Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

It's quiet at night.

Lu Yang's blood-stained words, "I won't let her get away with this!" seemed to still echo in the spacious car, mingling with the cold air from the air conditioner, sending another shiver down Yin Mingyue's spine.

She held her sleeping son, Lu Fan, tightly, as if his small, warm body was her only comfort and protection at that moment.

Lu Xin'er seemed to finally be frightened by her father's unprecedentedly cold tone. She obediently curled up in the car seat, her big eyes filled with doubt and unease as she secretly glanced at her parents.

The car drove smoothly toward the city center, the outside world was ablaze with lights, but they couldn't penetrate this oppressive space.

They returned home to their penthouse duplex in the heart of Shenzhen.

The familiar layout and expensive furnishings now seemed exceptionally empty and cold.

The nanny was already waiting. She gently took the sleeping Lu Fan from Yin Mingyue's arms and then coaxed Lu Xin'er to wash up and go to bed.

In the large living room, only Lu Yang and Yin Mingyue remained.

Lu Yang took off his suit jacket and casually draped it over the armrest of the sofa. He walked up to Yin Mingyue, his tall figure looming over her.

He raised his calloused fingertips to wipe away the moisture from the corner of her eyes. His voice was deliberately low and gentle, but he couldn't hide the tension beneath: "Alright, we're home. Don't be afraid, I'm here. Tell me, what exactly did Yin Mingzhu do to you in Shanghai?"

Yin Mingyue subconsciously turned her head away from his touch, a small movement that made Lu Yang's eyes narrow.

She took a deep breath, forced herself to lift her head, and met her husband's unfathomable eyes, which were now filled with concern and lingering anger.

"Brother Lu Yang..." Her voice was heavy with nasal congestion and exhaustion. Her eyes were trying hard to maintain a calm, but deep inside, complex emotions were surging: grievance, sadness, and a trace of... barely perceptible worry.

"Really...it's nothing serious."

She avoided Lu Yang's instantly furrowed brows and instead looked at his coat draped over the armrest, its dark fabric gleaming with a cold, hard sheen under the light.

"You know my sister's temper," she said softly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

“She’s impatient and stubborn; once she’s made up her mind… not even ten oxen could pull her back. This time… she might have some misunderstanding about me, about us.” She paused, her voice becoming even softer.

"As long as... as long as I find an opportunity to explain it clearly, that will be fine."

Lu Yang almost laughed out of anger.

"Explain yourself?" His voice wasn't loud, but it was as piercing as an icicle.

"Yin Mingyue, look at me!"

Yin Mingyue was forced to raise her head and meet his sharp, hawk-like eyes.

Can you explain this clearly?

Lu Yang took a step closer, and the powerful pressure made Yin Mingyue almost unable to breathe.

"What kind of person is that woman? She looks down on everyone and is incredibly stubborn! She's convinced that I'm the one who pulled the strings behind the scenes, instructing Zhejiang TV to cancel her program and ruin all her hard work!"

Every word he uttered seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Do you think she'll listen to your explanation? An explanation that she believes 'betrayed' her sister?"

Yin Mingyue's face grew paler and her lips trembled slightly.

Lu Yang's words struck her like a hammer blow, because she knew he was telling the truth. Her sister's angry, disappointed, even hateful eyes, and her mother Ma Xiulan's conflicted sigh, reappeared vividly before her eyes.

She tried to explain, but was met with even fiercer accusations and accusations of "taking sides with outsiders."

"You've already explained it, haven't you?" Lu Yang stared at her, not missing a single change in her expression, his tone firm.

"She doesn't believe you at all, right? Did she take all her anger out on you? Did she yell at you? Did she pressure you?"

He saw the tears welling up in Yin Mingyue's eyes, and the answer was self-evident.

His chest heaved violently, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying an almost cruel bluntness: "Do you want me to go to Shanghai myself, to find Yin Mingzhu, and then, like someone who has done something wrong, humbly explain to her, 'Mingzhu, I didn't scheme against you'? Hmm?"

"No! Don't!" Yin Mingyue blurted out, her voice filled with terror.

She grabbed Lu Yang's arm suddenly, as if afraid he would really rush to Shanghai immediately.

"Don't go to her! Honey, please!"

This reaction confirmed Lu Yang's guess and fueled his anger, but it also brought him an indescribable pain.

He knew Yin Mingyue too well. Her refusal at this moment was not merely to protect her sister, but more deeply... a kind of fear.

He feared another direct confrontation with Yin Mingzhu, which would only tear their already fragile family relationship apart; he feared that their complicated past would be rekindled by this conflict.

She didn't want to see Lu Yang bow down to Yin Mingzhu, because that would mean the restart or recognition of some kind of relationship. She was even less willing to see Lu Yang and Yin Mingzhu completely break off their relationship, because that would cause her mother, Ma Xiulan, who was caught in the middle, to collapse.

Family harmony is her deepest desire, even though there are undercurrents beneath the surface of this harmony.

“I can explain it clearly…” Yin Mingyue’s voice lowered, carrying an almost pleading insistence.

"Give me some time... Honey, please don't make things difficult for my sister, okay? I'm begging you."

She lifted her tear-filled face.

"I know, I believe you, you would never do such a thing."

She had no doubt about Lu Yang's character, and this trust was especially precious and weighty at this moment.

Lu Yang stared at her intently.

The pleading, trust, and stubborn insistence in his wife's eyes intertwined like an invisible net, temporarily binding his surging murderous intent and urge for revenge.

He knew that pressing her further at this point would only cause her more pain and would do nothing to help.

What she needs is comfort and rest.

“...Alright then.” Lu Yang let out a long, weary breath, as if the murderous aura around him had been forcibly suppressed.

He raised his hand and this time successfully touched her cold cheek, his fingertips gently tracing the dark circles under her eyes.

"You're tired too, let's not think about these things for now. I'm going to take a shower, you should go to bed early too."

He released her, turned around, and began to unbutton his shirt cuffs, his movements carrying a deliberate air of relaxation, as if the tense standoff had never occurred.

He took off his coat and handed it to Yin Mingyue, who was standing to the side.

"Mmm." Yin Mingyue responded softly, obediently taking the suit jacket that still held Lu Yang's warmth.

The soft cashmere fabric feels heavy in your hand.

Lu Yang went straight to the bathroom in the master bedroom, and soon, the sound of running water came from inside.

The empty living room was left with only Yin Mingyue. The bright overhead light cast a lonely shadow over her slender figure.

She looked down at the dark suit jacket that belonged to her husband, which she was holding in her arms.

A familiar masculine scent, a blend of tobacco and aftershave, entered her nostrils. It was Lu Yang's unique aroma, which reassured her.

However, beneath this familiar scent, a faint, extremely delicate fragrance, like a tiny needle, unexpectedly pierced her olfactory nerves.

It was an expensive, exotic women's perfume scent.

After the cool top notes fade, a warm and deep woody floral finish emerges—understated yet highly noticeable.

This taste... Yin Mingyue's heart skipped a beat.

She recognizes this flavor!
At a private salon tasting event, Youyou's sister recommended this niche custom fragrance to her, with a hint of barely perceptible boasting, saying how it suited her temperament.

Qian Youyou...

Yin Mingyue's body stiffened instantly.

She stood there, frozen in place, as if under a spell.

His gaze was fixed on the tightly closed bathroom door, listening to the continuous sound of running water inside, but images flashed uncontrollably through his mind: the luxurious and ambiguous boudoir deep within the Qian family manor in Pengcheng... the heavy velvet curtains... the dim wall lamps... the mixed scent of tobacco and perfume in the air... and... the black car that Lu Yang drove away, cutting through the night...

The time, the place, the atmosphere… all matched perfectly. So, when she was filled with grievances and wounds, anxiously waiting on the plane, secretly shedding tears; when she was scolded by her sister and sighed by her mother, fleeing Shanghai in a panic with her child; her most trusted and relied-upon husband, her safe haven… was in the arms of another woman?

Enjoying the rare "freedom," enjoying the "compensation and relaxation," and then... he rushed to the airport to pick her up.

Although she had been mentally prepared, she still found it hard to accept.

A chill ran through my body from the soles of my feet, even more intense than when my sister scolded me in Shanghai.

The suit jacket in her hand felt like a branding iron, burning her fingertips.

The trust remained unshaken.

She still believed that Lu Yang wouldn't scheme against her sister behind her back.

But at this moment, an even more indescribable pain overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

Clutching the coat as if it were a huge, cold irony, she stood there, stunned, staring at the frosted glass door, which was shrouded in mist, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

The sound of water in the bathroom became the only monotonous background noise in this quiet space, stirring up her chaotic emotions.

It turns out that it wasn't just her sister, Yin Mingzhu, who made her cry.

night, deeper.

The following day, at the Century Group headquarters.

When Lu Yang stepped into his top-floor office with its excellent view, his aura was colder than the morning sun in Shenzhen.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows stood rows of skyscrapers, symbolizing supreme power and wealth, but at this moment, reflected in his unfathomable eyes was only a cold calculation.

He turned around and locked the heavy office door with a click, shutting out everything from the outside world.

In an instant, he was the only one left in the vast space, and the air seemed to freeze.

Without a moment's hesitation, he walked straight to the large mahogany desk, picked up the dedicated secure telephone line, and quickly and accurately pressed a series of international long-distance numbers on the keypad with his slender fingers.

A brief busy tone came through the receiver, which was then replaced by a clear, sweet, and slightly surprised female voice:

"Hello, this is Sifei Media."

It's Xu Siqi.

"It's me." Lu Yang's voice was deep and steady, revealing little emotion, yet carrying an undeniable sense of control.

"Huh? Honey!" Xu Siqi's voice instantly rose, filled with excitement and disbelief.

"Why are you calling the company? At this time... is it morning where you are? Missing me?"

Her tone was sweet as honey, with a coquettish ending.

It has indeed been almost half a year since we last met, and the longing has grown wildly in my heart.

"I need to ask you about some things." Lu Yang got straight to the point, ignoring her affection and getting straight to the point.

His time is precious, and his purpose is clear.

"What is it, honey? Tell me, I'll tell you everything I know!" Xu Siqi immediately stopped laughing and her tone became serious, filled with dependence and flattery.

“That woman.” Lu Yang’s tone was flat, but the words “that woman” sounded like ice.

"They've also opened a media company just like yours, and lately they've been copying your shows almost pixel-perfectly. Did you know that?"

He didn't mention Yin Mingzhu's name, but they both knew the truth.

"Huh?" Xu Siqi was stunned for a moment, then realized, "Oh, you mean Sister Mingzhu? Yes, Sister Mingzhu... She established 'Mingzhu Media' in mainland China at the end of last year."

Her tone carried a hint of helplessness and regret.

"I've heard that they've been developing quite rapidly lately, and they're cooperating closely with some local TV stations... Well, they are indeed one of our biggest competitors in mainland China."

Xu Siqi's tone did not contain much hostility or urgency.

In her heart, Yin Mingzhu will always be her good friend, old classmate, and once her closest confidante.

Although Yin Mingzhu hated her to the core and cut off all contact because of Lu Yang, Xu Siqi always felt somewhat "in the wrong" deep down and never thought of taking the initiative to break off relations, let alone using business means to attack the other party.

Although she was somewhat dissatisfied with Mingzhu Media's imitation behavior, she was more tolerant, thinking, "Let her be; it won't shake Sifei's foundation anyway."

So, instead, she tried to comfort Lu Yang on the phone: "Honey, did Mingzhu... make you angry again? Don't take it to heart, she's just too strong-willed..."

"This is none of your business." Lu Yang interrupted her coldly, the chill in his tone making Xu Siqi on the other end of the phone involuntarily shrink back.

He doesn't need her tolerance; he needs action.

“If you want to ‘get along well’ with her,” Lu Yang emphasized these words deliberately, with a hint of sarcasm.

“Then I won’t give you any more ideas from now on. Otherwise, the program ideas I rack my brains to come up with will be ‘borrowed’ verbatim by someone else, wasting my precious inspiration.” He threw out his trump card.

It's worth noting that Sifei Media's rapid rise to become a new media powerhouse in Southeast Asia is largely due to the core creative ideas behind its flagship programs, such as "Day Day Up" and "Super Girl."
These were all "sparks of inspiration" that Lu Yang reluctantly revealed to Xu Siqi only after she begged and pleaded with him during their long international phone conversations.

This is the core competitiveness upon which Sifei Media relies for its survival, and it is also Xu Siqi's greatest reliance and confidence. She has long regarded these as the cornerstone of the "family business" to be passed down to her and Lu Yang's children in the future.

"what?!"

Xu Siqi's voice was instantly filled with immense panic and unease.

"It's that serious?! Honey, please stop!"

The fear of running out of inspiration instantly overwhelmed the guilt I felt towards my former best friend.

"What if I don't 'get along peacefully' with her anymore?" she asked anxiously, her stance beginning to waver in the face of the enormous temptation of profit.

For the sake of Lu Yang's future "gifts", and for the sake of his own and his future children's "family business", it seems... that it's not impossible to be a little "sorry" to Sister Mingzhu.

"So what do you plan to do?" Lu Yang's voice was still cold, but Xu Siqi could already detect a hint of guidance.

She needs to demonstrate her "value" and "determination".

“I…” Xu Siqi’s mind raced, and she immediately thought of the most direct business approach.

"I've instructed the company's legal department to immediately send a lawyer's letter to Sister Mingzhu's company! Sue them for infringing on our program format! For plagiarizing our original design! The evidence is readily available!"

Her tone became resolute, as if her earlier hesitation had never existed.

"Alright," Lu Yang's response revealed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction, only a cold pragmatism.

"Try telling them first. Although..." He paused, his tone carrying a cold, worldly-wise air.

"Given the current state of intellectual property protection in China, especially the vague definition of plagiarism, such lawsuits are likely to be protracted battles and may not be effective immediately."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone carrying a cruel, playful undertone.

"However, it's still possible to annoy her a bit, make her overwhelmed for a while, and let the industry know how Mingzhu Media got its start."

Sifei Media, headquartered in Singapore, is an international media company. If it is truly determined to pursue this matter seriously, collect solid evidence, and hire a top-notch international legal team to relentlessly pursue the case, even if the final verdict is unpredictable, it will definitely cost Mingzhu Media, which has a relatively shallow foundation, a huge amount of time, money, and reputational damage, enough to give Yin Mingzhu a hard time.

"Yes, yes! Don't worry, honey, I'll take care of it right away! I guarantee she'll regret it!" Xu Siqi's voice was full of enthusiasm, as if she had found the perfect opportunity to show her loyalty to Lu Yang.

The call ended, leaving only a busy tone on the receiver. Lu Yang slowly placed the receiver back on the landline, his deep eyes gazing at the vast sky outside the window, a cold and ruthless smile curving his lips.

“Woman,” he muttered to himself, his voice low but chilling, each word like shards of ice squeezed from between his teeth, “this matter is not over yet.”

He could almost see Yin Mingyue's pale, fragile face from last night, as she struggled to hold back her tears, and the image of her holding her child, looking panicked and helpless.

Anger burned within him once more.

"You can even bully your own sister, and dare to make Mingyue shed tears..." His slender fingers tapped unconsciously on the smooth tabletop, with a rhythmic sense of control over life and death.

“I can make you cry too, cry more painfully and desperately than she did. We’ll see…”

As he finished speaking, without pausing, he deftly picked up the phone from his desk again. (End of Chapter)