met free Chapter 233 Zhou Xiaoning's Nightmare
Chapter 233 Zhou Xiaoning's Nightmare
A welcoming banquet that was originally lively and warm was completely disrupted by the sudden massacre of an entire family at the Intermediate People's Court. The aroma of the food and wine seemed to have not yet dissipated, but it was already covered by the faint smell of panic and blood in the air, and everyone felt a chill rise from the soles of their feet.
Taking the opportunity, Lin Gang stood up, his face showing just the right amount of shock and regret, and said to Xu Damao and Yan Fugui, "Brother Damao, Uncle San, look... it's getting late, and with this mess in the yard, it's all in chaos. We need to get back to the hotel, so we'll take our leave now."
His gaze swept over Sha Zhu, who was slumped in his chair, head bowed, shoulders trembling slightly, silently weeping. A pang of pity rose in his heart. Regardless of Qin Huairu's character, she held a place in Sha Zhu's heart, and such a tragic end would undoubtedly have a profound impact on him. He patted Xu Damao's arm and whispered, "Damao, please take good care of Zhu... try to comfort him. This matter... sigh!"
Xu Damao's mind was also in turmoil. He was filled with fear of the Jia family's incident and a mixed feeling of shared sorrow. Hearing this, he quickly nodded and said, "I know, I know. You should all go back now. I'm afraid no one in this courtyard will be able to sleep peacefully tonight."
Lin Gang nodded, said no more, gestured to Wang Yuling and Lin Yan, and the three of them hurriedly left the courtyard that was suddenly shrouded in sadness and fear.
"Young Master, back to Dongxinglong Street?" Lin Gang asked in a low voice.
"Mm." Lin Yan responded softly, hugging Xiao Qi tighter and gently stroking its fur. "Let's go back."
On the morning of the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, at the four-courtyard house on Dongxing
The morning chill had not yet completely dissipated when Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, hurried through the covered corridor and arrived at the main building of the third courtyard, where he announced in a low voice:
"Third Master, some guests have arrived outside. The one leading them is a man in military uniform, who looks quite distinguished. He's followed by several young men and women, who say... they want to see you."
Lin San, who was calculating accounts inside the house, paused, looked up, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh? You're quite fast." He put down his brush and instructed Old Zhang, "Take them to the main room in the second courtyard, serve them good tea, and treat them well. I'll ask the young master for permission and then come over."
"Yes, Third Master." Old Zhang responded and withdrew quickly.
Lin San straightened his coat and went to the north room to report to Lin Yan: "Young Master, the families of those brats from the ice rink the other day have arrived. It seems they've come to apologize. They're currently in the living room of the second courtyard."
Lin Yan flipped through the book. "You handle it. You decide what to do."
"Understood." Lin San received the instructions and walked slowly toward the living room in the second courtyard.
In the living room, the charcoal fire burned warmly, dispelling the winter chill. Yang Tiezhu, dressed in an old military uniform without rank, sat ramrod straight in a rosewood armchair. Beside him stood several younger men, including Yang Weidong and Zhou Xiaoning, their eyes darting around, clearly showing lingering fear and tension. On the table in front of them sat steaming cups of fragrant tea, but no one touched them.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber and quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.
When Lin San appeared at the living room door, Yang Tiezhu immediately stood up, and the younger generation behind him also hurriedly stood up, their movements even somewhat flustered.
Yang Tiezhu stepped forward and spoke solemnly to Lin San:
"Mr. Lin, I apologize for disturbing you. My name is Yang Tiezhu. Today, I have come with my son and his ignorant friend to apologize to your young master for the offense we committed at Shichahai the other day!"
His voice was loud and clear, and he kept a very humble posture. After he finished speaking, he glared sternly at Yang Weidong behind him.
Yang Weidong snapped out of his daze and quickly joined Zhou Xiaoning and the others in bowing deeply to Lin San, their voices trembling, "We're so sorry! We were blind and offended you yesterday! Please... please forgive us!"
Lin San picked up the teacup, gently blew away the foam, and his tone revealed neither joy nor anger.
"Oh? Staff Officer Yang seems to have a wide network of connections, he found me so quickly."
A casual remark sent a chill down Yang Tiezhu's spine, and he felt a bead of sweat instantly break out on his forehead. The other party not only knew his surname but also his job title! This meant they had thoroughly investigated him! Meanwhile, after all his efforts, he had probably only obtained a vague address that the other party wanted him to know. This enormous disparity in information sent a cold sweat down his spine.
"Officer Yang, don't be so polite. Everyone, please don't stand, have a seat." Lin San seemed to have just remembered the proper way to treat guests, and gestured for them to sit down.
The group sat down nervously, barely daring to touch half of the chair with their bottoms.
Lin San didn't look at Yang Tiezhu; instead, his gaze fell on Zhou Xiaoning, who was standing to the side with her head down. His tone remained calm, but every word was like a knife:
"My younger brother is a reserved person. He doesn't talk much and doesn't like to get entangled with strangers. That day, this Miss Zhou kept pressuring my brother to go ice skating. When my brother refused, he used Young Master Yang and his group as pawns."
His smile was reassuring, but his words instantly turned Zhou Xiaoning pale:
"To put it bluntly, their behavior was not much different from the old society's practice of 'forcing good women into prostitution'."
"You...!" Zhou Xiaoning looked up abruptly, tears of humiliation welling up in her eyes. When had she ever suffered such an insult?
Lin San didn't even glance at her, turning his gaze to Yang Tiezhu, his voice suddenly turning sharp and questioning:
"I'd like to ask, is this the kind of impatient daughter Director Zhou raised? She sees a handsome man and immediately tries to seduce him? And when that fails, she incites her friends to act as her henchmen?!"
"Snapped!"
Lin San slammed his palm on the small rosewood table next to him, causing the teacups on it to jump and spill tea everywhere!
"This is utterly absurd! Utterly shameless!"
The angry rebuke resounded in the living room like a thunderclap. Zhou Xiaoning felt as if she had been slapped hard across the face, the pain burning, and her heart felt like it was being ripped out! She had originally thought that today was just a formality, that she would lower her head and apologize, and that would be the end of it. But she never expected that this would be the beginning of her nightmare! This merciless rebuke tore away all her pretenses.
Yang Tiezhu's brows furrowed sharply. He had previously assumed his son was the one causing trouble, but now he keenly sensed something was amiss. He cast a questioning glance at his son, Yang Weidong, who, under his father's stern gaze, nodded in shame, confirming Lin San's words.
Yang Tiezhu's heart sank instantly, a surge of anger welling up inside him! His gaze towards Zhou Xiaoning was devoid of any previous sympathy, replaced only by deep contempt and fury! A good young woman, shamelessly throwing herself at a strange man, and even after being rejected, daring to use his son as a pawn! And now, she's still trying to hide it, attempting to deceive everyone! She's treating the Yang family like fools!
He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, stood up again, and faced Lin San with an even more sincere attitude, even carrying a hint of apology:
"Mr. Lin! Regardless of the cause, it was ultimately our juniors who made a mistake and offended you, esteemed guest! It was also our negligence as their parents that allowed them to become so arrogant and ignorant! We brought them here today to sincerely apologize! You may punish them as you see fit, we will have no objection!"
Lin San looked at Yang Tiezhu, the fierce look on his face gradually fading, and he returned to his calm demeanor. He waved his hand:
"Officer Yang, you're too kind. I understand that he's just a kid, full of youthful vigor and competitive spirit. There's no need for punishment."
He then changed the subject, his tone becoming meaningful: "I only hope that in the future, you all will pay more attention to your attitude and methods when dealing with ordinary people. After all, not everyone is as 'easy to talk to' as my younger brother."
Finally, his gaze swept over Zhou Xiaoning, who was pale and trembling, and he said calmly:
"As for Miss Zhou... our Lin family is too humble to be worthy of her. Her apology is unnecessary; we cannot accept it."
These words were like a final verdict, plunging Zhou Xiaoning into an icy abyss.
Immediately, Lin San's face broke into a smile again, and he said to Yang Tiezhu, "Officer Yang, we've become friends through this little misunderstanding. Tomorrow, it's my treat. If you'd like to join us, let's drink until we drop at the Peace Hotel, how about it?"
He skillfully glossed over the unpleasant part and extended an invitation to Yang Tiezhu. This move, combining offense and defense, both pointed out the ringleader and timely offered an olive branch, striking the perfect balance.