Lu Linwei was no stranger to Gao Yingli’s disgusting antics.
But right now, he still wanted to punch that smug face of his.
Glancing at the entourage behind Gao Yingli, Lu Linwei sneered, “Young Master Gao sure has self-awareness about his foul mouth. Did you bring all these people because you’ve been slapped around too much?”
Gao Yingli retorted with a mocking tone, “Of course. After all these years of advising you, Young Master Lu, you still haven’t gotten a rabies shot. Shouldn’t I take precautions?”
Lu Linwei shot back, “I thought the anti-wolf gadgets your girl squad recommended were enough to protect you.”
The two stared at each other with undisguised hostility, their expressions icy. Those standing nearby quietly took a few steps back.
Fortunately, both still had some sense of decorum for the occasion and refrained from throwing punches in public.
Gao Yingli was the first to look away, turning his attention to Shen Ying, his smile deepening.
“Miss Shen, long time no see. You look even more captivating.”
Shen Ying gave him a polite nod.
Gao Yingli continued, “I just heard from Old Zhou that you and Young Master Lu are now a couple?”
Shen Ying replied, “Yes, and I should thank you, Mr. Gao, for your generous assistance.”
Gao Yingli choked on his words—he *had* played a part in this.
He’d canceled meetings and even bought a building that morning, thinking he was making life difficult for Lu Linwei, only to realize this gold-digger had used him as a pawn to provoke Lu Linwei into action.
While it was amusing to see Lu Linwei fooled by such a woman, Gao Yingli still felt irked at being manipulated.
His smile grew sharper. “Such a big favor deserves more than just words. I’ll be collecting interest.”
Then, smoothly shifting gears, he added, “Speaking of which, we never finished that meal last time. When are you free, Miss Shen—”
“She’s not free,” Lu Linwei cut in.
Gao Yingli feigned annoyance. “Since when does my invitation to Miss Shen concern you, Young Master Lu?”
Lu Linwei scoffed, “Already senile at your age? She’s my girlfriend.”
Gao Yingli gave him a look of mock confusion. “And? Do I need your permission to steal her?”
The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Linwei grabbed him by the collar.
The two locked eyes, neither backing down.
Just as fists were about to fly, Shen Ying quickly stepped between them.
“Easy now,” she said lightly. “I haven’t eaten since noon just to fit into this dress.”
“Dinner’s about to start. Don’t get us kicked out before I even get a bite.”
Old Zhou, the host, noticed the commotion and approached.
“You two,” he chided, “still at each other’s throats the moment you meet.”
“Enough. Don’t make a spectacle. Come with me—we’ll discuss the West District matter.”
Between Shen Ying’s intervention and Old Zhou’s authority, the two reluctantly let go and followed him.
Before leaving, Lu Linwei told Shen Ying, “Assistant Fang will come over. Stay here for now. If anyone bothers you, ignore them.”
Shen Ying nodded, picking up a dessert from the table and waving him off.
But before Assistant Fang arrived, Miss Qiao seized the opportunity to storm over, her expression murderous.
Seeing her fury, Shen Ying preemptively warned, “Don’t throw wine at me, smash cake in my face, or pull my hair and slap me.”
“Because if you do, I *will* fight back—and I guarantee I’ll break your nose or cut your face before security drags me away.”
Qiao Mingyue watched as the woman twisted the diamond ring on her middle finger, turning the sharp stone inward.
In a scuffle, that rock would definitely draw blood.
This vicious, cunning—
Qiao Mingyue hesitated, the hand she’d raised to slap now frozen mid-air.
Still, she blustered, “Do you even know who I am? You dare threaten me?”
Shen Ying shrugged. “Wanna bet?”
Ah, the classic tropes of an outdated melodrama—the scheming rival, the public humiliation.
In the original story, the moment the male lead stepped away, the female lead would instantly face a barrage of insults and provocations.
Shen Ying didn’t care much, but she preferred words over violence. Manual labor wasn’t for a lazy slacker like her.
Qiao Mingyue was seething. She scrutinized Shen Ying’s face as if searching for some hidden flaw.
“How did you even meet Linwei?” she demanded.
Given Shen Ying’s refusal to humor her earlier, Qiao Mingyue expected silence.
To her surprise, Shen Ying answered plainly, “Two months ago, he collapsed at my doorstep. I pulled him inside before he bled out.”
“After that, he fell head over heels and insisted on repaying me with his heart—and body.”
“*That’s* it?” Qiao Mingyue knew about the recent assassination attempt on Lu Linwei.
But this… was *this* all it took?
Behind her, Qiao Mingfei’s fingers clenched, sharing her cousin’s disbelief.
*That’s it?*
Just a simple act of kindness melted the famously cold Lu Linwei’s heart?
Just sheer *luck*?
Shen Ying shrugged helplessly and said, "Honestly, I find it baffling too. Maybe he only fell for me because of the suspension bridge effect? But he’s handsome, wealthy, and has an entourage that makes him look impressive wherever he goes."
"With such great conditions, how could I refuse when he pursued me?"
Qiao Mingyue stared at her in disbelief. "You just agreed based on his status? Are you even capable of offering genuine affection in a crisis?"
Shen Ying smiled. "Why wouldn’t I be? That arrogant attitude of his—treating you like nothing—didn’t stop Miss Qiao from loving him deeply, did it?"
"If Miss Qiao can play the fool for him, why can’t a man like Lu Linwei do the same?"
Qiao Mingyue nearly fumed in rage. "Do I owe you thanks for standing up for me, then?"
She was a young lady from a prestigious family, yet Shen Ying had driven her to swear.
Shen Ying merely replied, "No need for thanks."
Qiao Mingyue took a deep breath, refusing to engage further with this shameless woman. Cutting straight to the point, she demanded, "How much will it take for you to leave him? Name your price."
Shen Ying wasn’t offended. Instead, she calmly calculated, "Mr. Lu and I haven’t even been together for a month yet."
"In this short time, the money he’s spent on me, the gifts he’s given, and the social benefits I’ve gained from this relationship add up to tens of millions."
"We’re still in the honeymoon phase, so a breakup isn’t likely anytime soon. If Miss Qiao wants to make an offer, take my current gains as the base and multiply it by the duration you estimate."
Qiao Mingyue actually considered it. Unlike other men in their circle who changed women like clothes, Lu Linwei was known for his restraint—he’d never publicly acknowledged a girlfriend before.
Once he committed to a relationship, barring unforeseen circumstances, it wouldn’t end quickly.
By that logic, the sum would indeed be astronomical.
Qiao Mingyue sneered. "Do you even deserve it? Gold-diggers are a dime a dozen, but one as delusional as you is rare. Aren’t you afraid of losing everything?"
Shen Ying’s expression darkened. "Miss Qiao, if you can’t afford the price, we don’t have to make a deal. No need to resort to insults."
"Whether I ‘deserve’ it or not, I’ve already gotten this much. Given Mr. Lu’s generosity, I doubt he’d demand repayment if we broke up."
Just as Qiao Mingyue was about to retort, another voice cut in—
"What are you discussing?"
The three turned to see Gao Yingli, who had been called away earlier, standing nearby.
Qiao Mingyue and Gao Yingli had grown up in the same social circle, though they clearly didn’t get along.
Frowning, she asked, "Weren’t you just with Old Zhou?"
Gao Yingli smirked. "I couldn’t stand the old man’s lecturing. Let Young Master Lu bear that honor alone."
"I came to find Miss Shen for some fun."
Qiao Mingyue scoffed, giving them both a disdainful look. "Then I won’t intrude."
Though she resented this woman for ensnaring Lu Linwei while still attracting other men, if Gao Yingli could steal her away, she’d be grateful.
The moment Qiao Mingyue and her sister left, Assistant Fang appeared at the hall’s entrance.
Gao Yingli spotted him first. Before Assistant Fang could see Shen Ying, he suggested, "Shall we take a walk in the garden?"
Shen Ying agreed cheerfully—neither of them cared about Lu Linwei’s instructions.
The garden outside the banquet hall was vast, even featuring a hedge maze. If someone wanted to avoid being found, it wouldn’t be easy.
Gao Yingli deliberately led Shen Ying toward secluded, obscured areas—his intentions were obvious.
Looking at her, he chuckled. "This is the first time I’ve been used by a woman like this."
Shen Ying smiled back. "Get used to it. What happens once will happen again."
Gao Yingli raised an eyebrow. "You think the same trick will work on me a second time?"
Shen Ying was confident. "Why not? As long as Mr. Gao’s desire to provoke remains unquenched."
Gao Yingli’s interest was piqued. This woman understood him well—if he hadn’t wanted to target Lu Linwei, he wouldn’t have fallen for such a cheap trick.
She had seen through his motives from the start and knew exactly how to exploit his position.
His earlier humiliation suddenly didn’t seem so undeserved.
Abruptly, Gao Yingli said, "Let’s have an affair."
His tone was definitive—a man who did what he wanted, regardless of others’ consent.
Shen Ying’s smile turned coy. "And then, when Mr. Lu and I are at our closest, you’d expose the affair to stab him in the back, walk away unscathed, and leave me to face the consequences?"
"How ruthless."
Gao Yingli grinned. "I’ll take that as a compliment."
"Of course, I won’t let Miss Shen take the risk for nothing. Whatever Lu Linwei gives you, I’ll double. That should make the gamble worth it, no?"
"With Miss Shen’s boldness and skill, I trust you’ll carefully consider my sincerity."
Shen Ying countered, "No amount of money matters if I’m not alive to spend it. This is only our third meeting—I can’t trust that you won’t discard me once I’m no longer useful."
Yet she then added, "But if Mr. Gao is willing to build trust with me first, future cooperation isn’t off the table."
Gao Yingli tilted his head. "Go on."
"Mr. Gao’s motive for approaching me is simple: you want the satisfaction of humiliating Mr. Lu."
"If you're willing to pay for this emotional value, I can cooperate right now. But first, as a gesture of sincerity, shouldn’t Mr. Gao settle tonight’s bill in advance?"
As she spoke, Shen Ying glanced at the group of people searching for something in the distance and smiled. "After all, Mr. Lu Linwei must be fuming by now. The fact that Mr. Gao is in such a good mood right now is undoubtedly my doing."
Gao Yingli was indeed in high spirits—he had already spotted Lu Linwei storming toward them from afar.
But if this woman thought she could reap benefits from him just by running her mouth, she was sorely overestimating herself.
A hint of mockery crept into Gao Yingli’s smile. "Don’t lump me in with that gullible fool Lu Linwei."
"This level of effort doesn’t even warrant a payment. If you want to earn money from me, you’ll have to try a lot harder."
Shen Ying nodded. So he wanted to take the initiative and pressure her into working harder?
Not a chance. She was determined to secure the best treatment with the least effort.
Say no to workplace burnout—starting with her.
With that, Shen Ying replied, "Then forget it. I don’t like dealing with stingy employers."
"But Mr. Gao should understand one thing—the emotional value you’re getting from Mr. Lu’s fury? I can give it to you, and I can just as easily take it back, with interest."
"Take it back?" Before Gao Yingli could process her words, the woman had already flung herself into Lu Linwei’s arms, putting on a frightened act.
"Darling, you’re finally here!"
"Do you know what Mr. Gao just did? He insisted I recommend perfumes, stockings, and makeup to him."
"He said since you took a liking to me, I must have something special. Is it possible he’s actually into you and that’s why he keeps provoking you?"
At the first sentence, the anger on Lu Linwei’s face instantly melted away, and he burst out laughing.
By the second, his smile vanished, replaced by near-disgust.
His expression toward Gao Yingli grew increasingly peculiar—no longer just the usual hostility, but laced with contempt, pity, and a condescending gaze.
As if he’d won something inexplicable.
Gao Yingli: "…"
The satisfaction he’d felt from irritating Lu Linwei evaporated instantly, replaced by sheer, visceral revulsion.
