After the Cannon Fodder A Accidentally Marked the Paranoid Female Lead - Chapter 48

During these few days at the He manor, Ming Sian’s impression of the family was that all conflict stayed underground while the surface had to be maintained as absolutely peaceful; although people had picked on her a few times, they didn’t dare do anything openly.

Given He Yining’s status, picking on her was a slap to He Yining’s face; aside from the core members of the third generation, who would dare cause her trouble?

However, ancestral worship was a strict affair, and no one would look for trouble at such a time; bickering was one thing, but if someone lost face now, they could expect severe punishment.

It wasn’t that no one wanted to take the opportunity to frame someone, but they would have to guarantee 100% success and distance themselves completely; no one had that confidence. After all, once a frame-up was discovered, the perpetrator would be punished tenfold and might even be driven out of the He family.

The He family rules were strict, and mistakes were never condoned. Although internal fighting was fierce, it was actually mostly minor squabbles; the family encouraged them to compete through winning cases but did not allow them to be devious.

Scheming was fine, and planning was fine, but they couldn’t create scandals. That is to say, play and argue all you want, but do not make a joke of the family’s glory.

Therefore, Ming Sian’s days were relatively peaceful—likely just a fleeting peace. Once the New Year passed, conspiracies and tricks would surely appear. If they didn’t do it themselves, others would; no one lacked partners or people to do their dirty work.

Just as Ming Sian thought the He family matters were over, He Moyu suddenly requested to see her and wouldn’t let He Yining follow.

How could He Yining listen to them? When Ming Sian stood before them, He Yining was there too.

Seeing Ming Sian but not letting her go—could it be they wanted to use coercion and bribery?

He Yining knew her mothers well enough; if they couldn’t achieve what they wanted, they would use any means necessary.

The moment they saw He Yining, their faces darkened with displeasure; they had been defied by their biological daughter once again.

“He Yining, now that you have your grandmother backing you, do you feel you no longer need us?” He Moyu said with a heavy face, her eyes full of dissatisfaction toward He Yining.

He Yining also showed Ming Sian a different side of herself. “The time when I needed you has passed.”

When she was bullied as a child or when she was sick, it was always the nanny.

Once as a child, she had a fever of nearly $40$°C; their first reaction upon learning this was whether it would affect her studies and if she could continue learning, because her schedule was packed every day and being sick would affect her progress.

When her cousins bullied her—such vicious bullying—they stood by and watched, and wouldn’t even let her rest for a single day.

She had needed them very much as a child, but she was grown now.

As a grown-up, she no longer needed her mothers; the “family law” that day had also scattered the last bit of affection between them.

He Moyu didn’t understand her words, thinking she was speaking about resources. “We spent a great deal of effort nurturing you. You aren’t even the head of the He family yet, but you want to completely abandon us? He Yining, don’t you think it’s too early? Marrying such a person—is it to spite us? Or did your grandmother promise you something? Even if she promised you, she certainly didn’t mean for you to be with someone like this.”

He Yining didn’t know what her grandmother wanted, but she knew one thing for certain: even if her grandmother disagreed, she wouldn’t let Ming Sian leave.

She couldn’t deny that signing the agreement with Ming Sian was initially because of her grandmother’s words and her mothers’ pressure, but later added the perfect pheromone match. They were very suitable together; mainly, she was infatuated with the scent of cherry rum.

Not only could she fall asleep without relying on medicine or alcohol, but more importantly, it was a feeling of being alive.

Alive? What a strange feeling. She had always thought of herself as a machine, a soulless walking corpse that just had to follow a setting for a lifetime. In her time with Ming Sian, she experienced a special feeling—a resonance from the soul.

For the first time, she felt the existence of her own soul.

She didn’t plan to leave Ming Sian, nor would she allow Ming Sian to leave her.

If one day Ming Sian tried to leave, she would keep her even if she had to use force.

But some people always thought she was after something by being with Ming Sian; over time, Ming Sian might also start to believe those doubts.

“Then who do you think I should be with?” He Yining’s tone was light and her expression flat, making it impossible to read her intent.

He Moyu stared at her coldly for a long while before looking at Ming Sian. “And you? Do you think the two of you are a match?”

She only partially understood her daughter, but she was certain of one thing: once He Yining made a decision, it was impossible to change it.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have called Ming Sian over. Although she and Shen Buyou were forceful, they wouldn’t go so far as to find an outsider to solve this—and yes, to them, Ming Sian was an outsider.

But with He Yining’s lack of cooperation, they could only look for Ming Sian.

Ming Sian lowered her eyes and smiled. Was she about to encounter the “hitting the lovebirds with a stick” trope from TV dramas? Offering her money to get lost? What should she say?

Perhaps she could use this money to pay off her debt? She owed He Yining so much money; if she paid it off directly, the two of them could go their separate ways.

Ming Sian looked at He Yining with a smile, her meaning obvious: Won’t you answer this question for me?

He Yining gave her a look that said “handle it yourself” and stood aside silently, wanting to hear what she would say.

“A match.” Ming Sian only answered the literal meaning of He Moyu’s question. Perhaps they thought she should explain a lot to prove she was worthy of He Yining, but why should she explain?

He Moyu: “…”

A trace of a smile appeared in He Yining’s eyes, very satisfied with Ming Sian’s answer.

“A match? Where do you get such confidence?”

“I gave it to myself.”

“…”

It had to be said, Ming Sian’s answer was truly irritating, and it also showed the displeasure in her heart.

Of course she was displeased. Jokes aside, what did He Moyu and the others mean by calling her over to say these things? Thinking she wasn’t good enough for He Yining and could make He Yining break up with her—when they couldn’t handle He Yining, they came to insult her? That was very annoying.

He Moyu frowned, not wanting to say more to her. “Five million.”

Ming Sian laughed. “I thought members of the He family were more generous. I didn’t expect it to be only five million.”

“Giving an inch and taking a mile.”

He Moyu gave a cold snort. “Ten million.”

Ming Sian looked at He Yining. “I was thinking, the money I’d get from marrying and then divorcing you would be more than ten million, right? Even if we don’t get married, would Sister not give me ten million?”

They still overlooked He Yining’s generosity toward her. One must know that the closet full of clothes and watches already exceeded ten million; one could say these weren’t as good as cash flow, but they had only just started and He Yining was already this generous—would she treat her poorly in the future?

He Moyu underestimated her own daughter too much. Did she really think He Yining was a stingy person?

He Yining met Ming Sian’s gaze. “Yes, I will give it to you.”

The time they had spent together wasn’t long. The Ming Sian in the dream was the type who would keep a ledger of every cent spent on her, intending to pay it back later.

And the real Ming Sian, she could also be certain, was not a person of greed. Otherwise, when she prepared so many things last time, Ming Sian’s reaction wasn’t happiness but difficulty—as if she were struggling with whether she should accept those things.

She prepared those things so Ming Sian could attend certain occasions, but even if those things were sold second-hand, they could fetch a lot of money—for example, that laptop, which was near-new and could still be sold for a good price.

He Yining knew very well that the moment Ming Sian confirmed the laptop was a reward, she listed it on a second-hand platform. Later, she prepared so many things that still sat untouched in the closet.

She didn’t mind Ming Sian selling things second-hand; she had prepared a lot, and if they couldn’t be used up, selling some was fine. But Ming Sian hadn’t sold a single thing.

Especially some of the watches and brooches; Ming Sian hadn’t even unpacked one, and they remained in their original spots.

The brooches used before were also well-preserved by Ming Sian, with no intention of continued use.

She also knew that Ming Sian hadn’t given up her dorm room; clearly, the other party didn’t trust her, nor did she believe the two could be together for very long.

In short, Ming Sian’s behavior in both the dream and reality made He Yining feel she was different from others.

Ming Sian’s answer was clearly meant to irritate He Moyu.

He Moyu watched the two of them acting in concert and knew that today’s matter ended here.

She knew that as long as He Yining stood beside her, how could Ming Sian agree? No matter how tempted, she wouldn’t agree, because while ten million was easy to take, He Yining’s subsequent revenge wouldn’t be easy to withstand.

He Moyu had planned this: within the budget, she wouldn’t regret how much she gave Ming Sian, nor would she ask anyone for it back. But He Yining was a different story; after knowing her person had been bribed, wouldn’t He Yining go mad?

At that time, Ming Sian wouldn’t be able to keep the money and would even get a lesson—why not?

They just hadn’t expected the situation to progress like this.

He Moyu looked coldly at the two, while Shen Buyou kept brewing tea as if she weren’t paying attention to the conversation at all.

When things stalled, Shen Buyou put down her cup. “In the future, your mother and I will not interfere with your decisions. You are grown and have your own thoughts, but many things are not as difficult as you think.”

“That’s right. Your grandmother’s favored successor is you, but one thing: once your grandmother is gone, there will be no one to suppress the He family. Your eldest uncle, second uncle, and aunt are not to be trifled with. Your cousins wish you were dead. Without the help of your mother and me, how can you fight them?”

“We can allow you to be with Ming Sian…”

He Yining reached out her hand to signal a pause. “Whether you agree or not won’t change my decision.”

Shen Buyou was silent for a moment, then nodded. “OK. Your mother and I can’t control you. Since the matter is settled and you don’t treat us as your family—fine, then let’s cooperate.”

Cooperate? Truly strange—a mother and daughter talking about cooperation.

He Yining sat on the sofa, looking like the two sides were now negotiating a partnership; she accepted it quite quickly.

For them, a cooperative relationship was more reliable than a family relationship.

He Moyu showed no sign of surprise, nor did she object; it seemed they had discussed this.

Indeed, they wanted to obtain more benefits, and cooperating with He Yining was the best path; regardless, their relationship was something no one else could match.

The bit with Ming Sian just now was merely an appetizer before the main course.

Ming Sian sat closer to He Yining; the distance between them was so close they seemed stuck together, very intimate.

Their intimacy made He Moyu and Shen Buyou look at each other; both could see the shock in the other’s eyes. They thought He Yining was just humoring the family and Ming Sian was after money, yet they didn’t expect them to be this close.

He Yining was different from others; even as a child, she wouldn’t let even her two mothers touch her, reacting strongly and radiating a coldness that couldn’t be ignored.

But He Yining didn’t reject Ming Sian’s closeness at all, even when they were pressed close together, even when Ming Sian naturally took her arm and the two interlaced their fingers.

Was it true love?

No wonder!

Those two words appeared in the minds of He Moyu and Shen Buyou simultaneously.

They thought: no wonder He Yining wouldn’t let Ming Sian leave no matter what. How could she leave? If they were sincere, the more they tried to pull them apart, the stronger their reaction would be.

They had miscalculated, but they were even more dissatisfied with He Yining—how could she be moved by Ming Sian?

Ming Sian was indeed very beautiful—her appearance couldn’t be faulted, nor could her studies. But they had taught He Yining since childhood to find a valuable partner.

At least in the eyes of He Moyu and Shen Buyou, Ming Sian offered no help to He Yining’s career; she even needed help herself.

Such a person, even if liked, shouldn’t be married. Just like them—they didn’t like each other, but because it helped their careers, they married.

Of course, they didn’t have anyone else they liked either; what they liked most was their own careers.

He Yining didn’t care what they thought; she leaned further into Ming Sian. “Speak, then—how shall we cooperate?”

There are many ways to cooperate; the key is who has the higher voice. She hoped they wouldn’t want more of a say just because they felt they were elders.

But others had their own parents to help; she didn’t. The second generation had, after all, been in the He Group for decades longer and had deep foundations—not something an average person could topple.

It was easier for the second generation to topple the second generation. For the third generation, it might succeed, but the process wouldn’t be pleasant; at the very least, it would be a “bloody storm.”

He Moyu and Shen Buyou adopted a “courtroom” attitude to discuss the cooperation; for them, cooperation was fine, but when discussing details, they wouldn’t yield an inch.

Coincidentally, He Yining thought the same.

Ming Sian listened from the side, watching them clash without a word. She truly admired He Yining for being able to treat her mothers completely like strangers—no… like “Party B” (the contractor).

He Yining wouldn’t allow herself to be Party B in non-work situations; besides, even if she were Party B, she would surely be the most powerful one.

Her attitude caused a flicker of anger in He Moyu’s heart, but if it was a cooperation, the two sides were equals. As for who held the upper hand and the louder voice, it would depend on their resources.

“You and I cooperate to become the masters of the He family.”

A cold smile curled on He Yining’s lips. “That is the result. What I want to ask is: who is primary and who is secondary?”

This was very important; the most important thing in cooperation is the power to speak.

“Naturally, me and your mama.”

“Impossible.”

He Yining refused without hesitation. “Are you and I mother and daughter, or a cooperation? If we are mother and daughter, I do not agree to cooperate; it must be as cooperation partners only.”

He Moyu looked coldly at He Yining. “Must things be kept so separate between us as mother and daughter?”

“If you weren’t my daughter, you wouldn’t have this achievement today. Even if we had no affection before, your current excellence was built with my money. An ordinary family couldn’t build it even if they wanted to.”

He Yining admitted she was telling the truth, but she had even more excessive words, she just didn’t say them.

Was her birth her choice?

And everything they did—did they ever ask for her opinion? Or were her childhood tears all fake?

He Yining had always believed that children lacked self-control; if allowed to make their own decisions, the possibility of achieving nothing was greater. Reasonable restraint from parents was necessary.

But not treating the child like a machine, thinking whatever they deemed good and mandatory must be fully input like a data cable.

“Finished? Is this how Mother talks to people when she goes out to discuss cooperation?”

He Yining didn’t want to say more; she took Ming Sian’s hand as if to leave.

“Fine. Then we’ll talk purely as a cooperation.”

Hearing those words from He Moyu, Ming Sian could clearly feel a trace of sadness from He Yining.

Since their pheromones merged, she had a sharper perception of He Yining’s emotions.

She met He Yining’s eyes and immediately raised a smile, squeezing He Yining’s hand back to transmit a bit of meager warmth.

He Yining’s hand loosened, then gripped back firmly. Feeling the strong grip from Ming Sian’s hand, the trace of sadness in her heart vanished.

No child hasn’t longed for their mothers’ love; she was the same. As an adult, she no longer had an emotional need for them, but when they truly adopted the posture of strangers to talk about cooperation, the abnormality in her mood was imaginable.

The two sides chatted for about half an hour, the tone of the matter was set; they would prepare a contract upon returning.

Yes—a contract. They didn’t trust each other; nothing was more useful than a contract in black and white.

By the time they returned it was late at night, and the He family ancestral worship was over. Tomorrow Ming Sian had classes and He Yining had work; staying at the He manor was inconvenient as the round-trip journey was three hours.

On the way, He Yining closed her eyes to rest, while Ming Sian hesitated several times to speak.

Just as she was about to say something, He Yining suddenly spoke, “Don’t say it. Don’t ask.”

She didn’t want to receive the other’s pity. She was the powerful He Yining and had no need for pity.

Ming Sian was slightly stunned. “I wanted to say, for the next period of time, there shouldn’t be a need for me to go to the He manor, right?”

He Yining opened her eyes and stared at Ming Sian for a good while. “Do you hate the He family that much?”

“I hate it.”

She didn’t deny it. Being moved by He Yining didn’t mean she didn’t hate the He family anymore. Accurately speaking, she didn’t like the atmosphere of the He family—dark, damp, rotten, and ancient.

“I hate it too.”

He Yining hated it, so she wanted to become the master of the He family and change it.

It wasn’t that Grandma had done poorly, but early on her focus was on starting the business and she had no time to manage the children and relatives, only able to set strict family rules. In fact, no matter how strict the rules, they couldn’t stop the hidden filth underneath.

Ming Sian was silent for a while and changed the subject. “Do you have to go to work tomorrow?”

“Mm.”

“I have quite a few classes tomorrow.”

After all, the spring semester had just begun and classes were at their peak. Her schedule was a bit different from others; she had to finish four years of classes in two and a half, so her studies were concentrated in this final year, and she had to prepare for her thesis defense.

As for the internship, she was already at Anning Law Firm. The professor knew this as well; following the steps, graduation wouldn’t be hard.

Once this autumn semester ended, she would go back to the Mainland to study.

“Same as last year, submit your class schedule to the company.”

“Okay.”

He Yining hid the selfishness in her eyes; she wouldn’t admit she wanted to control Ming Sian’s itinerary.

Silence fell in the car again until they reached home.

Before returning to the room, Ali stopped Ming Sian. She first cautiously looked at the Eldest Miss’s retreating back, then whispered: “The Eldest Miss only used one suppressant today.”

No wonder she could stay calm during her heat, but only one?

The air outside was mixed; for an Omega to keep pheromones stable, they needed at least three suppressants for a day out. This was enough to show He Yining’s endurance.

Wait—meaning He Yining, having used only one suppressant, might be at her breaking point right now.

No wonder back in the car He Yining would close her eyes only to open them again, looking restless. Once Ali said that, she understood.

Ming Sian shook her wrist. In class today she had wanted to go to the pharmacy for a medicated patch; she’d written too much and her wrist really ached.

Of course, whether the discomfort was truly from writing was something only she knew.

Anyway, she’d rather the wrist pain be from writing than admit she couldn’t handle things.

Ming Sian returned to the room to wash away the day’s dust. Spending a day at the He manor with firecrackers and everything else had left a layer of dust on her; she certainly needed a good wash.

She found a good excuse for herself in her heart, specifically using a more fragrant body wash, and even used a hair mask to “marinate” her hair after washing.

Afterward she smelled herself and felt she was truly fragrant before stopping.

She wondered if He Yining would be waiting in her bed like last night; to her disappointment, she wasn’t.

He Yining was absent, and the room was still empty.

The scent from her hair wafted into her nose in waves, reminding her of how ridiculous she was being.

Some people truly create one scene after another to find humor in themselves; even a peacock displaying its feathers wasn’t as funny as her.

Ming Sian walked out of the room, took a bottle of cold water from the fridge, and drank half of it in one go to suppress the slight fire in her heart.

The moment she got the hint from Ali, countless images had surged in her mind—images that were truly torturous.

Suddenly, she pricked up her ears, listening to the movement outside. She looked out of the corner of her eye and found it was He Yining, who had also come out to get ice water.

Seeing her, He Yining’s face darkened. She bypassed her to get a bottle of water, then pressed the intercom nearby. “Ali, put a fridge in the small living room tomorrow.”

Ali: “…Yes, Eldest Miss.”

She had followed the Eldest Miss’s words to hint to Miss Ming—why was the Eldest Miss angry?

Ming Sian: “?” How had she offended the Eldest Miss? The Eldest Miss looked very unhappy with her, and didn’t even want to touch her while getting the water.

He Yining took the water and left, her heart fuming: Bastard Ming Sian.