Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Yun Jing Lin Family, Descendants of Heavenly Music Workshop

Lin was a common surname. But their clan traced itself back to Heavenly Music Workshop.

Among Shen Zhou’s Six Great Sects, Heavenly Music Workshop had been the only Jiang Hu force made up entirely of women, famed for mastering classical instruments.

Heavenly Music musicians—when their strings stirred the five tones, even gods and ghosts were startled.

Three hundred years ago, after that war, Heavenly Music Workshop was destroyed. Still, a portion of their disciples carried the legacy forward.

The Lin Family had many branches. The River City Lin Family did not rank among River City’s top ten, but the Yun Jing Lin Family was one of Yun Jing’s Five Great Magnate Families—and the orthodox inheritor of Heavenly Music Workshop’s tradition.

The Lin Family prized daughters. Their musical arts were passed only to women, never to men.

If a branch produced a daughter who could pass the main family’s assessment, that branch could return to the main line.

In Lin Huai Jin’s branch, only Lin Qin showed extraordinary talent on the guqin. The Lin Family took that very seriously.

“I don’t know what she wants,” Lin Wo Yu said at last, “but I’m telling you now—if you’re unhappy, don’t show it. If you upset your grandmother and ruin her health, don’t blame me when I deal with you.”

Lin Yue rolled his eyes. “We won’t be the ones upsetting Grandmother.”

Lin Qin did not speak, but irritation churned in her chest.

She did not want anything to do with Ye Wan Lan. Every time classmates used Ye Wan Lan’s “stand-in” status as a joke, Lin Qin felt secondhand embarrassment.

Fortunately, when Ye Wan Lan came back to the Lin Family, she did not change her surname. Not many people knew she was Lin Qin’s cousin.

Lin Qin’s expression stayed flat.

Still, she wanted to see what Ye Wan Lan was up to now.

—

On the drive to the old residence, Lin Huai Jin sat at the wheel. Xu Pei Qing and Lin Wen Li sat in the back. Ye Wan Lan took the passenger seat.

The car felt sealed in silence.

At a red light, Lin Huai Jin finally asked, “How did the counseling session go?”

Ye Wan Lan answered smoothly. “He said I’m just a little depressed. My inner world is beautiful, and my morals are upright.”

Lin Huai Jin visibly relaxed. “Good. When we get there, behave yourself.”

Ye Wan Lan lowered her voice. “I haven’t seen Grandmother in a long time. I wonder how her health has been.”

“Just don’t make your grandmother angry,” Lin Huai Jin said with a tired sigh. “I also hope you truly found your way back.”

Half an hour later, they arrived.

Lin Huai Jin went to park. Ye Wan Lan followed behind Xu Pei Qing and Lin Wen Li into the hall.

The other branches were already there, along with several cousins.

“Pei Qing is here! Come, sit, sit!”

“Wen Li, Qin Qin told us you’re popular at school. Good grades too. How are you so capable?”

Xu Pei Qing and Lin Wen Li took their seats. Only then did the Lin Family’s attention drift—almost grudgingly—toward Ye Wan Lan.

She still wore the modern Chinese-style outfit. Her long hair was pinned up with a wooden hairpin, revealing a pale, slender neck. Green-jade earrings hung at her ears.

A hush fell.

Everyone thought of the same phrase:

Unmatched beauty.

“No wonder she could be Miss Sheng Yun Yi’s stand-in,” Lin Yue muttered under his breath. “She’s got the looks…”

Lin Wo Yu slapped his shoulder. “Shut up.”

Lin Qin frowned slightly.

She had run into Ye Wan Lan once or twice over the years. Ye Wan Lan had never carried herself like this.

On the main seat, Lin Wei Lan had been resting with her eyes closed. She opened them sharply, gaze bright—then smiled.

“A Lan is back.”

“Grandmother, I came in a rush and didn’t prepare anything special.” Ye Wan Lan set a tea box down.

“It’s enough that you came.” Lin Wei Lan beckoned her over, smile deepening. “Come here. Let Grandmother look at you. I haven’t seen you in so long.”

Shock rippled around the room.

Lin Qing Wen and his wife exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting.

Lin Yue could not hold it in. “Mom, Ye Wan Lan’s done so many awful things. How can Grandmother—”

“Shut up,” Lin Wo Yu snapped.

Lin Yue bristled, but he did not dare continue.

Lin Wei Lan was the family head. Her authority was absolute.

Ye Wan Lan stepped forward and bent at the waist.

“Coming back is good,” Lin Wei Lan murmured. Moisture gathered in her eyes. “Grandmother is happy. It wasn’t easy…”

Something flickered in Ye Wan Lan’s gaze.

“A Lan,” Lin Wei Lan ordered, “sit here with Grandmother.”

Then she turned to the room. “It’s late. Everyone sit. Steward, serve the dishes.”

The blatant favoritism made many people uncomfortable.

Even Lin Huai Jin was stunned. He thought he had already indulged Ye Wan Lan plenty—otherwise he would not have allowed her to move back in. How was Lin Wei Lan even more biased, to the point of ignoring right and wrong?

Madam Lin leaned toward her husband, baffled. “What is Old Madam thinking?”

“How would I know?” Lin Qing Wen replied under his breath. “Don’t worry. Even if Mom favors her, it won’t help. My eldest niece is beyond saving.”

Madam Lin considered it and finally relaxed.

Then Lin Wei Lan said, “A Lan’s birthday is coming up, isn’t it? What birthday gift do you want?”

The table fell silent.

Ye Wan Lan spoke calmly. “Grandmother, why don’t you give me that small company, Hui Teng?”

Lin Wei Lan paused. “Why Hui Teng?”

Hui Teng was a Lin Family business on the verge of bankruptcy, involved in clothing. Lin Wei Lan herself had nearly forgotten it existed.

Ye Wan Lan’s voice stayed light. “I want to try managing a company.”

She had never hidden her ambition.

Power and authority—of course she liked them.

The world was beautiful. How could anyone not be reluctant to let it go?

In the life when she had been Princess Yong Ning, her greatest regret was the goal she had never completed.

In this life, her body had been stolen without warning, catching her unprepared. Many plans had not even begun.

But now, it was not too late.

“Good,” Lin Wei Lan said, laughing suddenly. “You’ve got guts. If you want it, take it. Do whatever you like with it.”

Even Lin Huai Jin jolted. “Mom, that’s not—”

Lin Wei Lan looked at him.

Lin Huai Jin swallowed the word rules.

“A Lan,” Lin Wei Lan said, patting Ye Wan Lan’s hand, “stay at the old residence tonight. I’ll transfer Hui Teng into your name in a bit.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” Ye Wan Lan nodded. “I want to check your health.”

“No need.” Lin Wei Lan waved, still smiling. “It’s an old problem. Seeing you back is enough. And honestly, seeing you… I already feel lighter.”

Ye Wan Lan looped an arm through hers, tone firm. “Grandmother. Just let me take a look.”

Lin Wei Lan gave her a helpless smile. “Fine. Fine. We’ll do it your way.”

“Old Madam has a dedicated caretaker,” Madam Lin said coolly, staring at Ye Wan Lan. “Even if something is wrong, we’ll be here. So could you stop using the tricks you use on men on your grandmother?”