Chapter 132
I want to hide you in the closet.
The atmosphere in the reception room was indescribably somber, even more oppressive than the thick, rolling clouds outside the window.
The two beautiful figures sitting opposite each other had different expressions. They were both stirring their steaming coffee, but neither of them spoke to break the dead silence.
With the sound of bone china cups clinking against the table, Lin Jin adopted a leisurely reclining posture, and across the table covered with various documents, he chuckled mockingly at the person opposite him: "You've got some nerve, daring to get involved in Lin Sheng's mess."
As she spoke, Shu Wan's expression grew increasingly unpleasant, but she had not yet responded.
She hadn't shown her face for quite some time, but she still maintained her gentle and composed demeanor.
She took a small sip of coffee, pursing her lips to savor the bitterness that lingered on her tongue, a bittersweet feeling that evoked a sense of unbearable helplessness.
She glanced at the equity transfer agreement of the Lin Group in front of her, and gave a forced, relaxed smile. "In business, it's normal to make and lose money. My mental fortitude isn't as bad as you think."
"You were quite perceptive back then, knowing which team to choose. If you hadn't provided Captain Ji with reliable information, we wouldn't be sitting here calmly discussing cooperation today." Lin Jin could easily see that Shu Wan was forcing a smile, but now she had toned down her sharp edges and was no longer as confrontational as before.
She tapped the table rhythmically with her fingertips, seemingly giving Shu Wan enough time to think, and said to herself, "We've been fighting for so many years, and this is the first time I feel it's pointless, so I want to negotiate this deal with you peacefully."
"You call bottom-fishing amicable? That's a bit too funny," Shu Wan scoffed, picking up the transfer contract and tossing it lightly in front of Lin Jin. "I worked so hard to get Lin's listed, doing all sorts of thankless tasks, and in the end, it all benefited you. And you still want to squeeze every last drop of profit out of me? Lin Jin, Lin Jin, when it comes to scheming, I'm definitely no match for you."
Lin Jin took this as a compliment from Shu Wan, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and smile, saying, "Instead of blaming me for taking action now, you should blame Lin Sheng for driving the stock price down so badly. The Lin family is a hot potato now. Everyone who holds a large stake is trapped and it's impossible to break even. I bought your shares at a 20% premium. Isn't that more than enough?"
Shu Wan stared intently at her profit-driven face, a ripple appearing on her calm expression. She let out a sigh of resignation: "At this critical juncture, you're still buying more shares that could collapse at any moment. I know what you're planning. A 20% increase isn't enough; you can't reach an agreement on this cooperation unless you increase it to 40%. The Lin Group only has problems with leadership oversight, not operational issues. I can wait for the stock price to recover before selling. It's just a matter of time."
"We're both in the investment business, so we should understand the importance of cash flow, right?"
Although you don't own a large share in Lin's, you still have to find a way to get your money back. Otherwise, you won't get any returns, and how will you explain that to the other investors?
I am the only one willing to take over right now. Once you miss this opportunity, it will be very difficult to find another buyer willing to share part of your losses.
30% is my final offer of sincerity. If you're still not satisfied, then forget it. Even without your shares, I can still bring down those people on the Lin Group's board of directors.
What you said was just a matter of time.
Lin Jin's negotiating tactics struck a chord with Shu Wan, not only reminding her to cut her losses in time, but also revealing extremely important information—in the near future, the Lin Group's decision-making team would undergo a radical reshuffle.
The atmosphere fell into an endless silence once again.
Lin Jin didn't want to waste any more time, since his sweetheart was still waiting at the health center. So he pressed his knuckles against the contract and said in a more serious tone, "Take my advice. You'd better get rid of your Lin Group shares now. Don't wait until I'm settling my family affairs before you regret it. By then, it will be too late."
Shu Wan's brows furrowed deeply. After considering it in her mind, she finally relented: "Okay, let's calculate it as a 30% increase. Consider it me paying for my mistake in decision-making."
Lin Jin remained outwardly calm, but the anxiety that had been weighing on her mind finally subsided. She then extended her hand in a gesture of goodwill: "President Shu, rest assured. Now that we've had our first collaboration, it's good to meet again in the future. I'd be happy to share in any promising investment projects you have, as a way of thanking you for transferring your Lin Group shares to me today. It seems I'm not someone who takes advantage of others' weaknesses, right?"
Shu Wan's gaze fell on Lin Jin's hands, her eyes filled with intense contempt.
She ignored the friendly handshake as she reached for her purse, and walked straight to the door of the reception room, then suddenly stopped.
She gently held the doorknob, turned halfway to look at Lin Jin, who reluctantly withdrew his arm, and said meaningfully, "I've heard more or less about what you're doing, and I'd like to give you some advice. No one has a smooth life all the time, and no game can turn the tide with one move. Sometimes, one wrong step leads to another. Being too confident is not a good thing. Be careful not to let it blind you or cloud your judgment."
Lin Jin frowned slightly, probably because she was annoyed by Shu Wan's advice, or perhaps because she genuinely couldn't bring herself to like this evenly matched opponent.
She sat back down in her chair, picked up the contract, flipped through it, and then leaned back wearily, rubbing the bridge of her nose, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
After a long while, the door to the reception room was finally pushed open.
"There are just too many people in line, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Secretary Zhou carried a box of exquisitely packaged pastries, her steps hurried in her high heels, her breathing slightly rapid. "The pastries are freshly baked and still warm. Would you like me to deliver them to Miss Cheng, or would you like to take them back yourself?"
Lin Jin didn't reply. She picked up the pastry box and examined it closely. The air was filled with the rich, sweet aroma of freshly baked goods, like the sweet taste of love fermenting.
A faint smile curved her lips, and her starry eyes curved into crescent moons. She seemed to already see Cheng Sangluo's adorable, puppy-like greedy appearance, and couldn't help but instruct, "Recently, leave all non-important matters to the vice president. Report any developments at Lin's Group in a timely manner, and try not to disturb me at other times."
"Understood." Secretary Zhou nodded, then hurriedly asked, "When is your foot surgery scheduled?"
"No rush. Let's wait until everything settles down before worrying about these trivial matters." Lin Jin said casually, carefully carrying the snack box towards the door. Her steps were slow but full of eager anticipation. "Arrange for a driver to take me back to the health center. Hurry up."
......
'Ding—' As the elevator doors opened, Lin Jin quickened her pace and stepped out, completely forgetting that her foot was still injured.
When she reached the door of the ward, she picked up the snack box and smelled its sweet aroma. The thought of being able to peacefully accompany Cheng Sangluo as she recovered in the next few days filled her with a long-lost happiness and joy.
She gently pushed open the door and tiptoed towards the bedroom in the suite, feeling a little puzzled. She had been busy at the company for so long in the afternoon but had not received any messages from Cheng Sangluo. She wondered if he was asleep or if he had found something to pass the time.
The bedroom door was ajar, and Lin Jin peeked out through the crack.
She spotted Cheng Sangluo sitting alone by the hospital bed at a glance, but in that instant, her eyes, which had been filled with joy, were stained with the bright red blood covering the bed, and the relaxed expression on her face was quickly replaced by panic.
With a thud, the pastry box in Lin Jin's hand fell to the ground.
She frantically pushed open the door, enduring the pain in her foot as she rushed to the bedside, her voice trembling with fear as she cried out, "Sang Luo!"
Cheng Sangluo's hospital gown was half-undone around her waist, and the tightly bandaged wound was now exposed. The stitches had been cut by a sharp instrument, and blood was continuously oozing from the hole in her flesh.
She was playing with the small knife that Lin Jin usually used to peel apples, her fingertips seemingly digging into a wound, the thick blood that had dried into clumps, a horrifying sight.
Even when Lin Jin exclaimed in surprise behind her, she remained seated, unmoved, neither responding nor turning around.
Lin Jin's lips trembled uncontrollably. Upon seeing Cheng Sangluo's hand, she hurriedly snatched the sharp knife and slammed it to the ground, her voice filled with both heartache and reproach: "What are you doing? What on earth are you doing?!"
Cheng Sangluo remained blankly in the face, and did not react at all even though Lin Jin was in a panic. However, when she heard the word 'harm', her eyelids blinked slightly, and she let out a cold snort.
She was in a lot of pain, not just from the wounds torn open by the dog, but more so from the 'deception' and 'concealment' embedded in her spine.
This pain was not like being cut open and bled, but rather like countless tiny, sharp thorns piercing under the skin, causing occasional bursts of pain. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was irritating. She couldn't scratch them out, so she could only endure it. She kept scratching the back of her neck until it was bloody and gruesome, but she still couldn't get them out.
She mechanically turned her head to look at Lin Jin, her eyes dull and lifeless, as if all her brightness had been drained away, like a soulless shell, where even breathing was just an instinctive reaction.
Lin Jin's heart was choked with worry. Her lips moved, but she didn't know what to say. She dared not think too deeply, but she had to deceive herself and secretly pray that Cheng Sangluo knew nothing.
She tried to reach out to help Cheng Sangluo up, pleading in a soft voice, "I'll call a doctor to treat your wound. We can talk about it after we stitch it up again. Please be good, okay? You can do anything, just don't hurt yourself..."
"Hurting... hurting..." Cheng Sangluo murmured, dodging Lin Jin's support, and couldn't help but let out a desolate, self-mocking laugh: "Heh... hahaha, haven't you always been the one hurting me?"
Lin Jin was speechless. Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was finally shattered by this question. After hesitating for a moment, she lowered her voice and pressed the question with a question: "What exactly do you want to say?"
"You're asking me?" Cheng Sangluo coldly pointed to herself, then suddenly raised her arm and scratched her wound, grabbing a pool of horrifying blood and presenting it to Lin Jin, furious: "What did you implant in my spine? Did you ask for my opinion? Did you ask me if I was willing?"
I'm so stupid, I never learn from my mistakes, and I actually enjoy the consequences of your slap and then give me a treat. Do you also enjoy this kind of tried-and-true pleasure?
Lin Jin, am I such a despicable person that you have to humiliate me again and again? How many more times do you want to hurt me before you will let me go?
The Cheng family can't beat me, Xu Songheng can't beat me, Lin Sheng can't defeat me, but the one who defeats me is the person I love most.
What did I do wrong? What did I do wrong?
Lin Jin stared in horror at the pool of bright red blood on Cheng Sangluo's open palm. The soul-searching question echoed in the ward, filled with despair and loss that felt like an avalanche, shattering her arrogance and confidence.
She panicked, more panicked than ever before, terrified that she might say the wrong word and provoke a strong reaction from Cheng Sangluo. She said cautiously, "Sangluo, let me explain, it's not you...it's not what you think..."
"I don't want to hear anything, and you shouldn't say anything either... Don't touch me... Don't touch me..." Cheng Sangluo waved her hands frantically, enduring the tearing pain from her wounds, fearfully distancing herself from the person beside her, muttering to herself, "I thought we really overcame all difficulties, so I finally made peace with the part of myself that resisted you, and we were so close... so close to a temporary happy life... But now... I just want to escape from you... to a world where you don't hurt me..."
"No...no..." Lin Jin's eyes were red with tears as she shook her head repeatedly, moving closer and closer. "You promised you wouldn't leave me alone, you clearly promised..."
"Just take it as nonsense I was talking about." Cheng Sangluo felt utterly hopeless. The contrast between her deeply affectionate promise and her current wretched state filled her with immense embarrassment.
She hunched over her aching back and dragged her weak steps toward the door. "Lin Jin, saving you so many times should make up for everything I owe you, right? I've taken my revenge, and there's nothing more for me to do now. I'm begging you, please let me go. Can't we part ways amicably?"
For Lin Jin, these words were like knives.
Because not a single word is tainted, it's like a dull knife; it takes repeated cutting and sawing to slowly create a wound, but the pain it brings is a million times greater than a single fatal blow.
She covered her face sadly, trying to hold back her tears. When she lowered her hands, her beautiful features were no longer tightly furrowed, giving people a momentary illusion—it was as if everything had returned to the beginning, to that scene of revelry, where she indifferently looked down on everything and detachedly smiled at Cheng Sangluo's insignificance.
"Okay, I promise to let you go." Lin Jin said succinctly, but emphasized, "On the condition that you take care of your wound first."
Cheng Sangluo didn't expect Lin Jin to give in so easily, but the words of agreeing to let her leave made her breathless. She couldn't help but curse herself for being too soft-hearted. Why couldn't she just leave without looking back?
She paused, and replied calmly, "Okay."
Lin Jin slowly stood up and took something from the back of the bedside table.
She silently approached Cheng Sangluo, looking at the old and new scars covering her back, and couldn't help but reach out to stroke them. "Sangluo... I've always known... I've done so many wrong things... I refused to admit my mistakes before because of arrogance... Now I admit it because loving you surpasses everything... My obsession, extremism, and selfishness towards you all stem from..."
A sudden crackling sound of electricity drilled into Cheng Sangluo's ears. Before she could react, the familiar stinging pain swept through her body, quickly knocking her to the ground.
"You..." Cheng Sangluo stared wide-eyed in disbelief. The feeling of being completely paralyzed came over her very quickly, leaving her unable to speak or move.
As the continuous crackling of electricity grew, she could no longer bear it, until her whole body convulsed and spasmed uncontrollably.
Lin Jin pulled away the stun gun, a hint of pity gradually appearing on his expressionless face, but his extreme actions added a strong sense of malice.
She sat on the ground, tightly hugging Cheng Sangluo's head, gently rubbing her cheek tenderly against it. Even though her face was covered in blood, she still couldn't bear to let go.
She thought her beloved was tired, so she gently swayed her body and spoke in a soft voice like a lullaby: "I love you so much, I love you so much that I'm jealous of the freedom you want, I love you so much that I want to hide you away secretly."
I want to hide you in the closet, or even lock you in the safe.
Only when you are trapped within my sight can I dispel my fear of loss.
No one can take you from my world except death, not even you.
[Author's Note]
1. My pre-order novel, "The Sinful Lover," is available for collection.
2. Hehe, I went to a concert yesterday, so I didn't update. Sorry~
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