TFWYH – Chapter 184 A Family of Dirty Goods

If it weren’t for that girl sometimes bringing me a bit of food, I’d have killed her long ago.

What a joke—she actually came to beg me for help.

Hah hah…

Filthy thing.

The whole old Ling family are scoundrels!

When the head of the household is crooked, the rest follow—and even Ling Xiaofang has improper thoughts about her own cousin.

Ling Xiaofang’s face went pale; she stared at her in horror. “You… how could you—”

“How would I not know?” Zhang Tao set down her work, smiling without smiling. “Because I like him too. Even though he ruined me like this, I still like him. And you—those looks you sometimes gave me, full of jealousy and contempt—that’s the same look you give when you look at Tang Wan. Ling Xiaofang, I’m not blind!”

Hearing that, Ling Xiaofang dropped her eyes. After a long moment she raised her head again—not panic-stricken like before, but calm. “So what if you found out? You still have to help me, or don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“Oh?” Zhang Tao wasn’t easily scared; she smiled sweetly. “How do you plan to be ruthless to me?”

Ling Xiaofang gritted her teeth; her eyes burned with a scorched-earth kind of madness. “If you don’t help me, I’ll tell my grandfather and grandmother about you and Deng Sanpao. I won’t have an easy time—and neither will anyone else.”

At that, the color drained from Zhang Tao’s face; she stared at her like she’d seen a ghost. “You… how did you know?”

Ling Xiaofang sneered. “Of course I know. You’d better give me a plan—or I won’t be polite to you.”

Zhang Tao glared at her viciously. Thinking about what would happen if Old Madam Liu found out made her shiver.

She absolutely could not let Old Madam Liu know.

But she also couldn’t tolerate being threatened by Ling Xiaofang.

Then—

Zhang Tao suddenly laughed. “Xiaofang, why are you so in a rush? I never said I wouldn’t help. You like Cousin Yu, but our common enemy is Tang Wan—so we shouldn’t be killing each other.”

After their earlier exchange, the two had basically torn off the mask; Ling Xiaofang no longer played coy. “Then spit it out—what’s your plan?”

Zhang Tao rolled her eyes and beckoned her closer.

Ling Xiaofang frowned but went over.

Zhang Tao whispered into her ear, and the look on Ling Xiaofang’s face darkened further.

That wretch actually wanted Ling Yue to take her place and marry for her.

When Zhang Tao finished, Ling Xiaofang exploded. “Are you out of your mind? Why would I harm Ling Yue? She’s Cousin Yu’s sister—do you want Cousin Yu to hate me?”

Zhang Tao: “Are you stupid or what? If I’m the one who makes the move and you don’t, how is it your problem? Besides, only by dragging Ling Yue into this will Tang Wan get mad at your father. That bitch will be furious—then your father will be busy dealing with her and won’t have the time or heart to trouble you.”

Ling Xiaofang’s expression twisted in conflict; she hesitated. “But… this is too much… if Cousin Yu finds out—”

“What’s done is done. And if he finds out, so what?” Zhang Tao sneered. “A married daughter is like water spilt—once she’s married, there’s no bringing her back. You and Ling Yue look about the same; on the wedding day Ling Yue will be there. I’ll have Sanpao knock her out, put her in the bridal gown, and when Ling Yue is violated, the only thing the Second Branch can do is cover it up—what else can they do?”

Ling Xiaofang was torn—she really didn’t want to hurt Ling Yue.

But she wanted to avoid marriage even more.

She bit her lip hard. “Isn’t there any other way?”

She didn’t want Cousin Yu to hate her!

“I’ve already given you the idea—if you don’t accept it, that’s on you, not me,” Zhang Tao said lazily, looking at her with scorn. “You’re so timid. If you’d had some guts earlier, Cousin Yu would already be yours—and Tang Wan wouldn’t exist.”

Ling Xiaofang thought about it—wasn’t that true?

They’d lived under the same roof for so long; she’d had countless chances.

But she’d always been too timid to defile someone like Cousin Yu—and in the end Tang Wan got him for nothing.

Besides, Zhang Tao would be the one to act—Ling Xiaofang would know nothing.

Thinking that through, Ling Xiaofang no longer hesitated. “Fine. Do it your way.”