Chapter 8: Replacing Your Life (8)

An restless tool might not be as convenient to use, but since it possessed all the necessary functions, Tong Ling wouldn’t discard it. Besides, no tool is inherently perfectly suited to one’s needs; they usually require some degree of refinement before they can truly serve their purpose smoothly.

“Sorry, you must have mistaken me for someone else,” Tong Ling said with feigned innocence, denying her usurpation of Yu Yurou’s identity. “I’m actually Yu Yurou’s younger sister, Yu Ling. You must be a friend of my elder sister, right? My sis has gone abroad at the moment.”

Having been prepared earlier by Lu Yue himself, Father and Mother Yu promptly chimed in, playing along seamlessly. “That’s right,” they confirmed. “Our little Rourou isn’t here now.”

In just these brief exchanges, Lu Yue had discerned the truth from the expressions on their faces.

Yu Yurou had chosen to stay within the country by impersonating her younger sister. Her family was covering for her—perhaps fearing that if Shen Man discovered the ruse, she would send Yu Yurou away again? Lu Yue had initially assumed Yu Yurou would obediently go abroad without realizing she’d take such an unexpected path, completely defying his expectations.

This added a intriguing twist to the situation.

Lu Yue’s interest surged immediately. Naturally, he wouldn’t expose the lie outright. Instead, he allowed himself to be led by Tong Ling’s narrative, saying, “Is that so? I didn’t realize Yurou had a sister who looks so much like her. How embarrassing of me for failing to recognize you properly! Might I have the pleasure of getting acquainted with you anew?”

How could Father and Mother Yu fail to notice that this man had an unusual relationship with Yu Yurou? Though his words were somewhat flirtatious, both his appearance and demeanor were impeccable. They hesitated, unsure whether they should make space for him alongside their daughter.

Tong Ling decisively made the choice for them, dispatching Father and Mother Yu with a few curt remarks before remaining behind to negotiate with her “old acquaintance.”

“Very well,” Tong Ling said, extending her hand towards Lu Yue. She wore a practiced smile as she introduced herself, “Let us start anew. I am Yu Ling.”

“I’m Lu Yue.” He clasped her hand, mirroring her formality in introduction. “If you’ll have me, I believe we could become quite good friends.”

“As close as my sister is with you?” Tong Ling asked.

Lu Yue affirmed this possibility without hesitation. “Of course.”

“But… how should I address you? Yurou or perhaps… Lingling?” When Shen Man had sent Yu Yurou abroad earlier, Lu Yue hadn’t been involved at all. Now, witnessing how easily the young girl had manipulated the Ye family matriarch, he found himself intrigued by the situation—wanting to play some part himself.

Lu Yue was curious about where Yu Yurou had gleaned the audacity to act so boldly. Did she not fear Shen Man seeking retribution from her?

It was clear that Ye Huan lacked the means to oppose his mother at present. The eldest young master had been spoiled since childhood; everything he possessed came from Shen Man. For so-called love, would he be willing to defy her?

As for Ye Xu, he was more than content with Yu Yurou’s departure. He wasn’t one to let personal feelings disrupt his carefully planned steps.

When it came to Song Xingyi, while he genuinely wished for Yu Yurou to stay, his youth worked against him. Aside from the fact that Yu Yurou showed little interest in him, there wasn’t much he could do beyond sending her occasional messages—leaving him with nothing but silent waiting as his only option.

Lu Yue analyzed each individual close to Yu Yurou and concluded after careful consideration that he himself stood as her best chance for assistance.

Why not seize this opportunity for some amusement? Lu Yue eagerly anticipated witnessing how events might unfold further.

“What say you?” Tong Ling tossed the question back at Lu Yue.

“Well then, I’ll still call you Lingling.” A hint of a smile played on Lu Yue’s lips, careless yet charming. “After all, that’s your identity here now.”

True to form, the ever-popular Lu Yue implied through these words that he’d help conceal her true identity—a testament to his character.

Their eyes met briefly before they struck up a new friendship under their assumed identities.

“Where do you need to go? I’ll give you a ride,” Lu Yue offered, eager not to miss out on any further drama with Tong Ling by his side. This was the epitome of a versatile tool character—just like that, he’d secured himself a free chauffeur service!

Tong Ling accepted without hesitation. She climbed into Lu Yue’s luxurious car and provided a single destination.

“The supermarket?” Lu Yue wondered inwardly but didn’t press for answers. Instead, he quietly observed her from close proximity as they drove together.

He sensed something about Yu Yurou had changed. Her face remained unchanged, its pure essence still capable of bewitching anyone who beheld it. Even her expressions and subtle gestures were exactly as before—but her actions…

Why would this woman visit the supermarket solely to purchase lunch boxes and thermoses? Inside the store, Tong Ling meticulously repacked takeout meals from a restaurant into these lunch boxes. With great care, she arranged the dishes to resemble their original presentation at the restaurant. Then, she poured the chicken soup from disposable containers into the thermos. After tidying up, she thoughtfully added fresh fruits and flowers to the mix before finally signaling Lu Yue it was time to leave.

Lu Yue felt utterly bewildered until Tong Ling revealed the hospital address as their next stop. Only then did he grasp what she had been doing at the supermarket.

“You’re visiting a patient?” Lu Yue asked, his gaze sweeping over those elegantly packed lunch boxes. Since you’ve already ordered food from the restaurant, he thought, why bother reassembling them here? It seemed an unnecessary step in his eyes.

“Mm-hmm.” Tong Ling’s eyes curved into a smile. “The patient is someone you know well too.”

Lu Yue’s curiosity was instantly piqued; how could he be unaware that one of his acquaintances had been hospitalized?

Following closely behind Tong Ling, Lu Yue arrived at a particular ward. As she opened the door, a voice filled with surprise and joy resonated from within.

It was… Ye Huan’s voice, calling out Yu Yurou’s name in tones unprecedentedly tender. The sound sent shivers down Lu Yue’s spine—a prickling sensation accompanied by a hint of revulsion.

Tong Ling seemed quite receptive to this overly enthusiastic male lead. After all, during her absence over several hours, Ye Huan—left alone in the hospital—would naturally miss her even if only as a way to pass the time.

One wondered whether the cannon fodder female character who fell for the male lead in the original plot might have experienced similar feelings towards him at this moment.

“Guess whom I ran into on my way here?” Tong Ling asked, handing over the lunch boxes in her hands to a nurse for warming up before allowing Lu Yue to enter after her.

As Lu Yue took in the sight of Ye Huan lying in bed—half his body swathed in bandages and his leg encased in plaster—he couldn’t help but exclaim with feigned astonishment, “Ye Huan, what an… unique look you’ve got there!”

Just as Ye Huan was about to burst into laughter, a dull ache pierced his chest. This discomfort compelled him to shoot Lu Yue an irritated glare, cursing under his breath, “Damn it, you’ve got some nerve showing up here!”

“Ha ha, with your condition? I’d let you try—even with both hands tied behind your back, you couldn’t touch me!” Lu Yue retorted, walking over to the bedside and casually taking a seat on a nearby chair. “So how did you end up in such a state?”

“Don’t ask,” Ye Huan replied grimly. He glanced at Tong Ling. “Why did you bring him along?”

“I thought you might be bored in the hospital. Since I ran into Lu Yue, I figured he could come keep you entertained.” Tong Ling hadn’t objected to Lu Yue’s presence; aside from Lu Yue being difficult to dissuade, there was another reason—his status differed from that of the other two spare tires.

Lu Yue had been Ye Huan’s close friend since childhood. The Lu and Ye families were longstanding allies, binding them together by ties of familial friendship that had endured through generations.

While Ye Huan remained genuinely convinced of their brotherhood, Lu Yue’s true intentions remained unclear. Nonetheless, this bond allowed Ye Huan to feel utterly at ease with Yu Yurou interacting with Lu Yue.

Unfortunately for Ye Huan, his trust came too soon.

He believed Lu Yue wouldn’t dare flirt with his woman, just as he assumed Yu Yurou would never take interest in someone so promiscuous as Lu Yue. Never did he anticipate that these two—the most important people in his life—would secretly develop such an amicable and suggestive rapport behind his back.

Even from this brief interaction, one could discern Lu Yue’s mischievous nature. His carefree attitude towards life seemed to suggest that he never truly took people seriously.

“I don’t think he came here just to entertain me; more like to rile me up,” Ye Huan grumbled, though his words belied the animated way he engaged with Lu Yue upon speaking with him.

Given that Lu Yue was naturally charismatic and socially adept, whenever he set his mind on befriending someone, there was no chance they wouldn’t be charmed by him.

Tong Ling quietly arranged fruits and flowers at the bedside while listening to their conversation. She had discovered yet another function of Lu Yue—when she felt too weary to converse with Ye Huan herself, she could call upon Lu Yue as a companion for idle chat.

With Ye Huan facing at least two months in the hospital, Tong Ling pondered how best to keep her boyfriend’s spirits high throughout his stay. And now, it appeared she’d found an ideal solution—a testament to her thoughtfulness indeed!

Soon, the nurse brought over the warmed meal tray. Tong Ling asked Lu Yue to help raise the medical table attached to the bedstand. As she carefully placed each dish onto the table, she also ladled out a bowl of chicken soup for Ye Huan. With gentle concern etched across her face, she said, “I timed everything precisely so you should be able to eat now. Are you hungry? I hope the food I prepared suits your taste…”

Ye Huan gazed at the abundant spread before him, his heart swelling with tenderness. “How could I not enjoy any meal you prepare?” he replied softly.

The thought that his girlfriend was still bustling about for him even when he couldn’t see her sweetened Ye Huan’s heart further.

“Start with the soup,” Tong Ling urged. “I’ve simmered this chicken broth for several hours—it’s perfect for nourishing your body.”

“All right.” As Ye Huan sipped from the bowl, a smile spread across his face as he praised her, “This soup you made is truly delicious!”

Tong Ling blushed modestly. “As long as you enjoy it, that’s enough for me.”

m577 was utterly shocked:

Never before had m577 encountered someone who would lie so blatantly in front of witnesses. It felt an overwhelming sense of impending exposure:

“Don’t worry, he won’t say anything,” Tong Ling said nonchalantly. “For anyone else, I’d certainly keep my secret tightly guarded, but there’s no need with Lu Yue. After all, such ‘little secrets’ known only to him wouldn’t be revealed by choice. He’ll just secretly delight in them instead.”

No sooner had Tong Ling spoken than Lu Yue burst out laughing from where he stood off to the side.

Lu Yue gazed at the scene unfolding before him—the picture of sweetness—with fondness. Recalling how earnestly Tong Ling had packed those box lunches earlier, he found the deceived Ye Huan both utterly amusing and indescribably funny. The urge to laugh overcame him instantly, and he couldn’t help but do just that.

Ye Huan, perplexed by Lu Yue’s laughter, asked curiously, “What’s so funny?”

Tong Ling observed them quietly from afar, remarking to the System with a hint of amusement, “Alright then, I was wrong—he seems genuinely amused.”

“Nothing much,” Lu Yue said, reining in his smile. Initially, he had been tempted to prolong his mirth and even tease Ye Huan further—perhaps feigning competition for their food just to see if this young master would pull off something even more foolish over mere takeout meals.

But as soon as his gaze met Tong Ling’s tranquil expression, all traces of humor vanished instantly.

He finally realized that she never seemed concerned about him exposing her true nature. Why else would she reveal such uncharacteristic behavior before him? Was it because she knew he wouldn’t speak up, or had her previous demeanor all been an elaborate facade? The Yu Yurou he thought he knew—was she truly the woman standing there now?

Lu Yue couldn’t fathom her motives.

Tong Ling gently blinked at Lu Yue and commented to the System, “See? From our first encounter until now, this is the first time he’s truly acknowledged my presence.”

“He doesn’t realize yet,” she continued, “that sometimes, excessive curiosity isn’t necessarily a good thing.”