Chapter 80 Provocation
I stayed at Lin Yan's house for a few more days. The huge mansion was so empty during the day that I could hear my own heartbeat.
The servants were silent, Qin Wan rarely went out, and Lin Heng seemed to be hiding deliberately, throwing himself into some kind of emotional storm and rarely going home.
Before leaving, he just said, "Sister-in-law, you can come into my room and play games as you like," and then disappeared without a trace.
Lin Yan goes out early and comes back late, and only comes back at night, exhausted and with a burning body temperature, to briefly fill my sense of presence.
Days like this are so relaxing that they seem almost unreal.
I can even lie down on the sofa in the living room, which is big enough to be a bed, without any image, and fight in front of the mobile phone screen.
Until the sound of footsteps broke the false tranquility.
Qin Zheng sat down on another single sofa in a casual manner.
Without even lifting my eyelids, I continued sliding my fingers across the screen.
Ever since I saw through the mess between him and Lin Heng, and saw him looking like a decent human being, I instinctively felt a surge of disgust in my stomach.
It is really hard to remain calm when one's own good cabbage (although Lin Heng is not a good boy either) is taken away by such a sinister pig.
The other party obviously didn't receive, or ignored the "keep away" aura emanating from me.
"Brother Rui, what game are you playing?" His tone was gentle, with just the right amount of casual chattiness.
"Just playing around." I answered perfunctorily, forcing my attention to the screen.
"I really envy you and Brother Lin Yan." This sigh sounded like overnight tea, bland and tasteless, and it was hard to tell whether it was sincere or not.
"...Thank you." I curled the corners of my mouth.
"But," he changed the subject, with a perceptive smile, "it's a bit hard to let go here, isn't it?"
I paused, then finally raised my eyelids and glanced at him.
There is something else behind this.
"It's okay." I said in a flat tone.
I think someone is anxious and worried because he can’t eat it?
"I understand," he leaned forward slightly, pretending to be open and frank. "When you're in a relationship, you always need a lot of...private space."
Without waiting for my response, he suddenly changed the subject and cut to the chase: "By the way, Brother Rui, when are you guys... planning on going back?"
I turned off the phone screen.
The cold black screen reflected my face, which instantly sank.
"What?" I raised my eyes, my gaze piercing him directly, my voice cold, "Do you think we're bothering you here?"
Qin Zheng's face immediately showed panic and humility, and his smile was so fake that it made people sick: "No, that's not what I meant! Brother Rui, you misunderstood!" He waved his hands repeatedly, "I just... I feel that Brother Lin Yan seems to want to be alone with you more. You see he is so busy every day, and when he comes back he wants to be with you..."
That's true.
Lin Yan is a guy with terrifying energy, and he has been feeling very depressed recently.
"You're quite considerate of him then," I sneered, "but it's not worth your while."
"Brother Rui," he suddenly stopped smirking and lowered his voice with an undeniable firmness, "Let's go home with Brother Lin Yan. Okay?"
He stared at me, something stirring deep in his eyes, "So... Xiao Heng is back."
A surge of evil fire suddenly rose to his forehead.
I sat up straight and stared at him: "Qin Zheng! Stop pretending! Do you think I don't know about the mess between you and Lin Heng?!"
"Since you already know everything," Qin Zheng's face lost its last trace of disguise, leaving only a cold calmness, and even a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Shouldn't you... be more sensible and leave sooner?"
"Know your place?!" I was so angry that I almost laughed out loud, "You pervert! If it weren't for you, how could Lin Heng..."
"Lose your way?" Qin Zheng interrupted me, as if he had heard something funny.
He tilted his head slightly, a hint of aftertaste in his eyes, "I think he... is quite happy."
He paused, his voice lowered, like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue, "Xiao Heng... is under a lot of pressure. If I hadn't... helped him 'vent'..."
My heart sank.
I know that Lin Heng has a lot to carry on his shoulders and is far from as glamorous and happy as he appears to be.
But... do you need to "vent" in this way?
"Stop making fucking excuses!" I shouted, "You're just a vile and shameless pervert! Don't throw dirty water on Lin Heng!"
Qin Zheng stood up suddenly.
He was very tall, and at this moment he was looking down at me as I lay slumped on the sofa. An invisible sense of oppression instantly enveloped me, bringing with it a chilling chill.
He walked closer step by step.
"Brother Rui, you scold me like this..." He stopped in front of me, his shadow covering me completely, his voice low and dangerous, "Did you...see it with your own eyes?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if observing my reaction, then nodded in understanding, the curve of his mouth deepening with cruel amusement: "Oh... I see. I thought it was Lin Heng who told you... Turns out, you discovered it yourself."
He leaned down, leaning close to my ear. His voice was as light as a feather brushing past, yet it carried a chilling chill. "So, you know... that 'habit' in his bones. Only someone like me... can satisfy him."
A wave of nausea and anger washed over me. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms.
How could he slander Lin Heng like this? How could he make such a twisted relationship seem so natural?
"Bullshit!" I practically yelled, "Lin Heng is still immature! The relationship between you and him is not normal at all!"
"Normal feelings?" Qin Zheng sneered as if he had heard a huge joke. His eyes suddenly became as sharp as a knife, with a morbid paranoia, "He can only be mine."
"You... humph!" I was so angry that I was shaking all over, but it only aroused a stubbornness. "Then I tell you, I - will not - leave!"
"Okay." Qin Zheng looked at me deeply, his eyes were like poisoned ice, icy cold to the bone.
Without another word, he turned and left the living room.
I collapsed back onto the sofa, my chest heaving violently, a rage running rampant in my body that had nowhere to vent. I could only lash out at the screen of my phone for my anger, and the poor virtual character became my only target for venting my anger.
I thought this confrontation had come to a temporary end and Qin Zheng would calm down.
But I underestimated his insidiousness and meanness.
In the evening, Lin Yan came back on time, which was rare, and the whole family (except Lin Heng who was missing) sat around the dining table.
The atmosphere was as dull as ever, with only the slight clinking of cutlery.
I buried my head in eating, tried to reduce my presence as much as possible, and prayed that Qin Zheng would stop causing trouble.
However, what you fear will come to you.
A pair of chopsticks picked up a piece of tempting braised pork and suddenly put it into my bowl.
I looked up in surprise.
Qin Zheng had that familiar, gentle and humble smile on his face, and his tone was so caring that it could drip water: "Brother Rui, eat more. I feel like you have lost weight in the past few days at our house."
These words, like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond, instantly stirred up a thousand waves.
Not only was I stunned, even Qin Wan, who had been eating with her head down, raised her head in surprise.
The most direct reaction came from Lin Yan who was beside me.
"Low weight?" Lin Yan's voice suddenly became low, like the muffled thunder before a storm.
He suddenly put down his chopsticks and grabbed my arm with such force that I gasped.
He tilted his head, his sharp eyes scanning my face like a searchlight, with scrutiny and a hint of...suspicion, "Why didn't I see that?!"
Alarm bells were ringing in my heart!
Qin Zheng, you bastard! When he can't handle it head-on, he resorts to underhand tactics!
Since you can't find a breakthrough with me, you try to sow discord and take advantage of Lin Yan's possessiveness!
"No! Lin Yan, don't listen to his nonsense!" I argued hurriedly, trying to shake off his hand, but he held it even tighter.
"Ah," Qin Zheng added innocently, his tone carrying just the right amount of worry, "Maybe it's because I was chatting with Brother Rui this afternoon, and I felt that his cheeks... didn't seem as full as when he first came."
"Chat?" Lin Yan's voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth, with an oppressive feeling of impending storm.
He suddenly turned his head and shot his eyes at me like sharp arrows. There was shock, questioning, and a hint of betrayal in his eyes.
My heart skipped a beat. It's over! This pervert!
Qin Zheng seemed to have not noticed Lin Yan's murderous gaze. He continued to smile meekly, adding fuel to the fire: "Yeah, I never expected that Brother Rui and I went to the same high school. And our hometowns are both in Fengcheng. It feels like... we have a special fate."
As he spoke, his eyes "inadvertently" swept over Qin Wan beside him.
Qin Wan was obviously stunned for a moment, and her lips moved, but in the end she said nothing. She just looked at Qin Zheng with complicated eyes.
"Oh?" Lin Yan's lips curled up into an extremely cold, unsmiling arc. He slowly turned his head and looked at me again. His voice was terribly low, and every word seemed to be wrapped in ice. "So, during the few days I was away from home... you two were on good terms? And the conversations... were quite in-depth?"
He emphasized the word "very good".
"Yes," Qin Zheng added another handful of firewood as if he thought the fire was not burning brightly enough, "Xiao Heng always goes out to play, I'm afraid my sister-in-law will be bored staying alone, so I chat with her to relieve her boredom." He smiled harmlessly.
"Ha!" Lin Yan finally laughed out loud, but there was no warmth in that laughter, only a chill that made people's backs cold.
The fingers that were squeezing my arm tightened until his knuckles turned white, but his other hand reached out and very gently and slowly stroked my cheek. His fingertips were covered with thin calluses, and they slid across my skin like a cold snake's tongue.
He leaned over to my ear, his hot breath blowing on the sensitive earlobe, and whispered in a dangerous voice that only the two of us could hear:
"It seems... I was negligent." He paused, and the tip of his tongue seemed to lick my earlobe inadvertently, causing a shudder. "It's okay, Ruirui... I will spend more time with you in the future."
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