Even during the day, the place is dimly lit, and you can only barely make out the lantern hanging under the eaves with the blurry character for "tea" written on it.
This business is clearly not for ordinary tea drinkers.
An inconspicuous black sedan silently glided to a stop at the alley entrance. The door opened, and a foot in an elegant high heel cautiously stepped onto the ground.
Lin Qingqing wore a well-tailored Chanel suit; the color was understated, but its expensive quality was undeniable.
She wore sunglasses that almost covered half of her face, her hair was neatly pulled back, and a plain silk scarf was tied around her neck, deliberately creating a low-key look that was inconsistent with her usual flamboyant style.
Even so, her tightly pursed lips and slightly rapid breathing still betrayed her inner tension and unease.
Lin Qingqing strode into the alley, the sound of her high heels clicking on the stone slabs particularly clear in the quiet alley.
The tea room was exceptionally quiet, seemingly a world apart from the damp and chilly outside.
The lighting was still dim, with only a small lotus lamp lit behind the counter, barely illuminating a small area nearby.
A middle-aged man in a gray long gown with a sharp face was already waiting at a table further inside.
He looked unremarkable, like an ordinary accountant.
But when those eyes looked up at Lin Qingqing, the sharp, scrutinizing light within them sent a chill down her spine.
Those were eyes that had weathered storms, understood people's hearts, and held stories to tell.
"Miss Lin."
The man spoke, his voice flat and without any inflection, and gestured for them to proceed.
Lin Qingqing took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and sat down opposite him.
With her hands on her knees, she unconsciously tightened her grip on the limited-edition handbag.
"Master Zhao... him?"
Lin Qingqing tentatively opened her mouth, her voice a little dry from nervousness.
"Master Zhao is very busy."
“Miss Lin, you can say whatever you want to me. My name is A-Chang.”
The man named Achang interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Lin Qingqing's heart sank slightly, but she dared not show any dissatisfaction.
She knew that this Ah Chang in front of her must be one of Master Zhao's confidants, and that he was already giving her face by representing Master Zhao to see her.
The waiter silently brought in a pot of brewed tea and two teacups, then quietly withdrew, as if he were invisible.
A-Chang poured himself a cup of tea, but didn't drink it. He just rubbed the warm cup with his fingers, his gaze fixed on Lin Qingqing's face, which was hidden by sunglasses, waiting for her to speak.
The tea room was eerily quiet, with only the occasional soft sound of tea leaves unfurling in the pot.
Lin Qingqing knew that if she wanted to escape being chosen by the Lu family as a marriage partner to bring good luck, there was no turning back.
"Brother Chang, I know that Master Zhao has been paying attention to the Lu family and Lu Qianhan."
She licked her slightly dry lips, lowered her voice, and tried to make her tone sound calm and persuasive.
Achang didn't react; he just listened quietly.
"Everyone outside thinks Lu Qianhan is a good-for-nothing who might go crazy at any moment, a signboard of the Lu family that's about to collapse... But!"
"He's not that simple; he's just pretending to be crazy."
Lin Qingqing mustered her courage and continued.
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Achang uttered a single syllable, his inquiry-filled gesture of caressing the teacup pausing almost imperceptibly for a moment.
Although his face remained expressionless, his eyes were noticeably sharper.
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