Chapter 248: The Suitor

“Idiot!”

The pale-faced man spat out the word coldly, then sneered.

“If it were that simple, would we need to go through such elaborate plans, pretending to be robbers? Our goal is to get something on Huang Xinyu and force her to cooperate with us. Use your brain more often instead of thinking with your lower half. If the boss knew you had such thoughts, you’d be in deep trouble.”

“Then tell me, how do we explain this failure to the boss?”

“Even though we failed, we didn’t walk away empty-handed. At least we know there’s a man around Huang Xinyu now.”

The pale-faced man gave a sinister smile and said, “Knowing this will drive the boss mad. He’s been lusting after Huang Xinyu for a long time, but she’s always kept him at arm’s length. What do you think will happen to that man? I’m quite looking forward to it.”

The fierce-looking man, still seething from Lin Xiao’s interference, gritted his teeth. “I should’ve gotten out and beaten that guy up right then and there. But you, you coward, wouldn’t dare make a move. I’m going to tell the boss about this!”

“Hmph, brute.” 

The pale-faced man gave his companion a disdainful look, losing all interest in talking.

***

While the two men argued, Lin Xiao and Huang Xinyu had already bought their groceries and were heading home. Despite the attempted robbery, Huang Xinyu’s mood remained unaffected. She walked beside Lin Xiao, smiling and chatting away.

“Lin Xiao, what would you like for dinner?”

Lin Xiao, carrying several plastic bags filled with vegetables like cabbage, radishes, and tomatoes, replied casually, “Anything is fine.”

“How about hotpot?”

“Sure.”

As they chatted, they soon arrived at the entrance of their neighborhood.

Parked at the entrance was a luxurious Cadillac with an imposing design and lavish decorations that drew many admiring glances. Next to the Rolls-Royce stood a tall, handsome man in his thirties, dressed in a sharp suit and holding a bouquet of roses.

Seeing this, the smile on Huang Xinyu’s face vanished, replaced by a look of deep-seated disgust.

The man’s eyes lit up when he saw Huang Xinyu, and he walked over briskly. 

“Xinyu, you finally showed up.”

“Don’t call me that like we’re close. We’re not,” Huang Xinyu said coolly.

The man wasn’t deterred by her cold tone and continued to ingratiate himself. “We’re not close now, but we will be. I bought you these roses. Do you like them?”

He held out the bouquet of roses to her.

Huang Xinyu’s expression of disgust deepened, and she took a step back. “We’re not close now, and we won’t be in the future either. Fang Tianping, stop bothering me or I’ll call the police.”

Despite her cold refusal, Fang Tianping stepped closer. “Don’t be so heartless, Xinyu. I’ve been pursuing you for so long. Can’t you feel my sincerity?”

Huang Xinyu’s lips pressed into a tight line, a cold smile playing on them as she moved closer to Lin Xiao. She said nothing but instinctively grabbed Lin Xiao’s arm.

“She told you to stop bothering her. Didn’t you hear?” 

Lin Xiao could see Huang Xinyu’s genuine loathing for the man, and he couldn’t just stand by.

“Who the hell are you? I’m talking to Xinyu. Who gave you the right to butt in?” Fang Tianping’s demeanor shifted abruptly as he turned his gaze to Lin Xiao, his smile disappearing and replaced by arrogance and indifference.

Huang Xinyu clung to Lin Xiao’s arm, her ample bosom pressing against it, whether intentionally or not. 

“You’re the one who doesn’t have the right to talk to him like that,” she said coldly.

Seeing how close Huang Xinyu was to Lin Xiao made Fang Tianping’s eyes burn with jealousy. He threw the bouquet to the ground, his face twisting with rage, losing all his previous composure. “What’s your relationship with this man?”

“You don’t need to know.” Huang Xinyu raised her hand and gently caressed Lin Xiao’s cheek, her eyes unusually tender. “But I can tell you that he’s a thousand times closer to me than you ever will be.”

Her gaze was so tender that even though Lin Xiao knew she was putting on a show for Fang Tianping, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his heart.

Even Lin Xiao, whose heart was like iron and will as strong as steel, felt a stir. On the other hand, Fang Tianping was nearly driven mad with jealousy. He clenched his fists, his forehead veins bulging.

“Huang Xinyu, how dare you treat me like this! This isn’t over. Kid, just you wait!”

After speaking, he glared at Lin Xiao with a menacing look, as if trying to etch Lin Xiao’s face into his memory.

However, facing Fang Tianping’s threatening gaze, Lin Xiao’s expression remained calm and unperturbed. He didn’t take it seriously at all.

Lin Xiao’s nonchalant attitude made Fang Tianping even angrier. If he hadn’t sensed that Lin Xiao was not to be trifled with, he would have punched him in the face right then and there.

Fang Tianping viciously stomped on the roses on the ground, crushing the petals into pieces, then turned and stormed off, driving away in his Cadillac like a bat out of hell.

After Fang Tianping left, Huang Xinyu turned to Lin Xiao with an apologetic look, “I’m sorry for using you as a shield.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t lose anything; if anything, I gained something.”

Huang Xinyu knew what Lin Xiao meant by that. Her face flushed a little as she took a small step back, creating a bit of distance between them so they weren’t as close as before.

“Smooth talker.”

As she said this, Huang Xinyu’s expression was a mix of reproach and amusement, making it hard to read her emotions.

“Who is that man?” Lin Xiao changed the topic.

“His name is Fang Tianping. He’s the owner of a hotel. I met him at a banquet some time ago, and ever since then, he’s been pestering me relentlessly. He’s incredibly annoying.”

Huang Xinyu’s delicate eyebrows furrowed as she spoke about Fang Tianping, her face showing disdain and irritation. “He’s done all sorts of despicable things in the past, like playing around with young girls and college students. I didn’t bother bringing it up, but I didn’t expect him to use those same tactics on me. It’s simply disgusting!”

“I see.”

“I used you as a shield, and it’s clear I angered him. Are you going to have any trouble because of it?” Huang Xinyu’s expression turned worried as she remembered something. “I’ve heard that Fang Tianping has ties to the underworld and that he is vengeful and ruthless. While he might not dare to do anything to me, it’s hard to say what he might do to you. If anything happens, call me immediately.”

“Don’t worry, Auntie Xinyu. I know what to do,” Lin Xiao replied calmly.