Chapter 221: Raising Banners And Beating Drums
Liang Chaosu walked through the corridor connecting the first floor to the small garden.
The garden was planted with yellow trumpet trees, currently in bloom, with clusters of buds on the branches, devoid of leaves, glowing yellow in the sunlight, creating a vast expanse without any other colors.
He walked in, the sea of flowers as bright as mist and clouds, while he was particularly stern and grim.
“I really want to know, since you could transfer Mo Shifu to Hong Kong, why would you not expect Mo Shicheng to counterattack?”
Lin Lanfeng opposite him was also displeased, “Mo Shicheng was arrogant and power-abusing in Singapore. Uncle Mo probably didn’t expect Mo Shicheng to proactively invite him and my sister to get involved when he handed over the family recognition matters to him. After all, Lian Yingying’s identity is fake, and Mo Shicheng planned to tamper with the identification process.”
Liang Chaosu sneered coldly, “I don’t want to hear your reasons. I only want confirmation of one thing. Now that everyone is watching, and Mo Shifu is here, can you still give me Liancheng’s sample?”
As Lin Lanfeng was about to speak, someone else suddenly spoke on the phone, a woman’s voice, calm, with the composure and strength of a steadfast presence.
“I am Lin Xianzi. I apologize for involving Miss Liang; this was an accident. As for Miss Liang’s sample, I guarantee you will absolutely get it.”
Liang Chaosu was silent for a moment, “Is there danger?”
A sudden question.
Lin Xianzi was surprised for a moment, then smiled, “Director Liang is indeed sharp. However, this is Hong Kong, my Lin family’s ancestral land. If Director Liang is uneasy, you can take Miss Liang and leave at any time when the grand show begins later, but I suggest you wait.”
Liang Chaosu held the phone, the veins on the back of his hand bulging distinctly, “Reason.”
Lin Xianzi’s voice was steady, yet there was an indescribable undercurrent surging within it.
“Consider it a definite answer for Miss Liang. She resembles me too much. If you leave too early, it will only make her suspicious and resentful.”
Liang Chaosu was sharp, even sarcastic, “To dispel her suspicions by putting her in danger, and also to continue using her as a chess piece? And to bind me, using the Liang family’s influence to add fuel to your grand show, to raise the banners and beat the drums?”
Lin Xianzi liked smart people; they understood with a single hint. However, Liang Chaosu was too smart, practically seeing through people’s hearts.
She wanted to leverage his help, but it wasn’t easy to persuade him.
“Isn’t a win-win situation good? It involves blood relations. Can you guarantee that she won’t resent you in the future, or that after Mo Shicheng is defeated, she won’t be deceived and instigated to come to Hong Kong again?”
There was a long silence on the phone, and Liang Chaosu didn’t speak.
Lin Xianzi knew this was his weakness. “Your caution in wanting to retrieve the sample is well-intentioned, but from Miss Liang’s perspective, it’s hard to be convinced. I can take responsibility for this.”
“Manager Lin, Mr. Mo Shicheng is on the phone. He says the paternity test sampling procedure is ready and asks when you and Old Master Mo can arrive.”
An off-mic report broke the deadlock.
Liang Chaosu said gravely and sternly, “Mo Shicheng might have a trick up his sleeve. Are you sure you can handle it?”
Lin Xianzi smiled, “The worst outcome is a draw.”
Liang Chaosu had thin foundations in Hong Kong and lacked dominance. “Her safety comes first. I will cooperate appropriately.”
……………………
In the VIP lounge, service staff brought tea.
In the materialistic and extravagant upper-class society, this laboratory had long served various celebrities and developed a service system.
Liancheng and Lian Yingying had flower tea. Mo Shicheng ordered wine, and the service staff listed over a dozen types.
Mo Shicheng paid a small tip, “A small glass of wine. I have serious business, I can’t drink much.”
Tipping is a Western custom. The waiter politely declined, “We are a laboratory, we don’t need this, sir.”
Mo Shicheng glanced at Liancheng, spread his arm on the back of her chair, “Today our niece returns home after wandering. According to Chinese customs, this is a good omen.”
Lian Yingying’s hand trembled, and the cup and saucer clinked.
Mo Shicheng turned his head at the sound.
Lian Yingying’s smile was pale and forced, “Sorry, I was thinking about the blood draw for the identification later. Does drinking tea or similar beverages interfere?”
Liancheng’s hand holding the teacup paused.
The service staff accepted the banknote, their smile becoming more enthusiastic, “No, paternity tests are different from medical check-ups and blood draws. They verify the DNA within blood cells. A person’s genes are mainly inherited and have stability; they won’t change due to short-term physiological conditions. So, you don’t need to fast like for a medical check-up, nor do you need to pay attention to your diet. Please drink, rest assured.”
Lian Yingying’s cheeks felt like they were burning. She lowered her head timidly, her sharp fingernails digging into her skin and flesh. The piercing pain made her incredibly clear-headed.
She didn’t actually know much about the Mo family. Gu Zhoushan had lied to the Lin family to make her appear genuinely innocent and unaware.
He only told her that she had no blood relation to Lin Xianzi, and by following Mo Shicheng’s arrangements step by step, she could become a young lady worth tens of billions.
But Liancheng suddenly appeared, and the Lin family’s attitude changed.
After Liancheng came to Hong Kong, she became more sensitive to the change in Mo Shicheng’s gaze towards her.
As if she were a discarded piece.
The glory and wealth of hundreds of billions, the rightful identity of a young lady, were too tempting for someone like her, who had been adopted and then abandoned.
She wanted to subtly plant a seed. If Liancheng drank the tea and the results came out that Liancheng was of Mo family bloodline, it might be disallowed.
And indirectly probe Mo Shicheng.
She didn’t expect to lack knowledge in specialized subjects and instead made a huge fool of herself.
“Excuse me, Liancheng drank heartily just now, and I was afraid it might affect the accuracy of the results later. I forgot she grew up in the Liang family and underwent a paternity test, so she must understand it thoroughly.”
Liancheng picked up her teacup and looked at her indifferently.
Lian Yingying felt awkward under her gaze, and a subtle hint of being wronged showed, “It’s my lack of knowledge and overthinking. Please forgive me and Mr. Mo.”
Mo Shicheng handed her a tissue and patted her shoulder, “You’re different from Miss Liang. You’re thoughtful and easily nervous. There’s no need for forgiveness. Relax.”
Mo Shicheng’s private demeanor was different from this. Lian Yingying sensed something, was stunned for a moment, sniffled, and stopped her tears.
Seeing this, Liancheng felt something was not quite right, but hadn’t deeply considered it yet.
The door opened.
Two teams of bodyguards in suits and leather shoes entered in single file.
Mo Shicheng stood up without touching his wine, and Lian Yingying instinctively stood up with him.
Liancheng’s gaze was fixed on the doorway. The moment the short-haired woman appeared, she lost her reaction.
Liancheng had imagined many scenarios of meeting Lin Xianzi.
Gentle, kind, perhaps more touching than a photograph.
But she never expected this feeling to be so intense, as if something was growing in her chest, a tingling sensation, and she had goosebumps all over.
Liang Chaosu saw this scene, his eyes flickered, and he strode over, putting an arm around her shoulder to bring her back to her senses.
On the other side, Lin Xianzi respectfully pushed a wheelchair. Old Master Mo’s hair was completely white, his mouth and eyes were askew, and he sat hunched over, looking very weak and dispirited.
Mo Shicheng rushed forward and knelt beside Old Master Mo’s legs, “Father, the doctors and equipment have been checked, and I have records of all the information. You’ve seen the photos of Lian Yingying and Liang Liancheng. I’ll have them come forward, and after you’ve looked, we’ll collect samples for the test. What do you think?”
Mo Shifu raised his hand and pressed down twice, signaling assent.
