Even though the Ning family had already declared fair competition, seeing he couldn’t win more benefits, he set his sights on the Lin Clan Research Team.
The secretary said angrily, “That Chairman Qin really knows how to lower himself—personally traveled to the port district, held secret talks with ten of our researchers, and offered them triple the generous salary.”
Sheng Ming Ying, who’d been busy in the business world lately, even had a bit of cold fatigue in her eyes.
She spun the vivid jade bracelet on her wrist and pondered,
The secretary continued, “One or two who have been with the Lin Clan for nearly ten years have already been bought off and are looking to jump ship.”
Sheng Ming Ying’s beautiful lips curled into a mocking smile.
She was about to say something when she sharply noticed the corner of Lin Zhi Shui’s skirt that hadn’t been hidden well.
She immediately stopped talking—never discussing such things in front of her daughter—and shot her secretary a look.
The secretary understood and excused himself.
As he passed the door, he nodded, “Little Miss.”
Lin Zhi Shui smiled calmly, handling her accidental exposure with composure.
She walked into the living room, stopped in front of the brown-red sofa where her mother lay, and stood properly, eyes downcast, still watching.
Sheng Ming Ying met her gaze.
“Don’t recognize me anymore?”
Since the coming-of-age ceremony, her freedom had been lifted, but it seemed even harder to see her mother.
Lin Zhi Shui frowned, “Of course I do.”
As soon as she finished,
She muttered in a low voice, “Mother, you’re so busy.”
Sheng Ming Ying scrutinized her carefully.
Despite the hot weather, she wore a collared white satin gown, making her already delicate face look even smaller and her eyes as sympathetic as ever…
The next second, Sheng Ming Ying concealed her emotions and asked, “Why didn’t you go with Ning Shangyu?”
“Him? He’s busy with work… so busy he caught a cold.”
Lin Zhi Shui lied without a care, finding a reasonable excuse to stay home for a few days.
She continued, “I want to ask Xin Jingxuan for some herbal remedies for him.”
Sheng Ming Ying didn’t question the truth of her words and simply sighed, “You’re quite thoughtful.”
Lin Zhi Shui replied in kind, “It’s my duty to care for my future husband’s health.”
After speaking, she skillfully steered the conversation to the Qin family.
“Are the Qin family and ours born to be at odds? Qin Wan Yin wants to steal my great marriage, Qin Yi’an keeps competing with us in business, and now he wants to poach our researchers… He’s gone too far! He’s bullying us—just a widow and her daughter!”
The bright light outside cast a glow on Sheng Ming Ying’s beautiful face, yet she showed not a trace of emotion in front of her daughter.
Lin Zhi Shui asked again, “Which two have been bought off?”
Sheng Ming Ying changed the subject, “Shan Shan, go make Mom a cup of coffee.”
Not willing to say, huh. Lin Zhi Shui paused for two seconds, showing no sign of disappointment, and walked toward the tea room.
She stopped and looked back at her mother.
“Does the Qin family have any grudges with us?”
***
“Does the Lin family have any grudges with us?”
Qin Wan Yin stood in the study of the Qin family villa, lips parted as she asked this question.
Qin Yi’an was leaning over the large desk, still focused on his brushwork, ignoring his daughter’s words.
The fine purple brush moved across the rice paper, the tip controlled with mastery, and he wrote the character Qin with an elegant flourish.
“Father.”
Qin Wan Yin waited for a while, then said again, “Ning Shangyu claiming fair competition is already unfair—he favors the Lin family, just like when he chose a family for marriage…”
Mentioning this,
The more Qin Wan Yin fell behind, the more unwilling she was.
After admiring his calligraphy, Qin Yi’an finally looked up. Behind the silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes were deep and cold.
“Wan Yin, if you’re really that idle, practice your calligraphy more. You’re getting more and more impatient.”
A mild rebuke.
Qin Wan Yin understood—he was indirectly hinting at her rashly begging the old man to get her into the new project group.
“You’ve known Ning Shangyu for more than ten years before the Lin family’s little daughter, but you still couldn’t make him love you. If you lose, accept it.”
Qin Yi’an used a tolerant tone to teach her, “You can’t win on the surface, so accept defeat gracefully. It’s just a marriage—there’s no such thing as an unbreakable bond in this world. Wan Yin, you need to show Ning Shangyu real value.”
Qin Wan Yin’s heart trembled.
After speaking, Qin Yi’an finished and the secretary came in to remind him of his business schedule.
When everyone had left, Qin Wan Yin was still lost in his words, not realizing the study had fallen silent.
Until a lazy voice sounded, “Dad means you should sell yourself for a sky-high price, not give yourself away for nothing, and still not catch his eye.”
Qin Wan Yin snapped back to herself and looked toward the door, frowning impatiently, “Qin Wance.”
Qin Wance was the eldest son of the Qin family, resembling their father more—delicate brow bones, eyes like ink paintings, always looking deeply affectionate, but beneath it all, a sharp, biting edge.
At this moment, it seemed he was in one of his young master moods again.
Qin Wance chewed on a mint, his breath cool as he fired off his words like artillery, “Don’t call me Qin Wance. I’m thinking of changing my surname to Mom’s. After all, anyone named Qin is either scheming to steal someone’s company secrets and talents or trying to climb the ranks by stealing someone’s place. Can’t play this game.”
Qin Wan Yin retorted, “You’re always so sarcastic… does it really make you that happy?!”
Qin Wance, not to be outdone, smiled faintly, “Do you know why Dad avoids talking about the grudge with the Lin family?”
“There really is one?”
Qin Wan Yin had only been guessing, but now realized there really was a hidden past.
She immediately asked, “How much do you know?”
“I was old enough to remember when the Qin family clung to the Ning family. I know just enough—for example, the precious research data Dad gave the Ning family back then…”
Qin Wance remained unmoved, as if recalling something amusing.
He deliberately drew out his words, “It wasn’t from the Qin family.”
Qin Wan Yin was shocked into silence.
After a long pause, she tried to cover her turmoil with a soft voice, “You’re crazy, don’t talk nonsense.”
That data had to have come from the Qin family.
It had to be the Qin family’s.
Qin Wance saw her lips go pale from shock, still trying to act tough. He let out a chilly laugh, “Just kidding, little sister. Scared you?”
Qin Wan Yin closed her eyes, her beautifully made-up face almost losing composure under his words.
But she truly couldn’t tell which of Qin Wance’s words were true, so she could only hold back and say gently, “Brother, whether or not there’s a grudge between our family and the Lin family, I seem to remember you had a childhood engagement with someone in the port district? Was it the Lin family? I guess… it was Lin Xiguang?”
Qin Wance’s marriage had always been taboo in the family.
Qin Wan Yin’s mother had often secretly warned her not to ask about it.
There was a reason for everything.
Who can’t be sarcastic if they want to see someone lose face?
In the increasingly tense atmosphere, Qin Wan Yin’s eyes curved slightly, “Lin Xiguang married the Chu Clan Master of Jiangnan over a year ago. Brother, instead of standing on your moral high ground mocking me for wanting to steal someone’s spot, maybe it’s just the Qin family’s natural instinct. Don’t you think so?”
Qin Wance mulled over her words, then sneered lightly, “I’m not like you. I was legitimate—you never even had a title.”
This was a roundabout admission that the childhood engagement had been dissolved years ago.
Qin Wan Yin didn’t get riled up this time. She smiled, but the smile only touched her face, “If you’re going to act crazy at home all day, you might as well go snatch Lin Xiguang back. She’s such a beauty—she should have been yours. And Ning Shangyu would be mine.”
The Lin family’s pharmaceutical business
Would also belong to the Qin family.
***
A few days later, thin clouds drifted leisurely across the clear sky.
Lin Zhi Shui had been recuperating at home for nearly a week.
She’d used the excuse of wanting to improve her relationship with Ning Shangyu and get Xin Jingxuan to prepare some cold medicine.
But she hadn’t even left the house.
A Man couldn’t stand it anymore and gestured at her, “Even a serious cold should have healed by now, right?”
Lin Zhi Shui blinked innocently, “You don’t understand.”
The place that had been forcibly stretched only finally lost its redness and swelling last night.
If she went to Sì City to “develop their relationship” now,
Wouldn’t that be like a lamb walking into a lion’s den?
Lin Zhi Shui thought for a moment as she leaned at the window watching the clouds.
After a while, she thought a few looked like lion tails, drifting closer and closer.
A Yang walked in and gently tapped her shoulder.
Lin Zhi Shui looked up in confusion.
She gestured, “Second Young Master has arrived.”
“Ah, who?”
Lin Zhi Shui hadn’t reacted to the new title yet.
A Yang pointed to the living room doorway.
There stood Ning Shangyu, dressed in a thin, high-end silk suit, adorned with a luxurious lion brooch—his tall, elegant figure had just been invited in.
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