Acting recklessly by relying on her influence

"The young miss is back, which means there's going to be quite a show."

Butler Wang, who always loved a good spectacle and had been dragged along by Lin Xuan to witness plenty of drama, was now brimming with excitement.

The young miss’s return was perfect timing!

Given Lin Xuan’s temperament, if he was caught in the act of tormenting someone by the young miss, he was bound to pull off some outrageous stunt.

This was going to be entertaining!

Butler Wang eagerly ordered a maid, "Quick, go fetch me a small stool and some melon seeds."

How could one enjoy such juicy gossip without these essentials?

"But..."

The maid hesitated, her gaze lingering on Xu Xiaoman and Lin Xuan.

She wanted to stay and watch the drama unfold too.

"Butler Wang, could I go later?" the maid pleaded.

She didn’t want to miss the show.

Butler Wang: "A thousand bucks. I’ll give you a thousand."

"Butler Wang, how could I possibly take your money?" The maid refused, though her tone lacked conviction.

A thousand bucks couldn’t compare to the thrill of this spectacle.

Her monthly salary was already thirty thousand—what was a measly thousand to her?

Butler Wang: "Three thousand."

The maid shook her head again. "Butler Wang, please don’t insist on giving me money. I really can’t accept it."

She put on a righteous front, as if she were truly above such temptations.

Butler Wang gritted his teeth. "Fifteen thousand. That’s enough, isn’t it?"

The maid’s eyes lit up.

That was half her monthly salary!

If she refused now, she’d be an idiot.

"Well, since you’re so insistent, I suppose I’ll go fetch them for you," the maid said, feigning reluctance.

But her feet moved without hesitation.

She sprinted toward the villa.

If she hurried back, she might still catch the drama—and pocket the fifteen thousand.

A perfect win-win!

Su Hua stepped into the garden and froze at the sight before her. "What’s going on here?"

Her gaze briefly swept over Xu Xiaoman, taking in the bloody lashes covering her body. Her brows furrowed tightly.

Then she turned to Lin Xuan, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

Seeing that he was unharmed, the tension in her expression eased.

All she cared about was Lin Xuan.

As long as he was fine, nothing else mattered—not even if the victim was her own half-sister.

Xu Xiaoman, sniffling, shuffled toward Su Hua and pointed accusingly at Lin Xuan. "Sis, look what he did to me!"

Su Hua’s frown deepened.

Lin Xuan was always gentle and never one to start trouble.

If he had done this to Xu Xiaoman, she must have provoked him somehow.

The thought sent a chilling aura radiating from Su Hua.

Oppressive.

An overwhelming, suffocating pressure.

The maids and bodyguards nearby instinctively rubbed their arms—the air had turned icy.

They all knew what this meant: Su Hua was furious.

Brows knitted in confusion, they exchanged glances.

Why was the young miss angry?

Logically, since Lin Xuan had beaten Xu Xiaoman to this state—leaving her battered while he remained unscathed—Su Hua shouldn’t be upset with Xu Xiaoman.

If she wasn’t angry at Xu Xiaoman, then the only possibility was that she was furious with Lin Xuan for beating her sister so severely.

But…

How could the young miss ever bring herself to be angry with Lin Xuan?

Did she actually favor Xu Xiaoman more? Or did she think Lin Xuan had gone too far?

The staff held their breaths, hearts pounding for Lin Xuan’s sake.

Only Butler Wang remained utterly relaxed, leisurely cracking melon seeds with one leg crossed over the other—fully immersed in the spectacle.

"Butler Wang, aren’t you worried at all?" the maid who had taken his fifteen thousand asked anxiously.

She had rushed back in just three minutes, not wanting to miss a single moment.

"Pfft—"

Butler Wang spat out a seed and gave her a dismissive glance. "What’s there to worry about?"

The maid fretted, "The young miss is angry! What if she punishes Lin Xuan?"

She had always despised Xu Xiaoman for her spoiled, entitled behavior. The girl had made her life miserable during previous visits to the estate.

She had been thrilled to finally see someone put Xu Xiaoman in her place.

If Su Hua punished Lin Xuan now, no one would dare stand up to Xu Xiaoman again.

That was the last thing she wanted.

Besides, Lin Xuan had always treated the staff kindly—she didn’t want to see him suffer.

Butler Wang remained unshaken. "Relax. The young miss isn’t angry with Lin Xuan, and she certainly won’t punish him. Your concern is unnecessary."

Su Hua adored Lin Xuan—how could she ever be angry with him?

Even if he had beaten Xu Xiaoman to a pulp, or even Su Hua herself, she wouldn’t bat an eye.

Especially since she had no real affection for Xu Xiaoman to begin with.

"Butler Wang, how can you be so sure?" the maid pressed.

Butler Wang shrugged. "No proof. Just a feeling that no matter what happens, the young miss will always side with Lin Xuan. If you don’t believe me, just wait and see."

His confidence made the maid second-guess herself.

Was that really the case?

Then why was Su Hua so furious?

Xu Xiaoman, seeing the storm in Su Hua’s expression, also assumed her sister was angry at Lin Xuan.

She shot him a triumphant smirk.

She had been right—her sister would always take her side.

They were bound by blood, after all. Lin Xuan was just a kept man, a pretty face Su Hua pampered. How could he possibly compare?

Tears welled up as Xu Xiaoman whimpered, "Sis, look what he did to me!"

She gestured at her tattered clothes, the fabric torn and stained with blood, her flesh split open in places.

The sight was gruesome.

The more she spoke, the more pitiful she became, until genuine tears spilled over.

She had been coddled her entire life—how could she endure such humiliation?

And to be beaten by a mere plaything? It was unbearable.

Right now, she wished she could carve Lin Xuan into pieces.

"He knew I was your sister, yet he still did this. He’s clearly taking advantage of your favor to act recklessly!"

Lin Xuan simply watched her with amusement, not bothering to interrupt.

At Xu Xiaoman’s words, the frost in Su Hua’s aura lessened slightly.

She loved nothing more than Lin Xuan wielding her influence to do as he pleased.

Thanks to Yike Wen, Beimu Shuangfeng, and other lovely readers for your gifts.

Goodnight, everyone.