Chapter 134 Pretending

A hint of smugness flickered in Fang Xiaolin's eyes, but she maintained a gentle smile.

"You're too kind. Actually, the art of tea is about calming the mind. Whether you understand it or not isn't important; what's important is whether you can calm your mind and feel it. So, what do you usually like to do?"

Just as I was about to answer, the door to the tea room was suddenly pushed open!

A muffled "bang" was heard, startling the atmosphere in the room into a frozen moment.

Meng Zhiyuan's hand trembled.

"Sister Wanyin?"

Her eyes were full of surprise and confusion, and her lips were slightly parted.

Qiao Wanyin stood at the door, her breathing rapid and disordered, clearly having rushed over without regard for anything else.

Her hair was a little messy, but her eyes were as sharp as a knife.

"Zishu, come with me!"

Qiao Wanyin rushed in and grabbed her wrist.

Meng Zhiyuan instinctively shrank back, his wrist aching from being gripped so tightly: "What are you doing? So sudden...you scared me!"

The teacup slipped from her fingers and slammed to the ground with a thud, mirroring the panic in her heart at that moment.

Fang Xiaolin suddenly stood up, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

But only for a moment, and he immediately put on that polite and refined demeanor again.

"Aqing, what's wrong? Let's talk this out."

His voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of concern.

"You barged in like that and scared Zishu."

Qiao Wanyin glared at him, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Say what nonsense! Get lost! Stop pretending! What right do you have to talk about 'speaking properly'?"

"You liar, are you trying to pull the same old tricks again? Are you trying to use that hypocritical act to fool a naive girl again?"

Meng Zhiyuan was startled by Qiao Wanyin's sudden outburst, and his heart pounded.

She had never seen Wan Yin so agitated, with such a cold look in her eyes.

"Sister Wanyin, please don't get agitated..."

She gently advised, her voice trembling slightly, "Let's talk about it slowly, don't do this, it'll scare people..."

"Zishu, you don't understand this person!"

Qiao Wanyin's eyes were filled with anxiety and heartache, and her voice was almost choked with sobs.

"Fang Xiaolin is a complete hypocrite! He approached you with absolutely no good intentions! You think he's teaching you about tea? He's trying to trick you into revealing information, testing you, and slowly pulling you into his trap!"

This man is a master at feigning gentleness, especially at deceiving naive young girls.

Every word he spoke was sweet, and every glance he gave was full of calculation.

The victims, however, always believed they had found love.

All the guests in the tea room looked over.

Their gazes swept back and forth between Fang Xiaolin, Qiao Wanyin, and Meng Zhiyuan as they whispered among themselves.

"Isn't that the eldest daughter of the Qiao family? Why is she behaving so erratically?"

"Isn't that Fang Xiaolin from the Lin family? I heard he's quite talented..."

"Tsk, could it be a love triangle?"

Meng Zhiyuan's face flushed red instantly, wishing the floor would crack open so she could crawl into it.

"Sister Wanyin, please don't do this..."

She pleaded softly, "Can we talk somewhere else? Making a scene here isn't good for anyone..."

"No, we have to make this clear today."

Qiao Wanyin stood still, but her voice carried an unyielding firmness.

"Fang Xiaolin, do you dare to confess everything you've done in front of Zishu? Tell me how many girls you've lied to, how many people you've hurt, one by one? Do you dare?"

"Tell me then, how many women have you slept with in Hong Kong? How many of those shady things have you done?"

She was so angry that she didn't even notice how embarrassed Meng Zhiyuan had become.

Fang Xiaolin took a deep breath, a pained expression on her face.

His brows were furrowed, and even his breathing became heavy.

He slowly took off his gold-rimmed glasses, gently wiped them with a cloth, and spoke in a low voice.

“Aqing, I know you resent me. I was wrong back then. I am sorry to you.”

Stop putting on an act.

Qiao Wanyin sneered, her eyes full of mockery and disdain.

Her gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at Fang Xiaolin.

He then turned to Meng Zhiyuan, his tone both seductive and accusatory.

"Zishu, do you know how he lied to me back then? He said he wanted to marry me."

"And what was the result? It was nothing more than trying to swindle my money and send me to a place like that to work as a dancer."

She spoke with unwavering resolve, each word like a scar etched into her heart.

To convince her, Qiao Wanyin deliberately put on a heartbroken expression.

Meng Zhiyuan was stunned.

She stood there, stunned, a surge of indescribable emotions welling up inside her.

She had never heard Wan Yin mention these things.

“What Aqing said…is indeed partly true.”

Fang Xiaolin's eyes were slightly red, and her voice was so low it almost seemed to melt into the air.

He did not deny it, his tone full of regret and shame, "I was foolish when I was young and hurt her. But I have been regretting it all these years and have been trying to become a better person."

“I never intended to sell her to a dance hall; she misunderstood.”

He quickly explained.

He turned to Meng Zhiyuan, his gaze so sincere it was heartbreaking.

“Miss Meng, I admit that I initially approached you because I knew you were Aqing’s friend…”

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he were struggling to swallow some bitter truth.

"But if my presence affects your relationship, I'm willing to leave immediately."

He adopted an extremely humble posture, yet every word he uttered was like a blunt knife.

This gradually eroded the trust between Qiao Wanyin and Meng Zhiyuan.

Meng Zhiyuan felt even worse.

Feeling trapped between the two, unable to move forward or backward, her heart ached with a dull ache.

She turned around and glared at Qiao Wanyin, her tone reproachful.

"Sister Wanyin, why are you like this? Even if Mr. Lin wronged you in the past, that's all in the past."

Her voice remained firm: "People make mistakes, but they can also correct them. We shouldn't live in the shadow of the past forever."

“He’s a legitimate businessman now, and he wants to contribute to the country. Why can’t you give him a chance?”

She spoke faster and faster, trying to get Qiao Wanyin to let go of her obsession.

Qiao Wanyin's face was pale and her eyes were dim.

"Zishu, we've known each other for so long, when have I ever lied to you?"

Meng Zhiyuan's heart clenched.

"This isn't about whether it's a lie or not."

Her voice trembled slightly, but her tone was unusually firm.

“I have the right to decide who I make friends with and who I associate with. You have no right to interfere in my life with your past or your so-called experience! I am not you, and I will not live in your shadow forever!”

Qiao Wanyin's heart pounded so hard that her ears rang.

Meng Zhiyuan was her only close friend in the Changqu compound.

She really didn't want to just stand by and watch her be played like a fool.

They were still foolish enough to think it was love.

That man proceeded cautiously, putting on an act.