"What's going on?"
Xia Xue fumbled with her clothes, her brow furrowed as she listened.
It sounded a bit like…
At first, Xia Xue suspected she had misheard.
After all, it was just her and Song Yue at home, and no one else…
No!
It was New Year's, and Lin Fan hadn't left yet!
Xia Xue's heart skipped a beat.
Could it be the two of them?
With that thought, Xia Xue finished dressing.
She tiptoed out of bed, then tiptoed to the door and listened.
"Xiao Fan, it's time, we need to wake up your sister-in-law."
Song Yue's voice was urgent, and Xia Xue understood everything as soon as she heard it.
It was them after all!
Although Xia Xue had suspected it before, she hadn't thought too much about it.
After all, Lin Fan had grown up in front of her, and she didn't think Lin Fan was the type of person to do such things.
It was precisely because of her trust in Lin Fan, and Song Yue's status as a young mother, that she always told herself not to gossip like those old busybodies.
But now, hearing it with her own ears, she couldn't deny it.
In an instant, she felt a wave of panic, her legs grew weak, and she almost lost her balance and collapsed.
She suddenly thought of a saying: When men get rich, they become bad!
Xiao Fan had money now, and he was already starting to act recklessly with it.
It's just that…
Song Yue was too much, selling herself for a little money and gold jewelry…
Xia Xue's mind was in a mess, and she didn't know whether to blame Lin Fan for not learning good things or Song Yue for being shameless.
She never expected that such a thing would happen on a perfectly good New Year's Day.
The thought of Lin Fan and Song Yue being intimate countless times before twisted her heart like a knife.
Did they not consider her existence?
They were too outrageous!
Xia Xue remembered Lin Fan's innocent and kind side, and her heart ached with unspeakable sadness.
When did he become bad?
Or was Song Yue deliberately seducing him?
Xia Xue's mind was in a complete turmoil, and she had no idea what to do.
Unexpectedly, she didn't feel a shred of betrayal, but instead, she worried about Lin Fan.
She was afraid Song Yue was a greedy woman who would lead Lin Fan astray bit by bit.
The sound of fireworks and firecrackers continued to ring out, and the sounds from that room grew louder and louder.
Xia Xue's face turned bright red, and she tiptoed back to bed, pretending to be asleep.
Ten minutes later, Song Yue pushed open the door and called out, "Sister Xue, wake up quickly. I was watching the Spring Festival Gala and got drowsy. When I opened my eyes, it was already late at night."
Song Yue tied up her hair, revealing a silly, embarrassed smile, trying her best to hide any unusual expression from Xia Xue.
Xia Xue mumbled "mm-hmm" and then pretended to be sleepy, asking softly, "Did I oversleep?"
"Oh, it's New Year's, just sleep as much as you want. I overslept too."
Seeing that Xia Xue was oblivious, Song Yue finally relaxed.
After Xia Xue lifted the blanket and sat up, Song Yue asked nervously, "Why aren't you taking off your clothes when you sleep?"
"Oh, I thought I'd have to get up again later, so I just slept in my clothes."
A flash of panic crossed Xia Xue's eyes, and she quickly explained.
Song Yue took a deep breath and finally put her heart at ease. "Xiao Fan is still watching TV."
Xia Xue said nothing.
Not watching TV, but exhausted and resting!
After folding the blanket, Xia Xue followed Song Yue out of the room.
The main door was open, and the main house was filled with the smell of gunpowder.
Xia Xue understood what was going on as soon as she thought about it.
She deliberately asked in confusion, "Xiao Fan, why didn't you close the door?"
"Huh?" Lin Fan was startled. "Oh, I forgot. No wonder it's so cold."
As he spoke, Lin Fan walked over and closed the door.
"Someone was setting off fireworks just now, it was beautiful. I wanted to call you to watch together, but I thought you were sleeping, so I didn't bother you."
Lin Fan smiled and added, "Sister-in-law, you slept so soundly, even the loud firecrackers didn't wake you up."
He was guilty and making small talk.
Xia Xue's gaze was fixed on him, observing the person most important to her.
For some reason, when she couldn't see him, she was always thinking of him.
But when she actually faced him, complex emotions always spread through her heart.
As she thought, Xia Xue suddenly burst into tears!
"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"
Lin Fan was instantly flustered.
Song Yue was even more flustered than Lin Fan.
Seeing Xia Xue cry, her pretty face turned as pale as paper.
At this moment, Song Yue deeply regretted her momentary foolishness, believing Lin Fan's sweet words and doing such a preposterous thing.
"I'm fine, I just had a nightmare."
Xia Xue wiped her tears and explained, "I dreamed that you were leaving, and no matter how I called you, you wouldn't come back, and I couldn't catch up to you."
"Sister-in-law, that's not true."
Lin Fan gently hugged his sister-in-law.
"I'm here. Wherever you are, I am too."
Lin Fan murmured as he stroked his sister-in-law's back.
"Mmm."
Xia Xue's tears streamed down her face.
She had had enough of a hard life and was afraid of losing her current happy life.
But…
Were everything Xiao Fan had said before a lie?
Seeing Xia Xue crying sadly, Song Yue felt extremely guilty.
She had always known that Lin Fan liked Xia Xue.
It was she who forcefully inserted herself between them, shamelessly clinging to Lin Fan like a piece of dog-skin plaster.
But what could she do!
As a woman with a child, how could she live without a man?
Lin Fan was undoubtedly her best choice!
"Sister-in-law, don't cry, it's New Year's, be happy!"
Lin Fan coaxed her for a long time before Xia Xue stopped crying.
Looking at his sister-in-law's tear-reddened eyes, his heart ached as if being cut by a knife.
Xia Xue forced a smile. "Don't worry about me for now, we still have to worship the ancestors. Xiao Fan, have you prepared the paper money?"
"Yes."
Lin Fan took his sister-in-law's hand and walked to the offering table.
They lit incense and burned paper money.
Since this was Song Yue's family home, they could only worship separately.
Song Yue had suggested combining the offerings and worshipping together, but Xia Xue refused.
The two families were not related, so there was no reason to worship together.
Every year at this time, Xia Xue would pray for her ancestors to bless Lin Fan and ensure his safe return from collecting herbs in the mountains.
But this year, Xia Xue prayed: "I beg you to bless Lin Fan and keep him from going astray…"
That was all Xia Xue asked of Lin Fan.
"Ancestors bless me and my sister-in-law to become a couple. She is the daughter-in-law of the Lin family, she was, and she will always be…"
Lin Fan's expression was solemn. He bowed three times and placed the incense into the censer.
Suddenly, Lin Fan's face blushed.
Since there were monsters in the world, wouldn't there be immortals too!
If the ancestors were truly spiritual, wouldn't they have already seen his and Song Yue's affair?
The more he thought about it, the more his face darkened. He quickly chanted in his heart: "Old ancestors, please forgive me, I am only doing this for the Lin family to flourish and continue the lineage. My intentions were good, they were good!"