Chapter 12: Vengeful to a Fault
In the hotel courtyard, Ye Bai lay sprawled on the grass, his heart sinking to rock bottom. It was over—Xiao Yuxuan wasn’t here to help him.
She was siding with Lin Tai. Now, Ye Bai just wanted to play dead and divert attention.
Xiao Yuxuan’s gaze fell on the half-dead Ye Bai, devoid of any pity. Her thoughts aligned with Hecate’s—Ye Bai’s backing hadn’t been dismantled yet, so he couldn’t die now!
Beating him half to death was enough for the moment.
“I don’t need your help!” Lin Tai meant every word. He didn’t need Xiao Yuxuan’s assistance—he’d be grateful if she just stuck to her role.
These heroines messing around were exhausting for a vicious supporting male character like him!
“Truth be told, I didn’t really want to help you, but Uncle Lin’s offer was too good to refuse,” Xiao Yuxuan admitted, knowing her past image with Lin Tai was beyond repair.
Then an idea struck her. Since she couldn’t approach him directly, she’d do it indirectly.
Using Lin Zhentian’s name to get close to Lin Tai would reduce his resistance.
“Hiss … So, it really is my dad?” Hearing Xiao Yuxuan confirm it; Lin Tai’s suspicions were validated.
It wasn’t a plot issue—his father had simply paid too much. No wonder Xiao Yuxuan’s attitude had been so odd. That explained everything.
With that realization, Lin Tai calmed down. As long as the heroines’ personas hadn’t changed, he could steer the plot back on course.
“So, you believe me now?” Xiao Yuxuan’s eyes lit up, pleased her strategy was working. Without hesitation, she raised her five-centimeter heel and stomped down on Ye Bai’s hand.
The next instant, Ye Bai’s piercing scream echoed through the back garden.
Born into an underworld family, Xiao Yuxuan’s ruthlessness rivaled Hecate’s. That stomp had utterly crippled Ye Bai’s hand.
Lying on the grass, Ye Bai never imagined Xiao Yuxuan would attack him to prove her loyalty—more brutally than Hecate! He couldn’t fathom why he kept getting hurt!
By the time Ye Bai was rushed to the hospital, he was wrapped like a mummy, especially his hand—every bone shattered. Recovery would take a decade or more.
“Hiss … I believe you.” Lin Tai broke into a cold sweat watching Xiao Yuxuan’s ferocity.
As a heroine, she was this ruthless to the male lead, Ye Bai. How much worse would she be to him, a mere supporting character?
The thought sent shivers down his spine.
“Good. Let’s add each other on WeChat—easier for you to reach me if you need anything.” Xiao Yuxuan handed Lin Tai her QR code.
“Fine.” Lin Tai scanned it and sent a friend request.
“Since that’s settled, I’ll take my leave.” Satisfied, Xiao Yuxuan pocketed her phone and left with her entourage.
“Look at this—getting Xiao Yuxuan to help must’ve cost uncle a fortune,” Ling Weifeng patted Lin Tai’s shoulder. Earlier, he’d thought his brother might have turned his luck around, with the two heiresses possibly falling for him.
Now, he realized it was all about profit.
“Xiaofeng, I’ll book you an afternoon flight. Go to Hainan for a month,” Lin Tai said solemnly.
“Why? Afraid of Ye Bai’s revenge?” Ling Weifeng instantly grasped Lin Tai’s intent.
“No.” It wasn’t fear—it was certainty!
As a male lead in a power fantasy novel, holding grudges was Ye Bai’s nature.
In his past life, when Ling Weifeng and Lin Tai caused trouble, their plan failed due to Xiao Yuxuan, and they got beaten instead—no issue there.
But now, with Ye Bai beaten to a pulp, the grudge ran deep.
He wasn’t afraid to die, but he couldn’t bear watching Ling Weifeng die at Ye Bai’s hands.
“Don’t worry. He doesn’t have the power to come after me yet,” Ling Weifeng said, aware of Ye Bai’s complex background.
His personality was steadier than Lin Tai’s. Since Ye Bai’s appearance at the banquet last night, while others mocked him, Ling Weifeng had noticed and ordered an overnight investigation.
The results were a dead end. From then on, he knew Ye Bai was trouble.
Yet, for the sake of brotherhood—ready to take a knife for a friend—he’d rallied the thugs the moment Lin Tai called.
“Hey, you! What are you doing? Stop!” While Lin Tai spoke with Ling Weifeng, one of the thugs noticed a woman holding a DV camera, filming them.
Realizing she’d been spotted, she turned and fled. With a few swift steps, she reached the hotel exit, hopped onto a motorcycle, and roared off.
“Ling, that woman was recording us,” the thug reported, unable to catch her.
“I know.” Ling Weifeng waved him off. “Thanks, guys. I’ll transfer the money later. You’ve worked hard today.”
“Thanks, Ling!” The thugs, hearing about the pay, happily gathered their gear and left the hotel.
“Trouble’s brewing.” Only after the thugs left did Ling Weifeng’s expression darken.
“You know that woman too.”
“It’s Lu Ziyan.” Lin Tai wasn’t too surprised. In the original plot, Lu Ziyan appeared at this point.
Lu Ziyan was another heroine of Emperor’s Return, the princess of the Lu family, one of the ten major clans. The Lu family dominated the entertainment industry, controlling nearly all of China’s showbiz.
Raised in that environment, Lu Ziyan dreamed of becoming a renowned director.
Her presence at the Longteng Hotel today was entirely coincidental.