"Betrayal", "waste of opportunity"... these words accurately pierced Zhu Lingling's heart.
Her feet were completely nailed to the spot, as if she was tripped by an invisible rope.
A complex feeling of heat surged up his cheeks. He was annoyed by Lu Ruirong's straightforwardness and meddling, but also because her "quick wit" gave him an excuse to stay temporarily.
She turned around, no longer looking to escape immediately, but she didn't sit back either. She just stood there stiffly, biting her lower lip tightly with her teeth.
The balance in my heart is shaking violently.
Isn’t it to change one’s own destiny to participate in Miss Hong Kong and exhaust all one’s energy in training one’s manners, walk on the stage and eloquence?
To escape the deep-rooted fear - the fear of watching his father being blocked by creditors in his childhood, the whole family hiding in the closet and trembling, listening to the banging and insults outside the door;
Watching her mother, her voice trembling in vain, forcing herself to remain calm as she dealt with the fear of loan sharks, the gloomy scenes of their home in Sham Shui Po froze her childhood like cold, sticky asphalt.
My father's business always has ups and downs. It may be booming this year but hit rock bottom next year.
Zhu Lingling had long since seen through the fragile mirage of so-called "middle-class" life. She believed the only path forward was marrying into a wealthy family, gaining a truly stable and unshakable foundation, and, if possible, providing a secure and unshakable sky for her future children. To achieve this, she could swallow her pride, even disregarding the age gap and status.
And the Kobayashi Tenou before her was more than a perfect match. He was handsome, young, perhaps even a year or two younger than she was, incredibly wealthy, newly-reached in power, and incredibly elegant. From every angle, he far exceeded her expectations.
During the few brief glances and conversations at the table, his calm and composed demeanor, and the knowledge and cultivation that he inadvertently revealed, made her feel like she was in spring breeze.
The ideal picture woven deep in her heart gradually overlapped with that of this man.
The only thing that bothered her was the method! Her original plan was to enter that social class gracefully and respectably through the halo of Miss Hong Kong and the legitimate admiration and pursuit.
And now? She was like a commodity, half-pushed and half-pushed here by Liu Rumeng, lying side by side on this symbolic marriage bed with three other equally ambitious beauties, in a posture that was almost "sacrificial," waiting to be chosen?
It was too embarrassing to ask her to let go of all her self-esteem and be chosen like a gift to be enjoyed by others when she was sober!
This strong sense of humiliation was the driving force behind her decision to leave.
However, Lu Ruirong's well-timed pull and shout were like a paddle inserted into the center of the lake, muddying the water and temporarily disrupting the urge to escape.
The steps were handed to her. Staying was no longer just a shameful choice for her, but seemed to become a compromise between "repaying" and "not wasting"? Although it was self-deception, it made her feel a little better psychologically.
Just when Zhu Lingling was struggling internally and unable to move forward or retreat, it was Lu Ruirong who broke the deadlock.
This exquisite woman did not directly face Zhu Lingling's embarrassment, but turned to the man who was always in control of the situation.
Her eyes were clear, filled with curiosity and almost undisguised frankness, as if what she was discussing at the moment was not ambiguity, but some business principle worthy of serious discussion.
"Xiao Linsheng," Lv Ruirong raised her head slightly at the right moment, looked into Lin Huowang's eyes, and clearly asked the biggest question in the minds of the two sober women present, "I... I'm curious about one thing. Why... why didn't Miss Liu stay just now?"
…
This question, like a pebble thrown into a mirrored lake, instantly captured Zhu Lingling's attention. Yes, from beginning to end, why had Liu Rumeng, the heroine who had proactively arranged everything, the one pursued so intently by Mr. Kobayashi, the one who had caused two TVB bosses to argue endlessly over her victory, left? And not only did she leave, but she also locked the door with such force? This logic didn't make sense.
Lu Ruirong's speech quickened, her questions more pointed. "Besides, she left you here alone with the four of us... what exactly did she mean? Could it be... that she was planning to 'give' you to us?" Her brows furrowed in confusion, her tone incredulous. "But how is that possible? Doesn't she want to marry you? This... with all due respect, I really can't understand."
Zhu Lingling also held her breath, her gaze finally turning completely to Lin Huowang, filled with the same questioning question and a hint of inexplicable nervousness. Through the haze of drunkenness and the vigilance of feigning drunkenness, they all caught the declaration, "You're not allowed to come out until you're done." What logic lay behind that resoluteness?
Just now, when Zhu Lingling was lying on the bed drunk, she had been worrying about this matter in her heart, because it was completely contrary to any common sense.
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