Chapter 15: Model Citizen of Sanhao City

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Soothing music played throughout the banquet hall, while Lin Jinchuan’s voice carried through the microphone to every corner of the room.

But Xia Wenxi’s voice still interrupted him.

He had been standing onstage, and the instant he saw her, his mind went blank.

At the sound of voices from the entrance, everyone in the hall turned to look.

The various media outlets were even quicker, immediately swinging their cameras toward the door.

They had come today already imagining what might happen at the banquet. Most of their drafts were practically finished.

All they had to do was wait for members of the Lin family to appear one after another.

Xia Wenxi wore her hair pinned up and was dressed in an elegant, capable-looking outfit. Under the gaze of the crowd, she walked forward step by step, her expression calm, with a hint of disdain at the corners of her lips.

Lin Jinchuan watched her approach, forgetting to speak for a moment.

It was not until Lin Shan tugged at his sleeve that he came to himself. After swiftly considering the situation, he said, “Wenxi, didn’t you say something came up at home and you couldn’t get away? You said you wouldn’t be coming.”

“When did I ever say something came up?” Xia Wenxi walked straight onto the stage, showing him not the slightest courtesy as she exposed his lie. “And when did you ever tell me that today was a family-recognition banquet?”

“Ever since she entered the Lin family.” Xia Wenxi glanced at Lin Shan, then turned back to Lin Jinchuan. “After I returned to my parents’ home, did you call me even once? Send me even a single message?”

The media became noticeably more enthusiastic than before.

Everyone attending the banquet was also watching the stage.

“Wenxi, I did send you messages and call you. You were the one who never replied,” Lin Jinchuan said.

“Mr. Lin lies without even blinking. Then again...” Xia Wenxi smiled coldly. “That is your specialty. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been keeping this mother and daughter outside for so many years without my finding out. What now? Since you’ve held a family-recognition banquet, when are you planning to bring your mistress into the Lin family?”

Lin Jinchuan was suddenly speechless.

He had never imagined that Xia Wenxi would come today. He had not considered this possibility at all.

He knew that Xia Wenxi loved him—loved him deeply.

She had always accepted whatever he said and had been endlessly tolerant of him.

Whenever trouble arose, she had always helped him resolve it and had never blamed him.

He had assumed she was merely angry and would bring their son back after a few days.

He had never expected her to show up today.

Much less embarrass him so thoroughly in front of so many people.

Many prominent figures from Jiangcheng had attended the banquet, especially members of the Shen family.

Now, they were all watching the Lin family’s spectacle.

“Auntie, you are my elder, so I should not really say anything. But she is my mother, after all, and it was not easy for her to give birth to me and raise me. All these years, she has never caused you or the family any trouble.” Seeing that Lin Jinchuan remained silent, Lin Shan immediately spoke up. “You are a woman too. You should understand how difficult it is to raise a child. Why must you speak so cruelly?”

“You think I’m speaking cruelly?” A smile touched the corners of Xia Wenxi’s eyes as she looked at Lin Shan. “Then you shouldn’t have become someone else’s mistress. Once you’ve chosen that path, you must be prepared to endure the ugly words that come with it.”

Lin Shan had not expected her to be so direct. Her brows drew sharply together.

Xia Wenxi continued, “You destroyed someone else’s family and forced me to face an unfaithful husband in front of all these media outlets. If that isn’t trouble, then what is? What, do you think being a mistress is something to be proud of?”

Shen Haochen watched the stage with a frown.

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Seeing Lin Shan being humiliated, he wanted to go up and help her. But with her identity and so many media outlets present, he did not know how to face the situation.

No matter how one put it, none of them came out of this looking honorable.

So he turned to his parents.

The Shen couple were seated not far away. Shen Yao directly ignored his pleading gaze.

Shen Hao’s mother, meanwhile, glared at him.

Her expression was filled with displeasure toward Lin Shan.

At the entrance to the banquet hall, Lin Ting stood listening.

When she had come downstairs, she had happened to run into Xia Wenxi.

She had not seen her for so many days that she had nearly forgotten about the Lin family’s legitimate wife.

Xia Wenxi had not had an invitation and could not enter the banquet hall.

It was Lin Ting who had contacted the person in charge and arranged for her admission.

For Lin Ting, entering and leaving this place did not require an invitation. In fact, with a single word from her, she could have everyone here thrown out.

Xia Wenxi went inside.

Lin Ting did not hurry in after her.

Xia Wenxi had been angry for so many days. It was only right to let her vent a little.

A girl should not stay angry. It was bad for her health.

As Lin Ting stood at the door listening, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind.

She turned around and saw Shang Moting walking toward her.

She raised a brow. “Weren’t you planning not to come?”

“Weren’t you planning not to come either?” Shang Moting replied.

Lin Ting smiled.

Shang Moting looked her over.

Lin Ting was wearing a dress that deepened gradually from top to bottom into shades of blue.

Layers of pale-blue fabric formed the skirt.

Soft, sheer gauze wrapped around her arms.

Her hair was pinned up with a pale-blue hairpin, with a few deliberately curled strands left loose.

The effect was casual and playful.

Noticing Shang Moting staring at her, Lin Ting took a step closer, lifted her chin, and looked up at him. “Do I look pretty?”

Looking into her limpid eyes, Shang Moting curved his lips into a smile.

“There are so many media outlets here. Naturally, I had to dress up a little,” Lin Ting said.

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Shang Moting lightly brushed a finger along her cheek. “Give me your hand.”

Lin Ting extended her left hand and showed him the wound.

When she had gone swimming that morning, she had removed the bandage after getting into the water and replaced it with two adhesive strips.

“The gauze was too ugly. It would have ruined my image and weakened my presence,” Lin Ting said.

Holding her hand, Shang Moting slipped a bracelet onto her wrist.

Lin Ting had not even noticed where he had produced it from.

All she saw was a sky-blue jade bracelet resting on her wrist.

She stared blankly at it. Only after a while did she recover enough to look up at Shang Moting in astonishment.

Seeing her shocked expression, Shang Moting could not resist touching her cheek once more.

“You just put it on my hand?” Lin Ting asked in surprise.

“What? Should we hold a formal handover ceremony?” Shang Moting said with a smile.

“No, I mean... For a bracelet like this, shouldn’t we sit down and discuss the price first?” Lin Ting said. “We bargain back and forth, fail to reach an agreement, overturn the table, fight until we both end up injured, and finally become sworn enemies?”

As Shang Moting listened to her earnestly and vividly ramble on, he asked, “Do I look as though I’ve gone bankrupt?”

“Hm?” Lin Ting looked puzzled.

“It’s only a bracelet,” Shang Moting said.

Lin Ting fell silent.

Yes.

It was only a nine-figure bracelet.

“Besides, fighting and killing isn’t my way of doing things,” Shang Moting continued. “I’m planning to be named one of the city’s exemplary citizens this year.”

The corners of Lin Ting’s mouth twitched twice.

An exemplary citizen.

Exemplary in what way?

Exemplary cruelty?

Exemplary narcissism?

Exemplary in having no humanity?

“What kind of expression is that?” Shang Moting asked, looking at her.

Lin Ting composed herself and glanced at the bracelet on her wrist. “I think you’re right. How is this ‘exemplary citizen’ award decided? I’ll definitely vote for you.”

“Just don’t vote for me on the ‘Most Wanted to Assassinate’ list,” Shang Moting replied.

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