V1: Chapter 23: The Struggle for Power

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Liang Lin wiped the tears from her face haphazardly.

The tears were uncontrollable.

She didn't know if it was because of her body, but whenever she felt wronged, she would lose control of her tears and cry uncontrollably.

This uncontrollable physiological reaction filled Liang Lin with shame and hatred, just like the waves of pleasure she felt when Liang Di humiliated her—both of which she loathed.

If it were before, the person who wronged her would have been dead at her feet long ago.

Now, squatting in her room crying, this was simply not her style.

"Stop crying! You shameful thing!"

Liang Lin roared, raising her hand at the same time.

Slap!

She slapped herself hard across the face. Her tender cheek instantly swelled up, burning with pain. Liang Lin forcibly held back her tears.

Crying, crying, crying—all she knew was how to cry.

Crying wouldn't solve anything.

Liang Lin gritted her teeth, her face contorted in rage, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh.

Now alone in her room, Liang Lin needed to sort out what had happened and think about what to do next.

Auston was now a cripple, so Liang Di would inevitably take over as head of the family temporarily. After all, Miranda was just a maid and wasn't qualified to manage things, and Edwin was too young.

She felt utterly powerless in this house. If Liang Di hadn't humiliated her today, Liang Lin might have considered running away with the money. But having been so humiliated, she couldn't let herself not retaliate; that would be the mark of shame the villainess Liang Lin.

She had to endure, she had to learn to endure.

Liang Lin took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and calmly wiped the tears from her face.

It was alright; she was a girl now, it didn't matter if she cried, but she could only vent in secret. She absolutely, absolutely couldn't let anyone see her most vulnerable side.

What Liang Lin didn't expect was that the next day, instead of Liang Di's "dominance," she was greeted by a white-haired, yet spirited, elderly man with a cane.

The old man had the same sapphire blue eyes as Liang Di, clear as a spring.

His white beard obscured his mouth. His gaze swept over Liang Lin, Liang Di, Miranda, and Edwin, then he sighed helplessly.

“How is Auston now?”

“Grandpa, Father’s condition isn’t very optimistic. The doctor said he can barely stay alive, but he needs a large amount of medication every day.”

It was Liang Di who spoke.

The old man was Donald Langwendi, the previous head of the Langwendi family.

Donald’s gaze fell on Liang Di’s legs.

“Liang Di, now that your legs are better, you shouldn’t be in a wheelchair anymore.”

Liang Di was taken aback, probably not expecting Donald to see through her immediately and expose her.

“Yes, Grandpa.”

Liang Di stood up from her wheelchair under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Miranda's eyes widened. She covered her mouth, her nails, though pink and adorned with two dazzling diamonds, likely done at Liang Di's nail salon before Auston's death.

"You.... your legs are healed?"

Liang Di ignored her.

Judging from her expression, Miranda clearly didn't want Liang Di's leg to heal. Liang Lin guessed, recalling how Liang Di had tormented her yesterday. If those tentacles had probed any further, her chastity as a woman would have been compromised, and she couldn't help but shudder.

Donald looked tired. "Sigh, retired, practically half-buried... and still getting involved in all this young people's nonsense."

"I didn't want to come back, and I didn't want to manage the family business. I'm over seventy, but if I don't come back... I'm afraid Auston won't live past this week," Donald's eyes sharpened as he looked at Liang Di, his eyelids drooping. "Auston, after all, is my son, my own flesh and blood."

"...You're right, Grandpa."

A hint of surprise appeared in Miranda's eyes. She, who had been frowning all day, finally had a glimmer of hope. She nudged Edwin in front of her. "Go, go to your grandpa."

If it was Old Master Donald returning to manage the family business, it meant Liang Di wasn't yet capable of completely seizing power. Miranda was smug; she felt this was an opportunity Old Master Donald was giving his son, waiting for Edwin to grow up.

Edwin was thirteen years old, three years younger than Liang Di and Liang Lin.

Even the most naive young nobleman, raised in a life of luxury and fame, is more shrewd than the average child. He understood his mother's intention: to ingratiate himself with Donald, to steal the spotlight, and to showcase his abilities.

"Grandpa, Father's condition is not optimistic. Our Langwendi family is a large and powerful enterprise. If you were to manage it all by yourself… I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it," Edwin said with concern.

His voice hadn't changed; it was still that of a child, still childish and naive. It sounded strange coming from him.

He puffed out his chest. "Grandpa, I can assist you in managing all the Langwendi family's shops."

Oh?

All the Langwendi family's shops?

Liang Di raised an eyebrow, inwardly scoffing.

The Langwendi family's businesses extend far beyond just a few hundred tailor shops; they also own hundreds of metalwork shops (including dozens of jewelry stores), dozens of bookstores, dozens of food shops, dozens of textile shops (excluding tailor shops), and dozens of luxury goods shops.

Edwin's use of the word "all" reveals an undisguised ambition.

Liang Lin appears utterly helpless amidst the infighting among merchants.

Before her rebirth, she was a marquis in a border region, a place perpetually cold and harsh, plagued by wind, rain, and snow, a harsh environment frequently ravaged by war.

Business? Caravans passing through would hasten their departure, fearing involvement. Therefore, from childhood, her family never taught her business acumen, only military leadership.

Now, watching the Langwendi family's internal strife, Liang Lin appears completely clueless.

“No, no, no,” Donald waved his hand, “I’m old, my mind isn’t as sharp as yours young people. I won’t interfere too much in the shop matters.”

“So… we still have to rely on you young people.”

Miranda’s expression had just brightened until Donald said his next sentence.

“All the shops under Langwendi will be divided in two. One half will be managed by Edwin, and the other half by Liang Di.”

Donald’s eyes shifted to Liang Lin. “Liang Di, have your sister Liang Lin help you manage them.”

Liang Di’s lips moved, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only uttered one word:

“Okay.”

Miranda, although feeling a sense of loss, was at least happy that Donald had given Edwin a chance. Despite being widowed, she actually smiled.

Liang Lin didn’t say a word. She knew she wasn’t qualified; she had no blood relation, she was a complete outsider. Donald was being particularly kind to her, actually giving her a chance to learn.

After everyone had left, the old butler that Donald had brought asked, puzzled, "You clearly know that Liang Lin isn't a child of the Langwendi family, so why send her to assist Young Miss?"