"What the hell?" said Lin Yan more as a question than as a statement. He wasn't really expecting that.
"Yeah, but you know what, even after being caught by me. They didn't think that they were in the wrong. Nor did my father believe that my ex-husband did any wrong. In his eyes, I was a broom star born of a woman whom he never loved while my sister was birthed by his pretty lover. Afterward, he blamed me for being a hen that can't lay eggs and forced me to divorce my husband, not that he has to force me, I wasn't willing to stay a single day with that cheater."
"That's so unfair."
"You don't know half of what's unfair," sighed Su Wan. She looked at Lin Yan with eyes that brimmed with hurt, pain, and disgust. "My father married my mother because he was too much of a coward to tell his mother that he liked someone else. He didn't want to lose his inheritance, so for the sake of his greed, he married my mother and then left her alone with a child in tow. "Su Wan inhaled deeply, "My mother held on for a few months before she succumbed and fell into depression. Then on my tenth birthday, she jumped out of the window. We lived on the tenth floor. By the time I saw her, there was no piece of her body left intact. My father didn't even come to the funeral. To him, it was like a clear shot to make his lover his formal wife. He dumped me in the care of my maternal grandmother before he spent away from the last of his inheritance that he received from his mother. When he went broke, he came knocking on my door, demanding that I take care of him and my stepmother because that's what was expected of me as a filial child. I didn't want to, but my stepmother would always create a ruckus. Either she would snatch money from me or steal it from my house because my husband was fucking her daughter. He would let her in no matter how many times I refused. Later on, when I built a restaurant, my husband snatched it away from me together with my half-sister. They thought they had won. Only they didn't. What I can build, I can also ruin. I ruined the reputation of my restaurant with my own hands before I died."
Lin Yan made a sudden movement as if to hold her hand but then stopped, not understanding what to do. What should he say? He tried to stand up, but Su Wan pushed him down, looking at him with a gaze that was filled with determination, "That's it, I guess, that's my big secret. Now it's your turn."
"I -"
"No, wait for a bit, "said Su Wan before she walked out of the room and then rushed to the kitchen, where she mixed a bunch of light alcohols together. Though she was a chef, she knew how to mix and match the alcoholic drinks according to their contents.
Though drinking alcohol so early in the morning was something she would never recommend, it was better for Lin Yan to have calmed his nerves before speaking about his story.
She returned to his room before handing him the drink, "Come on, drink up. It's going to help you to ease your nerves."
Lin Yan didn't hesitate as he brought the cup to his mouth and drank the content all in one go. Su Wan felt her insides warm up at his sudden obedience. It was a massive step for him. Maybe, Lin Yan himself didn't know how much trust he was showing towards her.
Once he finished the drink, Su Wan placed the cup on the ground and took his hand in hers. This time Lin Yan didn't flinch. Maybe the alcohol was helping him; as she silently sat by his side and rubbed the back of his hand. She waited patiently for him to begin his story. Lin Yan wanted to know everything about what was going on with him, but she wasn't willing to push him.
"I was around fourteen or fifteen when I was sold off by my grandmother to the Luo household. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be initially. The workers were decent, and I only had to do small jobs like cleaning the courtyard or washing the clothes of the young master and mistress. I was quick on my feet, and I was smart as well. I thought by showing how smart I was, I was clearing up a decent path for me, but I was wrong," began Lin Yan as he squeezed Su Wan's hand, his memories breaking their shackles one by one. He closed his eyes and then inhaled sharply. "I was well-liked by the housekeeper, and he would often keep me by his side. I didn't know why he did that, but I came to understand it much later on. One day the housekeeper had to leave because of some important matter, and he couldn't take me with him. He brought me to one of his trusted servants and asked him to take care of me. The only downside was that the housekeeper trusted the wrong guy. While the housekeeper was away from the mansion, the servant filled my ears with all kinds of things. He asked me to win the favor of the young master by showing him how talented I was so that I would have a good time in the Luo household."
Lin Yan's eyelids grew heavier as he looked down at his feet. "I thought he was helping me, but in truth, he was helping himself. By throwing me in the limelight, he escaped the fate that belonged to him. I was young and good-looking; the young master took a liking to me at once. He liked my wisdom and quick work, so he brought me to the main house... All along, I thought that the servant boy was good.. He was giving up such a good opportunity to me and letting me take advantage of the situation, but my thoughts changed when I met her."