Trending Again – Chapter 42

Several hot topics on the internet are all related to Si Meng, and those in the entertainment circle can’t help but sigh, suggesting that you might as well live on top of those popular searches.

Among them, the most sensational news that caused a stir among fans was the official announcement of Lin Hanyue and Si Meng’s secret marriage.

Fans realized belatedly that their favorite CP had quietly obtained their marriage certificate, stunning everyone.

Si Meng’s fan base skyrocketed from five million to twenty million. After the success of the new drama, lucrative endorsement deals came pouring in, and every invitation received came with an astronomical price tag.

Si Meng focused her attention on a few restaurants during this period, which were well managed by Zhang Bilian. The restaurant chain was named 《Ten Styles Pavilion》, becoming the flagship brand of various establishments.

Continuing on, she casually wrote down a few recipes, which became the signature dishes of her health food therapy restaurant. The ingredients complemented and enhanced each other, and many people came out of admiration. They discovered that after a period of dietary therapy, some minor ailments were unexpectedly cured, establishing her reputation.

People came from afar, drawn by her reputation, seeking meals at her doorstep. Si Meng would prepare recipes based on their symptoms and hand them over to Zhang Bilian, never appearing in person. As a result, no one knew which influential figure was behind 《Ten Styles Pavilion》.

The online buzz grew more intense. Si Meng’s popularity skyrocketed with lightning speed, attracting the attention of various forces.

Lin Hanyue’s people were looking for Si Meng, as were the Xiao family. The remnants of the entertainment circle were also searching for Si Meng. And the protagonist of all these events—Si Meng—was currently being tied up tightly by someone.

That night, after having a few drinks with the crew, Si Meng felt a little tipsy on her way back home. It was then that she realized she was being followed by some bastards.

Si Meng let out a belch, lazily and softly saying, “Come out, you’ve been following me. What do you want?”

In the darkness, more than a dozen men in black walked out, all muscular. From the way they covered their pockets, Si Meng speculated that they were likely armed.

“Miss, Mr. Si Er has instructed us to bring you back to Country M. Please cooperate,” said the leader of the men in black, his finger resting on the trigger of his gun.

Si Meng sneered, “And what if I don’t cooperate? What can you do to me?” Her tone was domineering and arrogant, befitting the most indulged Third Miss of the Si family.

The men in black wiped their sweat and exchanged glances, signaling for someone to be brought forward.

“Miss Si, although we can’t touch you, we can’t guarantee the safety of her,” the man in black said sternly, while another man in black dragged the heavily injured Si Teng.

A calm gaze in Si Meng’s eyes was now filled with anger. Anyone who dared to harm her brother was essentially harming her.

“Who gave you the audacity to do this to her!”

The men in black held their breath, sensing the intense killing intent. One of them explained, “She’s just a traitor to the Si family. If it weren’t for the young master sparing her life, she would have been dead long ago.”

Si Meng clenched her fists, glancing at the barely conscious Si Teng. “Release her, and I will go with you.”

The man in black released Si Teng and reached out to grab Si Meng’s arm. With a crisp “snap,” the agonizing screams of the man in black filled the air. In an instant, before he could even make contact with her, Si Meng had dislocated the man’s arm.

“I’ve given you face. Who do you think you are to touch me?”

The attitude of the man in black immediately changed to one of utmost respect. Mr. Si Er had given instructions to ensure Si Meng’s safe return, but they couldn’t guarantee their own safety.

“Miss Si, please forgive my subordinate. He has overstepped his boundaries. Someone, take care of him,” the man in black apologized sincerely and walked ahead to guide Si Meng.

Si Meng turned back and glanced at Si Teng, silently conveying a message. Si Teng weakly struggled to her feet, watching with longing eyes as Si Meng was taken away.

Si Meng was taken to the car by them and rushed to the airport. The men in black had secured the earliest flight back to Country M. Si Er, also known as her second uncle, was a selfish and cunning character who excelled at concealing his intentions. It seemed that this time he had secretly captured her with the intention of having her marry that deranged man on behalf of her elder sister.

The Si family owed a favor to the Brinken family. According to their agreement, if the Brinken family had a daughter, she would marry the eldest son of the Si family. If they had a son, the Si family would marry their eldest daughter to them.

In simple terms, it was a transaction based on mutual interests.

The Brinken family gave birth to a son, while her second uncle had a daughter. Both families were interested in arranging the marriage, and as the youngest daughter, Si Meng, who had an age difference of more than ten years with them, was naturally not considered.

But who would have thought that the son of the Brinken family turned out to be a mentally unstable exhibitionist, reportedly just discharged from a psychiatric hospital a few years ago.

Si Meng felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of marrying a mentally disturbed man in his forties. She couldn’t believe her second uncle could come up with such an idea.

Si Meng looked at the men in black, and at that moment, her phone suddenly rang. The men in black were about to turn it off, but Si Meng stopped them. “That’s my brother’s call. I’ve never hung up on him before. Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?”

“Give it to her, answer the call,” the leading man gestured.

Si Meng: “Hello, Brother. What made you think of calling me?”

Si Ze: “You answered pretty quickly this time. How’s it going at school? When are you coming back?”

Si Meng: “I haven’t had enough fun yet, and besides, school hasn’t gone on vacation.”

Si Ze: “Then I’ll have someone send you some snacks to enjoy.”

Si Meng: “No need, really. We have everything here in the country. Okay, I need to go now.”

The men in black saw nothing unusual and hung up the phone. On the other end of the call, Si Ze took a deep breath and looked at his bewildered wife.

“It seems like little sister has run into trouble.”

“Do you suspect it’s the doing of our second uncle’s people?”

“I had originally planned to let him enjoy a few more years of freedom, but it seems we can let him retire early now.”

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On the other side, Si Teng had barely taken a few steps before she was targeted by someone. Those people had no intention of letting her return alive.

Meanwhile, Lin Hanyue was anxiously sitting in her office, waiting. She had already sent people to look for Si Meng, but the phone was unreachable, and there were no clues from Lu Qi either. How could someone disappear without a trace overnight?

The Xiao family was also at a loss. They released a large number of paparazzi and private detectives, but only found superficial information.

Si Teng struggled to stand up and realized that the man in front of her had already dealt with those people. She looked at him warily, but he didn’t seem to have any malicious intent. Si Teng spoke up, “Who are you?”

The man revealed a row of menacing white teeth. “I am the Lin family’s number one bodyguard, Lin Te.”

The man lifted Princess Si Teng by her waist, but she kicked him with her foot. The man frowned, displeased, and said, “Don’t move recklessly, or I might accidentally drop you. My master wants to see you.”

Lin Te carried the bloodied Si Teng and brought her before Lin Hanyue. After asking a few questions, Si Teng passed out due to excessive blood loss. Lin Hanyue instructed Lin Te to take good care of her.

With the obtained clue, Lin Hanyue took the Lin family bodyguards to the airport for a hijacking, waiting for the enemy to take the bait.

Si Meng woke up from her dream and found herself bound tightly. The bodies of the men in black were scattered around. Si Meng thought to herself that it seemed like it wasn’t a good idea to offend too many people. It was a typical case of the underworld turning on each other.

The first group of people who wanted to deal with Si Meng were assassinated by the second group of people who also wanted to deal with her.

Si Meng raised her gaze, and this person looked somewhat familiar. Wasn’t she the former shadow behind the scenes who was brought down from her pedestal by Si Meng?

“Heh, Si Meng, long time no see. Seeing your despicable face, I’ve been yearning day and night to tear it apart.” The woman’s face twisted into a ferocious expression, appearing terrifying and detestable.

“You still don’t know, do you? Bai Lu, the black materials, and even those assassins, they were all troubles I brought upon you. Do you know how much I hate you?”

Si Meng was being choked, struggling to breathe, her face turning red. Now, she needed to buy some time.

“Cough, cough, cough. By the way, did I really offend you that badly? Is it necessary to hold a grudge for so many years?” Si Meng said with a playful smile. The woman’s expression changed, and anger surged within her.

“Yes, you didn’t really do anything to me, but because of you, the Si family ruined my path to stardom. It’s all because of you, you wretched person.” The woman raised her hand and slapped Si Meng five times in a row. Still not satisfied, she kicked Si Meng’s stomach twice.

Si Meng rolled her eyes. When she played the supporting role back then, this crazy woman was afraid of being overshadowed by her, so she went all out to sabotage her. It served her right to be eventually blacklisted by the Si family.

“Well, how did you know I would pass through this road? Ambushing me here.”

The woman laughed triumphantly. “I’m not the only one who hates you. Without Si Teng to clean up after you, it was easy for you to be exposed.”

Si Meng understood. It seemed that she had no choice but to fight to the bitter end.

“Heh, you’re afraid of water, aren’t you? I regret not letting them drown you back then. Now, I’ll let you experience the terror of choking on water once again.” The woman clearly knew what she was doing.

A hint of fear flashed in Si Meng’s eyes, but in an instant, Lin Hanyue’s smiling face flashed through her mind. Yes, she couldn’t die yet. She still needed to see Lin Hanyue again!

“You come closer, and I’ll tell you a secret. It’s about what happened back then,” Si Meng said with a smile.

“Don’t try any tricks,” the woman approached, and Si Meng swiftly untied the knot behind her, swiftly grabbing hold of her neck.

“Tell them to back off, or I’ll choke you to death,” Si Meng threatened.

“Quick, move aside and listen to her.”

With Si Meng holding her hostage, they walked step by step, a hundred meters away. Si Meng held a dagger against the woman’s cheek, whispering, “Tell them to throw the keys over, and you and I will leave.”

“Give… give her the keys, quickly!” The woman shouted. The other henchmen furrowed their brows, but obediently threw the keys to Si Meng.

Si Meng took the keys and led the woman to the car. Everything went smoothly, leaving the troublesome place behind.

“Are you sure they didn’t do anything suspicious?” Si Meng sensed that things weren’t as simple as they seemed. After all, she had become wary of being manipulated by others in this treacherous world. Truly an inhumane bunch.

“Don’t worry, they are under my control. I’m in the car; they wouldn’t dare to do anything.”

Si Meng sarcastically thought to herself, being in the car might actually make it easier for them to make a move.

“Once I’m far away from here, we’ll settle this once and for all. Otherwise, it won’t just be the Si family seeking revenge on you.” Si Meng tried to persuade her with kind words, but she refused to listen.

“Heh, now you’re pretending to be a good person. Do you think I’ll be grateful?”

Si Meng was about to roll her eyes if she wasn’t currently driving.

“Si… Meng, brake! The brakes are not working!” The woman completely panicked. Those bastards, in their attempt to get rid of Si Meng, were willing to sacrifice her as well. Damn them.

Si Meng’s mind raced. She said, “Turn right, then left. Steer the wheel to the extreme.”

The woman broke into a cold sweat and exclaimed, “Do you know what you’re saying? That place is…”

“If you don’t want to die, do as I say. We’re in a car right now.”

Gritting her teeth, the woman followed Si Meng’s instructions and turned the steering wheel. At the end of the road was… an unfathomable deep sea.

“Release your seatbelt!” After Si Meng shouted, the woman heard the sound of the car window shattering. Immediately after, she felt a force pushing her upward.

When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was the vast, empty sea. She was clutching onto a floating cushion. What happened? Si Meng saved her!

Anxiously, the woman shouted on the surface of the sea, but the dead calm water didn’t even echo her voice.

Then, a helicopter flew over the water, and a woman fearlessly jumped into the water, followed by a group of guards. The woman took a closer look and realized it was Lin Hanyue.

The woman desperately swam in their direction. Perhaps they knew where Si Meng was. Although she resented Si Meng, she couldn’t disregard the person who saved her.

Si Meng’s consciousness once again fell into a blur. She thought to herself, “This time, I’m really done for. It would be great if Lin Hanyue were here. She would definitely pull me back from the brink of death.”

As she had these thoughts, it felt as if a force was tightly clinging to her body. However, she was already too weak to open her eyes. She could only sense a faint flow of air in her mouth.

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When Si Meng opened her eyes once again, she found herself in a white world. Si Meng rubbed her eyes and said in a dazed manner, “Is this… heaven?”

“Heaven looks like this?” Lin Hanyue smiled and brought over a bowl of millet porridge. She took a spoonful, cooled it down, and held it in her mouth to make sure it wasn’t too hot before feeding it to Si Meng.

Si Meng looked at her in disbelief, “Heaven actually has Lin Hanyue? Did the heavens eavesdrop on my wish?”

Lin Hanyue playfully flicked Si Meng’s little nose and laughed, “Silly fool, we’re both alive and well. By the way, what wish did you make?”

Si Meng blushed and said, “I’m not telling you. It’s too embarrassing.”

“Hahaha, you two have such a great relationship. We were worried about you for nothing,” Lu Qi said with arms folded as she walked in, followed by the tag-along Xiao Changhe.

Xiao Changhe was a woman of few words. After entrusting Si Meng to rest well, she left.

Immediately after, Lin Te pushed Si Teng in a wheelchair and entered the room. Lin Te, being straightforward, said, “We’ve already said that as long as the master takes action, Si Meng will be fine. You insisted on coming here and caused a lot of trouble!”

“You idiot, shut up!” Si Teng bent her elbow and struck Lin Te’s stomach, silencing him with a muffled sound.

After inspecting Si Meng’s entire body and confirming that she was alright, Si Teng let out a sigh of relief. She loudly instructed Lin Te to take her elsewhere for a stroll.

Si Meng chuckled softly, and Lin Hanyue reluctantly sent everyone away. Finally, they had some alone time together.

Si Meng laughed so much that she was out of breath. Lin Hanyue patiently patted her back, helping her catch her breath.

“Lin Hanyue, Little Yueyue, after the New Year, I’ll take you to Country M to meet my parents, as well as my brother and sister-in-law. I’m sure they’ll love you too,” Si Meng said earnestly. This time, they would be together forever, and no one could stop them.

“Okay, this dear daughter-in-law will have meet the parents-in-law sooner or later. Besides, I’m not ugly.”

“Hehe, of course, my wife is not ugly. My wife is the most beautiful in the world!” Si Meng hugged the fragrant and soft Lin Hanyue tightly and gave her a big kiss.

Si Meng tugged at Lin Hanyue’s sleeve with a pitiful expression and said, “Tonight, let me be the one to take the lead, how about it?”

“Hmm, let me think about it.”

“Don’t think about it anymore, just let me take the lead this time, big sister~ wife~ husband~”

“Fine, fine, fine.”

Lin Hanyue thought that the story was almost over, and if she didn’t let Si Meng take the lead once, she would feel so wronged. This time, it was Lin Hanyue’s turn to be the assertive one in the name of love.

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LP: Main story is now done! Tbh, I’ll rate this novel 3/5. This is the author’s first novel so I understand why the plot is all over the place and not fleshed out. With practice, I’m sure the author’s writing will become better in the future!

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