze and chanting internally.

*Please don't recognize me. Please don't recognize me.*

Oblivious to Lin Wanbai's inner turmoil, Meng Jiayi stepped up to Fu Luxing, looked him up and down, and demanded, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"You're the one pounding on my door, yet you're asking me what I'm doing here?"

Meng Jiayi paused. "Th-this is your home?"

"Obviously. Or is it yours?"

At this, Meng Jiayi found herself awkwardly caught off guard. She pulled out her phone to recheck the address and glanced back at the door number. There was no mistake. "Is this Building 3?"

"It is."

"Then there's no error. Do you live here alone?"

"Not alone. With my son."

Upon hearing the word "son," Lin Wanbai's ears twitched slightly. A son—was he the child she had borne?

Her grip on her briefcase tightened imperceptibly, her heart leaping straight into her throat. She didn't dare spare him even a single glance.

Meng Jiayi muttered to herself, then seemed to recall something. "Then did you hire someone to help you take care of your child? Someone you hired at a high price?"

"Who are you?" Fu Luxing ignored her question.

"Answer me first."

"Why should I answer you? Who are you?"

"I am Song Lin's wife! Does he work here? He hasn't been home for days, and I'm very worried!"

Fu Luxing cast a sidelong glance at the person standing behind her, curled the corner of his lip, and said impatiently, "Step aside."

"I am not leaving until I see him in person!"

"I didn't tell you to leave. I merely want to unlock my door. If you want to wait, you should come inside and sit down to wait properly, shouldn't you?"

Meng Jiayi hadn't expected him to invite them inside; given his prior demeanor, she had half-expected him to fly into a rage.

She licked her lips, instinctively grabbing Lin Wanbai's arm, and whispered, "Come inside with me."

"Can I leave?" Lin Wanbai forced a dry smile. "I have other matters to attend to."

"No! I'll double your pay, alright? You have to accompany me today—I can't do this alone. I'm begging you!"

She held on so tightly that even if Lin Wanbai had wanted to run, escape was impossible.

Fu Luxing unlocked the door. Meng Jiayi shoved her forward to enter first, applying a bit too much force that nearly caused Lin Wanbai to collide directly with Fu Luxing. Reacting swiftly, she caught the edge of the doorframe to steady herself, leaving barely a sheet of paper's distance between them.

She quickly took a small step back to widen the gap.

Fu Luxing changed into indoor slippers and said, "Apologies, I don't have extra guest slippers, so you'll have to go barefoot."

Meng Jiayi protested, "Can't we just walk in with our shoes on?"

"Do you think my floors were laid for free?"

Pouting, Meng Jiayi bent down to slip off her shoes and placed them aside.

Lin Wanbai remained stationary. "Mrs. Song, you go ahead. I'll just wait outside."

"Don't do that! I'm a bit nervous being by myself. Having you around gives me some courage. If you leave, I'll completely fall apart."

Unable to break away as Meng Jiayi yanked her inward, Lin Wanbai stepped straight across the threshold in her leather shoes. Fu Luxing glanced down at her footwear, yet miraculously uttered not a single word of complaint.

The two women took a seat in the living room. Meng Jiayi sat rigidly upright; when one was on a mission to catch an adulterer, maintaining an imposing posture was essential.

Naturally, Lin Wanbai had to sit up straight as well, her expression composed. No matter what, she was currently posing as a man—she was Lin Qin, not Lin Wanbai.

Lin Qin had nothing to fear, nor did Lin Qin know Fu Luxing.

Outwardly calm, her gaze flicked briefly toward the kitchen, where Fu Luxing was pouring tea.

Wait, was he actually serving tea? Was this even his style?

After a short while, Fu Luxing emerged carrying a cup of tea. Supporting himself with one hand, he walked slowly, with a slight limp, placed a cup on the coffee table, and returned to the kitchen for the second one, placing it before Lin Wanbai.

He then took his designated seat without actively engaging them in conversation, instead pulling out his phone to call Song Lin and instruct him to bring Xiaomei back immediately.

His gaze swept across the two visitors, lingering on Lin Wanbai's face for a few seconds before instantly looking away the moment she met his eyes.

He instinctively tightened his grip on his phone, turning his head to look out the window. The person sitting before him was unquestionably Xiao Bai; he couldn't possibly be mistaken. Even if Lin Wanbai were reduced to ashes, he would never fail to recognize her!

Roughly half an hour later, Song Lin and Ye Ying returned with Xiaomei. The child was riding on Song Lin's shoulders while Ye Ying walked alongside, shielding him with her hands. The three of them looked thoroughly harmonious, resembling a complete family.

The moment Meng Jiayi caught sight of them, she sprang to her feet. "Song Lin!"

Seeing her, Song Lin's expression shifted drastically. He instinctively pulled Ye Ying behind him, handed Xiaomei over to her, steadied himself, and asked, "Jiayi, what are you doing here? Did something happen at home?"

Meng Jiayi looked past him toward Ye Ying standing by the doorway, holding the child in her arms. If the child hadn't resembled his father so closely, she might have suspected the boy was the illegitimate spawn of Song Lin and this cheap woman!

At that moment, Lin Wanbai looked over as well. Catching sight of the child cradled in Ye Ying's arms, tumultuous emotions surged through her, nearly causing her to lose control and leap to her feet. Only sheer reason forced her to remain frozen in her seat, utterly motionless.

Fu Luxing called out toward the entrance, "Xiaomei, come here."

Displaying unusual obedience, the child slid down from Ye Ying, scurried rapidly over to Fu Luxing, and clambered deftly onto his lap, sitting up straight. His clear, black-and-white eyes swept curiously over the people in the living room, lingering in particular on Lin Wanbai for a couple of extra beats. He then leaned toward Fu Luxing and whispered, "Daddy, this big brother looks just like Mommy."

Thanks to Liang Yusheng, who had plastered photographs of Lin Wanbai from every period of her life all over his room, his bed, and his play areas from a very young age, her image had been deeply etched into his mind.

Having said that, he turned to look again, scrutinizing her carefully for a long moment before flashing a bright, beaming smile at Lin Wanbai and speaking on his own initiative. "Big brother, you look so much like my mommy. What relation are you to her?"