The Little Spoiled Brat Divorces with a Child, Driving the Big Boss Crazy - Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Jin Beizhou had few clear memories of first arriving at the Jin Family, but he knew he was not their child.

His adoptive parents had no time to care for him. Old Madam was still somewhat unfamiliar with him, though she treated him reasonably well.

Old Master Jin, who knew the truth, was different. He was distant and cold-blooded, and occasionally even revealed his distaste.

Jin Sinian treated him like a biological younger brother, but Jin Beizhou knew he was an outsider who had intruded into their family.

In Old Master Jin’s eyes, Jin Beizhou’s future might encroach on what rightfully belonged to Jin Sinian.

Jin Beizhou and Jin Meimei both lived under someone else’s roof, yet at times, he even pitied her because he did not possess her caution and constant fear of overstepping.

He lived as freely and recklessly as he pleased.

Of the two children raised by the Jin Family, Jin Beizhou was usually willing to lend Jin Meimei a hand, especially with the old man ordering him to do so.

But Lu Ying alone was different to him.

She was unlike anyone else.

When he faced her, Jin Beizhou hesitated. He became vulnerable. He lost his composure.

He wasn’t afraid of his origins being exposed. He was afraid that once they were, he would lose the right to approach Lu Ying.

The feeling that he was unworthy of her corroded his reason and made him guard the secret of his birth with extreme care.

Yet it was an inescapable cycle. Every possible path was wrong.

Jin Beizhou had struggled against it before. The moment he turned eighteen, he started a business. He wanted to build a family standing high enough through his own strength. He could stop relying on the Jin Family, earn his own admission ticket, and finally hold the power to choose in his own hands.

But after raising him with such difficulty, how could the old man willingly let him escape his control?

Jin Beizhou had no choice but to take over Huangting.

On his twentieth birthday, Old Master Jin and Old Madam publicly announced that Huangting would be placed under his control. Their pointed remarks praised how well suited he and Jin Meimei were. Lu Ying became furious. She refused even to attend the rest of his birthday celebration and turned around to leave.

Jin Beizhou abandoned the room full of guests and chased her into the dark night.

Lu Ying told him to leave, but her wet eyes looked pitiful.

Jin Beizhou’s heart softened into mud. He cradled her face, kissed her, and coaxed her. The suffocating resentment of being forced to take over Huangting vanished beneath one casual, clingy gesture from her.

The girl refused to let him return to the birthday banquet. She wrapped her arms around his waist, acted spoiled, and said she wanted to spend the entire night with him.

In the bachelor apartment, it hurt for both of them. The moment Lu Ying felt pain, she tried to change her mind. Driven desperate, Jin Beizhou knelt beside her and almost kowtowed.

The girl always took a mile when given an inch. After delivering a slap, she offered him a sweet reward, coaxing him with promises that they could try again next time and pouring out endless honeyed words.

She said she loved him.

She said she would never leave him for the rest of her life.

Her “rest of her life” had been so short.

Had he wronged her by calling her a liar?

Even with his baby inside her, she refused to reconcile and insisted on becoming his enemy.

Her love was so false.

False and hypocritical.

Just like his.

–

Lu Ying was sent back to Caotang that afternoon.

Jin Beizhou was afraid she would starve herself and didn’t dare delay at all.

Once a certain bastard disappeared from sight, Lu Ying finally felt comfortable.

The neighbors moved away the next day.

On the third day, Jin Beizhou moved in.

Only a token wall separated the neighboring property from Lu Ying’s. Each side could clearly see what the other was doing every day.

Jin Beizhou had bought the house.

He also installed a surveillance camera in one corner of the yard. By sheer coincidence, it happened to capture her property too.

Lu Ying called property management to complain. They were helpless and could only promise to try speaking with him.

With both hands in his pockets, Jin Beizhou leaned over the wall until half his body was visible and said mildly, “I’m in my own home. I’m not interfering with you, am I?”

“…” Lu Ying choked with rage. “You certainly have money to burn!”
The man raised an eyebrow. “Not really. I took out a loan.”

Lu Ying turned and went inside.

Behind her, Jin Beizhou spoke to Auntie Zhang. “Did she have sweet potato porridge this morning? I could smell it. I have some ham that was flown in. Take it and give her some with the porridge.”

Auntie Zhang didn’t quite dare accept it.

After she politely declined, Feibao somehow fell over the neighboring wall into their courtyard.

Jin Beizhou remained perfectly calm. He strolled over and knocked on the door, declaring righteously, “My son fell into your yard. I’m here to fish it out.”

Auntie Zhang was speechless.

After retrieving his dog-son, he still refused to leave. Jin Beizhou tugged the leash several times. When Feibao wouldn’t move, he simply gave up. “Since we’re neighbors, let me help you with some work.”

He knew how to tend the flowers and plants in the courtyard, reinforce unstable supports in the greenhouse, and inspect or repair aging wiring and door locks. If a task could be done in the courtyard, he could do it.

He did all of this behind Lu Ying’s back.

Auntie Zhang couldn’t refuse him. She had never seen a wealthy young master with such wildly contradictory sides.

He was both terrifying and absurdly amusing.

At noon, Auntie Zhang went to pull spring onions in a corner of the courtyard. A certain man next door stood by the wall and handed over two porcelain plates covered in plastic wrap. “I made these. Try them.”

Auntie Zhang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I really can’t. Yingying will find out.”

“Neighbors aren’t even allowed to share a dish?” Jin Beizhou sounded displeased. “A near neighbor is better than a distant relative. Next time I need something, I’ll ask you for help too.”

“…”

Jin Beizhou added, “Just say you made them. Don’t mention me.”

At the lunch table, Lu Ying spooned up some tender tofu with mixed vegetables and ham and couldn’t help praising it. “Auntie Zhang, this is so flavorful.”

“…” Auntie Zhang felt guilty. “Try the other dish.”

The other dish was goji shoots dressed with stone-ground sesame oil. It sat on an exquisite celadon plate, decorated with two red goji berries. Among the various nutritious dishes, its vivid green looked especially fresh and eye-catching.

“Auntie Zhang, let’s eat like this for the next few days,” Lu Ying said, full of praise. “I’m tired of all those nutrition meals.”

“…All right.”

After enjoying a comfortable meal, Lu Ying drank some juice and casually asked, “The man next door hasn’t been bothering you, has he?”

“…No,” Auntie Zhang answered without much confidence. “Feibao fell over once, and the Second Young Master came to fish it out.”

Lu Ying considered this. “Could I hide Feibao?”

“…”

“It fell into our yard on its own,” Lu Ying reasoned. “Jin Beizhou is its guardian. If it gets lost, that’s the guardian’s responsibility, right?”

Auntie Zhang coughed and reminded her, “There are surveillance cameras.”

“…”

The reminder made Lu Ying uncomfortable all over. Who wanted a neighbor’s surveillance cameras watching every corner of their property?

At that thought, Lu Ying abandoned even her afternoon nap. She immediately made a call and asked workers to raise the wall high enough that the cameras could no longer see into her courtyard.

While waiting for them, Lu Ying went outside to measure the wall. The instant her foot touched the courtyard, the “neighbor” next door hurried to the wall. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Lu Ying didn’t want to say a single word. She simply extended the tape measure.

Once he saw she was fine, Jin Beizhou visibly relaxed. He rested both arms easily atop the wall and used the opportunity to chat. “Why are you measuring it? Planning to raise the wall?”

“…” Lu Ying lifted her lashes. “Half this wall belongs to my property. Take your hands off it!”

Jin Beizhou didn’t provoke her. In perfect fairness, he withdrew one arm.

“Princess Lu,” he said mildly, “I advise you not to waste your energy. Raising the wall without authorization would be an illegal modification.”

Then, in a tone begging to be hit, he added, “I’ll file a complaint.”