Basic qualities
The ice in the coffee cup had long since melted, diluting the originally rich coffee.
Only a cup of bitter, brownish liquid remained, much like her mood at that moment.
Lin Tingyue sat alone in the same spot, staring blankly at the thin envelope for a full ten minutes.
Chi Zhuo's figure had long since disappeared, but the words he left behind echoed repeatedly in her mind like a curse.
Available whenever needed...
Playing the role of a shield...
Until the compensation is sufficient...
Every word exuded an undeniable power and a chilling sense of unpredictability.
She mechanically picked up the envelope, her fingertips touching the edge of the banknotes, then pulled back as if burned.
These three thousand dollars have now become an invisible rope around her neck, and the person holding the other end is Chi Zhuo.
What exactly does he want to do?
A new form of retaliation?
To humiliate her in this readily available manner?
Or is it really just because...she happened to appear, and happened to "owe" him something, so he's making the best use of her?
Countless questions bubbled up in her mind like boiling water, but she couldn't find a single answer.
In the end, she put the humiliating envelope into her bag and drifted out of the coffee shop like a lost soul.
The afternoon sun shone warmly on her, but she felt no warmth at all, only a chilling sense of uncertainty about the future.
The next two days were uneventful.
Chi Zhuo did not "notify" her, and that unfamiliar number never rang again.
Lin Tingyue tried to return to a normal life, going to work, painting, and joking around with Xia Xiaoran, but she was always somewhat absent-minded, and would unconsciously glance at her phone from time to time, as if it were a thunderbolt that could explode at any moment.
After learning the results of the coffee shop's "liquidation," Xia Xiaoran once again fell into deep analysis mode.
"Always available? A shield?"
On the other end of the video, she was munching on an apple, her eyes darting around, "Why am I getting less and less into this plot?"
Logically speaking, if he wanted revenge, he had a million ways to make you wish you were dead, why did he have to use this...
Uh… a bundled sales method? Yueyue, he wouldn't really…
"Really what?" Lin Tingyue interrupted her impatiently.
"You're really interested in me? Ranran, stop reading those brainless novels! That's Chi Zhuo!"
Does he lack women? Does he need to resort to such a roundabout method? I think he's just bored and looking for some fun, and I'm the unfortunate fun!
She preferred to believe the latter; at least that way, she would only have to endure the teasing rather than contemplate the more complex and terrifying possibilities.
However, her self-comfort was completely shattered on the afternoon of the third day.
She was in her studio struggling with a design she couldn't get her hands on when her phone suddenly vibrated.
It's still the same number.
The content remains concise and to the point:
[7 PM tonight, Yuehua Hotel banquet hall. Your attendance is required. The driver will be waiting downstairs at your office at 6:30 PM.]
There were no inquiries, no discussions, only a cold, indifferent notification.
They've arrived.
Lin Tingyue's heart sank, and her palms instantly became sweaty. What was bound to happen had finally arrived.
"Yueyue? What's wrong? Your face is so pale." Her colleague asked with concern.
"N-nothing," she forced a smile. "I'm suddenly feeling a little unwell, so I might have to leave a little earlier."
She sat in her office, staring at the text message as if facing a formidable enemy.
The banquet hall of Yuehua Hotel...it's another high-end venue.
What does she need to do? What does she need to say? What does she need to wear?
I frantically opened the wardrobe only to find that my clothes seemed a bit too "formal" or "defensive" for this occasion.
In the end, she could only choose the most conservative black ankle-length dress, a simple style that at least wouldn't go wrong.
At 6:30, she came downstairs on time.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom, like a silent behemoth, quietly pulled up to the side of the road, drawing the attention of passersby.
The driver, dressed in uniform, respectfully opened the car door for her.
They walked in silence. Lin Tingyue nervously clutched her handbag, her mind rehearsing the possible scenarios.
Upon arriving at the Yuehua Hotel, a waiter led her to the banquet hall.
There seemed to be a private business cocktail party taking place at the entrance, with a more formal and business-like atmosphere than the last blind date party.
She took a deep breath, preparing to brace herself and go in, but almost bumped into a solid chest.
Looking up, she met Chi Zhuo's deep gaze.
He had obviously arrived long ago and was talking quietly with someone. When he saw her, he naturally ended the conversation and walked towards her.
He was wearing a more formal black tuxedo tonight, which made his figure appear even more upright and superior, and gave him a powerful aura.
His gaze swept over her, seemingly unimpressed by her overly conservative attire, and he simply said, "You're here."
“Mr. Chi,” Lin Tingyue replied softly, her heart pounding like a drum, instinctively wanting to keep her distance from him.
"Follow me."
He spoke succinctly, then extended his arm with remarkable ease.
Lin Tingyue stared blankly at the bent arm that was waiting for her.
Is this... about to hold hands?
Seeing her hesitation, Chi Zhuo turned his head, his gaze slightly darkening, carrying a hint of undeniable pressure: "Do I need to teach you the basic skills of being a 'shield'?"
Lin Tingyue bit her lower lip, but finally reached out her slightly trembling hand and gently took his arm.
Even through the thin fabric, the firm, warm touch of his arm sent a jolt through her skin like an electric current, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable.
The crisp, pine-scented scent emanating from him enveloped her even more clearly.
He led her into the banquet hall.
In an instant, almost all eyes were focused on it.
Surprise, inquiry, curiosity, scrutiny... all kinds of gazes intertwined and fell upon her.
Clearly, the rare appearance of a female companion, especially a stranger, by Chi Zhuo was enough to cause a sensation among the audience.
Lin Tingyue felt her face burning, and could only try her best to maintain her composure, forcing a stiff, practiced smile onto her lips.
"President Chi, who is this?" Soon, someone stepped forward to speak, their gaze openly scrutinizing Lin Tingyue.
Chi Zhuo remained calm and introduced her in a neutral tone: "A friend, Miss Lin Tingyue."
He didn't explain much, but his natural and intimate manner, along with his vague definition of friendship, only fueled the speculation.
Next, Lin Tingyue was like a human pendant, being led by Chi Zhuo through the crowd.
He exchanged pleasantries and chatted with people, and she only needed to keep smiling and nod occasionally when Chi Zhuo's gaze swept over her.
She gradually came to understand the meaning of "shield".
During this time, several well-dressed socialites with obvious intentions tried to get close to Chi Zhuo, but when they saw Lin Tingyue standing right next to him, and Chi Zhuo's seemingly casual yet protective demeanor, they could only retreat in disappointment.
Some tried to find out about her background, but Chi Zhuo deflected them with a few words.
He seemed to really just need her by his side to keep away unnecessary romantic advances and tests.
Lin Tingyue's feelings were extremely complicated.
On the one hand, she felt extremely uncomfortable being treated like a monkey in such a situation.
On the other hand, she had a vague feeling that Chi Zhuo was not as bad as she had imagined?
Although he was cold, he was still quite gentlemanly and did not try to embarrass her.
Even when a CEO accidentally spilled his wine on her, Chi Zhuo reacted quickly, pulling her aside and using his arm to shield her from the spill, so the wine only wet his sleeve.
"Are you alright?" he asked, looking down at her with a slight frown.
"N-nothing." Lin Tingyue looked at the dark wine stain on the cuff of his expensive suit and felt a sudden panic.
The boss apologized repeatedly, but Chi Zhuo simply waved his hand to indicate that it was alright, his attention seemingly still on her to confirm something.
This little incident made Lin Tingyue's heart skip a beat.
Halfway through the banquet, Lin Tingyue felt that the muscles in her face were almost frozen from smiling, and her feet were aching from wearing high heels.
She stole a glance at Chi Zhuo; he remained as composed as ever, seemingly tireless.
"I'm going to the restroom," she whispered to him, trying to find a place to catch her breath.
Chi Zhuo glanced at her and nodded.
In the restroom, Lin Tingyue splashed cold water on her face, looked at her reflection in the mirror—a face with impeccable makeup but unable to hide her exhaustion and tension—and let out a long sigh. The price of this "compensation" was more unbearable than she had imagined.
She composed herself and walked out of the restroom, only to overhear two women whispering in the corner of the hallway.
"Is that the female companion that Young Master Chi brought? Who is she? I've never seen her before."
"Who knows? They look pretty ordinary. They're probably from some humble family who managed to marry into a wealthy family."
"Tsk, when did Young Master Chi's taste change like this? Miss Su is here tonight too, this is going to be good..."
Lin Tingyue stopped in her tracks, feeling a dull ache in her heart, as if something had stabbed her.
Small family, climbing the social ladder... these words prick like needles.
She took a deep breath, pretended not to hear, and walked over with her back straight.
Back in the banquet hall, she found that Chi Zhuo was accompanied by a woman in a champagne-colored dress, with a bright face and a haughty demeanor.
It was none other than the "Miss Su" Su Wanqing mentioned in the restroom earlier.
Su Wanqing was smiling and talking to Chi Zhuo, her body language revealing intimacy. When she saw Lin Tingyue coming over, her gaze swept over Lin Tingyue, with a hint of barely perceptible contempt.
"Brother Zhuo, who is this young lady? Aren't you going to introduce her?"
Su Wanqing asked with a smile, but her eyes held a challenge.
Chi Zhuo's expression remained unchanged, and he still said, "Miss Lin Tingyue."
Then he said to Lin Tingyue, "This is Miss Su Wanqing."
Lin Tingyue maintained a polite smile and nodded.
Su Wanqing, however, seemed unwilling to let her off easily, and asked with a smile, "Miss Lin looks unfamiliar. May I ask who your household is?"
This question is more direct and harder to answer than the previous ones.
Lin Tingyue was carefully considering her words when Chi Zhuo spoke first.
His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Who she is is unimportant."
He turned his head and looked at Lin Tingyue's face. Although his gaze was not warm, he made an extremely natural movement, reaching out and gently tucking a non-existent strand of hair behind her ear.
His fingertips brushed lightly against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine.
Then, he looked at Su Wanqing, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone around to hear:
"The important thing is, she's mine now."
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