Chapter 41 My husband is about to appear! ...
The crystal chandelier cast a golden glow, illuminating the guests' gorgeous gowns and sparkling glasses. The air was filled with the sweet scent of champagne and the expensive perfumes worn by the socialites.
Lin Ke stepped through the dazzling lights, arm in arm with Li Jingjia, standing before Lin Suxing and Lin Siyi like a victor.
All the humiliation and pain he had felt in the past from being suppressed by Lin Suxing transformed into extreme triumph and pleasure at this moment.
The young man, who had dyed his hair back to black and had just had a Thermage treatment, had a faint smile on his lips as his gaze deliberately lingered on Lin Siyi: "It's come to this, I've given up hope on you. After all, a blood relative is closer. All the years we've shared living together are gone just like that."
Lin Siyi remained expressionless, her voice cold: "The Lin family gave you a chance, but you made a mistake and refused to admit it. This is your own choice."
Lin Siyi didn't want to talk about the leak of Lin family secrets and other internal family matters in front of Li Jingjia and the people around her.
Lin Suxing, who was being glared at by Lin Ke, ignored it and talked to the system: "Damn, what kind of colored contact lenses does he have? They slip so badly. Every time he rolls his eyes, it feels like the contact lenses are going to pop out of his eyes."
Lin Siyi raised her hand to cover the smile on her lips, coughed lightly, and thought to herself that her younger brother was very calm and didn't care at all about being scolded or ridiculed.
Lin Ke chuckled softly, her fingers tightening around Li Jingjia's arm. "Yes, I've chosen a better path. Let me introduce you, this is my boyfriend, Li Jingjia. These days, I'm living a much better life than some families that have a prestigious name but are actually declining, aren't I?"
Lin Ke's words were undisguisedly sarcastic, directly targeting the Lin family, which was now declining after the mistakes of its business reforms.
Li Jingjia cooperated with a reserved smile, nodded slightly to the two of them, and his eyes showed a hint of pride as a member of a collateral branch of the Li family.
Lin Siyi pursed her lips, her initial impatience amplified considerably.
None of the Lin family, Lin Yuan, or Jiang Heyun have wronged Lin Ke.
Lin Ke has enjoyed the most privileged life since childhood. She had her first Hermès bag when she was only seven or eight years old. She wears high-end luxury goods every day, and her residence is naturally luxurious.
In terms of education, his parents placed him in the best private school in S City, where all his classmates were frequent attendees of such high-society banquets.
Lin Ke travels all over the world every year, and at only eighteen years old, he has already lived and traveled to more than half of the countries in the world.
Even though Lin Ke was spoiled and unruly since childhood and often made unreasonable demands, Lin Yuan was always willing to satisfy him and would solve the problems for him when he caused trouble.
It can be said that they have done everything they could to be kind and righteous.
Now, just because they've been nicer to Su Xing, Lin Ke seems to have completely forgotten all the kindness they showed her before. This makes Lin Siyi feel even more that Lin Ke is an ungrateful wretch.
Under Lin Ke's introduction, Li Jingjia initially cooperated with a reserved smile, but when his gaze swept over Lin Suxing, that reserve instantly froze, turning into a sticky, undisguised amazement.
He looked Lin Suxing up and down, from her cool and beautiful face to her tall and slender figure and straight legs, his gaze lingering on her with an almost tangible intensity.
The man, whose appearance was already sleazy, narrowed his slanted eyes into slits, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, momentarily forgetting to respond to Lin Ke's words.
Lin Suxing immediately felt that disgusting gaze.
A strong sense of revulsion rose from the bottom of his heart, making him feel a slight tightness in his chest, as if something unclean had mixed into the air.
Under that blatantly lustful gaze, Lin Suxing turned away, no longer looking at Li Jingjia. Her lips tightened unconsciously, and she just wanted to get away from this unpleasant person as soon as possible: "Brother, I'll go get something to eat over there."
“Go ahead.” Lin Siyi nodded, frowning as she looked at Li Jingjia, whose adoring gaze followed Lin Suxing as she left. “Mr. Li, have you seen enough?”
Lin Suxing, who hadn't gone far, was startled by these words and quickly turned back to shake her head at Lin Siyi.
It's possible for him and his brother, with their inherited short tempers, to have a conflict in this situation, but it's unnecessary.
Lin Ke took in Li Jingjia's loss of composure and Lin Suxing's disgust, and a burning resentment suddenly surged into her heart.
His carefully prepared show of ostentation unexpectedly became the stage for Li Jingjia to covet Lin Suxing!
The male companion he brought with him was so easily drawn to Lin Suxing, who had stolen everything from him and disgusted him at every turn!
What exactly does Lin Suxing have that he doesn't? Is it that she's prettier or has a better figure?
Moreover, Lin Suxing is a country bumpkin who has never seen the world. He looks around like a country bumpkin visiting the Grand View Garden, which is a disgrace to the Lin family. He doesn't even know how to use an automatic heated toilet!
Lin Ke's smile froze, her fingers digging deep into her palms as she plotted to make Lin Suxing lose face in front of everyone at the banquet and be looked down upon by all.
He had already planned it all out. During the ball later in the banquet, he would spread the word that Lin Suxing didn't have a dance partner, making everyone laugh at Lin Suxing!
However, the person being cursed in Lin Ke's mind was completely unaware of this, and was currently indulging in his pig cravings without any distraction.
Lin Suxing picked up a piece of dried beef, the salty and fragrant meat melting in her mouth: "Wow, this is delicious. It's such a pity that you can't eat anything."
As he was about to take another small portion of the famous Swiss "Fondi" bread to dip in, his gaze inadvertently swept over the crowd not far away.
Zhao Gan is here today too!
His gaze, as if drawn by invisible threads, was fixed on Lin Ke, who was chatting and laughing quietly with Li Jingjia in the distance, filled with pain and resentment.
That look in his eyes was so complex; it contained longing, the pain of being abandoned, and an almost humble hope.
Lin Suxing immediately forgot about the disgusting incident from earlier and gossiped in a low voice to the system, "Damn, wasn't Lin Ke and Zhao Qian exchanging flirtatious glances and acting all lovey-dovey before? How come she's with this guy now? Did they date before, or was it just a flirtatious relationship?"
The system explained: "Zhao Gan and Lin Ke had a secret relationship that lasted for eight months. After Lin Ke met Li Jingjia, she unilaterally ended her relationship with Zhao Gan without giving a clear reason."
Zhao Gan is the only son of the Zhao family. His family business is of limited size, but he has established himself in the entertainment industry based on his own fame. Naturally, he cannot compare with the Li family.
Lin Ke climbed up the big tree of the Li family, and even if he was just a branch, he was far more powerful than Zhao Gan.
Looking at Zhao Gan's mournful yet affectionate expression, as if he were about to drop pearls, Lin Suxing asked, "Shouldn't he feel ashamed and angry that Lin Ke dumped him to find someone richer? Why does he seem to still have deep feelings for Lin Ke?"
Lin Ke's behavior is a typical example of praising the powerful and belittling the weak, which is despicable.
"According to the information, Zhao Gan was deeply in love with Lin Ke. Even after being unilaterally cut off from the relationship, he still tried to contact her and win her back, believing that Lin Ke had her reasons. His main purpose in attending the banquet today was to find an opportunity to talk to Lin Ke and to try to get back together with her."
Lin Suxing gently swirled the golden liquid in her glass, looking at Zhao Gan's almost obsessive gaze. She felt that the lingering taste of the dried beef in her mouth paled in comparison to the drama of love and hate unfolding before her.
"He has a secret to his business," Lin Suxing took a sip of wine, "In the novel 'The Green Tea Master, Everyone Loves Him,' who exactly is the male lead?"
Logically speaking, in female-oriented novels, the male and female protagonists, as well as the seme and uke, should all be outstanding in appearance. This Li Jingjia doesn't even seem like the seme type, as he wouldn't even be able to get into a nightclub's beauty pageant.
The system chuckled lewdly: "This novel has 10 male leads, didn't expect that, did you, host! And they've all had the deepest, most intimate interactions with Lin Ke~"
Lin Suxing: ?
Lin Siyi: ? ? ?
"This is a novel about a man who's popular with everyone, not a novel about a man who rises to the top. Lin Ke doesn't actually have much acting skill. If he wants to achieve his final career goals, become a TV King and a top star, he'll definitely have to rely on a bunch of men to provide him with resources." The system, however, didn't think there was anything surprising about it.
Lin Suxing was stunned: "Who can tell who's more promiscuous between him and Sun Xin? Who are his tops?"
"Besides Zhao Gan and Li Jingjia, there's a famous male model from North America, and a well-known domestic director—well, this director is quite old, old enough to be Lin Ke's grandfather. And then there's the nouveau riche from a wealthy family who's the one your family made you marry in the novel..."
Lin Suxing felt that this novel was really morally questionable: "But he's not even... good-looking, and his personality is so explosive, how come so many people like him?"
The system laughed loudly: "Never mind, it's just the protagonist's halo. I've seen plenty of bizarre things like this."
Lin Siyi picked up the champagne on the waiter's tray, swirled it gently, and continued to "listen" with great interest.
At this moment, Lin Ke also noticed Zhao Gan's presence.
His expression changed slightly, and he quickly turned back, moving even closer to Li Jingjia. He whispered something, which made Li Jingjia chuckle and glance at Zhao Gan with a hint of contempt.
Upon receiving this look, Zhao Gan's face drained of color. He subconsciously took a step forward, seemingly wanting to call out Lin Ke's name, but Lin Ke had already gracefully turned around with Li Jingjia, joining the other guests who were chatting and laughing.
Lin Suxing understood that although Lin Ke seemed calm and collected, she was clearly afraid that Zhao Gan would suddenly come over and confront her in front of everyone, which was why she left in such a hurry.
Otherwise, given his advantage in public opinion, he would never have let himself off so easily.
"Tonight's going to be a show. That simp will go after Lin Ke. Lin Ke is trying to string him along while also clinging to Li Jingjia. He might just crash and burn." Lin Suxing chuckled at the system.
As Lin Suxing was gazing thoughtfully at Zhao Gan's infatuated yet pained eyes, a nimble figure appeared beside him.
"Someone's hiding here studying food?"
Lin Suxing turned her head and met Su Wentang's bright, smiling eyes.
As the eldest daughter of the Su family, a high-society family, Su Wentang is known for her competence and assertiveness. Wearing a well-tailored silver suit, she is tall and has a powerful aura, making her an undeniable presence in any situation.
“Miss Su.” Lin Suxing smiled brightly.
They had met briefly at a dinner party hosted by the Wang family, and Su Wentang had shown him kindness, for which he was very grateful.
Su Wentang naturally picked up her plate, took a slice of smoked salmon, and moved with fluid, unpretentious grace. "There's a dance later," she said bluntly, "Want to dance with me? I need a dance partner I like."
People who want to dance with Su Wentang could line up all the way to the South China Sea, but Su Wentang dislikes most men and always invites female friends to dance with her when attending dances in this kind of setting.
But since this adorable little kid is here too, she might as well tease him.
Lin Suxing was somewhat surprised, then gently shook her head: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Su, but I'm not very good at dancing, and I'm afraid it might affect you."
Xiao Facai (笑发财) doesn't just "not know how to dance," he simply doesn't know how to dance at all!
Even though Lin Suxing had dance training before participating in PRODUCE, she was not considered a pro.
Su Wentang raised an eyebrow, glanced at him, and didn't seem surprised by the answer.
“It’s okay,” she waved her hand nonchalantly, putting a small piece of cheese into her mouth. “If you don’t want to dance, then don’t. This kind of occasion is really quite boring.”
However, the spring banquet continues the old tradition from the last century, where both young women and men attending the ball must enter the dance floor.
If you can dance a great and eye-catching dance with your partner, you will undoubtedly leave a good impression on everyone.
Su Wentang's name is well-known, but Lin Suxing is a "new face" who has just participated in this kind of event.
As is customary, someone like Lin Suxing is bound to attract public attention, and it will be difficult for him to avoid it.
However, Su Wentang was not a talkative person, and after being politely declined the invitation, he did not insist.
She finished her food and wiped her hands cleanly. "I'll head over now. Make yourself at home."
Watching her leave so decisively, Lin Suxing breathed a sigh of relief. Su Wentang's directness and lack of entanglement were rare in this hypocritical setting.
The hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry made the air feel murky. Lin Suxing felt a strange sense of unease. After finishing her meal, she put down her plate, quietly walked through the chatting crowd, pushed open the heavy carved glass door, and entered the garden outside the banquet hall.
The garden at night is a completely different world from the indoors.
The silvery moonlight, like a light veil, fell and enveloped the meticulously manicured European-style garden.
Along the winding path, classic gas lamps cast a soft glow, illuminating the carefully trimmed boxwood hedges.
In the distance, a marble fountain gleamed warmly in the moonlight, its gentle murmur exceptionally clear in the stillness.
The air was filled with the rich fragrance of night-blooming jasmine and roses, mixed with the fresh scent of earth after the rain, instantly washing away the suffocating aroma and alcohol smell in the banquet hall.
Lin Suxing took a deep breath of the cool, floral-scented air, feeling the tightness in her chest ease slightly.
He walked slowly along a cobblestone path until he was sure no one was around, then sat down on a bench shaded by a wisteria trellis.
It's secluded and quiet enough here.
Companion module, activated!
The module interface currently displays an exquisite and intricate pixelated banquet hall.
A pixelated crystal chandelier hangs high, composed of countless bright yellow cubes, radiating a warm glow; pixelated guests, dressed in various colored gowns, use simple color blocks to outline their glamorous silhouettes.
Lin Suxing was slightly taken aback.
This is the second time this has happened; he attends a banquet, and Nian Nian's pixelated image appears in a similar scene.
A strange sense of destiny stirred within him.
He remembered the last time he complained to Pixel Year after year out of boredom, and the other party simply responded with a pixelated smiley face. At the time, he thought it was just a coincidence, a scene randomly generated by the system.
With a slight thought, a game chat window popped up at the bottom of the pixelated interface. He used his consciousness to "type" a line of text:
[What are you doing? I'm so bored]
*
Li Xinian stood alone beside the heavy velvet curtains on one side of the banquet hall, out of place amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation around him.
The moment the encrypted communicator vibrated, he didn't even lift his eyes. He turned around and walked into the adjacent smoking room, which was empty except for his tall, slender, and aloof figure reflected on the cold obsidian walls.
The call connected, and on the other end was his most capable subordinate, Karl, whose voice was concise and restrained: "Boss, target confirmed, it's Li Qianliu. He tampered with the landing gear of your G700 through our 'insider' whom we've been monitoring for some time. The threat has been eliminated, and he's under control."
There was no doubt, no surprise.
Not even a ripple appeared in Li Xinian's deep eyes, only a cold understanding remained.
He had already discovered this when his good cousin tried to plant an accomplice within his ranks. He didn't immediately capture the man, but rather wanted to see what other tricks the man could pull.
The sharply defined man remained silent for a full three seconds, the air seeming to freeze in his silence, until even Karl felt the invisible pressure before he heard his boss's cold voice:
"Since they've offered such a generous gift, I have no choice but to reciprocate."
Li Xinian's voice was low and steady, revealing no emotion: "'Nightingale's' feedback? The 'heartfelt intention' in his medicine should be showing its effects."
Carl responded immediately, speaking at a moderate pace and clearly: "Yes. According to the latest report from 'Nightingale,' the target has been experiencing low energy and significant mood swings recently, with a deepening dependence on drugs. There are already subtle tremors in his hands, indicating that initial damage to his nervous system has begun."
Upon hearing this, Li Xinian's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, carrying a hint of disdain.
His gaze swept over the glimmering lights of the banquet hall faintly visible outside the smoking room, his tone indifferent, as if he were deciding on a trivial matter:
“Since his health is failing, his businesses should also go into hibernation.” He paused briefly, each word carrying undeniable weight. “Take back all the mining businesses that were previously left for him to manage. There’s no need to show him any mercy.”
His previous inaction was not out of concern, but simply because he felt that the small amount of property was insignificant, and leaving it to the other party to prolong their existence was not out of the question.
Li Xinian wasn't the type to slaughter everyone like a tyrant, but since the other party mistook his kindness for weakness and even colluded with his third uncle to try and cross his bottom line, then uprooting them was the only response.
“Understood, I’ll take care of it right away.” Karl replied without hesitation.
The call has ended.
Li Xinian put the communicator back into his inner pocket, his face remaining perpetually icy. He straightened his cuffs, as if he were merely handling routine official business; these decisions concerning billions of assets no longer stirred any emotion within him.
[What are you doing? I'm so bored]
It is Lin Suxing.
Li Xinian chuckled to himself, thinking that he had been planning to resolve this matter and immediately go find the other party, but unexpectedly...
But the other party arrived faster and more proactively than him.
"Where are you?" Li Xi asked softly, his tone gentle to a degree he himself was unaware of.
[I was also at a dinner party, but it was too noisy inside, so I came out to the garden for some fresh air.]
Li Xinian's lips moved slightly.
He really wanted to tell Lin Suxing directly that there was no need to pretend they were strangers anymore, because... Lin Suxing's self-righteous and humble love could be openly revealed.
And he will respond.
Thinking of this, Li Xinian lowered his eyes and said, "Wait for me."
Without further hesitation, the man strode quickly toward the garden where Lin Suxing had disappeared.
*
When Pixel saw this sentence, its tiny cube body turned around to face the screen.
Soon, a white text bubble appeared above his head:
[Where are you? ]
Lin Suxing found it quite interesting and continued to "type" in response:
[I was also at a dinner party, but it was too noisy inside, so I came out to the garden for some fresh air.]
As soon as he sent it, a new reply immediately appeared above Pixel's head, containing only two concise words:
[wait for me. ]
The pixel begins to move, taking its signature little square steps, heading deeper into the pixel garden.
"[Where are you going?]" Lin Suxing typed, her mind filled with doubt.
The interaction in the companion module today seems unusually...intelligent?
The responses they gave in the past were already very honest, but this time, Niannian suddenly ran out of the banquet hall saying she was looking for him or something...
That's so romantic!
If they were in the same world, Lin Suxing felt she would fall in love immediately.
Pixel Year after Year did not reply immediately, but continued to wander among the pixels, seemingly searching for itself.
Just as Lin Suxing was fully focused on the companionship module, trying to figure out where Nian Nian was going, a deep and familiar voice rang in his ears in the real world:
"I've found you."
Lin Suxing suddenly opened her eyes, pulling herself out of the screen of consciousness.
The moonlight of the real world poured down like mercury, and the night breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers truly brushed against his cheeks.
The handsome, deep-set man in front of him was looking down slightly, gazing quietly at him as he sat on the bench.
The man wore a black tuxedo identical to the pixelated figure, only the real-life tailoring was exceptionally fine, outlining the perfect lines of broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
It's as if the little figures in the module interface have broken through the boundaries and jumped out into reality!
The man slowly approached, until his tall figure completely enveloped the other person in his shadow, isolating them from the moonlight and noise of the outside world.
He leaned down slightly, closing the distance between them, close enough to clearly smell the faint, fresh scent of grass and trees emanating from Lin Suxing, blending seamlessly with the surroundings, and close enough to feel the other's slightly disordered breathing due to his sudden awakening.
Why aren't you saying anything?
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Rainbow Fart] The chapter is here, I know my wife is going to scold me again.
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