Chapter 253: She Wants You
Liang Chaosu lowered his head, pressed down on Liancheng’s hand, and moved closer inch by inch until his handsome, deep features filled her entire field of vision, a powerful impact, an invasive feeling.
“You’re coaxing me again.” At such close proximity, his pupil’s iris was a deep brown, reflecting her pale face, like a tiny whirlpool, gradually sinking into the deep blackness.
Director Qin waited downstairs, time was pressing, Liancheng’s heart pounded wildly, her chest pressed against his.
Liang Chaosu felt it, through skin and bone, his heart involuntarily responded to hers, beating so softly, “One last time.”
Liancheng understood, she had made all sorts of empty promises, and he was the one who would ultimately pay the bill.
“But I have conditions.”
Liancheng’s spirits lifted again, “Tell me.”
“If I don’t touch you, it’s void.” Liang Chaosu’s bangs brushed against Liancheng’s forehead, his rough hair had once entangled her day and night, to the point of frenzy.
“I refuse—”
His arm tightened, his solid chest pressing against Liancheng, almost suffocating her.
“Then the bet is void.”
Liancheng’s face turned pale, she stared at him intently, racking her brain to persuade him.
Liang Chaosu took her hand away, without any obstruction, his voice was deep and resonant, his breath was a column of hot air, forcefully breaking through, forcing her to the brink of collapse.
“Since you’ve considered backing down these past two days, why are you insisting on meeting Lin Xianzi. Did she tell you she has a trump card, right? You agreed to meet, to consolidate information from both sides, you have a recording, and the Lin family will continue to investigate Iceland to find evidence of my father’s crimes as soon as possible, it’s okay if you don’t find it.”
“His return to the country is bound to lead to a conflict with me. Lin Xianzi is entangled in troubles in Europe and cannot spare any attention, but the Lin family is different. Mo Shicheng’s extradition is a foregone conclusion, so they simply abandoned delaying and turned their attention to me. My father is not a fool who believes in verbal agreements. He must have something in hand if he’s cooperated with Mo Shicheng to this extent.”
“At that time, the Liang family will be in internal strife, the Lin family will stir up trouble in the dark, helping whoever is weaker. After a certain degree of fighting and consumption, my father will then absorb Mo Shicheng’s blood, coercing him to divide his attention to help, and finally let me win, because you have the recording.”
“No,” Liancheng denied flatly, “You’ve only met members of the Mo family and Lin Lanfeng in Hong Kong, you’ve only seen them twice and aren’t familiar with them. You’re judging others by your own standards.”
Hearing this, Liang Chaosu chuckled. “Judging by my own standards? Is that my style?”
Liancheng remained silent.
“I’m not familiar with them, but the Huang family is familiar with Mo Shifu’s methods. His son is like him, and after twenty-odd years of interacting with Lin Xianzi, her way of handling things is also like him. She likes to weigh things, prefers balance, is stingy with taking risks herself, and always uses others’ strength to counter them, it’s a bit like Tai Chi.”
“However, his son and Lin Xianzi are not skilled at it. Using it lacks the fluidity and natural progression. Mo Shicheng is more ruthless and aggressive, while Lin Xianzi can endure and is more steady. This is not something only I can see; they cannot hide it from my father.”
Liancheng clenched her fists rigidly, trembling slightly.
Liang Chaosu placed his palm on her cheek, his rough thumb brushing against the corner of her eye, “Still betting?”
Liancheng grabbed his wrist and forcefully pushed it away.
She feared Liang Chaosu’s unfathomable scheming, his every calculated move, as if he had foreseen everything. But if he had truly foreseen everything, he wouldn’t have lost control and exploded several times before.
“Bet.”
The man suddenly lifted her with one hand, holding her suspended against the door panel, kissing her fiercely and deeply. Liancheng couldn’t push him away, captivated and frozen by a pair of eyes like those of a deep-sea beast.
He didn’t close his eyes either.
……………………………………
When Director Qin, unable to wait any longer, made the third phone call, Liancheng walked out of the main gate.
It wasn’t too cold in April, she wore a high-necked sweater, her complexion was strange, pale with a flush of crimson, the wind blew, her long hair fluttered, revealing her fair earlobes, below which was a suspicious purplish-red mark, with faint traces of teeth.
“Chao Su isn’t coming?”
Liancheng uncomfortably pulled up her collar, “He’s busy with work.”
Director Qin’s eyes were full of teasing laughter. Liancheng’s face was expressionless, she wasn’t joking.
The car arrived at the Yun Jin Research Institute, where a female curator in her early thirties personally led them to introduce various fabrics in detail.
Brocade, gold-woven fabric, satin, brocade, and a replica Ming Dynasty wedding dress. After Director Qin confirmed it wasn’t an old exhibit, she pushed Liancheng to change into it.
Her hair was also styled, and after all the fuss until almost noon, Liancheng finally received a text message and excused herself to go to the restroom.
Turning the corner of the VIP reception room corridor, next to the elevator was a small conference room. A woman’s shadow could be seen through the frosted glass, pacing back and forth near the door.
Liancheng’s gaze was fixed on the shadow, and she followed it to the door, until she bumped into someone, an employee of the research institute. Catching a clear glimpse of her face, they opened the door and walked in.
Liancheng’s heart pounded, feeling unbearably sore, she took a deep breath and whispered her thanks and apologies.
She walked in, babbling incoherently, and the door immediately closed behind her.
Before she could see clearly inside, a gust of wind rushed at her, and the pursuing shadow enveloped her in a hug, the warm scent of orange blossoms poured over her from all directions, her body warm and soft.
Through her clothes, Liancheng felt like a block of solid ice about to melt, her limbs felt weak, her veins and bones, all soft and limp, she didn’t know if she was standing or leaning.
She only felt someone kissing the hair on her temples, and the next second, her roots became damp, and warm, cool liquid continuously slid down, spreading out.
“Liancheng, child—”
Lin Xianzi’s voice trembled uncontrollably, the last two words were like painful bleeding wounds, twenty-three years, having prayed to all gods and Buddhas, countless nights she wished to exchange her life for hers, finally lost and then found.
Countless crazy thoughts swirled around her, making her tighten her embrace, holding on tightly, yet afraid of hurting her, of crushing her, the force of it causing blood vessels to bulge and pull under her skin and flesh.
“My daughter—” she cried out uncontrollably, but could only sob and laugh, her voice hoarse and choked, “I’m sorry—”
Twenty-three years, it was her incompetence. Ten years of wrongly trusting remains was her foolishness. Hesitation and weighing things felt like countless sharks tearing at her insides, regret was a dam bursting with sulfuric acid, soaking Lin Xianzi’s throat in thick and fishy.
Liancheng shook her head, her tears soaking into Lin Xianzi’s collar.
Lin Xianzi’s eyes grew more strained, tears rolling down her face, she gritted her teeth, and carefully wiped away the tear stains for her, “I’ve made preparations today. From here to the airport, even if he brings the mightiest forces, I will take you away.”
Liancheng had been trembling the entire time, emotions like a tsunami rising and falling, shaking her soul to the point of being out of control, losing control of her body parts, unable to speak.
In fact, many things had been said on the phone, and she had cried, and called out “Mom.”
She thought she would be able to maintain some composure upon meeting, but the temperature, the embrace, the scent, the feel of skin, the voice, every thread connected to the two thousand-plus nights of silent darkness.
Who was she, and where was home.
Her body, already forged into steel, was cold and hard enough to withstand extreme fear. But now, tens of thousands of pores were gaping open, her bones were full of cracks, air drilled in, shuttling back and forth, pulling out her soul, which had long since shrunk into a ball.
Look, she was already this scared.
Look, this is your mother.
She wants you.
