Chapter 165 The Power of Discourse
"Who are you looking for? The master has just finished his rest and doesn't often receive guests."
"Find Lin Zhiming."
"Tell him that Qiao Wanyin has arrived."
The maid looked her up and down.
She nodded slightly, turned and went inside to report, her steps as light as a cat's.
Not long after, the maid returned, her face showing more respect. She stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.
"Miss Qiao, please come inside."
The living room was resplendent with gold, and a crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling.
A genuine leather sofa sits in the center, gleaming with a glossy sheen.
The thick Persian carpet felt so soft underfoot, like walking on clouds.
Qiao Wanyin had just sat down on the edge of the sofa when she heard slow and steady footsteps coming from upstairs.
"Ah Qing, what a rare guest."
Lin Zhiming, wearing a dark purple silk bathrobe with the buttons loosely fastened, pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose as he walked down the spiral staircase.
"I know you came because of Zishu, right? Coming here so late, who else could it be for besides her?"
Qiao Wanyin suppressed the surging disgust in her heart.
She raised her head and looked directly at him, her gaze unwavering.
"That's right, I advise you to stay away from her. Don't approach her under the guise of making friends."
Lin Zhiming chuckled softly, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
He sat down opposite her, his movements languid.
"So direct? Not even a 'long time no see' or 'how are you?'"
His tone was flippant, with a hint of mockery.
“You weren’t like this back then, Aqing. You were so gentle.”
"We don't have that much old grudge to reminisce about."
Qiao Wanyin spoke coldly.
Lin Zhiming shrugged noncommittally.
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers lightly.
The maid immediately stepped forward, brought over a set of white porcelain teaware, and poured him a cup of hot tea.
The rising steam from the tea blurred half of his face.
"Aqing, you're still so smart."
He picked up his teacup, gently blew on it, and spoke in a low voice.
"But this time, you only guessed half right."
"What's the meaning?"
Qiao Wanyin frowned slightly, her body tensing up involuntarily.
"I did have ulterior motives for getting close to Zishu."
He took the teacup, slowly took a sip, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
When the teacup was set down, the porcelain cup and the tray made a slight "clattering" sound.
"But it's not entirely because of her father. Her father was just a stepping stone."
Qiao Wanyin felt a chill run down her spine, a cold sensation shooting from her tailbone to the top of her head.
She stared at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
She suddenly realized that Lin Zhiming's purpose might be more terrifying than she had imagined.
Why is that?
Her voice trembled slightly, but she still forced herself to look him straight in the eye.
Lin Zhiming put down the cup, leaned forward, and crossed his hands on his knees.
The gaze behind the glasses turned cold.
He slowly raised the corners of his mouth, his voice extremely low.
"Because I want you to suffer. Ah Qing, I did it for you."
"What did you say?"
Qiao Wanyin suddenly stood up, the chair dragging on the carpet with a dull thud.
Her pupils contracted sharply, and she stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you crazy? You'd hurt an innocent girl just to make me suffer?"
"I want to see what kind of expression you'll make."
"Just like back then, you abandoned me without hesitation. Back then, you just left without even looking back once."
Qiao Wanyin suddenly stood up, her legs bumping against the coffee table as she did so.
A ripple spread across the water in the teacup.
Her hands were gripping the edge of the coffee table tightly.
"Are you crazy! Zishu hasn't offended you at all! She has no grudge against you whatsoever, so what right do you have to harm her?"
"innocent?"
Lin Zhiming suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the small living room.
His face suddenly turned fierce, and his eyes became bloodshot.
"You asked for it yourself!"
Qiao Wanyin abruptly interrupted him.
Come to think of it, this was probably the most enjoyable thing the original owner had ever done in his life.
She still remembers the wind that day, carrying the smell of the sea as it blew past the street corner, and the sunlight was blinding.
Before fleeing, she secretly organized all the evidence.
But at least he has some dignity, managing to survive in the small entertainment circle and gain some resources through a few empty compliments.
But after that night, he became a complete laughingstock, a piece of trash that everyone avoided.
He suddenly calmed down, the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, and his gentle smile returned.
He picked up the teapot and slowly refilled it with hot water.
A mist of steam rose up, blurring the shadows in his eyes.
"Come, have a cup of tea, Ah Qing, let's have a good chat. Old friends reunited, why make such a fuss?"
Qiao Wanyin stared at the teacup in front of her; the tea was clear and bright.
"What? Afraid I'll drug you?"
Lin Zhiming chuckled, his eyes filled with mockery.
"Killing someone here will land you in jail. I'm not stupid; I wouldn't do something so foolish. Besides... I don't want you to die so quickly."
To prove that there was nothing wrong with the tea, he casually took her cup, brought it to his lips, and took a sip without any hesitation.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the tea, and he slowly placed the cup back in front of her.
"See, it's not poisonous, is it? Don't worry, I don't want your life."
Qiao Wanyin had no time to think about this; all she could think about was how to save Qiu Zishu.
Where is her friend being held now?
What will Lin Zhiming do to her?
What exactly do you want?
She finally spoke, her voice hoarse.
"What do you want me to do to let Zishu go? Come at me, don't touch her!"
Lin Zhiming leaned back lazily on the sofa.
"You're really that eager to help Qiu Zishu?"
He asked softly, a hint of elusive pity in his voice.
"But have you ever considered... that the reason she's ended up like this is actually... because of you?"
"Of course! She's my best friend, and I would never stand by and watch you lure her into that bottomless pit."
“It’s not that we can’t let her go. As long as you win the championship,” he narrowed his eyes, a confident smile playing on his lips, “I’ll throw money at you to promote you, hiring top international talent for everything from hairstyle and makeup to your styling team. We’ll cover all the press releases, exposure, and endorsements—you’ll be a sensation! Within a year, your posters will be plastered all over the city!”
Qiao Wanyin sneered inwardly, the sneer almost exploding in her chest.
But the smile on her lips grew even sweeter.
"Is everything you're saying true?"
She tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling.
"Can I really become a star? Can I stand on stage and be seen by everyone?"
Lin Zhiming laughed loudly and shrilly.
"Of course! You have the looks, I have the money, if we join forces, how can we not become big stars? These days, who cares if you have talent or not? As long as someone promotes you, anyone can become famous!"
"That……"
She paused deliberately, lowered her eyes, and nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers.
"It sounds...not bad. But can I really give up my current life? After all...what about Fu Li'an..."
"That soldier?"
Lin Zhiming sneered, a smirk playing on his lips, and a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes.
"Wearing a military uniform all day with a straight face, like a block of wood, what's so good about him? Just kick him out, right? You actually take him seriously?"
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