Chapter 24

“Lin Jinshen!”

Mrs. Qin called him by his full name, clearly enraged. “What’s wrong with you? If I had known you’d behave like this, I never would’ve let you harm Lu Yi in the first place.”

“Mom, I know what I’m doing,” Lin Jinshen said, rubbing his temples.

“If you knew what you were doing, why are you treating a hotel like your second home? It was one thing when you were single, but how can you still act this way after getting married?” Mrs. Qin frowned. “How am I supposed to explain this to Lu Yi’s parents? They raised her like a treasure, and you’re treating her like this?”

“…”

Mrs. Qin had prepared an arsenal of arguments on her way over, anticipating that her son would try to deflect her concerns in just a few sentences.

Her son had always been like this. They never really had to worry about him growing up. He had his own set of principles, was highly responsible, and always meticulous in everything he did. In many ways, he was the complete opposite of their youngest daughter.

But because of this, they also had little control over him.

“Mom, have some water.”

Lin Jinshen poured Mrs. Qin a glass of water midway through her lecture.

“Don’t try that on me. I’m not done talking.”

“Go ahead.”

“…”

Lin Jinshen said calmly, “I understand your concerns. I’m only staying here temporarily because of work. Once everything is finalized tomorrow, I’ll move back home.”

“And what about you and Lu Yi?”

“We’re not having any problems.”

“Then why did you say you couldn’t promise not to make her cry in the future?”

“There are too many uncertainties in the future. I can’t guarantee that I won’t hurt her, so I won’t make promises I might not be able to keep,” Lin Jinshen explained.

That was just like him.

Other people might make sweeping promises in the heat of emotion, but not her son. He was too rigid in his logic for that.

Mrs. Qin, half-convinced, said, “Lu Yi is an exceptional woman. You’re incredibly lucky to have married her. Now that you’re married, you need to cherish this relationship.”

“I understand.”

Lin Jinshen escorted Mrs. Qin out.

Before leaving, Mrs. Qin reiterated, “Move back home as soon as possible. Living apart as a married couple is never a good thing.”

“Yes, I know.”

That week, many significant events unfolded. The acquisition of KS was finalized, with Lin Jinshen’s signature making it official. As the legal processes took effect, Lin Jinshen shook hands with the CEO of KS. The voices of skepticism and conspiracy theories momentarily quieted. From this point forward, KS would be firmly under the Huayu Group’s umbrella.

Plans for KS’s development were set to proceed according to schedule.

This acquisition was the most significant decision Lin Jinshen had made since taking the helm at Huayu Group.

To celebrate the successful acquisition, Huayu hosted a banquet for the U.S. delegation. After the dinner, the group moved on to the Tang Palace Club.

Lin Jinshen gave his entire team an extended vacation and announced substantial year-end bonuses. After over a month of hard-fought efforts, they deserved the reward.

The room erupted in applause. Few moments were as exhilarating as the one when victory was secured.

Raising his glass, Lin Jinshen toasted with his team. The light in the room cast shadows across his face, his deep-set eyes calm and steady.

Approaching his thirties, he had spent over a decade observing and learning from his father. Over the years, he had grown numb to the magnitude of financial figures. Yet, the massive profits from this acquisition served as a tangible measure of his work’s value.

Before leaving for Tang Palace, Lin Jinshen called Jiang Xun and gave him an instruction.

Jiang Xun’s eyes lit up as he immediately informed Lu Yi.

“Madam, Mr. Lin said he’ll be coming home tonight. He asked me to pack his belongings at the hotel and have them sent back tomorrow.”

Lu Yi froze. “What?”

Why was Jiang Xun so thrilled about Lin Jinshen coming home? She certainly wasn’t paying him an extra salary.

She had known this day would come eventually.

Seeing the news about the finalized KS acquisition, which dominated the headlines everywhere, Lu Yi couldn’t avoid it. Lin Jinshen, always low-key, only appeared in a handshake photo with his face barely visible.

She recognized his hand easily—strong, with distinct knuckles.

But she wasn’t ready for his return.

With a touch of regret, Lu Yi said, “Tonight? That’s unfortunate. I’ve already made plans to stay at a friend’s place.”

Jiang Xun was puzzled. Wasn’t this an easy thing to reschedule? What could be more important than reuniting as a couple?

“But the boss hasn’t been home for days.”

“I haven’t seen my friend in a long time either. It’s a girls’ night.”

“Understood. I’ll let Mr. Lin know.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s my duty.”

“…”

After hanging up, Lu Yi leaned back against her vanity. She wasn’t entirely lying—there was a gathering tonight. Once it ended, she could book a nearby hotel room to spend the night.

After finishing her makeup, she grabbed her bag and headed out.

The gathering was at Tang Palace, one of the top clubs in the capital. Its architecture, modeled after the Tang Dynasty, glowed brilliantly at night, evoking the atmosphere of an ancient spring evening. Only the wealthy or influential could afford to set foot there; even an entry ticket was out of reach for most.

Tang Palace epitomized a world built on money, yet cloaked in an air of sophistication and elegance. Anything too overtly materialistic would seem crass.

When Lu Yi arrived, most of her friends were already there.

Wu Sidong, already ordering drinks, was hosting tonight’s gathering. He had recently patched things up with his family after a falling out that had led to his credit card being frozen. Now reinstated, he was flaunting his wealth again.

“Let’s celebrate! You all have no idea how I survived when my card was frozen. I had to scrape by selling off a few designer bags I’d bought for my ex-girlfriend.”

“And why is she an ex-girlfriend now?”

“Because the bags are gone. I didn’t want to keep leading her on and wasting her time.”

Wu Sidong wasn’t your typical playboy. While others might be deceitful, he was upfront about his behavior and only ever dated one person at a time.

Having just returned, he had already exhausted Yu Yin’s patience. She gave him an exasperated look and warned him to behave.

As usual, Lu Yi was the quietest one, sipping her drink and occasionally smiling at their banter.

“I’ve truly reformed,” Wu Sidong said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “My family’s already pushing me to marry. I’ve gone through a stack of photos and will probably meet some Miss Bai or Miss Song in a few days.”

Arranged marriages were common in their circle. For some, it was a blessing if they met someone they liked; for others, it was a binding obligation, leaving them to seek fulfillment elsewhere.

“If only the campus belle hadn’t married so early, maybe we could’ve worked something out,” Wu Sidong joked.

Yu Yin tossed something at him, rolling her eyes. “Please, spare us.”

“Am I not better than Lin Jinshen? Warm, attentive, and always available.”

“That’s all you’ve got over him. Haven’t you seen the news? The KS acquisition is everywhere. I’ve heard it so many times I could recite it.”

The conversation shifted to Lu Yi. “That night, are you sure nothing happened between you two?”

Everyone had heard whispers about Lin Jinshen—his rigid personality, his lack of interest in romance, and his storm-like presence in the business world.

They had only just gotten married, with little emotional foundation. She didn’t want this to create any estrangement between them.

That night’s events were suddenly brought up again. Lu Yi’s discomfort was apparent, but she insisted it was nothing.

“Wait, isn’t that Mr. Lin?” one of her friends squinted and raised her head, trying to confirm.

They were on the first floor. The second and third floors were reserved for higher-ranking guests, with increasingly strict entry requirements. For their privileged circle, being on the first floor already spoke volumes about their family backgrounds.

Lin Jinshen was on the second-floor corridor, heading to the top floor.

He was surrounded by a crowd, clearly the center of attention. Dressed in a traditional-style suit, he stood out among the foreigners with their blond hair and blue eyes. His demeanor was poised and understated, exuding both elegance and control.

Following her friend’s gaze, Lu Yi instinctively looked up.

She caught only a partial glimpse of Lin Jinshen’s profile. They hadn’t seen each other in a few days, but that night’s events felt as fresh as yesterday. He had a way of wearing a cold, stoic expression while doing the most carnal of things.

The epitome of hypocrisy.

Feeling uneasy, Lu Yi crossed her legs. The thin strap of her high heels wrapped around her fair, jade-like ankle. Her breathing grew shallow as memories of his hand—strong and commanding—gripping her ankle, pressing her forward, and moving with increasing intensity, flashed through her mind.

She coughed lightly to cover her thoughts, uncrossed her left leg, and crossed her right instead. Her slim, even calves gleamed pale under the light.

The atmosphere upstairs and downstairs felt like two completely separate worlds.

From where she was, she had to look up to see him. Meanwhile, he likely had no idea she was downstairs.

Lost in thought, she suddenly heard her friend’s hushed, excited voice. “He’s looking down here!”

Startled, Lu Yi quickly averted her gaze. Panic flashed across her face as she grabbed Yu Yin’s bag to feign calmness. “This bag is really nice. When did you get it?”

Yu Yin gave her a sarcastic smile. “Does it look familiar?”

“A little.”

“You bought it.”

“…That makes sense.”

Yu Yin sighed in exasperation. “He clearly saw you just now but didn’t even say hello. The indifference is so cold, you’d think you were strangers.”

Her frustration spilled over as she vented, unable to hold it in any longer.

“This marriage of yours—it’s infuriating. Why even bother getting married if you’re going to be treated like you’re invisible?”

“You can’t even look him in the eye.”

“I still don’t understand what spell he cast on you!”

“And yet you just had to choose him!”

“…”

Wu Sidong coughed lightly, trying to signal to Yu Yin that she might be going too far.

Lu Yi knew Yu Yin was standing up for her. She wanted to explain but didn’t know how to articulate it. The situation was too complicated. From the very beginning, their relationship was built on mutual interests. It wasn’t realistic to expect to have everything.

Besides, she didn’t want everything.

Her friends sighed, knowing they couldn’t persuade her. Still, they somewhat agreed with Yu Yin—Lin Jinshen might not have been the best choice for her.

“Lu Yi.”

A familiar male voice called her name from behind.

The conversation came to an abrupt halt. Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

It was Lin Jinshen.

He wasn’t alone. The crowd that had been with him earlier was still there. But he approached her first, wrapping an arm around her waist. His palm was warm, its heat seeping through the thin fabric to her skin. Leaning in slightly, he murmured, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here.”

He was close, his tone gentle, almost like a private whisper.

An apology for his oversight.

Lin Jinshen continued, “Let me introduce you. This is the KS team for the acquisition.”

Then, lifting his head to address the group, he introduced her in clear, flawless English: “My wife.”