Chapter 264: Lian Yingying
Facing Liancheng’s undisguised disgust and aversion.
Liang Chaosu’s chest swelled stiffly, then contracted into a ball, like a stranded beach, baked dry and wrinkled by the scorching sand.
“She thinks highly of herself, putting herself in danger, such great courage, sacrifice, yet she’s actually being led by the nose. Mo Shicheng had her play whatever role, and she willingly set it all up. Perish together—”
He fiercely gripped Liancheng’s wrist.
Thinner, her frailty now devoid of warmth, he was on the verge of an outburst, yet his tone softened uncontrollably.
“There’s no death penalty in Europe, she’ll only get life.”
Liancheng trembled.
The man’s breath was too close, veins bulging on his neck, bursting open a wound, scarlet and damp on his collar, a patch of thick, dark hue.
Liang Chaosu’s face seemed to be immersed in it, blurring into speckled fragments in her sight.
Chilling, a dead end, it would only lead to utter destruction and eternal damnation.
“Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
Liancheng’s sharp gaze pierced him, “You foresee everything, you’re incredibly smart. You knew all our and Mo Shicheng’s thoughts, sending me to Hong Kong, making me personally lead my mother to her death.”
“It’s just that I didn’t expect my uncle to see through you, and I’m not returning to the Lin family. You hurried to Hong Kong to correct this mistake.”
Liang Chaosu’s breathing grew rapid, his collar damp, clinging to his collarbone, the temperature chillingly cold, he asked with desolation, “You know my methods, yet you believed Lin Lanfeng?”
Liancheng, “If I don’t believe my uncle, who should I believe? Believe you have feelings, that you wouldn’t be so vicious, that you would… consider?”
Liancheng couldn’t deny that with Iceland behind them, she still dared to bring up the bet, relying on his potential soft-heartedness.
Perhaps using others’ feelings, even the despicable methods, the heavens could not bear it.
Teaching her a lesson once again, the bet was real, and Liang Chaosu was real.
Having feelings, he didn’t care if she was well or not, in pain or not, all he wanted was to be together.
“I’ve always regretted not choosing to safely give birth to the child on Iceland. But now I’ve suddenly realized, someone like you, I would likely fall back onto the old path sooner or later, and perhaps cause even greater harm.”
Mentioning Iceland and the child, Liang Chaosu stiffened.
After a long while, he loosened his collar, the damp, cold discomfort gone, his burning chest gradually cooled, and the metallic scent of rust spread.
He leaned down, his eyes inches away, gazing at her silently like this, bloodshot veins filling his red-rimmed eyes.
Not ferocious, nor terrifying.
Even less like bitterness or sorrow; all emotions were suppressed, in the oppressive, deathly silent atmosphere, revealing his bones and soul.
“Before Iceland, I would have.” He admitted, then denied, “Now, I don’t.”
Liancheng restrained herself, a flush of crimson rising on her pale face, “You dare to do it, but not admit it?”
“Admit what? Sending you to Hong Kong was merely because I didn’t trust Lin Xianzi to protect you.” His arm tightened around her waist, his burning, firm muscles pressed against her, all his anger extinguished.
“Lin Lanfeng’s so-called insight was from his perspective. If I had truly acted, whether from Singapore or through the kidnappers, to achieve my goal directly, why would I have taken such a long detour, leaving endless future trouble, making you hate me.”
Liancheng stared at him, momentarily dazed.
Liang Chaosu pursed his lips, seeing through her, “I understand the situation, I know what they’re thinking, that doesn’t mean I have to consider them.”
Liancheng understood, “If you weren’t using me to disrupt the situation, why come to Hong Kong at this time?”
“You are my Madam—”
Footsteps approached rapidly outside the door, Feng Shien, accompanied by Butler Bo from the Lin family and villa security, knocked urgently.
Liang Chaosu’s brow furrowed deeply, the recently subsided calm and pleasantness turned stormy again, the insistent, clamoring, threatening knocks intensified his gloom.
“You’re not returning to the Lin family because Lian Yingying continues to impersonate you?”
Liancheng knew his sharp perception well, yet her heart skipped a beat; this topic was too dangerous, hitting the nail on the head.
His gaze flickered for a moment, and he let out a low chuckle, “I could find you, and so could Mo Shicheng and Mo Shifu. You’re living in Lin Lanfeng’s villa, which is also a good leverage point against that spy who can’t be found.”
This storm took a sharp turn.
Liang Chaosu revealed too much information; Mo Shicheng’s motive for planning the kidnapping, the Lin family was almost infiltrated like a sieve.
Each piece of information was crucial, and Lin Xianzi’s plan might need to be changed.
The butler outside was already on the phone asking for instructions from Lin Lanfeng; Liancheng pushed him away and went to open the door.
Liang Chaosu blocked her slightly, his attitude not forceful, “You don’t need to change your residence. For the current Lin family, it’s useless no matter where you move.”
Liancheng stared at him for a few seconds, opened the door, preventing Uncle Bo from calling the police, and contacted Lin Lanfeng.
………………………………………………
After the opening of each Financial Forum, there was a banquet on the same day.
This year’s was at the InterContinental Hotel in Victoria Harbour; the banquet hall had a low-key, luxurious Western business style, with a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the colorful neon lights of Central Ring opposite.
Guests gathered in small groups, drinks clinking, Lian Yingying followed Lin Ziqiu, socializing and meeting people, a dizzying array of faces.
Liang Liancheng’s escape from the kidnapping, her inability to go to Europe, and her direct arrival in Hong Kong had disrupted all the plans she and Gu Zhoushan had made.
Lin Lanfeng was probably afraid of provoking them into killing Lin Xianzi or harming Liang Liancheng, so he hadn’t formally acknowledged her yet.
But her desire to go to the mainland to contact Liang Zhengping and increase her own importance was completely dashed.
Jin Tonghai had gone to Qi Province as planned; Gu Zhoushan had told her to stay in Hong Kong, cooperate in smearing Lin Ziqiu, and finish him off as soon as possible.
However, Lin Ziqiu was an old fox in his fifties, and despite her repeated displays of weakness and appeals, Lin Ziqiu showed no reaction.
At this moment, a sudden commotion erupted at the main gate; it was too chaotic, and only a vague “Liang” could be heard.
Lian Yingying froze instantly, a hidden corner of her heart feeling like it was pulled by a magnet, drawing her attention past the crowd.
Liang Chaosu was not formally dressed; amidst the crowd in suits and ties, his navy blue necktie was particularly eye-catching.
It concealed his Adam’s apple and also the stern authority he carried, tempering his rigid, deep presence with a forbidden, languid air.
In formal settings, the most proper people are often the most improper.
All seductive tension amplified, spreading openly, encroaching, overwhelming her.
Lian Yingying clutched her diamond handbag and quietly asked Lin Ziqiu, “The Chairman of the Liang Family is here, should I go say hello?”
Lin Ziqiu was also looking in that direction, his expression unreadable, “Do you want to go?”
Whether Lian Yingying was Lin Xianzi’s bloodline, with the critical state of Far East Pharmaceutical, became increasingly unclear.
If she was, Lin Xianzi’s attitude was too distant; who could bear to keep their daughter, separated for twenty-three years, in a hospital every day, attending to a resentful, stroke-ridden patient?
If not, Lin Xianzi had never told him, and in the blink of an eye, she was kidnapped in the mainland again, and Liang Liancheng, who looked seven-tenths like her, had come to Hong Kong.
One couldn’t think too deeply about this; the more one thought, the more it was all suspicion and defense of blood relations.
“My mother was kidnapped in Qi Province in the mainland, and I heard it was related to Liang Liancheng. She’s also here in Hong Kong, staying at my uncle’s residence. Seventh Uncle, I’m worried.”
