Chapter 149: Borrowing Her Influence for a Lifetime
Lian Li was just pondering something when the phone suddenly rang. As she hesitated whether to answer, Jin Yan Ting asked, “Eldest Young Master?”
Lian Li braced herself and replied as if it were normal, “It’s Brother Zhong Yang. I changed his contact name when we were playing games last time and haven’t changed it back yet.”
She remained composed, her response seemingly flawless and logical, but it was precisely her ‘logic’ that betrayed her.
She never over-explained such minor matters.
Jin Yan Ting observed her fair face, his finger resting on the porcelain teacup, his voice as calm as ever: “Why didn’t you answer.”
Lian Li raised her eyes. Elder Mei was flipping through the newspaper that had just been delivered. Although in the internet age, most media and periodicals had switched to online electronic versions, given his status, it wasn’t just a few newspapers; even if it were bamboo slips, they would be meticulously carved and delivered word by word. Of course, in his position, no one would be foolish enough to do something so obviously stupid.
Her gaze shifted, and she glanced at Jin Yan Ting. Under his gaze, she answered the phone: “Brother Zhong Yang.”
With a gentle “Brother Zhong Yang,” Jin Shi Yue, being extremely perceptive, immediately sensed something was amiss.
A cold voice came through the receiver: “Are you with Jin Yan Ting?”
Lian Li’s tone was slightly apologetic: “Not today. Yan Ting Ge and I are visiting Grandpa Mei. Let’s reschedule dinner for another day; I’ll treat you.”
“Not today,” Jin Shi Yue repeated, his tone icy. “You’re with him all day, and you’re going home with him tonight?”
Lian Li ignored his words and continued, “Senior Sister Shu Fan is free, you can ask her. Okay, then you all have fun. Goodbye.”
“Lian Li.”
Jin Shi Yue’s voice was dangerous. Before he could finish speaking, Lian Li hung up the phone.
That “Lian Li” was truly chilling, Lian Li thought.
Elder Mei lowered his eyes slightly, looking at the newspaper filled with dense text. “Does the Zhong Family only have one son in the new generation?”
Jin Yan Ting replied, “Just one. He’s currently involved in investments.”
The heir to the Zhong Family was undoubtedly Zhong Yang. His parents had only one child. His aunts were either settled abroad or transferred to other cities within the country, rarely visiting Beijing. However, he lacked experience, and the Zhong Family was not at ease handing over the family business to him.
Elder Mei nodded gently and discussed with Jin Yan Ting the appointments of Second Master Duan and Zhong Yingyi in Shanghai. Lian Li listened passively. A servant brought freshly baked pastries and cut fruit. As she ate, she took out her mobile phone to message the Eldest Young Master, when suddenly a parrot’s excited voice rang out: “Eldest Young Master! Eldest Young Master! Eldest Young Master!”
Startled, Lian Li immediately put away her phone.
Jin Yan Ting showed no particular reaction and said calmly, “This parrot is quite clever.”
Elder Mei chuckled, “Clever, but also mischievous.”
The parrot seemed to understand the compliment and continued to call excitedly: “Eldest Young Master! Junior Sister! Eldest Young Master! Junior Sister!”
Lian Li: “…”
This is toxic.
Before leaving, Lian Li passed by the parrot and glared at it with ill intent: If you keep making noise, I’ll stew you and eat you.
The parrot was defiant: “Junior Sister! Eldest Young Master!”
Jin Yan Ting heard this and turned to look at her. His eyes were like a sea with no end in sight, calm and unruffled, yet instilling a sense of dread.
“Why aren’t you leaving?”
Lian Li took a couple of steps back, then quickened her pace to catch up: “I’ve never seen that breed of parrot before; I’m a bit curious.”
“If you want one, I’ll have He Shu send it to your home,” Jin Yan Ting said.
“No need.” She didn’t like keeping animals at home, but she didn’t mind plants.
Crossing a flowing ancient bridge, Lian Li glanced towards the back garden. The large, lush tree that had once caught her eye was gone, replaced by low-lying vegetation.
She didn’t pay much attention.
Secretary Nie escorted them to the car and stood outside, bowing perfectly, smiling gently: “Have a safe journey.”
The driver closed the car door, walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat, and respectfully asked for confirmation before daring to start the engine.
A multi-million dollar luxury car from a top-tier family naturally came with the best driver.
Lian Li leaned back against the seat, sitting upright, her gaze fixed forward, her thoughts drifting.
Seeing her lost in thought for the second time today, Jin Yan Ting asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Lian Li shook her head, her lustrous almond-shaped eyes tinged with a faint smile: “No, I’m thinking about my graduation project.”
For her, the graduation project was a trivial matter, requiring no effort.
Jin Yan Ting frowned in thought, then relaxed and asked Lian Li, without haste, if she had time next month to accompany him to a commercial dinner.
Lian Li had no classes left, and her graduation project and internship didn’t take much time, so she nodded in agreement.
Recalling the conversation between Jin Yan Ting and Elder Mei about the Mathematics Research Center, Lian Li added, “You don’t need to arrange the research center for me.”
Hearing this, Jin Yan Ting looked up at her: “Are you planning to develop abroad later?”
If she wasn’t interested in a domestic mathematics research center, then after graduating, she would develop abroad.
Jin Yan Ting supported most of her choices and would arrange a few things for her, such as which research center to join after graduation.
Whether she went to Princeton or not, he could get her into the top mathematics research center in the country.
“No,” Lian Li said.
“No, why refuse?” Jin Yan Ting’s calm, warm gaze fell on her face, as if scrutinizing, as if appraising.
Lian Li replied, “I want to get into a research center on my own, without relying on anyone.”
Jin Yan Ting: “Xiao Li, I am not just anyone.”
There were few cars on the road, and the Maybach drove unimpeded.
Lian Li turned her head and looked directly at Jin Yan Ting: “I know, you’re my brother.”
Jin Yan Ting’s gaze flickered for a moment, uncatchable. “What’s wrong with relying on me?”
He had power and influence; if she wished, he could lend her his influence for a lifetime.
But Lian Li didn’t want to borrow others’ influence; she wanted to become influence herself.
The influence she yearned for in her heart was different from the influence Jin Yan Ting offered.
What the young girl needed most was not borrowed influence, but control and a voice.
“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Lian Li mused, “I just want to rely on myself more.”
She smiled gently, like a night-blooming cereus unfurling silently, “Brother, don’t you believe I can get into the Mathematics Research Center with my own strength?”
Jin Yan Ting’s almost imperceptible frown eased, and the corner of his lips curved into a clear smile.
The Maybach drove into the city. Lian Li wanted to buy something and chose to get out near a shopping mall. Jin Yan Ting had a bodyguard follow her, as he had a board meeting. The driver turned the car around and headed towards the CBD.
Lian Li didn’t actually need to buy anything. She had suddenly remembered that the pen she had custom-ordered for Jin Shi Yue had arrived and she could pick it up on the way, saving the trouble of having it mailed home.
She received the expensive pen and carefully examined the English letters JSY… it was engraved correctly.
Lian Li dismissed the bodyguard Jin Yan Ting had arranged and was about to hail a taxi to Xi Shang Yuan.
A black car suddenly stopped in front of her.
