Chapter 7 - Speedy Escape
Lin Quan sat by the window, cheerily planning his future. Staring at his newly
increased HP, he was in a good mood as he looked forward to the life ahead.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, based on my observations, Qian Gu has an amazing
physique. Nabbing both a hottie and wealth while boosting my HP—this marriage
of convenience life couldn't be sweeter.
System: Ahem, dear host, please wipe off your drool and stop acting like a
lech. One moment you're clinging onto his hand, the next you’re hugging him
refusing to let go. Do you think Qian Gu is an idiot? You haven't
even set foot in the Qian family yet—aren't you afraid his impression of you
will be in the negatives?
Lin Quan: If it goes negative, then so be it. If it helps bump up my HP, I'll
roll up my sleeves, grow a thick skin, and cling on like my life depends on
it.
After that, Lin Quan and the System meticulously went over the assets under
his name. These were the very foundation of his survival.
As long as the Lin family’s fortune was intact, so was his little life. He
needed to make the most of every advantage at his disposal. The sight of the
colossal wealth right before his eyes was blinding. Lin Quan felt his heart
race with excitement.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, I really am loaded. This feeling of having a mine at
home[1] is just… wow.
Lin Quan: So many companies, so much land, and all sorts of other hidden
income is really considerable too. The Lin family is incredible, accumulating
such a substantial fortune.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, do you think being a Lin family heir means that after
they get sick, they unlock some special money-making skill?
Lin Quan: I mean, they've had such a bizarre rule in place for a long time,
yet not only has the family fortune not been taken away from them, but it’s
also even growing. Is that why the Lin family only allows people who are ill
to become heirs?
System: That's an interesting theory. Work hard, host, don't let the Lin
family fortune go to ruin in your hands.
Lin Quan: Talking about this stresses me out. The little Young Master Lin also
got the same hereditary illness, what skill did he unlock?
Lin Quan: But the Lin family fell to ruin in his hands and he met a tragic
end. Does that mean his money-making skill didn't get unlocked? This is
terrible, I have no advantage; life's tough.
System: This host here, are you ignoring my existence right now?
Lin Quan: …
Lin Quan: Ahem, my bad Little Temtem, I forgot about you. I’ve got a
system—one of a kind! Victory’s in the bag!
He already had a divination system, what other special ability could be want?
No, adults don't choose[2]—the special money-making skill and the system, he
wanted them all.
Even though Lin Quan didn't know why he ended up here, since he's here now and
was now the "young master of the Lin family", he'd stop the tragedy from
happening. He'd avoid that grim fate of death and keep the family
fortune intact. He wouldn't let the Lin family decline on his watch.
Despite the mountain of troubles all around him, the thought of leaving the
sanatorium had Lin Quan grinning from ear to ear. He was practically radiating
with dazzling joy and it spread all the way to Elder Qian.
Elder Qian lifted his teacup and asked, "You're smiling so happily—something
good has happened?"
"Yes, something great." Lin Quan nodded like a bobblehead. He had reached an
agreement with Qian Gu and secured the opportunity to work with the Qian
family; it was something worth celebrating. Before long, their engagement
would be announced and he'd be calling Elder Qian, Grandpa instead.
"Grandpa Qian," Lin Quan scooted forward and asked shamelessly, "what kind of
things does Qian Gu like? I want to get him a meaningful gift, but I'm not
sure what would be suitable."
Just because the system wouldn't tell him didn't mean Lin Quan couldn't find
it out on his own. Even if it was out of respect for the person he was working
with, it was only right that he knew the other party's preferences.
Elder Qian tilted his head slightly, looking into Lin Quan’s sparkling eyes as
he said with a smile, "Ah, youth… So full of energy every day. In that case,
how about you keep me company to meet the young guest who will be arriving
soon? You're about the same age and would have things in common. I'm sure
it'll be more fun than chatting with an old man like me."
Lin Quan was about to ask who it was when the System abruptly cut him off.
System: If you want to live, don't ask who’s coming, and definitely don't meet
him.
Lin Quan: What's wrong, Little Temtem? Who's coming?
System: Childhood Friend No. 7
Lin Quan: I… He…
Lin Quan: Ugh, fine, you win. Even if I can't afford to can't mess with him, I
could at least hide…
With an "Aiyo!", Lin Quan dramatically doubled over while clutching his
stomach as he pulled a pained expression. "Ah, ow! It hurts! I must've eaten
something bad. My stomach suddenly hurts so much. Grandpa Qian, please go
ahead with your business. Don't need to wait for me."
With that, Lin Quan bolted to the toilet without a second thought.
System: Really, host? Couldn't you have come up with something more
sophisticated? Such a basic, lame excuse like needing the toilet, paired with
your terrible acting—it's simply painful to watch.
Lin Quan: Well, shrugs.
I'm stupid; I don't know any sophisticated methods. Time was tight, and I
didn't have the energy to overthink it. Besides, what's so bad about a toilet
excuse? An excuse that works is a good excuse.
Through the door, Lin Quan heard Elder Qian ask him, "Do you need me to call a
doctor?"
"No need," Lin Quan hurriedly refused, "It's just a minor problem, I'll be
fine in a bit—no doctor needed."
Don't even joke about it! If the doctor came, his lie would be exposed, and
then what? He’d be done for.
Outside, Elder Qian smiled and shook his head, not pressing the matter
further.
Just like Qian Gu said, Lin Quan’s more interesting than the other candidates
for marriage—he's quite the unusual young man. To call Lin Quan dumb actually
wasn't quite accurate. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if he’s genuinely clueless
or just pretending to be. His true thoughts seem to be obvious yet elusive.
Lin Quan's thinking always seemed a few beats behind, but in crucial moments
like this, he was surprisingly sharp. He'd slip away at lightning speed, as if
he had a sixth sense for danger.
Soon, a bodyguard came up to the elder and reported respectfully, "Sir, Young
Master Fu has arrived."
"Ah, these youngsters," Elder Qian chuckled, "Since he's here, we might as
well meet him. All these love troubles between young people… It's not like
telling them to an old man like me would do anything."
The bodyguard wheeled Elder Qian out of the hospital room. Lin Quan did not
come out immediately. Instead, he leaned against the door with his ear pressed
against it, quietly listening for a few minutes.
Lin Quan: Have they left, Little Temtem?
System: Yes.
Lin Quan: They won't suddenly come back, will they?
System: No.
Lin Quan: Didn't you say Childhood Friend No. 7 wouldn't come? Little Temtem,
is there something wrong with the intel you gathered?
System: I said Childhood Friend No. 7 wouldn't actively seek you out. He's
here, but not to see you. Your actual room is on the sixth floor, this is the
fifth. He's here for Elder Qian.
Lin Quan: Is he here for the marriage alliance between the Qian and Fu
families? Didn't Qian Gu already reject him? He's still unwilling to give up?
System: The Fu family’s been planning this for ages, using Childhood Friend
No. 7 himself as a bargaining chip. If you were in his shoes, and you were
this close to scoring, but was unexpectedly rejected, would you take it lying
down?
Lin Quan: It's not like I'm someone who plays all these mind games. Where
would I even get such ideas? As for that document, if I had signed it, would
things have turned out completely different? Would Childhood Friend No. 7 be
able to secure that marriage alliance with the Qian family as he wished?
System: What's done is done; no point dwelling on "what ifs".
Lin Quan: You're right. I didn't sign it, means I didn't sign it; I didn't
give it to him, and that’s that. There are no "what ifs".
Lin Quan: Good thing you reminded me in time just now, Little Temtem. Elder
Qian is too mean. I merely asked about Qian Gu's preferences and nearly got
dragged off to meet Childhood Friend No. 7. Life's hard; who knows if the next
step will bring a pleasant surprise or a nasty shock.
Wary of Childhood Friend No. 7 lurking nearby, Lin Quan stayed put that day,
obediently staying in his hospital room.
He didn't get out but that didn't stop visitors from showing up uninvited.
Group after group of visitors came to try their luck with all kinds of excuses
but alas, none of them managed to get in.
Lin Quan quietly praised the Qian family’s bodyguards for being good at their
job. Unlike the ones sent by the Lin family who were totally unreliable. All
they did was keep him under constant surveillance while relaying his every
move in real-time, allowing annoying pests to prance around in front of him.
Arrangements made by his family were less trustworthy than that of outsiders…
Human nature was unpredictable; Lin Quan chose to keep his opinions to
himself.
However, despite his best efforts, Lin Quan ultimately overlooked one person.
Feeling utterly speechless, he stared at the doctor in front of him. It was
his very own attending physician, who had been bought off—how ridiculous!
The doctor's reason which successfully gave him clearance into the room was
simple—he needed to discuss Lin Quan’s condition. As Lin Quan's waking hours
increased, there was a need to make appropriate adjustments to the dosage of
his medication. But as soon as the doctor entered, he immediately switched
from doctor mode to a negotiator of sorts.
The attending physician was untrustworthy, and whether or not Lin Quan could
safely take the prescribed medicine was a major headache for him.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, keep a close eye on these people for me. They have
bad intentions and could strike at any time.
System: Don't worry, they won't poison you.
Lin Quan: As long as the money's still in my hands, I'm more valuable alive.
How would they be able to get their hands on the Lin family fortune if they
replaced the heir of the Lin family with a brilliant genius?
Lin Quan felt extremely troubled. At the end of the day, it was because he
lacked strong, reliable support around him.
He had two older brothers, but according to the Lin family's tradition, they
couldn't become heirs. His silly eldest brother took things in stride. He had
built a business of his own and didn't care much for the Lin family's
attitude, living a carefree and easy life.
Meanwhile, his second brother was perpetually bitter. He believed himself
superior to Lin Quan in every way, yet he couldn't get the position he felt he
deserved, and felt it was deeply unfair. In his eyes, the ill should just
focus on getting better, not hold the reins of the Lin family’s power.
Lin Quan took a sip of water and silently sized up the doctor in front of him.
Lin Quan just needed to say the word and the ever-diligent bodyguards would
remove the doctor in an instant.
But he didn't do that. The other party had taken the trouble to make it before
him, he might as well let the man finish his spiel once and for all and find
out exactly who he was working for. Meanwhile, Lin Quan deeply reflected on
his lack of crisis awareness and vowed to learn from this experience.
Lin Quan listened to the doctor's long-winded speech while chatting with the
System.
Whether it was words of persuasion or provocation, it had no effect on Lin
Quan. It didn't stir his emotions in the slightest.
Lin Quan: Little Temtem, this guy really is singing the praises of Childhood
Friend No. 6 to the heavens.
Lin Quan: I admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but to blatantly lie
to my face like this, isn't it a bit too much? Even though he's singing
words of praise, they sounded so thorny. On the surface, he was complimenting
Childhood Friend No. 6, but really he was setting him up for a fall.
Lin Quan: If it were the original little Young Master Lin, these words would
definitely add fuel to fire.
System: If he's not helping Childhood Friend No. 6, who do you think he’s
helping?
Lin Quan: Obviously, Childhood Friend No. 7. Stirring me up and driving a
wedge between me and No. 6 would benefit No. 7 the most. No. 6 came by the
sanatorium yesterday, and we actually got along for once. That's definitely
the last thing No. 7 wants to see.
An hour and a half later, Lin Quan propped his chin up with one hand and
flashed the doctor a smile. "You done?"
Doctor: "…"
The doctor’s throat was practically smoking from all the talking, yet Lin Quan
looked as happy as a clam, clearly enjoying the show he put up.
"Well, if you're done then off you go." Lin Quan waved him away. "I won't be
seeing you out; take care."
1. Written as "家里有矿". I translated it directly. It's
a meme that's used to say that someone is filthy rich, like they have a mine
of wealth that they can keep digging into.↩
2. Written as "成年人不做选择题" which is a variation of the
online saying "小孩子才做选择题，成年人当然是全都要" meaning "only children
have to make a choice, adults, of course, can have it all".↩
A/N:
Lin Quan: Good thing I made a speedy escape and hid from Childhood Friend No. 7
Qian Gu: Rather than hiding, why not just crush him?
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reading experience ahahah what a tongue twister XD
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Thank yous!! (˶‾᷄ ⁻̫ ‾᷅˵)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great day!!
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