Chapter Two: Taking the Shortcut

Su Qing?

When he saw the photo, Lin Ye couldn’t help but be stunned.

She was incredibly beautiful!

Especially her delicate features. Although there are countless online beauties and even AI-generated real-looking images nowadays, Lin Ye had never seen anyone so stunning in real life.

Not even the celebrities on TV could compare.

If it were just that, it wouldn’t be a big deal—after all, everyone has their youthful days, even elderly ladies. But the key was her age.

Twenty-seven?

Lin Ye glanced at Uncle Li. “You call her your sister? I might as well call her my sister too.”

Could the information be misprinted?

That shouldn’t be the case!

Lin Ye considered another possibility and found himself increasingly convinced. He couldn’t help but nod.

It must be a false identity!

After all, rich people probably use fake identities to avoid property disputes and such. The age on that certificate was most likely fabricated.

Thinking this, he frowned and looked up. “Uncle Li, the information on this marriage certificate…”

“What about the information?” Uncle Li Dehua responded instinctively, but when he opened it, his expression instantly changed.

“Oh no! How did I forget the age!”

While he stammered, trying to think of an explanation, Lin Ye’s voice rang out again: “Age doesn’t matter. The name should be real, right? Otherwise, it wouldn’t have the effect of bringing good fortune.”

Uncle Li was momentarily stunned, then gave Lin Ye a strange look.

“So that’s how you see it.”

He then smiled as if confirming, “Ah… yes, yes, the name is real. That definitely wouldn’t be fake.”

Rich people always think things through better than you expect.

Lin Ye looked again at the photo on the marriage certificate. Thinking of how beautiful this elderly lady was in her youth and realizing how little time she had left now, he felt a complex mix of emotions.

History has often shown that beauty is fleeting...

Well, actually, it wasn’t quite so tragic—after all, she lived to an age that made Uncle Li call her ‘sister.’

Now, he was curious about what kind of person his nominal wife truly was.

He looked up at Uncle Li. “Uncle Li, what’s the plan next…”

“To the hospital!”

Uncle Li nodded, confirming their next destination.

***

Private hospital.

Half an hour later, led by staff, Lin Ye and Uncle Li arrived at the intensive care unit on the second floor.

It was clear the staff all knew Uncle Li; without a word of questioning, they immediately prepared sterile gowns and masks for the two.

“So this is your wife…”

Although Lin Ye had imagined this moment countless times before coming, when he saw Su Qing for the first time, he couldn’t help but be deeply drawn in.

She was a thin elderly woman, with not just white hair but also white eyebrows.

Perhaps because wealthy people tend to take good care of themselves, even at her age, her skin remained fair and delicate, without too much sagging.

Her gaunt frame was hooked up to various tubes, evoking a pang of sympathy.

Her face was pale and sickly, lacking any glow.

“Ah Qing, this is your husband…”

“You should open your eyes and see—he’s quite spirited and handsome, you know.”

Uncle Li sat beside the hospital bed, rambling on, soon his eyes reddened and tears began to fall. Lin Ye awkwardly stepped forward to comfort him.

Once outside the room, Uncle Li said to Lin Ye, “Send me your bank account number.”

“Alright, Uncle Li.”

Lin Ye didn’t hesitate; after all, he had come for the money, and everyone was well aware of that.

He expected to wait a while, but within ten minutes, fifty thousand yuan was transferred into his account.

Fifty thousand!

Staring at the long string of numbers, Lin Ye’s breathing quickened, feeling almost unreal.

“Lin Ye, legally speaking, you are now the lawful husband of my older sister, so if you have time, come visit her more often…”

“Of course, all this is voluntary. If you don’t want to, it’s no problem.”

“Okay, Uncle Li.”

Lin Ye nodded, knowing that the elderly lady on the hospital bed had very little time left.

According to the hospital, she might only last another week at most.

A week...

Just thinking about it was a little heartbreaking.

After that, Lin Ye would receive a death certificate for his spouse.

Beyond that, there would be no further connection between them, and Lin Ye’s life would go on unaffected.

Yet, from the bottom of his heart, Lin Ye hoped Su Qing could live a little longer—not just out of pity, but also because if she survived more than three months, he would receive an additional three million!

That was what Uncle Li himself had said.

What if a miracle happened?

Back home, Lin Ye didn’t hesitate and immediately transferred forty thousand back, keeping ten thousand for himself.

***

“Dad! Don’t worry, I didn’t steal or rob!”

“This money is from a three-year contract I signed with the company—they paid me in advance… Mm-hmm, I kept some for living expenses, so no need to worry.”

As expected, his parents were shocked upon receiving fifty thousand yuan.

Fortunately, coming from a rural background, they didn’t fully understand the city’s circumstances, so Lin Ye’s explanations were met with some skepticism but no outright refusal.

After hanging up, Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief. With this money, his mother’s surgery could finally be scheduled.

“Lin Ye, where have you been all day? Tomorrow is our first official workday. Don’t pull any all-nighters doing side jobs again or you’ll be exhausted on day one. The boss will definitely notice.”

At that moment, a young man with disheveled hair and a tired face emerged from the bedroom, yawning.

Sun Hua—Lin Ye’s university classmate and current roommate.

Just as Lin Ye was about to reply, Sun Hua seemed to have discovered a whole new world. He stared at Lin Ye, touching his outfit here and there. “Wow! This custom suit must have cost tens of thousands, right?”

“Old Lin, did you hit the jackpot? You actually splurged on such an expensive outfit?”

In Sun Hua’s impression, Lin Ye was the kind of guy who squeezed every penny to cover three meals a day.

For someone so stingy, spending tens of thousands on a suit—even for work—seemed excessive.

“What are you thinking? It was a gift.”

Lin Ye smiled wryly and pushed him away.

But Sun Hua’s shock only deepened as he stared at Lin Ye for a long moment. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, who would give you a suit worth that much? Lin Ye, I didn’t expect you to fall so low.”

“Fall low?”

Lin Ye was momentarily taken aback.

“Pretending? Come on, tell me… which rich woman is keeping you? Didn’t expect you’d take shortcuts too. I’m done trying!”

Sun Hua teased with a mocking grin.

“Get lost, you’re way off,” Lin Ye retorted, though a vague sense of guilt crept in.

Is this guy some kind of psychic?

How did he guess that?

Still… given my situation, can this really be called a shortcut?

Lin Ye comforted himself, but the frail, haggard face of Su Qing kept flashing in his mind.

On his first day at the company, Lin Ye didn’t have to work overtime. After work, he checked the route—the hospital was only a forty-minute ride from the office.

Although Uncle Li said he wouldn’t force him to visit her, after all, they were still legally married.

“Should I?”

“Go see her?”

Once the thought surfaced, it refused to leave his mind.