Xu Yinyin was eating pineapple tarts in the office breakroom, humming to herself and spinning in a chair like a five-year-old in a sugar high, when the receptionist's voice called over the intercom:
"Mrs. Lu… someone's here asking to see you. Says he's your uncle."
Her face dropped.
Her hands went still.
Zeyan was just walking by and paused at the look on her face.
"Do you want me to tell security to handle it?"
She stood slowly, wiping her fingers with a tissue. "No. I'll handle it."
Then she smiled.
The kind of smile that said blood will be spilled nicely.
Downstairs – LUX Group Lobby
Her uncle was standing there—sweaty, loud, gold chain swinging.
He hadn't changed at all.
"Yinyin! My little niece!" he boomed. "Wow, look at you. Pretty, rich… married to the CEO, huh?"
She folded her arms. "Hello, Uncle. I see you're still alive. That's unfortunate."
He laughed nervously. "Haha… always joking. You know me!"
"Unfortunately, I do."
He cleared his throat. "I came to—uh—see if you could help out your family, you know? Your cousin needs to go abroad. Your aunt needs surgery. And your husband—he can afford anything, right?"
Yinyin tilted her head.
Then she smiled sweetly.
"Oh. So now I have a family?"
Uncle blinked.
"I remember when I was 10 and you told me to stop 'pretending to be smart' and just marry a factory boy.
I remember when my parents died and you took the insurance money and gave me expired noodles.
I remember working two jobs while you bought a new car."
He shifted uncomfortably. "That was in the past…"
"Oh, good." She stepped closer, still smiling. "Then you won't mind me pretending I've forgotten you."
"Yinyin—"
She raised a hand.
"Here's what I can give you, Uncle."
She pulled a checkbook from her purse and wrote something down.
Then she handed him the paper.
He looked.
It read:
Invoice for Emotional Damages
• Neglect: ¥500,000
• Verbal Abuse: ¥150,000
• Gaslighting & Manipulation: ¥300,000
• Expired Noodles: ¥7.25
• Total: ¥950,007.25
She smiled coldly. "Pay me first. Then we can talk about donations."
He stared at her, stunned.
Then she turned around.
Lu Zeyan was watching from the balcony above, arms crossed.
As she walked back upstairs, he asked, "You good?"
She shrugged. "I'm great."
"Need me to do anything?"
"Yeah," she said, grabbing another pineapple tart. "Give me a raise. Being married to you is exhausting."