The Substitute Bride: Indulged by the Obsessive CEO

Chapter 42: Did He Cast a Spell on You?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Tang Beibei was dumbfounded when she heard Lu Fan say that he liked her.

She looked at him in disbelief. “Senior Lu Fan, are you being dared by someone to tell a girl that you liked her?”

Tang Beibei thought that someone was playing a prank on Lu Fan. Why else would Senior Lu Fan suddenly say that he liked her?

Lu Fan massaged his forehead. “Tang Beibei, don’t you feel anything?”

“Feel what?” Tang Beibei looked around and did not find anyone suspicious. However, a couple of students were looking at them.

“Is someone hiding and watching us?”

Lu Fan laughed in frustration as he steadied her head and looked straight at her.

“Tang Beibei, listen carefully. This is not a prank or a game. I like you!”

“But it can’t be. We’re not that close.” Tang Beibei argued.

Lu Fan was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood. He had confessed his love to a woman to be told by her that they weren’t that close.

However, he still mustered up his courage and pressed on, “I’ve admired you since a year ago. After spending a year with you, I’m certain that I really like you. Tang Beibei, will you give me a chance?”

“No, I’m already married.”

Tang Beibei frowned. Lu Fan had admired her since a year ago. He had hidden it too well.

A year ago, she still thought that he was a noble young master, a genius, and her idol. The two of them barely spoke, and his attitude towards her was quite distant.

If you liked someone, wouldn’t you want to kiss, hug, bicker, and chat with that person?

Just like her and her husband.

Lu Fan fell into deep thought and stared at Tang Beibei for a long time. He was angry and helpless as he gently patted the top of her head.

“Tang Beibei, were you forced to marry Jiang Jingchen?”

Tang Beibei avoided his hand. She frowned awkwardly as she recalled how it all happened. “I guess so, but it’s all in the past.”

“Then, Tang Beibei, I’m willing to wait for you.”

“Wait for what?”

“When the sickly Jiang Jingchen dies, I’ll help you leave the Jiang family and you’ll be my girlfriend!” Lu Fan said.

Tang Beibei looked at him in shock. “Senior Lu Fan, are you cursing my husband to die early?”

“I,”

“Don’t say anymore. My husband won’t die. He’ll be cured and live a long life!” Tang Beibei said angrily. She didn’t want to hear anyone badmouth Jiang Jingchen now.

Lu Fan chuckled. He was so frustrated that he became a little impatient. He pushed up his glasses, and his refined face became a little cold.

“Tang Beibei, wake up. Jiang Jingchen’s condition hasn’t improved despite ten years of treatment. Where do you get the confidence that he will be cured and live a long life with you?”

“Haven’t you heard that the father and son of the Jiang family have been estranged since long ago? They are even more estranged now. The old master of the Jiang family wants to cut off Jiang Jingchen completely.”

“Jiang Jingchen is a cripple. How will he maintain his lifestyle without subsidy from the Jiang family? Tang Beibei, you would rather be with that cripple instead of giving me a chance?”

Tang Beibei was surprised. Why didn’t her husband tell her that the Jiang family had cut off all his finances?

She was also to blame for this. If she hadn’t gone back to the Jiang residence with him, Jiang Jingchen wouldn’t have quarreled with his father, and he wouldn’t have fallen out with him. Her husband still had to treat his illness. How would he do it without money?

She bit her lip, feeling a little worried.

“Tang Beibei, are you listening to me?”

“Uh, yes. Thank you for telling me this, Senior Lu Fan. I have some money on hand. I can give it to my husband.”

Lu Fan gritted his teeth in anger when he heard that she had completely ignored his confession and only cared about Jiang Jingchen.

“Jiang Jingchen is disabled. Do you know how much his treatments cost? Tang Beibei, it’s an astronomical figure! And his daily expenses. Do you know how much a young master of the Jiang family spends on food and clothing alone?” “Tang Beibei, did he cast a spell on you?”

Lu Fan asked three difficult questions in a row, and he spoke faster and faster. It was obvious how angry he was.

Anyone who knew Tang Beibei knew how thrifty she was. She treated her money like treasure. She would feel heartache if she spent just a cent more.

But now, she was giving her money to that cripple. This made Lu Fan very jealous!

“My husband lives quite a frugal life. He doesn’t smoke or drink. He’s also very frugal when it comes to food and clothes. There is essentially only his medical expenses.”

Tang Beibei also took a mental note for herself to find out how much Dr. Wen was paid. Her budget must include Dr. Wen, or her husband wouldn’t get the treatment he deserved.

Should she find a part-time job to earn money in her spare time?

Lu Fan realized that he could not get through to Tang Beibei at all because they were on completely different frequencies.

“Tang Beibei, if you need money, you can come to me. I can help you.” Lu Fan gave in.

“No, no need. Thank you for your kindness, Senior Lu Fan. I’ll find a way.”

Tang Beibei scratched her head. Jiang Jingchen was already furious that she and Lu Fan were pretending to be a couple. If she dared to take Lu Fan’s money and Jiang Jingchen found out, he would definitely be even angrier.

Lu Fan took another deep breath, and softened his tone. “If we break up as a fake couple, aren’t you worried that there will be negative rumors that would affect your scholarship?”

“… Huh?”

Tang Beibei felt conflicted. Her scholarship was a lot of money.

The Rong family didn’t give her any allowance. She managed to have a little living expenses last year only because of her scholarship.

Seeing that she was tempted, Lu Fan concluded that he had found an in. He pushed his glasses up his nose and revealed a polite smile.

“Tang Beibei, you have to think carefully. I’m willing to be your fake boyfriend. As for you…”

“Senior Lu Fan,” Tang Beibei interrupted Lu Fan. “I’ve thought this through. I have a clear conscience and I’m not afraid of any rumors. But I can’t betray my husband and be fake boyfriend and girlfriend with you.”

Lu Fan stared at her. How did he fall for this silly and stubborn woman?

His heart ached when he found out that she was already married, but he was willing to take a gamble.

However, after talking to her for so long, he realized that her heart had long been captured by her crippled husband.

He exhaled loudly but he felt even more depressed.

“Tang Beibei, I respect your decision, but I still hope that we can be friends. Okay?”

Tang Beibei smiled and nodded. “We’ve always been friends, haven’t we?”

After a pause, she scratched her head again and said carefully, “As for the fact that you told me that you like me, let’s just treat it as a joke and never mention it again. Senior Lu Fan, okay?”

“… Alright.”

Lu Fan swallowed his bitterness. This woman actually considered his feelings for her a joke?

Oh well, it made sense too. He knew that Tang Beibei was slow when it came to feelings and thought differently from most people, which was why he held back his confession.

Now that she had been snatched away by someone else, there was no point for him to wallow in self-pity.

Looking at the girl’s clear eyes and bright smile, he still couldn’t bear to walk away.

Not far away, a few pairs of eyes were staring at Tang Beibei and Lu Fan. They even took out their phones to take photos and videos.

Soon, the photos of the two of them were sent to the Jiang family butler’s phone. The butler stared at his phone and sighed.

He showed the photos to Old Master Jiang, who seemed indifferent.

“We can’t keep this woman.”

The butler nodded, but he didn’t want the rift between the father and son to deepen. “Then let’s pay her off.”

The Jiang family was not short of money, and Old Master Jiang did not want to hear about Tang Beibei anymore. She was just an illegitimate daughter of the Rong family, an insignificant speck of dust unworthy of his time..