"Mom, I'm fine."
Lin Li suppressed the pain in his body and stopped Jiang Shuqin. "It's just that during my exchange program abroad, I didn’t eat on time, and I wasn’t used to the food there. That’s how I developed stomach problems. I’ve already taken medicine, and I’ll be fine soon."
Jiang Shuqin frowned.
Was it really stomach pain?
Why was Lin Li clutching his... lower abdomen?
A suspicion rose in Jiang Shuqin’s heart, but Lin Li had never lied to her before.
Half-convinced, she nodded.
Worried that something might happen to Lin Li, she stayed by his bedside, watching over him.
Lin Li didn’t dare to hold his lower abdomen anymore. Instead, he pretended to clutch his stomach, feigning the pain.
Another half hour passed, and finally, the pain subsided completely.
Lin Li was drenched in sweat by now.
He forced a smile. "Mom, I’m okay now."
"Good, good. That’s a relief." Jiang Shuqin exhaled in relief.
"Lin Li, what would you like to eat today? I’ll cook for you myself," Jiang Shuqin said with a smile.
This would also be a celebration—Lin Xuan was about to face retribution.
"Mom, your cooking is the best I’ve ever had. Whatever you make, I’ll love it," Lin Li replied, his lips twitching slightly.
"Good, good. I’ll start cooking right away."
Jiang Shuqin was so pleased by his words that she left his bedroom with a smile, closing the door behind her.
Lin Li’s face was pale.
He pulled down his pajama pants and saw nothing but flat skin beneath.
With a loud thud, his fist slammed onto the bed frame.
"Who was it?!" he gritted out.
Who had done this to him?
Lin Xuan’s face flashed in his mind, but he shook his head. When Lin Xuan had seen him in that basement, he had looked genuinely shocked—it couldn’t have been him.
Qin Ruoyao had been missing for a long time, and she didn’t have the money to hire someone to turn him into… this. It couldn’t have been her either.
He had always maintained a flawless facade—everyone saw him as a refined, noble young man.
Aside from Lin Xuan and Qin Ruoyao, no one else had such deep hatred for him.
So who was it?!
Lin Li forced himself to calm down and began retracing the events of that time.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced—him standing in front of a building, loudly telling Su Hua that Lin Xuan and Shen Qianqian had an arranged marriage.
Could it be Su Hua?
The thought that Su Hua might have been the one to turn him into this crossed his mind, but he dismissed it immediately.
No.
It couldn’t be her.
Su Hua only saw Lin Xuan as a plaything. Besides, he had merely told the truth—why would she go to such lengths for Lin Xuan?
Moreover, given Su Hua’s status, she would never stoop to something so vile.
He must be overthinking it.
But whoever it was—
Lin Li’s face twisted with fury.
He would make them suffer a thousand times worse than what he had endured!
Jiang Shuqin hummed a tune as she cooked in the kitchen, her mood visibly cheerful.
The police had said the investigation was underway and that they would provide an explanation within two days.
By tomorrow at the latest, they would surely deal with Lin Xuan’s connections—or whoever he had bribed—and Lin Xuan himself would be locked up.
Jiang Shuqin wasn’t checking her phone, unaware that public opinion online had completely shifted.
Netizens, always swayed by the wind:
—I feel like an idiot, getting played like this.
—Holy crap, I actually thought Jiang Shuqin was Lin Xuan’s birth mother and wouldn’t lie about him. Turns out, she really would slander her own son!
—My god, what kind of life has Lin Xuan been living? Wasn’t he supposed to be found and brought back by the Lin family? After all that effort to find him, they treat him like this? What kind of family is this? He’s better off without them!
—The Lin family is disgusting!
—And I was supposed to watch their movies? Screw that! I’d rather watch Wolf Warrior, even if it’s a pile of crap!
After seeing the evidence in those posts—and the details released by the police—
Netizens felt like their faces had been slapped raw.
Hah. Even if Lin Li and Lin Chang had really been beaten up by Lin Xuan, they deserved it.
Old Master Su was among the first to see the clarifications.
Puffed up with pride, he posted:
"Where are all you trolls now? Barking earlier, aren’t you? Keep barking! Let’s hear it!"
The keyboard warriors who had been arguing with him earlier were now silent as mice, too afraid to show their faces.
Infuriating.
They had thought this was an open-and-shut case, so they had been so bold—only for everything to flip in an instant.
Jiang Shuqin finished cooking. When Lin Li tried to help, she stopped him.
"Lin Li, let me handle it. You’re still hurt—just rest."
"Then I’ll leave it to you, Mom."
Lin Li sat at the dining table.
Jiang Shuqin brought out dish after dish—six in total, plus a soup.
"Mom, everything smells amazing," Lin Li said, inhaling deeply.
"If it smells good, eat up. See? These are all your favorites," Jiang Shuqin said warmly. To Lin Li, she was always the doting mother.
"Okay." Lin Li nodded.
"But Mom, shouldn’t we wait for Dad and my sisters? They’ll be home soon, right?"
"Fine." Jiang Shuqin agreed.
Before eating, Lin Li pulled out his phone, eager to see how people online were tearing into Lin Xuan.
The more they cursed him, the more satisfying it felt.
Ever since Lin Xuan left the Lin family and attached himself to Su Hua, every time they clashed, Lin Li ended up losing. This time, he was finally going to crush him.
But—
This time, reality was nothing like he expected.
Instead of the usual flood of insults against Lin Xuan—
The moment he opened the trending page, a red "HOT" tag caught his eye.
#Shocking Twist in Lin Xuan vs. Lin Family Scandal—Victims Exposed as Perpetrators#
Lin Li’s pupils shrank.
What was this?
A twist?
Had the situation reversed?
His eyes dropped to the next trending topic.
#Yundu Police Release Detailed Clarification#
Seeing these two topics, Lin Li knew—things had indeed taken a turn.
Refusing to believe it, he clicked into the comments.
Before, they had been filled with curses against Lin Xuan. Now, they were all directed at Jiang Shuqin, at him, at the entire Lin family.
"How… how did this happen?" Lin Li muttered.
He had thought Lin Xuan was doomed this time—yet he had turned the tables so easily.
Lin Li clenched his phone tightly.
It must have been Su Hua—she was the one who helped Lin Xuan. There was no other way the situation could have reversed so quickly!
"Li'er, what's wrong? You look so pale. Are you feeling unwell again?" Jiang Shuqin frowned, her voice laced with concern.
"I'm fine," Lin Li forced a faint smile onto his lips.
"Where is Madam?"
Lin Chang strode into the living room, his tone grave. Behind him followed his three daughters: Lin Qingwan, Lin Qingyan, and Lin Qingxiu.
"Madam is in the dining room," a servant answered respectfully.
Without another word, Lin Chang marched straight toward the dining area.
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
