Chapter 16: A Heart as Small as a Sesame Seed

Lin Ting and Shang Moting stood outside, listening to the commotion inside the banquet hall.

Lin Ting held up her hand, admiring the bracelet.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

She took it out of her purse.

It was a call from Shen Anyu.

After answering, Shen Anyu said, “Baby, are you awake? Did you have a good time with Shang Moting last night?”

Shang Moting was standing right beside her, and the two were very close, so he overheard every word.

He looked at Lin Ting.

“Wow, that tone and that way of addressing me,” Lin Ting said, “It’s obvious nothing good happened.”

“Check the trending topics online,” Shen Anyu suggested.

Lin Ting hung up and opened Weibo to take a look.

The trending topic “[Heiress of the Lin Family Spotted Meeting Men at Hotel at Night]” had already reached fifth place on the hot search list.

Lin Ting twitched her lips. Had she become that famous? She was on trending searches now?

Shang Moting glanced at her phone as well.

The initial scoop came from a media outlet that posted three video clips.

All were hotel surveillance footage, recorded by phone.

Two of the clips were from a few days ago.

Lin Ting checked the dates and the content of the footage.

It was from the night they returned from the Moonlight Auction.

The surveillance showed them walking together in the hotel lobby and on the top-floor corridor.

She followed Shang Moting into a room.

The other video was from last night.

On the top-floor corridor, Shang Moting was seen pressing her head and leading her into a room.

All three videos blurred out the men’s faces, but her face was fully exposed.

It was clearly aimed at her.

Lin Ting opened the comments.

“[I used to think it was just rumors, but it seems true. This Lin family lady is really unchaste.]”

“[Was she so used to being trafficked that she got used to sleeping around? Is that why she can’t live without men?]”

“[Trained like that, she must know how to serve people well.]”

“[I wonder how much she charges for a night. I want to try too. Anyone who knows the price, message me privately.]”

“[The man in the video must be very daring. If he can stay at the Interstellar Hotel, he’s probably rich. Why would he pick her? Isn’t he afraid she might have diseases? If it were me, no matter how pretty, I wouldn’t want her.]”

“[Is it because Lin Shan is about to get engaged to the Shen family, and she’s anxious to find a man and get married herself?]”

“[Who would dare marry her? Playing around is one thing, but a wife has to be clean. This one won’t do.]”

...

Lin Ting stared at the toxic comments, closed her phone, and looked at Shang Moting. “Why are you standing so close to me?”

“Am I?” Shang Moting’s voice was cold, and his expression was frosty.

“You are,” Lin Ting said. “You’re colder than the air conditioning.”

Shang Moting was speechless.

“Main character in the scandal, don’t worry, I’ll avenge you soon,” Lin Ting patted his arm like a brother, “Don’t get angry; anger makes you age faster. You’re already twenty-five. Men over twenty-five who get angry often can’t keep up.”

Shang Moting frowned. Realizing what she meant, he cupped her chin, pinching her cheeks gently. “Are you still half asleep? Need me to help wake you up?”

“Ow, ow, ow,” Lin Ting said, “See? You’re angry again.”

Shang Moting squeezed a little harder.

Lin Ting patted his arm. “Your makeup’s ruined.”

Shang Moting glanced at her reddened, puckered lips, hesitated, then let go.

Rubbing her cheeks, Lin Ting glared at him fiercely. “I’m sincerely advising you. It’s for your own good. You’re almost twenty-five; you need to take care of yourself.”

“Say another word and I’ll make you shut up forever,” Shang Moting smiled, but it was the kind of smile a demon would wear.

His narrow eyes shimmered with a faint but sharp cruelty.

Lin Ting’s mouth twitched. Rubbing her face, she turned her back to him and whispered, “Such a grown man, with such petty grudges.”

Shang Moting watched her retreating figure and heard her words. After a moment, he laughed spitefully.

...

Inside the banquet hall.

Lin Jinchuan realized he was losing control of the situation.

The crowd’s appetite for drama grew heavier.

He scanned the venue, then handed the microphone to Lin Shan and pulled Xia Wenxi aside, lowering his voice. “Wenxi, there are so many people here. Please save me some face.”

“Now you care about face? What were you thinking when you were cheating?” Xia Wenxi’s voice was not lowered at all; it was even louder than usual.

Lin Jinchuan gripped her arm tightly, lowering his voice further. “Wenxi, today is very important for the Lin family. Everything I’m doing is for the family, for you and your son. Please stop causing trouble.”

“For me and my son? Lin Jinchuan, don’t use us as an excuse for your opportunism,” Xia Wenxi said. “You think that just because your daughter is marrying into the Shen family, the Lin family will prosper? The Shen couple came today for their own son. Your attitude only makes the Shen family and all of Jiangcheng look down on us more.”

“Wenxi.” Lin Jinchuan tugged her again.

Xia Wenxi shrugged off his arm. “Look at you—do you even have the dignity of a man? First relying on your ex-wife’s family, then on my family, and now you want to leech off your daughter.”

Caught in the truth, Lin Jinchuan’s face flushed red as he stared at Xia Wenxi in disbelief.

Xia Wenxi snorted. “If you really loved that woman, why didn’t you marry her when you divorced your ex-wife? Because she had no power or influence, and couldn’t help you?”

“Stop talking nonsense! Shut up!” Lin Jinchuan suddenly shouted.

“What? Caught red-handed and now you’re angry and ashamed?” Xia Wenxi said, “You can’t give her a name, but you can’t let her go either. You’re the most disgusting.”

“Shut up! You don’t get to speak here!” Lin Jinchuan said, raising his hand sharply.

Xia Wenxi’s eyes flickered in surprise at his raised hand.

In that moment, after so many years, the last shreds of their marital bond vanished.

Xia Wenxi said, “You want to hit me?”

Lin Jinchuan raised his hand but faltered when their eyes met, and didn’t strike.

“I, I...” Lin Jinchuan quickly lowered his hand. “Wenxi, it’s not what you think.”

Xia Wenxi smiled, but the warmth never reached her eyes.

“Auntie, Dad was just upset for a moment,” Lin Shan said. “Please don’t argue. It’s all my fault, my fault.”

She lowered her head, about to cry.

“Why are you crying?” Xia Wenxi looked at her. “I didn’t bully you, did I? I haven’t blamed you once since I stood here. This is all adult matters. What does it have to do with you?”

Lin Shan stared at her tearful face, suddenly at a loss for words.

Mrs. Shen rolled her eyes in the audience. “Can I leave? Look at her. Does she look like she’s got any sense? Let her have her child. Is the Shen family going to die out now?”

“Madam, that’s a harsh thing to say,” Mr. Shen said. “I’m ashamed to face our ancestors.”

Li Shan wiped her tears. “Auntie, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have wished for a complete family, or hoped to be recognized by my father. It’s my fault. Please stop fighting.”

“Then if it’s your fault, there’s no need to hold the recognition banquet today,” Lin Ting said as she walked into the banquet hall.

...