Chapter 25: A woman of high status marries a man of high status, and becomes a woman of high status herself...
Ling Shu ignored Ling Xinyao, gave her a few perfunctory words, and left with a full plate of desserts.
During their conversation, other prominent families from Beijing also arrived one after another.
Even Zhao Liheng came, still dressed in his flashy clothes, like a cynical playboy.
Noticing Ling Shu's gaze, he gave her a greasy smile and even winked deliberately, like an animal with excess male hormones, always looking for an opportunity to display its "charm".
Ling Shu's gaze paused for a second before quietly shifting away.
[...In a society governed by the rule of law, murder is a crime.]
Sheng Yun Shen, unaware of what had happened: "???"
The moment Li Yin finally appeared, the banquet hall fell into a brief silence.
The guests stopped talking and turned their scrutinizing gazes to this newly rich man from Beijing.
After Sheng Yun Shen's fall, Li Yin became the most dazzling new star in the capital.
He has a detached personality and has never liked participating in such social occasions. His willingness to come to the Sheng family this time is a golden opportunity to make friends.
Instantly, many people became restless and wanted to step forward and talk to Li Yin.
Low murmurs echoed through the banquet hall.
"This is President Li? He's really tall, and even more handsome in person than in photos."
"His gaze is sharp, he has a strong presence, and he doesn't look like someone to mess with."
"Look, Old Master Li really didn't come. Could the rumors be true? Did Li Yin really put the old man under house arrest?"
Shh! Keep your voice down! Aren't you afraid he'll hear you?
Li Yin paid no attention to either praise or criticism.
His gaze was sharp as he quickly scanned the area before finally settling on Ling Shu in the corner.
Ling Shu held the dessert plate in one hand, waved to him generously, and smiled brightly, mouthing "Welcome" to him.
Li Yinping's straight lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.
Like the first melting of snow in spring, it made many women secretly gasp.
Not content with just greeting him, he subtly moved his toes, seemingly intending to walk towards Ling Shu.
"Mr. Li, welcome, welcome. Please come in."
Today, Li Yin is the guest of honor of the Sheng family, so the Sheng family naturally has to treat him well.
Surrounded by the Sheng family, Li Yin had no choice but to stop in his tracks.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ling Shu gracefully carried the dessert plate, slipped through a small door, and left the banquet hall.
Like a nimble and lively deer, it hopped and skipped back to the forest, leaving no trace.
Only when he could no longer see her did he turn his gaze away and focus all his attention on dealing with the Sheng family members in front of him.
"Mrs. Qin, Mr. Sheng, Miss Sheng, hello..."
-
The kitchen behind the banquet hall.
Butler Wang's booming voice rang out.
"Bai Yue! Bai Yue! Where is she?"
Have you seen Bai Yue?
"That girl, it's the busiest time of the year, where did she go? I'm going to dock her pay!"
Bai Yue hid in the storage room, not uttering a sound.
The storage room was pitch black, with only the light filtering through the crack in the door illuminating her face and revealing her indifference.
Ha, they dare to dock her salary?
After today, she will be his "master," and she'll see who gets their wages docked.
Once the chaotic footsteps outside had faded into the distance and silence returned, she peeked out of the storage room and looked around.
Finally, everyone's gone.
She slipped out of the storage room, tidied her somewhat messy hair, and walked in the opposite direction.
Inside her pocket, her phone screen was still glowing, displaying the latest message her "boss" had sent her.
"Wait until halfway through the banquet before making your move, and we'll help you make a big scene."
Once the deed is done, she will send a message to the "boss" to have his people come and expose the affair.
Either Sheng Yunqi accepts her and drives Su Ruomeng away.
She fulfilled her childhood dream and officially became the wife of the Sheng family.
No matter which outcome it is, Bai Yue is guaranteed to profit.
The more she thought about it, the happier she became, and her steps as she walked out were so light that she felt like she was about to fly.
Lost in her imagination of a bright future, Bai Yue didn't notice that behind her, Butler Wang and several servants appeared behind the door. They looked solemn and silently watched her departing figure, without any intention of stopping her.
-
"Young Master Zhao, are you hungry? Would you like me to bring you some fruit and snacks?"
Meanwhile, in the banquet hall.
A woman was smiling seductively at Zhao Liheng, trying to curry favor with him.
Zhao Liheng leaned back lazily on the sofa and shook his head in refusal: "No."
Perhaps because he had done too many bad things and felt guilty, he was always very vigilant when he was out. No matter where he went, he would take at least four bodyguards with him and never eat or drink outside food or water.
Now that we're in the Sheng family, we need to be even more vigilant.
"oh……"
The woman felt wronged and dared not say anything more, leaving awkwardly.
Zhao Liheng loosened his tie and squinted at Sheng Yunqi and Su Ruomeng not far away.
His gaze roamed boldly over Su Ruomeng.
Although she was a bit thin, she had a good appearance and a classical and elegant temperament.
Tsk, Sheng Yunqi is quite lucky with women.
Thinking of this, Zhao Liheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly felt a little hungry.
I've been busy with important things lately and haven't been eating properly.
He stood up lazily, turned to look at the six bodyguards behind him: "Come on, follow me to the Sheng family's kitchen and find something to eat."
Zhao Liheng refused to eat or drink outside food and water, only ate food prepared by his bodyguards.
Before eating, two bodyguards would test it for him first, and he would only eat it after ten minutes if there were no problems.
His bodyguards followed him as they marched into the large kitchen behind the banquet hall.
The kitchen is bustling with activity.
The head chef heard someone come in, turned around, and stared in surprise at the large group of people.
"Mr. Zhao, what's going on?"
Zhao Liheng's bodyguard stepped forward, arrogantly saying, "Mr. Zhao doesn't like food made by outsiders, so I'll personally make him a black truffle pasta."
The other bodyguards dispersed and went to search for the materials they needed, acting arrogantly and rudely, as if they were in their own home.
Zhao Liheng didn't care about them. He sat leisurely to one side, holding a bottle of water brought by a security guard, and slowly drank it.
Two bodyguards stood beside him, one on his left and one on his right, like two guardian deities protecting his safety.
With his cautious nature, anyone who wanted to drug him would probably never find the opportunity.
Unlike those fools in the Sheng family, who are about to be schemed against without even realizing it.
Zhao Liheng crossed his legs and thought smugly.
Fifteen minutes later, the pasta was ready, and the bodyguards surrounded him, "escorting" him to a small VIP room.
There were four bodyguards guarding the entrance, and two bodyguards were guarding him.
These six bodyguards were all mercenaries who had retired from international battlefields. Each of them was highly skilled and could easily take on four opponents at once.
Zhao Liheng picked up a fork and slowly began to twirl the noodles on the plate.
While eating, he asked the bodyguard next to him, "Ask Bai Yue if she's succeeded yet?"
He brought so many people today specifically to make a big fuss about this as soon as possible.
No one answered him.
Zhao Liheng waited for two seconds, but there was still silence behind him.
That's when he realized something was wrong.
He put down his fork and was about to turn around when a dull pain suddenly shot through his neck.
"??!!"
Zhao Liheng's vision went black, he lost consciousness, and his head slammed into the plate of spaghetti in front of him, splashing a lot of sauce.
Ling Shu stood behind him, taking a few steps back in disgust.
Beside her, several bodyguards lay sprawled out, all unconscious.
As she retreated, Ling Shu complained.
"Tsk, with so much delicious food outside, he actually cooks for himself here. This person is quite guarded."
But what good is being overly defensive?
In the face of absolute power, everything is a joke.
She waved to the servants outside the door, signaling them to come in.
A dozen servants quickly filed in, each with their own task, and carried Zhao Liheng and his bodyguards away.
The entire process was orderly and silent.
Ling Shu crossed her arms and watched them leave.
Now, let's see how Bai Yue performs.
She stretched lazily and suddenly felt a little thirsty.
Oops, I accidentally ate too many desserts just now.
Ling Shu shook her head, turned around and walked into the banquet hall, intending to get some more drinks.
-
Meanwhile, Bai Yue hid in a corner of the banquet hall, peeking out with her eyes darting around, searching for Sheng Yunqi's whereabouts.
She wore a red halter-neck dress, the fabric clinging tightly to her body, as if she were surrounded by passionate flames.
She clutched the packet of medicine the "boss" had given her tightly in her right hand. As soon as she found Sheng Yunqi, she would rush over, put the medicine in his drink, and try every means to coax him to drink it.
These past few days, she's been bringing Sheng Yunqi his bedtime soup.
Sheng Yunqi had no suspicion of her at all, and always obediently drank the soup. After finishing the soup, he would chat with her for a while.
The atmosphere between the two was harmonious.
There shouldn't be any surprises this time either.
only……
Bai Yue frowned in confusion.
She had looked back and forth several times, but she still couldn't find Sheng Yunqi's figure.
Is he not in the banquet hall right now?
That shouldn't be the case.
The other members of the Sheng family were all present.
Just as she was feeling confused, Bai Yue's phone vibrated.
She took out her phone and saw that it was a message from her "boss".
"I've already seduced him and am sending him upstairs to room 088. Come here immediately."
Bai Yue suddenly realized.
No wonder she couldn't find Sheng Yunqi; it turns out the "boss" had already made his move.
She immediately lifted her skirt, turned around, and walked upstairs to the banquet hall.
The guests were all in the banquet hall. It was very quiet upstairs, and there was hardly anyone in the corridor except for Bai Yue's footsteps.
After walking a short distance, Bai Yue stopped and cautiously looked ahead.
Not far away, several tall bodyguards dressed in black were carrying an unconscious man into room 088.
The bodyguards were all wearing sunglasses, so their faces were obscured, but their expressions were clearly indifferent.
Between their arms, the unconscious man revealed a pale face, his eyes tightly closed, and an unnatural flush on his face.
Bai Yue could see clearly that this face indeed belonged to Sheng Yunqi.
She stood still, quietly watching the bodyguards' movements.
Judging from their behavior and attire, she could tell that they were the bodyguards that the "boss" liked to keep by his side on weekdays.
However, the "boss" is very careful in his daily life and never has any public contact with her. Even their chats are done using anonymous alternate accounts.
So Bai Yue was very well-behaved and didn't approach them on her own initiative. Instead, she waited a short distance away, like a passerby who happened to meet her.
A few minutes later, the bodyguards left the room and quietly closed the door.
They didn't give Bai Yue a second glance, quickly leaving in another direction, their footsteps quiet and silent, soon disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Bai Yue only started moving again after they had completely disappeared from sight.
She walked slowly, step by step, toward room 088.
The door became clearer in her field of vision. She stared at the three gilded numbers "088" on the door, and a look of anticipation welled up on her lips.
She stood at the door for two seconds, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit, with the curtains drawn tightly, letting in only a faint light that was barely enough to make out the room's layout.
She went into the room, locked the door, and walked towards the bed.
A man lay on the bed, muttering incoherently, clearly not fully conscious.
Bai Yue groped her way over and touched his burning cheek with her cool hand.
He flinched slightly, then warmly approached her, raising his hand to touch her.
Bai Yue did not avoid his touch.
She remained calm, took out the medicine she had been clutching in her right hand, and poured half a packet into the man's mouth.
It wasn't that Bai Yue didn't trust the "boss," she just felt that feeding him more would be safer.
The man was already in a daze, and obediently swallowed all the medicine she fed him.
After feeding him, Bai Yue hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth, decisively raised her head, and swallowed the remaining half packet of medicine.
When it comes to doing something, either don't do it at all, or do it to the absolute extreme.
Bai Yue had planned from the beginning to swallow the medicine together with Sheng Yunqi.
In this way, she can be a "victim" just like him.
The medicine had barely entered her mouth when she immediately felt a reaction. Bai Yue raised her hand to touch her face and felt a heat rushing up from inside her body.
She struggled to get up from the bedside, stumbled to the bathroom, and threw the medicine packaging into the toilet and flushed it away.
She struggled to walk those few steps, feeling as if her body was on fire.
Only after confirming that the packaging had been flushed away did she feel relieved and turn to face the bed.
Step by step, slowly and steadily, she moves towards her future.
-
At the banquet, Ling Xinyao seemed somewhat absent-minded, occasionally turning her head to look at the area where the largest crowd had gathered.
Many talented young men came to chat her up, but she casually brushed them off.
With a new goal in mind, Ling Xinyao didn't want to waste her time on other men.
The Li Yin she longed for was in that direction.
Since the start of the banquet, he has been surrounded by people.
One group of guests after another came up to chat with him, discussing enthusiastically the plans and trends for Beijing's commerce over the next ten years.
Li Yin is 1.9 meters tall. Even when surrounded by a crowd, he stands out and is the first person you can spot in a crowd.
Even when surrounded by people flattering him, he did not show the slightest pride, and his expression remained indifferent.
Ling Xinyao secretly glanced at him several times, her face flushed and her heart pounding.
The last time she felt this way was when she first met Sheng Yun Shen.
When Sheng Yun Shen had his accident, she thought she would never have the chance to become the First Lady of a wealthy family in Beijing.
Looking at Li Yin now, Ling Xinyao felt her heart warm again, and she once again felt that hopeful passion.
She couldn't wait to get closer to him.
Only she is worthy of him.
Just then, Li Yin stepped out from the crowd and walked alone toward the bar, seemingly wanting to have a drink to clear his head.
Ling Xinyao's eyes brightened slightly.
The opportunity has arrived!
She strode forward, took the pencil sketch out of her handbag, and held it carefully in her hands.
"President Li..."
She softened her voice, adopting a deliberately trained coquettish tone.
Li Yin paused, his hand reaching for the wine glass, and turned to look at her with a cold expression.
Ling Xinyao swallowed hard and said with a smile, "When I was doing volunteer work at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, I accidentally found a painting that is said to have been painted by your old friend. A gentleman should not take what others cherish, so I specially brought this painting to President Li. Please accept it."
She stretched out her hands and presented the pencil sketch to Li Yin.
Li Yin's gaze fell on the painting in her hand.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
Ling Xinyao waited quietly with a perfect smile on her face.
As a result, she heard Li Yin say, "This painting is a fake."
Ling Xinyao's perfect smile suddenly froze.
What?
A fake?!
She couldn't believe it: "How is this possible?!"
Li Yin withdrew his gaze, remaining indifferent: "Whether it's a fake or not, would I lie to you?"
"But……"
Ling Xinyao wanted to explain further.
Li Yin's tone grew even colder: "Miss Ling, I've received three identical paintings this month, all of them fakes. You've been fooled."
After saying this, he stopped talking and turned to walk in another direction.
Ling Xinyao was left standing there blankly, her arms trembling slightly.
She had never been in such a predicament.
The painting that cost her a full million dollars was actually a fake?!
Oh no! She originally planned to use the painting to please Li Yin, but now it seems that not only did it not work, it offended Li Yin instead!
Realizing this, she felt her legs go weak and quickly reached out to support herself on the table.
Behind her, a soft "pfft" sounded.
Ling Xinyao remembered that voice vividly; she knew who it was as soon as she heard it.
She turned around and looked behind her, speaking fiercely, "You've seen all my jokes, are you satisfied now?"
Ling Shu held a glass of sparkling wine in each hand, smiling at her: "It's quite funny. Ling Xinyao, don't you ever properly inspect the goods before paying?"
I actually fell for such a low-level scam.
Ling Xinyao glared fiercely at Ling Shu, trembling with anger.
Ling Shu's smile remained unchanged as she calmly retorted, "So what if I'm in a vegetative state? My husband is incredibly handsome, with a six-pack, and I can touch him whenever I want. My husband's family is also very kind and caring towards me. And you? You can't even buy the wrong painting, yet you still dream of marrying into the Li family. How ridiculous!"
Ling Xinyao: "…………"
Ling Shu's words hit her sore spots perfectly.
Her veins throbbed as she listened, and her voice grew even sharper.
Ling Shu was too lazy to waste words with her, so she picked up her wine glass and left.
Ling Xinyao was left alone on the spot, panting heavily with anger.
-
After getting angry with Ling Xinyao, Ling Shu took her wine and secretly slipped out of the banquet hall.
Go out through the side door and walk a little further, and you'll find a small, very quiet terrace.
She just hid on this terrace and ate a whole plate of desserts.
Now bring over two more glasses of wine to soothe my throat, which is feeling a bit sore.
As she reached the edge of the terrace, her light steps faltered slightly.
A tall figure leaned leisurely against the railing, a gentle breeze ruffling his clothes.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around and looked over, a faint smile appearing on his usually stern face at the banquet.
"Ling Shu".
Ling Shu nodded to Li Yin, walked up to him, and handed him a glass of sparkling wine.
"President Li."
Luckily, I took two cups.
"Call me Li Yin."
Li Yin took the wine glass from her hand, his gaze sweeping over her face. "You have a good eye for finding places. It took me a while to find this place."
"Yeah?"
Ling Shu tilted her head and said casually, "This probably isn't a difficult task for you, right? After all, I never expected that the dignified CEO Li would secretly sell his mother's counterfeit paintings. He really knows how to catch a fish."
She had already guessed it when Li Yinfei quickly exposed that the painting in Ling Xinyao's hand was a fake.
He confirmed it too quickly, as if he was already certain that the painting was a fake.
Li Yin smiled and readily admitted it.
"Yes. I had someone make a copy, and I released ten copies. Half of them have already been sold, and I've made five million."
He swirled the wine in his glass, the pale golden liquid rippling within. "I also managed to uncover five people who were trying to find out about my past and had designs on me."
As expected of "Li Yanluo," who single-handedly built a shelter in the apocalypse, his methods are truly remarkable.
Ling Shu didn't hide her admiration for him. She tilted her head and sighed, "Luckily, we're friends, not enemies."
Li Yin raised the wine glass in his hand.
Ling Shu brought her wine glass closer, and the two glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Li Yin took a sip of wine and turned to look at the scenery outside the terrace.
He suddenly asked her, "Do you want to leave the Sheng family?"
Ling Shu was stunned: "Huh?"
"I'm asking, do you want to leave the Sheng family?"
Li Yin's tone was indifferent, as if he were talking about something very simple: "The Sheng family has treated you quite well, but I don't think your marriage should be a transaction."
As he said this, he turned his head, his light-colored eyes looking at her again, "You deserve better."
Ling Shu looked at him.
She knew in her heart that Li Yin's words were not just empty talk.
He genuinely wanted to help her.
As long as she agrees, he will definitely find a way to help her get out of the Sheng family and leave no future troubles.
After a few seconds, Ling Shu smiled and sighed, "What a pity."
Li Yin raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's a pity?"
Ling Shu downed her drink in one gulp before replying, "It's a pity we met a little too late."
"The Sheng family is very kind, and I have no plans to leave for the time being. Mr. Li, thank you for your kindness, I appreciate it."
She understood that if she were with Li Yin, they would be a powerful alliance, greatly increasing their chances of surviving the apocalypse.
Unfortunately, she can no longer let go of the Sheng family.
The Sheng family are all her family.
They are the family members she wants to protect.
Besides, even without Li Yin, Ling Shu believed that with her own abilities and the friendliness and unity of the Sheng family, she would definitely live a good life.
Ling Shu never thought of leaving the Sheng family.
But she was grateful for Li Yin's inquiry.
This means that Li Yin truly considers her a friend.
As a friend, she always repays kindness.
There was something she originally intended to keep as leverage, hoping to gain more goodwill from Li Yin at the right opportunity.
Now it seems that she was too attached to appearances and was not as sincere as Li Yin.
Ling Shu raised her eyes, looked directly into Li Yin's eyes, her smile faded, and her expression turned serious: "President Li, Chongming Cemetery, temporary storage room, number 374. There you'll find what you want most."
That place holds the ashes of Li Yin's mother.
After Li Yin was arrested when he was a child, his mother's condition worsened. She refused to use the money given to her by the Li family for treatment, and her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to her death.
Her parents died early, and she had no relatives or friends. After her death, no one claimed her body, so she was hastily cremated and placed in a temporary storage area in the cemetery.
It remained there for several years in that desolate place.
In the original book, Li Yin exhausted all his efforts and spent countless manpower and resources to finally find this address.
Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, Chongming Cemetery had already fallen to zombies.
The temporary storage facility was also completely destroyed in a fire.
He desperately searched for his mother's remains, but could only miss them, forever separated from her by death.
This time, let him get his wish and reunite with his mother as soon as possible.
Li Yin's expression changed drastically.
“It’s just as you think, Mr. Li.” Ling Shu repeated again, “Chongming Cemetery, temporary storage room number 374, she has been waiting for you for a very, very long time.”
Li Yin twitched his toes slightly, seemingly wanting to leave immediately.
But he ultimately suppressed the urge to leave and looked at Ling Shu seriously.
He didn't press her on how she knew, nor did he question her about why she was only telling him now.
After a moment of silence, Li Yin finally asked only one rather strange question.
"Do you... know about my background?"
"I know."
Ling Shu nodded calmly.
"dirty?"
He said the last word very softly, almost inaudibly.
But Ling Shu heard it clearly.
Her expression remained unchanged as she shook her head: "I never felt that way."
Ling Shu would only look at Li Yin with the same eyes one would use to look at a strong person, and would not view him with prejudice just because of his unusual background.
Li Yin remained silent.
The air around them suddenly fell silent, and a silent understanding flowed slowly through the air.
At this moment, they didn't need to say much, yet they both understood each other's thoughts.
In the silence, a deafening scream shattered the tranquility from afar.
Ling Shu snapped out of her reverie, took out her phone to check the time, and chuckled, "I was so engrossed in chatting that I didn't realize it was time to leave."
She gestured to Li Yin, "President Li, let's go see some shows and have some fun?"
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