Chapter 28: You Have Quite the Nerve

Lin Ting was awakened by the noise and couldn’t fall back asleep until dawn.

She simply couldn’t sleep.

Not only that, but she also scared the girl who had followed her back to the room into tears.

Before the girl followed her, she had overheard Song Zhiyuan’s words and was terrified.

“What should we do? I’ve dragged you into this. No wonder that man dared to act recklessly in the Interstellar Hotel, and even its security obeys his orders. So it turns out he knows President Xiang,” the girl said.

“Yes, I didn’t expect that either,” Lin Ting replied. “I’ve heard that the owner of the Interstellar Hotel holds absolute power in Jiangcheng. Do you think they’ll tear us apart later?”

“Is it really that serious?” the girl asked.

Lin Ting said, “It could be worse. He might kill us first, then tear us apart, and let wild dogs feast on our remains.”

The girl burst into tears.

Lin Ting, having scared the girl, comforted her half-jokingly, “Just kidding. This is a society governed by law now.”

The girl looked at her silently.

Lin Ting added, “At worst, they’ll sell us, rip out our hearts and livers, and perform live dissections.”

The girl cried even harder.

Lin Ting laughed while soothing her, “Why are you so easily frightened?”

The girl said, “Let’s escape now while we can.”

“Good idea,” Lin Ting nodded. “But running away has never been my style. You go ahead.”

“No, you risked yourself to save me. I can’t leave you behind,” the girl insisted.

“Cowardly but loyal,” Lin Ting remarked. “Don’t be afraid. Wait for dawn...”

The girl looked at her again.

“It’s dawn now,” Lin Ting said.

The girl was speechless.

Perhaps feeling the safety Lin Ting exuded or simply exhausted from crying, she fell asleep on the sofa.

Lin Ting found a blanket and covered her.

Meanwhile, Lin Ting stayed on the balcony playing games until daylight.

At seven o’clock, someone knocked on the door.

The girl on the sofa woke up with a start and looked toward the door.

Lin Ting went to open it.

Shang Moting stood at the door holding breakfast. “Didn’t sleep all night?”

“Woke up but couldn’t fall back asleep,” Lin Ting said, stepping aside to let him in. “So kind of you?”

“Fang Chengchen bought it during his morning run. I tried some—it doesn’t taste very good,” Shang Moting said as he stepped inside and glanced at the girl, who looked very frightened and stood tensely by the side.

He placed the breakfast on the dining table.

“I was just wondering when you’d start to care,” Lin Ting said, sitting down and gesturing to the girl, “Come eat.”

“I—I’m not hungry. You guys go ahead,” the girl replied.

Seeing her fear, Lin Ting didn’t push. She grabbed a sandwich, took a bite, and said, “President Shang, next time you bring breakfast, find a better excuse.”

“The floor is surrounded. They’re probably afraid you’ll run away,” Shang Moting said.

“Afraid I’ll starve?” Lin Ting asked.

“Afraid you’ll get too thin to fetch a good price,” Shang Moting replied.

Lin Ting glared at him.

Shang Moting smiled slightly.

---

Lin Ting asked, “Have you eaten?”

Shang Moting nodded.

She paid him no mind and continued eating.

Shang Moting noticed for the first time how slowly she ate.

But it was quite a pleasure to watch.

The girl watched them from afar, secretly observing.

She thought the seemingly fierce man now looked happy, appreciative, and satisfied when he looked at Lin Ting.

In his gaze, she seemed to see a kind of tenderness.

Halfway through her sandwich, a noise came from the door.

First, a beep as a card opened the door.

Then, the door was pushed open.

“Where are you? Get out here!” It was Song Zhiyuan’s voice.

The girl, standing far from the dining area, heard the voice and quickly ran over to stand beside Lin Ting.

“Come out!” Song Zhiyuan shouted, and many footsteps rushed into the room.

Soon, countless men in black filled the room, surrounding them.

The spacious room suddenly felt cramped.

The air seemed to grow thin.

The girl grabbed Lin Ting’s clothes.

Lin Ting handed her a sandwich. “Eat something.”

The girl took it instinctively.

Song Zhiyuan strode forward through the black-clad men, exuding arrogance as if the earth was too small to contain him.

When he reached the dining room entrance, he saw Shang Moting sitting at the table.

His arrogant aura instantly snapped back from outer space into his body.

He widened his eyes at Shang Moting. “Shang, President Shang.”

Shang Moting glanced at him, then pulled out a tissue and said to Lin Ting, “Don’t mind me. I’m just here to watch the show.”

Lin Ting completely ignored the crowd of black-clad men in the room and didn’t give Song Zhiyuan a single glance. She took the tissue, wiped the corner of her mouth, and continued slowly eating her sandwich.

Shang Moting picked up a soy milk, opened the lid, and placed it beside Lin Ting.

She took a sip and frowned. “Not sweet.”

Shang Moting took out a small box of sugar. “How much?”

“Just put it all in,” Lin Ting said.

He added the sugar into the soy milk and stirred it with a straw.

Lin Ting tasted it again, nodded, and smiled happily.

A hint of amusement appeared in Shang Moting’s narrow eyes.

The girl beside Lin Ting was stunned, forgetting her fear. She sensed the man’s satisfaction in feeding Lin Ting.

Song Zhiyuan was dumbfounded, his calf muscles twitching.

He had brought so many people early this morning specifically to deal with this girl. But Shang Moting was here.

And it seemed they were more than acquaintances.

This girl might very well be the future Mrs. Shang.

Yet, they hadn’t exchanged a word last night.

Shang Moting looked at him and said, “Why don’t you start?”

---

Song Zhiyuan stared at him, stunned for a moment before replying, “President Shang, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you knew each other. It’s all my fault, my mistake.”

“I don’t know you,” Shang Moting said. “I’m just here for the show. Make it interesting—don’t waste my early morning.”

Just that one line.

Song Zhiyuan was trapped, unsure what to do.

He could only fall silent and think of a strategy.

“Such a big show so early in the morning, just to show me this?” Shang Moting’s voice was soft but sharp like a blade cutting flesh. “Do you want to die?”

Song Zhiyuan’s legs trembled, almost forcing him to kneel.

At that moment, someone else arrived.

Slow, deliberate footsteps approached: “Is it this room?”

Song Zhiyuan, grasping at a lifeline, immediately turned around. “Xiang Zheng.”

Xiang Zheng looked at his pale face and frowned. “It’s just a little girl. Why are you so scared?”

The black-clad men around them stepped back.

Song Zhiyuan turned, blocking Shang Moting and Lin Ting.

All of Xiang Zheng’s attention was on Song Zhiyuan; he didn’t look behind him.

Song Zhiyuan was speechless.

Xiang Zheng said, “This is the Interstellar Hotel. No one else has the right to cause trouble here.”

He stepped forward.

The black-clad men moved back a step.

He stood before Song Zhiyuan and looked at the two sitting at the table.

His first reaction was disbelief at their audacity—to sit calmly and eat breakfast despite so many people.

Then he recognized Shang Moting. “President Shang?”

Lin Ting quietly ate, not looking at Xiang Zheng.

Xiang Zheng saw only her profile, then looked at Shang Moting. “Is this young lady with you, President Shang?”

Shang Moting glanced at Lin Ting, then at Xiang Zheng, saying nothing.

Xiang Zheng understood his silence as assent.

Xiang Zheng said, “President Shang, the surveillance issue is a security lapse by the Interstellar Hotel. We’re willing to bear all consequences. But regarding this young lady, we hope for a fair resolution.”

Hearing this, Shang Moting raised an eyebrow, a playful smile flickering in his eyes.

Lin Ting saw in that smile a hint that Xiang Zheng’s fate was already sealed.

“What if I say no?” Shang Moting said calmly.

Xiang Zheng smiled faintly. “This young lady injured over a dozen of my staff and also hurt my guest. This is the Interstellar Hotel, in Jiangcheng. President Shang may not care about me, but still...”

He left the rest unsaid.

No matter how powerful the Shang family was, the headquarters was not to be trifled with.

Seeing Xiang Zheng speak this way, Song Zhiyuan immediately straightened his back.

Shang Moting tapped his fingers on the table, already plotting how to flatten the Interstellar Hotel.

At that moment, Lin Ting grabbed a tissue, wiped the corner of her mouth, and looked at Xiang Zheng. “You’re quite bold.”

...