Chapter 15: Young Master Lin's Prank

The decoration of this villa had changed significantly since her last visit, as if it had been specially remodeled for her. The room was filled with fresh flowers and figurines, and a large red "Fu" character was pasted upside down on the door, creating a warm and festive New Year atmosphere.

“Manager Yang, did you arrange this?” she asked.

Manager Yang nodded and replied, “Every year during the New Year, we redecorate to give the villa a festive feel. Miss Xia, if you don’t like it, we can change it immediately.”

“No need, this is fine,” she said.

“As long as you’re satisfied, Miss Xia, I won’t disturb your rest any longer.”

Not long after Manager Yang left, someone brought steaming hot meals and cold medicine. After eating, Xia Rusheng slept soundly and woke up to find the sky darkened. On the sofa, there were several sets of warm clothes.

She looked down at her thin pajamas, now all wrinkled from the day’s turmoil, and prepared to change before going out for a walk. When she took off her clothes, she noticed a signature left by Lin Yichen on her arm.

“Childish!” Lin Yichen’s signature was flamboyant and distinctive. She had seen it at the premiere last night, so she immediately recognized it. Knowing it would be hard to wash off, she decided to just wait for it to fade naturally; the more he tried to provoke her, the more she ignored him.

But how did Lin Yichen’s signature end up on her arm?

Curious, she changed clothes and, feeling energetic, went out for a run. Passing by where the Xia family was staying, laughter and cheerful voices spilled out. A sarcastic smile flashed across her face—this facade of peace, how long could it last? She possessed damning evidence but chose not to reveal it yet. Powerful evidence should be wielded at the most critical and advantageous moment, ideally to shatter them overnight.

After running, she returned to the villa to shower. Only after the Tan family left did she go back to the Xia family’s quarters. The matriarch’s face changed when she saw Xia Rusheng had come back alone. After questioning her, Xia Rusheng learned that Lin Yichen had taken her to the hospital but abandoned her halfway there.

Since the young master of the Lin family left without a word first, the Xia family didn’t blame Xia Rusheng. Xia Ruici, like a concerned father, asked after her a few times before letting her rest upstairs. Yet, when Xia Rusheng stood before her own room, she found she couldn’t get in.

“Dad, who changed the password on my door?” Xia Rusheng ran downstairs and asked, noticing Tan Li and Xia Yu were both there. She directed the question at Xia Yu, convinced that only she would do such a petty thing.

Just then, Xia Yu’s phone rang. After speaking briefly, she handed the phone to Xia Rusheng, saying, “It’s for you.”

Xia Rusheng took the phone and stepped outside into the small garden, where Lin Yichen’s lazy, relaxed voice came through: “Has your fever gone down?”

“Yes, what do you want?” she replied.

Lin Yichen sighed. “I took you to the hospital; shouldn’t you thank me? See my signature? That’s proof I stayed with you for hours at the hospital. I even missed my flight because of you, nearly missing the promotion.”

Xia Rusheng sneered coldly, “So what?”

Lying tiredly in bed, Lin Yichen suddenly perked up at her tone, as if injected with adrenaline.

So what?

The Lin family’s heartthrob, for the first time ever, had kindly taken someone to the hospital and stayed by their bedside, only to receive a “so what” in return.

That was just not right!

“If you called just to hear me say thank you, I advise you not to bother. Anyone related to the Xia or Tan families won’t get a single word of thanks from me.” Saying this, Xia Rusheng hung up coldly.

But before she could return inside, the phone rang again. Seeing it was Lin Yichen, she rejected the call and handed the phone back to Xia Yu.

Lin Yichen felt wrongfully accused; he had nothing to do with those families, so why was he being blamed?

“Good thing it’s not me they’re mad at,” he muttered, unaware of what he’d just said. Thinking about how Xia Rusheng’s door password had been changed, he suddenly felt mischievous and called again.

This time, Xia Yu answered but immediately passed the phone to Xia Rusheng, complaining rudely, “Can you two say everything at once?”

Xia Rusheng refused to take the call, saying, “I have nothing to say to him.”

Xia Yu gleefully watched the matriarch’s face turn pale as she repeated Xia Rusheng’s words verbatim. Then Lin Yichen spoke: “Ask her if she wants to know the password to her room.”

“You changed the door password?” Xia Yu asked in surprise, but there was no reply.

Xia Rusheng snatched the phone from Xia Yu, coldly laughing, “Lin Yichen, what right do you have to change my door password? Do you find this prank funny? Don’t even think about using this to threaten me!”

Lin Yichen had expected this reaction and was about to speak when the line went dead again.

“Such a fiery little temper,” he murmured, playing with the phone before calling his assistant and putting the call on speaker as he changed clothes. “Xiao Lin, book me a flight to H City tonight.”

“Tonight? Master Lin, it’s already eight o’clock. Why the rush to H City at night?”

Lin Yichen changed into casual travel clothes, picked up the phone, and said, “Enough talk. I need to be in H City before midnight.”

There was a long silence on the other end. Neither hung up. After a while, Xiao Lin said, “There’s a 9:30 flight arriving at 11. Satisfied, Master Lin?”

If he was quick enough, he could reach the resort before midnight.

“Not bad, Xiao Lin. When I get back, I’ll treat you well,” Lin Yichen said, quickly hanging up and grabbing some essentials before rushing to the airport.

Meanwhile, Xia Rusheng, after those calls, found herself once again embroiled in a battle of wills with the matriarch.

“Xia Xia, you can’t act so willfully just because Master Lin likes you. Whether you like him or not, you must learn to give men face,” the matriarch scolded. She had been comforted by Lin Yichen’s repeated calls, hoping the two children might still be together, but Xia Rusheng’s tone ignited her anger.

Xia Rusheng wanted to ask if she was supposed to smile at the dog after it bit her, but she held back.

“Grandma, I don’t like being toyed with. I’m grateful he took me to the hospital and will express my thanks in other ways. As for my tone, don’t you think if I spoke sweetly like those who chase after him, Master Lin would lose interest in me quickly?”