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

The ward was deathly silent, with only the regular, cold beeping of the electrocardiogram monitor, as if measuring the fragile life force that Yin Mingzhu was losing in her coma.

Ma Xiulan slumped on the cold plastic chair, her face ashen, her lips moving unconsciously, but unable to utter any meaningful sound.

The doctor's reproachful words were like poisoned needles, piercing her already wounded heart again and again.

Despair and helplessness were heavier than the deep night outside the window, almost drowning her.

She looked at her daughter's furrowed brows as she slept in the hospital bed, the undried tear stains like an unhealable wound.

Self-blame washed over her like a cold tide.

"Aunt Lan..." Yu Li's voice was hoarse from the shock of the ordeal as she carefully handed over a glass of warm water. "Please... have some water. The doctor said that Sister Mingzhu needs deep rest; she's been given a sedative and won't wake up for a while. You... should rest too?"

Ma Xiulan mechanically took the water glass, but the warm touch did nothing to warm her icy fingers.

Her gaze remained fixed on her daughter, and she murmured, "Lili... tell me, how... how could Mingzhu... be like this? What... what will happen to the company..."

Yu Li felt a heavy weight in her heart.

As Yin Mingzhu's closest assistant, she was more aware than anyone of the turmoil the company was facing.

Sister Mingzhu is the only pillar of stability.

Now that this magic needle has collapsed, the company is in a state of panic, and rumors are rampant.

"Aunt Lan."

Yu Li took a deep breath and, forcing herself to stay focused, analyzed, "The company is indeed... leaderless right now. The vice presidents are all preoccupied with their own agendas, and the staff below are even less motivated to work. The finance department just called to ask about several urgent payments due tomorrow..."

Every word struck Ma Xiulan's heart like a heavy hammer.

She was just a nominal finance staff member, only managing some miscellaneous accounts on a daily basis, and knew nothing about the company's core operations and strategic decisions.

Why should she face shrewd shareholders, demanding clients, and fierce competitors?

Just thinking about it made her feel dizzy.

“Aunt Lan!” Yu Li grabbed her hand, her tone more earnest than ever before.

“Now it’s all up to you! You’re Mingzhu’s mother and a legal shareholder of the company! If you don’t stabilize the situation, the company will really be finished! If Mingzhu wakes up and finds out the company is collapsing, that will be the death of her! You heard what the doctor said; the thing she can’t afford to be hurt by right now is setbacks in her career! We must protect her!”

“Hold on…hold on?” Ma Xiulan’s eyes were blank.

"Yes! Hold the line!"

Yu Li's eyes sharpened.

"You don't need to understand the specifics of the business. You just need to sit there and represent Sister Mingzhu! Keep everyone calm! To the outside world, just say that Sister Mingzhu has a bad cold and is overworked and needs to rest for a few days. You will temporarily handle all company decisions. Internally, I'll take care of things! I'll handle the specifics and help you deal with them! As long as you show the boss's mother's authority, those vice presidents and department managers won't dare to be too presumptuous! When it matters, I'll tell you what to say and what to sign!"

Yu Li didn't actually say one more thing: the person in front of her was not only President Yin's mother, but also the mother of President Lu's wife. With this relationship, if the person in front of her temporarily took over President Yin's management of the company, it might just be the beginning of a new chapter and help solve the difficulties the company was currently facing.

In short, even if we don't care about the monks, we should at least care about the Buddha, right?

Ma Xiulan raised her head.

Yes, for Mingzhu, for the company that Mingzhu is willing to risk her life to protect... as her mother, she has to shoulder the burden no matter how difficult it is!

She couldn't stand by and watch Mingzhu's hard work go to waste, nor could she let Mingzhu wake up to a mess that was impossible to clean up!
A surge of courage, mixed with sorrow and fear, rose in Ma Xiulan's heart.

She gripped Yu Li's hand tightly, as if grasping at the last straw, her voice trembling with desperation: "Okay...okay! Lili, Aunt Lan will listen to you! Tomorrow...tomorrow I'll go to the company! For Mingzhu, I...I'll risk everything!"

In the following days, Ma Xiulan seemed to be wearing a layer of stiff armor as she sat in her daughter's CEO office, which symbolized the pinnacle of power.

The large mahogany desk felt cold and unfamiliar, and the surrounding floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the city's prosperity, but only made her feel dizzy and isolated.

The air still seemed to carry the lingering scent of her daughter's signature cool perfume, which now felt like a silent mockery.

Yu Li became her shadow, her mouthpiece, her shield, and her outpost.

For every meeting, Yu Li would prepare her speaking points in advance and whisper reminders to her when to nod and when to frown to show displeasure.

Yu Li skillfully blocked every senior executive who came to report or probe, filtering out overly technical and tricky questions, and only presenting the most essential matters that required "General Manager Ma's" approval.

However, the world of fame and fortune in the entertainment industry is far more bizarre and surreal than Ma Xiulan imagined, and also more... "feudal".

Yin Mingzhu suddenly fell ill with bizarre symptoms (occasionally unable to speak, physically stiff, and emotionally broken). Due to the lack of transparency, various strange versions of the story quickly spread within the company.

The idea of ​​being "possessed by evil spirits" spread quietly like a plague, originating from some unknown corner.

"Have you heard? President Yin isn't sick at all, he's been possessed by an evil spirit!"

"Yes, yes, yes! That day in the office, someone saw her yelling at thin air and scratching around..."

"No wonder I heard before that her complexion was off and her eyes were fixed; she must have gotten into something unclean!"

"Oh dear, in our line of work, we have to pray to the gods before filming starts, and we have to consult horoscopes when casting. Who knows what might happen if we clash with someone's birth chart..."

"That's right, the masters in Hong Kong and Taiwan all say that the higher a person's position, the more likely they are to attract those kinds of things..."

These whispers initially circulated only in the tea room and restrooms.

But soon, with Ma Xiulan, an "outsider," taking charge, the subtle changes in the company atmosphere, and the lack of definite news about Yin Mingzhu's delayed recovery, the rumors began to spread openly, even with a sense of certainty as if they had "suddenly realized" something.

Ma Xiulan first heard this claim in a restroom stall.

The conversation between the two female employees outside could be clearly heard.

She was trembling with anger. She flung open the door and yelled at the two panicked employees, "What nonsense are you spouting! If you dare spread rumors again, get out of here right now!"

She tried hard to imitate her daughter's usual sternness, but her voice trembled with a fierce but cowardly tone.

The two employees were so frightened that they apologized repeatedly and fled in panic.

Upon hearing the news, Yu Li rushed over, her brows furrowed: "Aunt Lan, don't listen to their gossip! It's all baseless! I've already had the administration issue a notice strictly prohibiting the spread of false information!"

Ma Xiulan sat in the chair, her chest heaving and her face pale.

Those words burrowed into her heart like venomous snakes.

She grew up in the countryside. Although she had received an education, she was exposed to the supernatural from a young age and always harbored a sense of awe and inexplicable fear towards things related to "gods and ghosts." Especially her daughter's illness this time, which came on so fiercely and strangely that even the doctors couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, only saying it was "emotionally triggered"... This vaguely resembled the way those "possessed" people in her village looked when they fell ill, as she remembered them.

“Lili…” Ma Xiulan’s voice was weak and uncertain, “You said… Mingzhu… is she really just… sick? Then… could there be things the doctors can’t find?”

Yu Li's heart tightened, and she immediately said firmly, "Aunt Lan! Please don't overthink it! Sister Mingzhu is under too much pressure and has developed severe depression and anxiety, which is a confirmed diagnosis by modern medicine! Those rumors are spread by people with ulterior motives, just to undermine morale! If you believe them, you'll be playing right into their hands!"

Looking at Yu Li's young and determined face, Ma Xiulan nodded reluctantly, but the shadow of doubt in her eyes was not completely dispelled.

Rumors are like weeds; they can't be burned out, they just keep growing back.

Especially when several important projects of the company suffered setbacks one after another, and even Yu Li seemed overwhelmed and powerless, the argument that "President Yin is possessed by evil spirits and the company's feng shui is bad" became even more rampant.

Some people who were already dissatisfied with Yin Mingzhu's domineering style or coveted power began to whisper in Ma Xiulan's ear, intentionally or unintentionally.

That day, Chen Fang, the vice president in charge of the artist management department, a fashionable and eloquent woman, came to Ma Xiulan's office with a "worried expression."

"Mr. Ma, I'm sorry to bother you. There's something... I don't know if I should say it." Chen Fang looked troubled.

"Vice President Chen, just say what's on your mind." Ma Xiulan tried her best to remain calm.

“It’s about President Yin…and the company…sigh,” Chen Fang sighed. “I know you and Assistant Yu both said it was due to illness, and we hope President Yin recovers soon. But look, with President Yin’s illness, the company is really…running into bad luck! That TV program we’d been negotiating for so long has fallen through; the new talent we were just promoting was supposed to be on a big variety show, but he got into a car accident and fractured his leg the day before the recording; even the equipment in our newly rented recording studio keeps malfunctioning…Everyone downstairs is talking about it, saying…this is too eerie! Could it be…that President Yin…or the company…has gotten involved with something…unclean?”

She deliberately lowered her voice, her eyes flashing with a suggestive glint: "I know a master, very effective! He's performed rituals for many big companies and celebrities in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and has an excellent reputation. How about... we invite him to the company? Or... we can have him take a look at President Yin? Just for peace of mind! If there's anything wrong, getting rid of the bad luck might help President Yin recover faster, and the company's fortunes might change too..."

Chen Fang's words struck Ma Xiulan's most vulnerable spot.

The pained face of her daughter while she was in a coma, the constant stream of bad news from the company, the doctor's vague explanation of "emotional trigger," and the unspeakable fear in her own heart... all these things seemed like countless hands pushing her toward that seemingly graspable "straw."

Maybe...maybe it really isn't just an illness?

Maybe... it wouldn't hurt to give it a try?

What if... what if it actually works?
"Vice President Chen... is that master really effective?" Ma Xiulan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible wavering and hope.

A glint flashed in Chen Fang's eyes, and she immediately patted her chest and guaranteed, "It works! Absolutely! I'll go contact them right now! Leave it to me! And the price will be absolutely fair."

When Yu Li learned of this news, Chen Fang had already excitedly gone to "make arrangements".

Yu Li rushed into Ma Xiulan's office, her face pale with anxiety: "Aunt Lan! How could you believe this?! Don't you know what Chen Fang is thinking? She'd love for the company to be in chaos! Hiring a sorcerer? If this gets out, where will Mingzhu's face be? How will the company maintain its standing in the industry? Besides, this will only do Mingzhu harm, not benefit, her condition! She hates this kind of feudal superstition the most!"

Ma Xiulan felt a little guilty after Yu Li's strong reaction, but she was more annoyed by the questioning and had a stubborn "you don't understand" attitude: "Lili! I'm doing this for Mingzhu's sake! For the company's sake! Let's give it a try, what if it works? Even doctors can't cure it, right? The company is in this state now, so we're just trying anything! I don't ask for anything else, just peace of mind! Don't worry about it!"

"Aunt Lan! You're being foolish!" Yu Li was heartbroken, but she couldn't shake Ma Xiulan's resolve, which was being eroded by fear and rumors.

A few days later, the "master" whom Chen Fang had praised to the skies swaggered in outside Yin Mingzhu's VIP ward with two young apprentices.

The master was dressed in an incongruous Taoist robe, holding a peach wood sword, and stroking his beard with an air of otherworldly wisdom.

The spectacle immediately drew sidelong glances and whispers from many people in the hospital corridor.

Yu Li stood blocking the doorway, her face ashen: "This is a hospital! Patients need quiet! You can't go in!"

Chen Fang chimed in, "Assistant Yu, the master is here to help President Yin! Don't delay President Yin's recovery!"

Ma Xiulan came out of the ward with an almost reverent tension and anticipation on her face. She said to Lili, "Lili, let the master go in and take a look. It'll only be a little while..."

"Aunt Lan!" Yu Li still wanted to make one last attempt.

"Get out of the way!" Ma Xiulan's voice carried an unquestionable command. At this moment, she seemed to have regained a certain "parental" authority.

The ward door was forcibly pushed open.

Yin Mingzhu was leaning against the bed, resting with her eyes closed.

In the past few days, under the control of medication, her emotions have stabilized somewhat and her body has regained some strength, but she is still extremely tired and fragile.

The sudden intrusion of the stranger, the pungent smell of incense and candles, and the conspicuous Taoist robe instantly alerted her. Her brows furrowed tightly, and her sharp eyes swept towards the doorway.

"Mom? Who are they?" Her voice was hoarse and cold, filled with suppressed anger.

"Mingzhu," Ma Xiulan hurried forward, her tone ingratiating, "this is a master my mother asked someone to invite from Hong Kong. He's incredibly effective! He's here to take a look at you, to get rid of the bad luck, and you'll be better soon..."

As she spoke, she gestured for the master to begin.

The master pretended to survey the ward, muttering incantations. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he pointed his peach wood sword at Yin Mingzhu: "Hey! Such heavy Yin energy! She's definitely possessed by an evil spirit!"

As he spoke, he gestured to his apprentice to light incense and candles, brandished a peach wood sword, and began to dance and sing around the sickbed, spewing out "holy water" from his mouth and grabbing a handful of glutinous rice to scatter everywhere.

The piercing chanting, the acrid smoke, the charlatan's charlatanry, and her mother's foolish yet eager gaze... all of this was like countless sharp knives, stabbing fiercely at Yin Mingzhu's nerves, which were already stretched to the limit!

All the rationality, dignity, control over her career, and disdain for "superstition" that she had upheld were trampled into pieces in public at this moment!
Especially when you are at your weakest and most helpless, you are subjected to this kind of humiliation by your closest mother in the name of "for your own good"!
"Get out...get out!" Yin Mingzhu's voice was squeezed out from between her teeth, trembling violently.

"Mom! Get them out!" She suddenly looked at Ma Xiulan, her eyes filled with unbelievable anger, disappointment, and the pain of being utterly betrayed.

“Mingzhu, bear with it, the master is trying to help you…” Ma Xiulan tried to comfort her.

"Help?" Yin Mingzhu felt as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, and then an uncontrollable rage and extreme humiliation erupted like a volcano!
"Get out! All of you, get out!!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, grabbed everything within reach—water cups, medicine bottles, pagers—and hurled them at the still-shaking master and Ma Xiulan, who was trying to get closer!
"Liar! You're all liars! You're one of them too! Get out!!"

She completely lost control, like a wounded and desperate trapped beast, wanting only to tear everything in front of her apart!
"President Yin!"

"Mingzhu!"

"Master, be careful!"

Chaos erupted in the ward. Yu Li lunged forward to embrace the out-of-control Yin Mingzhu, but was violently pushed away. Chen Fang screamed and dodged. The master and his apprentice were scrambling for cover, disheveled and exhausted, as they were struck by the flying "hidden weapons." Ma Xiulan was terrified by the destructive hatred and madness in her daughter's eyes, standing frozen in place.

In the midst of this extreme chaos and excitement, Yin Mingzhu's scream abruptly stopped! Her raised hand froze in mid-air, and she seemed to have all her strength and consciousness drained away in an instant, falling straight backward and crashing heavily back onto the hospital bed!

Her eyes were still wide open, but her pupils had lost focus, filled with extreme terror and emptiness.

Her lips trembled violently as she desperately tried to say something, but could only utter hoarse, gasping sounds like a broken bellows, unable to form a clear syllable!

At the same time, her limbs began to stiffen, her fingers twisted and curled, and her body twitched slightly uncontrollably.

Speechless!
The rigidity has recurred!

And it was even more ferocious and thorough than the last time!

"Mingzhu!" Ma Xiulan cried out in anguish and rushed to the bedside.

"Call a doctor! Hurry!"

Yu Li's eyes were bloodshot as she frantically pressed the call button while yelling at the terrified Chen Fang and the three charlatans, "Get out! All of you, get out!"

In the ward, only Yin Mingzhu's silent, desperate convulsions, Ma Xiulan's broken cries, and Yu Lixin's icy despair that sank to the bottom were left.

She knew that the worst had happened.

half a month later.

Shenzhen, a banquet hall of a five-star hotel.

The crystal chandelier shimmered with light, the air was filled with the fragrance of fine clothes and the clinking of glasses.

A banquet hosted by the municipal government and bringing together top figures from Shenzhen's political and business circles is underway.

The soothing strings couldn't mask the sharp wit and the exchange of interests in their words.

Lu Yang wore a well-tailored dark suit, which made him look tall and straight. His temperament was calm and reserved, but he also had a sense of detachment from someone who had been in a high position for a long time.

He was holding a glass of champagne and talking quietly with Mayor Fu and He Weijun, the soon-to-be-promoted secretary of Futian District. The topic was Century Group's landmark building in the core area of ​​Futian CBD, Century Tower and its surrounding development plans.

In the midst of conversation and laughter, billions of dollars flow and the city skyline is shaped.

"...Therefore, please take care of the procedures for changing the land use. Our Century Group will fully cooperate with the city's overall plan to create a truly international-standard financial and commercial core area." Lu Yang's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable weight.

"Haha, Mr. Lu, you're too kind. We have witnessed the strength of Century Group. It is a great honor for Futian District to have you involved." He Weijun smiled broadly and was very humble.

Mayor Fu nodded with a smile: "A powerful alliance! President Lu, be sure to toast Secretary He a few more times later. Once he leaves, it'll be hard to get a drink from him next time!"

"Definitely, definitely," Lu Yang replied with a smile, his gaze steady.

Just then, he keenly noticed that not far across from him, several stylishly dressed men and women were huddled together, their voices low, but their eyes kept glancing at him with an indescribable look.

One of the middle-aged men, the CEO of an entertainment company, wore a smile that mixed with gossip and schadenfreude as he spoke to his companion, gesturing a few times as if performing a shamanistic ritual. (End of Chapter)