Chapter 211

"Brother, you agreed to the arranged marriage with Yu Shixue—is it because you want to use him?" Jin Shaoyu asked this.

Ling Wu nodded: "You could call it using him... To be precise, I need to borrow his influence."

Hearing that Ling Wu did not truly want to enter into an arranged marriage with Yu Shixue, Jin Shaoyu felt relieved; the four of them had grown up together since they were young, and they knew each other's temperaments inside and out.

Yu Shixue was a germaphobe who neither messed with men nor played with women, but he was ruthless and cruel by nature, often saying some truly heartless things with a smiling attitude, making it impossible for people to tell whether he was joking or serious.

Just like that time when they were discussing Ganan in a VIP room, Yu Shixue had suggested indiscriminate bombing, razing the entire Ganan to the ground, saying he would rather kill the innocent by mistake than let a single person go.

If Ganan were truly under the jurisdiction of the Yu Family, he would be capable of doing such a deranged thing.

If placed in ancient times, a person like Yu Shixue would definitely be a tyrant whose crimes were too numerous to record!

"Brother, you weren't actually drunk that day on the cruise ship, were you?" Jin Shaoyu's pitch-black eyes looked at him: "Those few enemies were all killed by you."

Ling Wu tugged at the corner of his mouth: "That's right."

Jin Shaoyu recalled that night and stated a fact: "Just like that day in the office, you used me again."

He actually didn't mind; he was just saying it casually.

But Ling Wu wouldn't let Jin Shaoyu off the hook, looking at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation: "Shao Yu, can't even a biological brother be used?"

"Hmm?"

Jin Shaoyu's aggressive-looking face, upon hearing the interrogation from his own brother, showed cracks like a perfect mask, and the sense of distance vanished instantly: "....... You can."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Wu burst into laughter.

Jin Shaoyu's face flushed with embarrassment, feeling a bit bewildered at being played.

"Brother, what are you laughing at?!"

"I'm just teasing you." Ling Wu managed to suppress his laughter, not daring to provoke him further, though a lingering arc remained at the corners of his mouth: "Are you still brooding over that time at the Academy? I explained the reason for that over the phone; you couldn't expect me to call Jin Liangjin, could you?"

"And that time on the cruise ship, it was completely an accident. After using Yu Shixue to provide false testimony last time, I thought I shouldn't 'favor one over the other,' so I picked a different sheep to shear. Who could have guessed it would be such a coincidence that I ran into Yu Shixue?"

Jin Shaoyu looked at his brother—what a fine 'not favoring one over the other' indeed.

Ling Wu said: "But fortunately he came, otherwise it might have been a bit troublesome for me to get away smoothly. Hmm........ and then Yu Shixue called you. I am human; I cannot precisely calculate every trajectory while a plan is in motion. Small errors are inevitable, but fortunately, the results were the same, so the process seems less important."

In the end, he added a snide remark: "They were really noisy that night."

Jin Shaoyu: "........"

So when they were fighting, there was a fourth conscious person in the room, watching the show the whole time?

【Look, our Young Master Jin is even doubting his life.】

【Jin Shaoyu: So awkward....】

【Covering face with a bitter smile.】

Jin Shaoyu: "Was I also very noisy?"

Ling Wu waved his hand: "I didn't say that."

Jin Shaoyu: "But you said it was noisy."

Ling Wu: "It was them."

Jin Shaoyu was being unreasonable: "Who are 'them'? How would I know if I was among them? Brother, you have to be clear; you can't make people do reading comprehension."

Ling Wu widened his eyes, choked up: ".......?"

The next day.

Jing Du and Wei Ranxu were eating at a high-end restaurant with excellent privacy. The two of them sat face-to-face with cold expressions, saying nothing, making the beautifully plated food in front of them seem tasteless.

Soft, warm yellow light poured down from the uniquely shaped chandelier, and the silver tableware reflected the figures of the diners. Jing Du was impeccably dressed; he pushed up his glasses and took out an agreement contract from his side.

"Since we have nothing to say to each other, let's sign it."

Jing Du leaned back in his chair lazily and pushed the agreement that was beneficial to the Wei Family toward Wei Ranxu: "This is a friendly solution for both sides. We'll dissolve the arranged marriage, and I will handle the media and public relations."

"As for that project in Baoli Bay, Young Master Wei can do as he pleases."

After confirming that the agreement contract was correct, Wei Ranxu picked up a fountain pen, signed his name, and tossed it back to Jing Du: "Giving up a project worth tens of billions just like that—then it shall be as you wish."

"Young Master Jing."

Jing Du didn't even look at the contract: "Isn't it also as you wish?"

"Yes." Wei Ranxu didn't deny it either. He raised an eyebrow slightly, too lazy to keep up the pretense of being a pitiful person deeply in love: "I was fortunate enough to bask in Ling Wu's reflected glory."

"However, I really can't imagine that someone like you, Young Master Jing, would also develop genuine feelings....... Oh, I almost forgot, didn't you hate him quite a bit before?"

The latter half of his sentence was clearly laced with banter and mockery, as if it were a personal vendetta.

Jing Du heard the hostility in his tone, his eyes holding only their usual coldness and indifference: "Are you provoking me in the capacity of a romantic rival?"

The two sat across the table from each other, and Wei Ranxu tilted his head slightly in his direction: "Do you think so?"

"Young Master Jing, is your impatience to dissolve the arranged marriage with me because you think you have a chance to interfere in Ling Wu's feelings? He doesn't seem to like you anymore; after all, you once belittled his sincerity as worthless."

Jing Du's unchanging expression finally had a trace of fluctuation: "Who told you that?"

His tone was dangerous.

Wei Ranxu: "Does it matter who told me?"

"You are just that kind of person."

His two lips moved, spitting out the words: "Selfish, cold, arrogant guy."

"Perhaps you can't see it clearly, but it's impossible for Ling Wu to like you again. Looking at how he has absolutely no interest in you, he must be tired of you, annoyed by you."

Wei Ranxu knew that Jing Du couldn't touch the Wei Family at this juncture, so he let his guard down, as if releasing his true nature.

He said presumptuously: "I remember there were always countless people surrounding Ling Wu—Shen Zhaojue, Bai Yinan, Yu Shixue, Yin Huaiyu....... Oh, and I almost forgot that heir to the Fu Family who just regained his status."

"With so many choices, even if you are outstanding, Young Master Jing, what rank could you possibly hold?"

Jing Du tapped his slender fingers on the tabletop, making a dull, oppressive sound. He sat motionless: "My feelings are not for you to judge. You had better behave yourself and not get carried away."

Seeing that he wanted to leave, Wei Ranxu said: "So I hit the mark."

"Good luck."

Jing Du cast a cold glance at him.

He opened the door and then walked out.

Just as Jing Du leaned his body out of the private room, he met the gazes of Ling Wu and Chu Yi in the hallway; he nodded to Ling Wu as a greeting, and Ling Wu returned the gesture out of politeness.

"Young Master Jing."

Jing Du pulled the door shut and asked casually, "Mm, what are you two doing?"

This was the first time Jing Du had seen Ling Wu since that night at Muya Snow Mountain; after he went to find Yin Huaiyu that day and searched the room thoroughly without finding anyone, he had felt a vague sense of worry, though he did not believe Yin Huaiyu could trap Ling Wu on his own.

Since it was Yin Huaiyu who tore up the alliance.

He should be the one to bear the consequences.

Even so, Jing Du still felt a bit jealous.

His gaze fell upon the hem of the clothes where Ling Wu and Chu Yi were brushing against each other.

Back at Sike Academy, Jing Du had known that Ling Wu and Chu Yi had a good relationship; he had assumed it was just the bond of desk-mates, or perhaps a slightly better relationship based on that, but he hadn't expected their relationship to be this close.

Not only had they been to an amusement park together, but now that it was the holidays, they were even meeting up to eat.

Ling Wu said frankly and straightforwardly, "Chu Yi and I arranged to come out for a meal."

From the beginning until now, Jing Du's eyes and his words were directed solely at Ling Wu; Chu Yi was tall and handsome, so it was impossible for him not to notice him, yet it seemed as if he were deliberately excluding him.

Chu Yi followed up on Ling Wu's words, "Is Young Master Jing finished with his meal and preparing to leave?"

"Creak!"

The door opened.

Wei Ranxu walked out from inside and bumped into the scene of several people "holding a meeting" in the hallway; he was stunned for a moment, then pulled at the corners of his mouth: "What a lively scene."

"Ling Wu, long time no see."

With the arrival of Wei Ranxu, the atmosphere in the hallway dropped to freezing point.

As for Chu Yi and Jing Du, one was unhappy, and the other had an icy face.