They have a very good relationship.
The air in the corner of the banquet hall seemed to solidify, pressing heavily on Lin Tingyue's chest, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
Chi Zhuo's words were like a bomb precisely dropped into deep water, stirring up a storm in her mind.
He remembers!
He definitely remembers!
The matchmaker and Mr. and Mrs. Lin obviously didn't hear the second half of Chi Zhuo's sentence, only the first "What a coincidence," and thought that the two young people had met some interesting code. Immediately, a gratified and slightly ingratiating smile appeared on their faces.
"Oh my, it seems these two young people are quite destined for each other!" The matchmaker grinned from ear to ear.
Lin's mother also secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gently nudged her stunned daughter, "Yueyue, why don't you hurry up and have a good talk with Mr. Chi?"
chat?
What should we talk about?
Should we talk about the weather in Vishtand that night or the purchasing power of those three thousand dollars?
Lin Tingyue felt that the muscles in her face had completely stiffened, and she couldn't even manage a perfunctory smile.
Her brain was working frantically, but all it produced was a bunch of gibberish.
The urge to escape was stronger than ever before, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, pinned down by Chi Zhuo's seemingly calm but actually sharp gaze.
Chi Zhuo, however, had already returned to his cold and aloof demeanor, as if the earth-shattering words he had just uttered were merely a hallucination.
He nodded slightly to Mr. and Mrs. Lin with utmost politeness, his tone calm yet authoritative: "Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin, may I speak with Miss Lin... alone for a few minutes?"
"Alright, alright! You young people chat, you chat! We won't disturb you any longer."
Mr. Lin immediately understood and quickly pulled his still hesitant mother and the matchmaker away. Before leaving, he gave Lin Tingyue a look that said, "Make the most of this opportunity."
Those around them seemed to sense that the atmosphere was unusual and wisely refrained from approaching, leaving the two a space that appeared private but was in fact still under the watchful eyes of countless people.
Only the two of them remained.
Lin Tingyue felt like she was being roasted on a fire every second.
She forced herself to raise her head and meet Chi Zhuo's gaze, trying to regain some initiative, even if it was just a bluff.
“Mr. Chi,” she heard her own voice tremble, “just now… just now I…”
"Miss Lin just said that you have someone you like?"
Chi Zhuo slowly interrupted her. A glass of champagne appeared in his hand, and his slender fingers gently swirled the stem of the glass. His gaze, however, remained fixed on her face, as if he were examining an interesting collectible.
"May I ask which family's young talent is so fortunate?"
His tone sounded even mild and polite, but Lin Tingyue could detect an interrogative undertone in it.
Her throat tightened, and her mind raced through the men she knew. In the end, she could only grit her teeth and continue rambling:
"He...he's not in the country. We have a great relationship, so...so today's blind date was a misunderstanding. I'm very sorry to have taken up your time."
After saying that, she bowed slightly, intending to slip away.
"Misunderstanding?" Chi Zhuo repeated the word softly, the last syllable rising slightly, carrying an indescribable meaning.
He took half a step forward, seemingly unintentionally, but he happened to block her path.
The distance between the two instantly closed, and Lin Tingyue could even smell the crisp cedar scent on him, which slowly overlapped with the scent of that night in her memory, causing her heart to beat erratically and her scalp to tingle.
He leaned slightly closer, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, the words of which made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave:
"Miss Lin's so-called 'good relationship' means that after drinking, she cries and says that all men are liars, and then spends the night with a stranger... Is that really a good relationship?"
Lin Tingyue's face turned deathly pale in an instant, all color draining away.
He remembered it perfectly!
I even remember the drunken ramblings she made back then!
Overwhelmed by immense shame and panic, she could even feel the subtle gazes around her becoming more probing.
“You…” Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal.
Facts speak louder than words; all her lies appeared pale and laughable in front of the person involved.
Seeing her panicked and pale face, a very faint, almost imperceptible ripple flashed deep in Chi Zhuo's eyes, so fleeting that it was impossible to catch.
He straightened up again, regaining that distant air, as if her almost humiliating question was just her imagination.
"It seems that Miss Lin has indeed encountered some...emotional distress."
His tone was flat, even carrying a touch of perfectly appropriate social sympathy.
"However, since this is the elders' good intention, Miss Lin might as well put aside her troubles for now and treat it as making a new friend."
His words were perfectly watertight; they exposed her lie without completely severing ties, and even gave her a way out.
But Lin Tingyue felt no relief at all; instead, she felt as if the steps below were an abyss.
The calmer and more restrained he appeared, the more terrified she felt.
This man is too unfathomable.
She opened her mouth, trying to make one last struggle.
"I……"
Chi Zhuo, however, would not give her another chance.
He slightly raised his hand, beckoned the waiter, and brought two more glasses of champagne, handing one of them to her.
"Would you do me the honor of having a drink?" He looked at her, his eyes deep and unwavering, carrying an undeniable forcefulness.
Lin Tingyue looked at the crystal-clear liquid, her fingers trembling slightly, and she didn't dare to take it.
Just then, a man with an equally impressive aura, dressed in a dark blue suit, walked over with a smile. "President Chi, President Zhang and the others are looking for you."
His gaze swept curiously over Lin Tingyue's pale face, a hint of amazement and inquiry flashing in his eyes.
Chi Zhuo remained expressionless and nodded to the person who came, "You go first, I'll be right there."
The man raised an eyebrow, gave Lin Tingyue another meaningful look, and then left with a smile.
This brief incident temporarily broke the suffocating standoff.
Chi Zhuo placed the champagne back on the waiter's tray and turned his gaze back to Lin Tingyue.
"It seems that Miss Lin is indeed not in good condition today."
He said calmly, "If that's the case, then I won't force you."
Upon hearing this, Lin Tingyue felt as if she had been granted a pardon and immediately tried to turn around.
“However,” Chi Zhuo’s voice rang out again, successfully freezing her in place, “about that night…”
Lin Tingyue's heart jumped into her throat again.
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over her face before finally settling on her slightly pursed lips, leaving her with a meaningful, unresolved question.
"Let's talk again next time."
After saying that, he nodded slightly, turned around and walked in the direction Lu Tingyuan had left, leaving behind a tall and aloof figure, as if everything just now was just casual conversation.
Lin Tingyue was left standing there, frozen, her body ice-cold.
Next time? There's going to be a next time?
She never wanted to see that man again.
She watched Chi Zhuo's composed departure, blending seamlessly into the group of glamorous business elites, as if he had just dealt with a trivial matter.
But for her, it was nothing short of a terrifying disaster.
It wasn't until her mother came over worriedly and took her cold hand that she understood. "Yueyue, what's wrong? You look so pale. What did Mr. Chi say to you?"
Lin Tingyue snapped back to reality, grabbed her mother's hand tightly, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Mom... I... I'm not feeling well. Can we go back first?"
All she wanted to do right now was escape from this place, to get as far away from that man as possible!
Although Lin's mother was puzzled, seeing that her daughter's face was indeed pale, she had no choice but to nod, "Okay, okay, go and tell your father first."
On the way back, Lin Tingyue leaned back in the car, silently watching the neon lights flashing by outside the window.
The dazzling night view of northern Beijing could not dispel the chill in her heart.
Chi Zhuo... the head of the Chi family...
How did she end up getting involved with such a person?
She had thought that the absurdity of that night was just an unexpected interlude in her life that she could completely turn the page on.
But unexpectedly, six months later, it would crash back into her life in an even more impactful way.
Moreover, judging from Chi Zhuo's attitude, this matter is clearly not over yet.
What exactly does he want to do?
Countless thoughts churned in her mind, each possibility making her restless.
My phone suddenly vibrated; it was a message from my best friend, Xia Xiaoran.
[So, how was it? Was your blind date handsome? Or just a balding, beer-bellied old man? Come on, tell the truth! [Evil grin]]
Lin Tingyue stared at the screen, a bitter smile that looked worse than crying tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Her fingers trembled as she replied:
[So handsome. So handsome it shatters the heavens.]
But I'm going to die.
Ranran, I think I've... committed a terrible crime.
She closed her eyes, and Chi Zhuo's image reappeared in her mind.
-
Back home, Lin Tingyue practically fled back to her bedroom.
She locked the door behind her, as if that would completely shut out the world outside where Chi Zhuo existed.
Leaning against the cold door panel, she slowly slid down onto the carpet.
Her heart was still pounding uncontrollably, reminding her that everything that had happened tonight was not a nightmare, but a cold and absurd reality.
"Yueyue? Are you alright? Would you like some warm milk?" Lin's mother's worried voice rang out from outside the door, accompanied by a gentle knock.
"Mom, I'm fine, just a little tired. I want to go to sleep first."
Lin Tingyue tried her best to make her voice sound normal, but it still came out with a slight hoarse tremor.
"Well... okay, get some rest and don't overthink it."
Lin's mother sighed, and the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away.
Overthinking? How could she not overthink!
Only a dim bedside lamp was on in the room, casting her curled-up figure on the wall, making her look helpless and vulnerable.
She suddenly stood up, rushed into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and let the warm water wash over her body.
It was as if this could wash away the scent and touch left by that man, wash away the absurd memory of that night, and wash away the suffocating embarrassment of tonight.
But it didn't work.
Now that things have come to this point, an unexpected turn of events has occurred today.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
