Chapter 41: Scheme 3

The male waiter, realizing this situation was far beyond his control and with the threat of repercussions hanging heavy in the air, hastily packed up and fled the scene. 

Just then, Shen Yanming appeared beside Bi Qiao’an. “Strange,” he said, his voice carrying just enough volume for those nearby to hear, “It seems we’ve suddenly lost quite a few people.”

Bi Qiao’an responded, her voice similarly audible, “Perhaps something else has caught their attention? Two groups have already left.”

“Well then, shall we see if we can lend a hand?” Shen Yanming smiled, taking Bi Qiao’an’s hand and leading her towards the elevator, his touch warm and reassuring.

Intrigued, a dozen or so onlookers followed. After all, hadn’t everyone noticed the earlier departures? This offered a convenient excuse to satisfy their curiosity without seeming overly nosy.

By the time Shen Yanming’s group reached the sixth floor, the spectacle was already well underway.

Madam Wei, among the first to arrive, had easily found Room 613. Yet, the moment she reached the door, unease washed over her. Inappropriate sounds drifted from within. A chilling thought struck her: the rest area her family had arranged was in 635. Why would Wei Yun be in 613?

Before, she hadn’t given the waiter’s words much thought, assuming Wei Yun had simply opened an additional room out of concern for guests’ privacy. Now, anxiety surged within her, twisting her stomach into knots. Something was very wrong.

It took mere seconds for her to blurt out, “Oh, I just remembered! The Wei family’s rest area is 635. How could Xiaoyun be here? Let’s check there instead!”

Madam Wei was about to lead the ladies away when the busybodies among them interjected. “Madam Wei, the waiter said Xiaoyun was in 613. We’ve come this far, why not at least knock?”

“Yes, we’re already here anyway!” chimed in the more brazen ones, always eager for a bit of drama, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

A throng formed around the door, pushing and shoving. One accidental bump was all it took; the door swung open with surprising ease.

Suddenly, the inappropriate sounds from within grew even louder, stunning those closest to the doorway. It was then that the true troublemakers barged in, the rest quickly following suit. Madam Wei tried to stop them, but it was too late, her protests drowned out by the commotion.

Upon entering, Madam Wei was hit with a scene so shocking that she nearly blacked out, her face draining of color. Her last shreds of hope were brutally extinguished by a mocking voice.

“Madam Wei, is that your Xiaoyun?” A woman’s taunt dripped with contempt, her eyes filled with malicious glee.

Furious, Madam Wei fainted dead away, her body crumpling to the floor.

Meanwhile, Madam Lin and Lin Yongke had also reached the scene. Through the crowd, they saw a man and woman on the bed, engaged in a display utterly unfit for polite company. Despite the room’s sudden influx of onlookers, the couple seemed unabashed, their passion undiminished. It was truly an eyesore.

Then, the faces became clear, and Madam Lin’s world seemed to tilt on its axis, her breath catching in her throat.

It was Wei Yun! Her son’s newly-minted fiancée! In that moment, regret surged through her veins. Had she not insisted on this alliance with the Wei family, Lin Yongke would never have been forced into this disastrous engagement.

Burning with rage, Madam Lin marched to the bathroom and returned with a basin of cold water, dousing the entangled pair without hesitation, the icy liquid shocking them apart.

Only then did the two on the bed seem to regain their senses.

Wei Yun, discovering herself naked under a stranger, was initially stunned, her mind reeling. How could it be Cai Chun? Just as she was about to confront Cai Chun, the sheer number of intruders left her mortified, so she shouted, “Ah! Get out, all of you!” 

“You little slut! If you weren’t serious about marrying into the Lin family, you should have refused!” Madam Lin was beside herself, her eyes blazing with fury while her chest heaved. “To carry on like this on the very day of your engagement – who are you trying to disgrace?”

Lin Yongke, in contrast, appeared eerily calm, his expression unreadable. “Since you clearly dislike me, let’s cancel today’s ceremony. I’ll handle explaining things to the guests.”

“No! I… I don’t know what happened either!” Wei Yun panicked and stammered, her voice trembling.

Just then, a lady in the crowd piped up, her voice cutting through the tension, “Perhaps there’s a misunderstanding. It was clear something wasn’t right with those two when we entered.”

“Yes, yes!” Other women readily agreed, their voices overlapping. While a juicy scandal was tempting, their consciences wouldn’t allow them to falsely condemn someone.

“Someone must have drugged me!” Wei Yun seized on this chance, desperately clinging to a defense, her eyes wide and pleading.

“Then enlighten us,” Lin Yongke’s icy voice cut through the air, his gaze piercing. “Who drugged you, and how did you end up here?”

“I… I…” Wei Yun was tongue-tied, her mind racing. Could she admit her original target had been Shen Yanming?

“Speak!” Lin Yongke’s attention shifted to Cai Chun, who’d been surreptitiously dressing under the covers.

“Nothing to say. What’s done is done,” Cai Chun replied flatly, devoid of shame or fear.

“You! Cai Chun, what are you doing here?” Seeing him so brazen, Wei Yun exploded without thinking, her voice shrill with anger.

Cai Chun sneered, his lips curling in disdain. “Miss Wei, why don’t you tell us who was supposed to be here in the first place?”

The truth dawned on everyone, their eyes widening with realization. This was no accident; it was a scheme gone awry.

Cai Chun stood. “Miss Wei, I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain. Don’t you think fate ultimately decided against you?”

With that, he strode away, his footsteps echoing in the stunned silence.

Wei Yun could only watch his retreating form, consumed by a powerless rage, her fists clenched at her sides. Then, amidst the crowd, she spotted Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an. In that instant, any hope of reconciliation vanished, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

Wei Yun was heartbroken, but she still had some rationality left. Now that things had come to this, she couldn’t lose everything, right? Desperation tinged Wei Yun’s voice as she turned teary eyes towards Lin Yongke, clutching at the covers. “It was Cai Chun, he must have drugged me!”

A cold laugh escaped Lin Yongke’s lips, his eyes hard and unforgiving. “Miss Wei, the truth behind today’s debacle is irrelevant. The Lin family cannot tolerate a woman of questionable virtue. Also, if you truly believe Cai Chun forced himself upon you, let me help you file a police report. Should I?”

The word “police” sent Wei Yun reeling, her face paling. She vigorously shook her head, her hair flying about her face.

“Hmph!” Lin Yongke scoffed, his disdain evident. His icy smile lingered as he offered Madam Lin his arm for support and left.