Chapter Six: The Art of a Setup

Ling Feng and Chu Biyue arrived at the entrance of the club. Suddenly, Chu Biyue froze, a look of confusion crossing her face, for she witnessed a bizarre scene: a security guard was kneeling at the main gate, repeatedly slapping himself across the face. His skin was already broken, yet he continued without pause, as if his own face were his mortal enemy, though the reason was unclear.

“Hey, why is that man kneeling at the entrance? Is this some sort of unusual customer service?” she wondered aloud.

“Who knows? This is my first time here too,” Ling Feng replied, licking his lips. He understood perfectly well that this was an arrangement by Huo Du to offer him an apology.

“Hey, honey, the rich really are eccentric. You’ve seen a lot—do you know what custom this is?” he teased.

“I have no idea. Maybe they learned it from the Sakura Kingdom; their customs are a bit strange. I remember reading a book about it once…” She considered intervening for the security guard, but ultimately decided against it. She already had enough troubles of her own and didn't need to complicate things further.

Although she was out now, Liu Yali’s two million hadn’t been repaid. If not for her college classmate Yuan Dongyang, who was close with Liu Yali and had helped manage things, she would still be inside. Yuan Dongyang had even offered to lend her money during their phone call, but she didn’t want to borrow from him, which was why she went to seek out Chen Mingsheng.

At that moment, Ling Feng had already opened the car door for her, and she quickly climbed in.

“Ling Feng, what happened just now? How did you end up as Chen Black-and-White’s driver? I don’t remember you knowing how to drive. Do you even have a license?”

Ling Feng blinked in confusion. “Honey, I’m driving right now, aren’t I?”

Chu Biyue, who had just had a little to drink and was feeling dizzy, suddenly realized she was sitting in the front passenger seat, with Ling Feng at the wheel.

“Pull over right now! Do you really have a license?”

Ling Feng gave a wry smile. “Honey, how could I not have a license? If I didn’t, would Chen Black-and-White have hired me?”

“That makes sense, but how did I not know? My head’s so muddled today.” Her voice grew softer and softer, as if she might fall asleep at any moment.

Glancing over, Ling Feng instantly realized something was wrong. Chu Biyue’s eyes were bloodshot, her breathing slightly rapid, and a strange fragrance escaped her lips. He immediately understood—she had been drugged.

Damn it, he should have dealt with Li Shishi earlier.

Ling Feng was certain this was Li Shishi’s doing. He’d thought she was just snobbish, never expecting her to resort to something like this.

“Honey, you should stay away from Li Shishi from now on. I think she drugged you…”

“Nonsense.”

Ling Feng had spoken out of concern, but his words seemed to anger Chu Biyue.

“Shishi’s character is questionable, and I didn’t intend to keep in touch with her anyway. But she’s already been taught a lesson today; there’s no need to falsely accuse her. What’s more, I couldn’t possibly be drugged! Honestly, as a man, can’t you be a little more generous? The more you act like this, the more I look down on you.” Her tone was full of defiance, as if Ling Feng had unwittingly bruised her pride.

Ling Feng was left speechless.

—

“And another thing, I don’t object to you going out to work. Being Chen Black-and-White’s driver is fine—you’ll see more of the world. But you need to know your place. Don’t act high and mighty just because of your position. A driver is just a driver. Chen Black-and-White is who he is; you are yourself.”

Three years had passed. Though their marriage was in name only, during Ling Feng’s amnesiac years, he had come to regard Chu Biyue as his true wife and was used to obeying her every word.

He also knew Chu Biyue was proud by nature, and his earlier words had probably hurt her pride.

“Alright, I take it back, but…” Ling Feng turned to look at her, only to find Chu Biyue had already fallen fast asleep.

“Stubborn woman, always pretending to be tough,” Ling Feng sighed. He stopped the car, pressed his palm against her smooth back, and used his inner strength to dispel the toxins within her. When he looked up at her delicate, flawless face, his heart couldn’t help but flutter. He reached out and pinched her cheek—a sensation as soft and silky as water.

Startled, he quickly drew his hand back, returning to the driver’s seat in embarrassment. He knew Chu Biyue would never allow him to touch her; if she ever found out, she’d be furious and might ignore him for half a month.

“Seems I really shouldn’t drink anymore. My tolerance is getting worse,” Ling Feng muttered as he climbed back into the driver’s seat. At that moment, Chu Biyue woke up, startling him into coughing and whistling, pretending nothing had happened as he gazed out the window.

Seeing Ling Feng act like a guilty child, Chu Biyue felt puzzled. She touched her flushed, hot cheeks, then suspiciously asked, “Hey, why did you stop the car? Did you do something to me just now?”

“No, I didn’t!” Ling Feng straightened up, sounding guilty.

“Then why do you look like you’ve stolen something?” Chu Biyue frowned.

“Would I need to? I sleep at your door every night. If I wanted to do anything, I’ve had plenty of chances. And besides, you’re my wife. It’s hardly stealing, is it?” Ling Feng shrugged.

“Get lost.”

Ling Feng lived with Chu Biyue’s family in a duplex apartment registered under her father’s name. With property prices so high, their 200-square-meter home was probably worth five million. Chu Yaoyu and Chu Dongmei, her sisters, were both married and living well, so the Chu family was comfortably middle class.

But when Chu Biyue got into trouble, everyone else just watched from the sidelines. Other than making a show of moral support, not one of them gave a single cent.

At the door, Chu Biyue sternly reminded Ling Feng, “Remember, don’t have any contact with people like Huo Du from now on, and never accept his favors. I’m afraid you won’t be able to repay him. I’ve got enough on my plate—just stay home and don’t cause me any more trouble.”

“Here’s five hundred yuan for you…” Ling Feng’s previous five hundred had gone to Chen Mingsheng. Chu Biyue didn’t believe he’d get even a cent back, so she gave him another five hundred.

Ling Feng quickly agreed and slipped the money into his pocket.

As they entered the duplex, a clatter of pots and dishes erupted from the kitchen. Lin Fang’s voice rang out:

“He must have heard our daughter went to jail and, afraid no one would support him anymore, went out to fake an accident to pin the blame on us. What did we do to deserve such a useless son-in-law? He’d rather risk his life faking accidents than actually work. Being a good-for-nothing is bad enough, but he even acts like we owe him meals. Now I have to cook for him myself.”

Lin Fang hammered the frying pan with a spatula. “Faking accidents! I’ll give you faking accidents!”

“Oh, enough already,” Chu Yang, Ling Feng’s father-in-law, grumbled. “Our daughter’s back now. Don’t let anyone hear you.”

“So what if he hears? He’s useless and can’t stand a few words? I’ll say what I want—divorce! We’re getting a divorce tonight!”

—

At this moment, Chu Yang, seated in the living room, saw the couple return and quickly cleared his throat. “Ling Feng, Biyue, you’re back.”

He deliberately raised his voice to warn Lin Fang, but she flew into an even greater rage, storming out of the kitchen waving a spatula and pointing it at Ling Feng.

“Weren’t you supposed to have been hit by a car? How come the moment you heard my daughter was fine, you sprang back to life?”

“Husband, wasn’t I right? See, our daughter comes home and he’s suddenly ‘cured.’ What else could it be but another scam?”

“Now he can freeload again.”

Chu Biyue thought her mother was being unreasonable. No matter what, Ling Feng had helped her today, so she quickly said, “Dad, Mom, Ling Feng has found a job. He’s working as a driver for someone. The pay is good, and at least he can support himself.”

“What use is that?” Lin Fang snapped, turning her ire on Chu Biyue. “Why did you come home with him? Are you stupid? You’re a young unmarried woman—aren’t you worried about your reputation? If the neighbors see you, they’ll think you’re involved with him! How will you ever marry well? Foolish girl!”

Ling Feng was sorely tempted to kick this exasperating woman out the door, but for Chu Biyue’s sake, he held back.

Just then, a thought flashed through Ling Feng’s mind. He wanted to test Chu Biyue’s attitude toward their marriage. If she was as dismissive as Lin Fang, perhaps it was time to let go.

“Then let’s get a divorce!” Ling Feng said abruptly after a long silence.

“Divorce!” Lin Fang’s eyes darted shrewdly, as if something had occurred to her. Her lips quivered with contempt as she squinted at Ling Feng.

“Oh, I see what you’re after. Now that Biyue’s company has gone bankrupt, you want to kick her while she’s down? You’re ungrateful, you know that? Don’t play these games with me—I wrote the book on them. Divorce? Not a chance.”

Lin Fang was no fool. If her daughter divorced now, right after the company’s collapse, people would think this useless son-in-law had abandoned her. That kind of reputation would ruin her chances of marrying up. Everywhere she went, she’d be looked down upon.

In Lin Fang’s mind, she was certain Ling Feng was scheming, because if their roles were reversed, it’s exactly what she would do.

“Whether or not we divorce isn’t up to you! What do you want from me?” Ling Feng nearly laughed out of frustration at Lin Fang’s shamelessness.

She called him ungrateful, but he couldn’t think of any kindness the Chu family had ever shown him. For three years, he’d worked himself to the bone for them, suffering not only Lin Fang’s abuse but that of her daughters, sons-in-law, and the entire family. Far from being grateful, it was a wonder he hadn’t sought revenge.

“Unless—unless my daughter’s company comes back to life and we’re the ones to dump you. Otherwise, you can forget about divorce for the rest of your life. I’m not one to tolerate nonsense. If you’re so determined to fake accidents and get divorced, you might as well help my daughter restore her company. Then no one will stop you from leaving.”

Ling Feng saw Chu Biyue sitting with her head bowed, silent, as if she agreed with Lin Fang’s ultimatum. At that, a wave of sorrow washed over him, and he said angrily, “And what if I succeed?”

Lin Fang burst into laughter. “Dream on! If you really manage it, of course we’ll divorce you! Who do you think you are, some hot commodity? We’d be only too happy to send you packing with all the pomp in the world.”