Suddenly thinking of Lin Ran, Uncle Fu was also taken aback.
If it were Young Master Lin, how would he answer this question when facing the young lady?
"Big Flower, whether it's the servants in the villa or Jiang Feihua, every other woman in my eyes is like a pile of dung. Only you are the love of my life."
Granny Wang froze instantly. She never dreamed such words could come out of Uncle Fu's mouth.
"Eww—so cheesy, I can't take it. You should go back now."
Though she said that, the corners of her lips, which she couldn't suppress, betrayed the fact that Granny Wang loved hearing it.
Uncle Fu sighed in amazement. Sometimes, it really pays to have a silver tongue.
No wonder Young Master Lin always manages to charm the young lady into a blushing mess. Sweet talk really works.
Indeed, a man can be useless, but he must never be tongue-tied.
After leaving the hospital, Uncle Fu returned to the estate.
Taking advantage of Luo Yao's absence in the living room, Uncle Fu leaned close to Lin Ran's ear.
"Young Master Lin, gotta say, your method works like a charm."
Lin Ran looked puzzled. "Speak clearly. Being all cryptic and mysterious—what are you trying to do?"
Uncle Fu flashed a knowing smile.
"I just copied how you answer the young lady's questions and used it on Granny Wang. Turns out it really makes women happy. Young Master Lin, you’re truly the best." He gave a thumbs-up.
At that moment, Luo Yao was standing at the second-floor entrance, watching the old and young men downstairs with a faint murderous glint in her eyes.
Lin Ran rolled his eyes.
"Is that what you’re talking about? I’m not like you. You’re using a method—I’m not. Every word I say to Yao Yao comes straight from the heart."
Uncle Fu: "It’s just the two of us here, Young Master Lin. No need to be so cautious, right?"
Lin Ran was utterly speechless.
"So that’s how you see me? Whatever. As long as I know my own sincerity, that’s enough."
What a joke. My genuine feelings are just calculated flattery in your eyes?
"Young Master Lin, are you serious? You’re not just saying what the young lady wants to hear?"
Dead serious.
"Do you know why I’m always so earnest when I say those things to Yao Yao?"
"Why?"
Lin Ran sighed. "Fine, let me explain it to you, you coward in love."
"Because I love her down to the marrow of my bones. I’m afraid Yao Yao might lack a sense of security, so I make sure every promise is spoken with absolute sincerity. That way, she feels safe. I want to give her that security every single moment for the rest of her life… Ah, forget it. An old man like you wouldn’t understand."
Seeing Lin Ran explain so earnestly, Uncle Fu felt his brain might be a bit too slow.
So… the one who truly doesn’t get it is this old man?
Standing at the second-floor entrance, Luo Yao finally let the corners of her lips curl up, murmuring to herself.
"So that’s what A’Ran thinks… How nice."
Luo Yao truly felt she was changing—for the better.
Thinking about it, it had been a long time since she last had an episode or did anything crazy.
Those little harms she inflicted on Lin Ran could be overlooked.
"I kinda miss the days when I locked A’Ran up."
If given two choices, Luo Yao might still prefer to keep Lin Ran locked by her side.
But she also didn’t want Lin Ran to be unhappy.
She loved locking him up, yet his loss of freedom made him unhappy—but she didn’t want him unhappy.
An unsolvable contradiction.
"A’Ran, come here."
Four words, and both Uncle Fu and Lin Ran stiffened as if hit by a paralysis spell.
Lin Ran turned around, giving Luo Yao a pitiful look.
"Yao Yao, you weren’t eavesdropping on us, were you?"
Luo Yao: "I was. Uncle Fu’s bonus for next year is gone."
Uncle Fu instantly felt the world spin, life’s colors draining back to monochrome.
Just then, his phone rang. Answering it, his expression grew solemn.
"Young Lady, Luo Wushuang has sent an invitation to all members of the Luo family—return to the ancestral home for the New Year’s ancestral rites."
Luo Yao: "What ancestors? There aren’t any left to worship."
The last time Luo Yao went back, she smashed all the ancestral tablets. She never had them restored. What ancestors?
"That dump—whoever wants to go can go. I don’t care about those people anyway, and I doubt many will obey."
Insecurity wasn’t Luo Yao’s nature; confidence was.
Someone who clawed her way out of bloodshed couldn’t possibly be weak or timid.
Luo Yao had many qualities—decisiveness, meticulousness, and absolute self-assurance among them.
Of course, she had her moments of doubt too.
Like when Lin Ran once rejected her. That period left her feeling small.
In love, whoever falls first loses. Luo Yao had lost once—but not completely. Now, she had turned the tables.
"But when Luo Wushuang sent the invitation, he said… he’d open the Luo family’s dragon vein this New Year. Plenty will be eager to carve up the Luo family’s treasures."
Only then did Luo Yao take it seriously.
Luo Wushuang was no match for her—unless he got his hands on that treasure.
But even if he succeeded in rallying the others, she was confident she could protect herself.
The current Luo family had no idea that, through her maneuvers, Luo Corporation’s shares had gradually become her private assets.
They were still clueless about her methods.
"Interesting. The other key is in my hands, yet he’s convincing them with empty words. How amusing."
"This world never runs short of fools."
Lin Ran frowned. "So, are we going back or not?"
Luo Yao looked at him, recalling what he’d just told Uncle Fu, and her heart swelled with joy.
"By New Year’s, I should be poisoned anyway. Might as well play along. I’ll take you back then, and we’ll cut through the Luo family."
Truthfully, Luo Yao had always been fixated on seeing the Luo family’s dragon vein. There must be something inside she needed to know.
Lin Ran wasn’t entirely on board with her phrasing.
"Yao Yao, technically, you’re also a Luo. Saying 'cut through the Luo family' isn’t quite accurate."
Luo Yao rolled her eyes—an expression so out of character it was almost surreal.
Lin Ran was mesmerized. His wife’s eye-roll was downright captivating.
"You’re always swearing on your whole family’s lives. What, am I not part of your family? Or do you not see me as family?"
Lin Ran was instantly speechless. He had no rebuttal—she wasn’t wrong.
"Ahem, when I swear like that, it’s just to curse Lin Tianba and the others. Has nothing to do with my Yao Yao."
Luo Yao nodded matter-of-factly. "When I say 'cut through the Luo family,' I’m obviously not including myself."