Chapter 129 Unrealistic
Fu Li'an remained silent for a while, staring straight ahead, without responding immediately.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Why are you not here?"
"I……"
She longed to say what was hidden in her heart: "I don't want to see him because I'm afraid you'll be sad, afraid you'll overthink things, afraid you'll feel uncomfortable."
But the words just wouldn't come out.
She hesitated, struggled, and in the end, all she could manage was a silent sigh.
"He's come knocking on our door, so we're determined to see him!"
Fu Li'an suddenly spoke, but his words carried an undeniable forcefulness.
He was unwilling to back down or run away.
Since they dare to come, let's face them squarely and honestly.
As soon as he finished speaking, he gripped Qiao Wanyin's hand tightly with a force that left no room for escape.
Through the glass window, Qiao Wanyin could see the scene inside the house from afar.
A man in a dark gray suit is bending down, handing out candy to the children surrounding him.
His movements were gentle, his smile kind, like that of a respected and dignified person.
But that figure from behind was all too familiar to her.
So familiar that just one glance makes my stomach churn with nausea.
Fu Li'an tilted his head slightly: "Don't be afraid."
Her initially flustered emotions miraculously calmed down at this moment.
"Director Qiao is here?"
As soon as Xiao Li saw her, he immediately stood up and greeted her.
That familiar figure slowly turned around.
But the moment he saw Qiao Wanyin, his eyes suddenly lit up: "Aqing?"
Qiao Wanyin looked up, her gaze calm.
The Lin Zhiming before her was even more refined and sophisticated than she remembered.
"This must be Commander Fu, right?"
Lin Zhiming smiled and took a step forward, extending his right hand. "I've heard so much about you. Aqing mentioned you quite a bit in her letters."
Qiao Wanyin's pupils suddenly contracted, and her heart tightened sharply.
When did she write a letter to this person?
From the day Lin Zhiming disappeared, she completely severed all ties with him.
Fu Li'an remained expressionless and did not reach out in response.
He merely glanced at Lin Zhiming, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"Mr. Lin has come all this way. Since you have something to discuss, let's go to the reception room to talk."
After saying that, he took Qiao Wanyin's hand and turned to walk into the room next door.
Lin Zhiming's gaze remained fixed on Qiao Wanyin.
After several years, Aqing has become even more outstanding than before, and her temperament has also become much more composed.
She is no longer the easily fooled little girl she once was.
In the reception room, Lin Zhiming crossed his legs and slowly took out a pack of imported cigarettes from the inside pocket of his suit.
He handed it to Fu Lian.
"Commander Fu, want one?"
Fu Li'an didn't even lift his eyelids, nor did he glance at the cigarette for a second.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an invisible yet imposing aura.
"Mr. Lin, get to the point."
Lin Zhiming wasn't annoyed and simply took out his lighter.
His gaze pierced through the smoke, landing directly on Qiao Wanyin, with an undisguised hint of greed.
"Aqing, you've become even more beautiful in the years I haven't seen you."
Qiao Wanyin sneered and unhesitatingly ripped off his hypocritical mask.
"Lin Zhiming, you tricked me into going to Hong Kong back then, telling me you were going to do business. But halfway there you took my ID card and almost sold me into a dance hall as a dancer. And now you still have the nerve to stand here?"
Lin Zhiming spread his hands in a mocking manner, looking completely innocent.
"Oh dear, Ah Qing, how can you say that? Back then, I genuinely wanted to give you a good life, to let you live in a Western-style house, wear Western clothes, ride in a car, and enjoy a life of luxury. It's just that later, the business ran into some trouble, the cash flow dried up, and that's why that happened..."
I had no choice.
"Business?"
Qiao Wanyin sneered, "You call that business? Isn't it just targeting those naive, immature girls whose families don't discipline them? You've pushed them all into the fire! You've cheated more than just me."
"Aqing, we've known each other for so many years, we have a foundation of affection, it's perfectly normal for us to meet up, chat, and catch up."
"chat?"
Fu Li'an sneered, his voice as cold as ice, "The way you talk to her is by making up a lie that she wrote you a letter? Forging her handwriting so that she 'takes the initiative to contact' you, so that you can come to me openly and legitimately? Mr. Lin, your methods are truly ingenious."
Lin Zhiming was exposed, but he didn't seem flustered at all; he just smiled slowly.
"Ah Qing, I admit I was wrong about what happened before."
He whispered, as if sincerely repenting, "I was out of my mind, bewitched, and did something terrible, causing you to suffer, I..."
I feel bad too.
He paused, then leaned forward slightly: "But I've really changed now. Over the years, I've worked my butt off in business, amassed a considerable fortune, and gained connections. I can give you everything you want—a nice house, a nice car, gold and silver jewelry, and you'll never have to live a hard life again!"
Before Qiao Wanyin could refute, Lin Zhiming hurriedly took another step forward and quickly added a sentence.
"Ah Qing, you've been to Hong Kong before. You've seen its dazzling lights, bustling traffic, towering buildings, and vibrant atmosphere. Don't you really want to go back and give it your all? Maybe this time you can turn your life around completely?"
Qiao Wanyin's emotions surged, and she gave a cold laugh.
"Lin Zhiming, do you really think that just because you have some money now, dress smartly, and drive a beat-up car, I'm still the naive and clueless girl you used to be, someone you could easily manipulate? Do you think I'll be easily fooled by your words and obediently follow you into your trap?"
Lin Zhiming shrugged, feigning helplessness and a sense of entitlement.
"People always strive to climb higher, just as water flows downhill. Who doesn't understand this principle? Who doesn't want to live a better life? Ah Qing, you're not a child anymore; you should understand what reality is."
After saying that, he glanced contemptuously at Fu Lian, who was sitting next to Qiao Wanyin.
"Don't you think so? Come with me to the port city, stay in a big villa with a garden and swimming pool, have a chauffeur to pick you up and drop you off, wear designer clothes and jewelry, and socialize with high society people. Isn't this kind of life much better than staying in this small county town and living a mundane life?"
Fu Li'an's eyes turned cold, and a layer of frost instantly rose in his eyes.
Qiao Wanyin keenly sensed the tension and anger in his palm and gently placed her hand on the back of his hand.
She glanced at him sideways, her gaze firm yet gentle.
"Don't be impulsive, leave it to me to handle."
She looked away and stared directly at Lin Zhiming: "Lin Zhiming, I advise you to give up on this idea as soon as possible and put away your unrealistic thoughts."
“My husband is a soldier, and I am a military dependent. Although we live a simple life, we never lack dignity and security. We rely on our own efforts and each other's support to make a living, and we don't care about your so-called 'good life' that you give us. Your glitz and glamour and hypocrisy are nothing but a bunch of superficial bubbles to us.”
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