Chapter 6: An Exception

Shang Moting’s hand was scorching, pressed against Lin Ting’s neck, making her feel as though she were burning.

He stared into her bright, sparkling eyes, his thumb caressing the pulse point on the side of her neck. A person so vibrant, brilliant, confident, and beautiful could easily become an addiction. He raised an eyebrow and, with a slight tug, pulled her closer.

The gap between them vanished. Lin Ting’s arm, braced against the back of the chair, buckled, and she instinctively held her breath. They were so close that she could see herself reflected in his eyes, close enough to discern every individual lash.

"What if I said I still wanted your life?" Shang Moting asked.

Lin Ting blinked, composing herself before replying, "You said it yourself—that was a 'what if'."

Shang Moting pulled his hand away from her neck and curled his finger to stroke the side of her face. "I want the person who caused the trouble."

"He’s just a traitor; why bother taking him back?" Lin Ting asked.

Shang Moting watched her silently. Lin Ting stood up and settled back into her chair. "If I couldn’t see through a little thing like that, how could I be the boss of a boss?"

Shang Moting chuckled.

"Besides," Lin Ting continued, "Wangyue has no ties to you, let alone any grudges. Unless you were kicked in the head by Qi Youfan, you wouldn't be targeting Wangyue for no reason."

Hearing this, Shang Moting’s gaze turned cold. Watching his expression, Lin Ting smiled. "And as for the ringleader who caused the scene, Qi Youfan only had to ask a few questions before he spilled everything and exposed his own identity. It’s obvious he was trying to incite conflict between Wangyue and the Shang family."

Shang Moting listened to her vivid account.

"If the people around you, Mr. Shang, are all this useless, then it seems you’re nothing but a hollow shell," Lin Ting said, resting her chin in her hand and leaning closer to him. "In that case, what I want to do becomes much simpler—I wouldn't even need to use my looks to get by here."

"You are certainly frank," Shang Moting remarked.

"Frank enough, I suppose," Lin Ting said. "I haven't even told you my true objective."

Shang Moting curled his lips into a smile. "Since you knew, why go to the Imperial Shang Club? Was it intentional?"

"One thing at a time," Lin Ting replied. "The losses Wangyue suffered are real. And since this traitor came from your side, you are responsible."

Shang Moting nodded.

"I suppose we’re even now," Lin Ting said.

"I don't have the words 'even' in my vocabulary when it comes to business," Shang Moting said, his eyes darkening. His narrow, sharp gaze was like a blade.

Lin Ting met his eyes for a moment, then reached out to pinch his sleeve and gave it a gentle tug. "Make an exception, won't you?"

Shang Moting looked down at her hand, then back up into her eyes. Lin Ting blinked at him, tugging at his sleeve again.

He lowered his gaze, saying nothing. Lin Ting knew he had agreed. "Come on, I’ll take you to see the traitor."

...

Downstairs, the auction was still underway. They were currently bidding on a jade bracelet—a piece with a color nearing the vibrant green of a clear sky. It was beautiful, but Lin Ting had preferred the sky-blue one from earlier.

Stepping out of the private booth, Qi Youfan and Fang Cheng were waiting, though there was no sign of Wei Zhishu.

"The bracelet," Lin Ting asked Qi Youfan.

Qi Youfan hesitated, then hurriedly stepped back a few paces. Lin Ting understood immediately; he hadn't won the bid. "You..."

"Someone else kept driving the price up," Qi Youfan said. "There are a few more beautiful ones later today; I’ll win those for you."

"None of them are as nice as that one," Lin Ting said. "Forget it."

Seeing she was upset, Qi Youfan walked over. "I'll go negotiate later and see if I can buy it."

Lin Ting remained silent. Qi Youfan nudged her shoulder gently. "Don't be unhappy."

"My new brain hasn't grown in yet, so I haven't learned how to be happy," Lin Ting said coldly.

"Look at you, holding a grudge. Carrying a grudge at your age will make your hair fall out," Qi Youfan said, raising his hand to drape it over her shoulder.

Shang Moting watched them, his eyes darkening.

Lin Ting swatted Qi Youfan’s arm away and tapped his shoulder a few times. "You’re the one who’s going to lose hair. You’ll be bald and wearing a wig."

"I'm rubber, you're glue," Qi Youfan retorted.

"Your comeback is invalid," Lin Ting countered.

Shang Moting watched them, thinking they looked like primary school students bickering. The boss of Wangyue, a figure others feared, now looked like she was teasing a child. Nineteen years old—barely an adult. It was natural she would be treated like a child.

"I’ll wait for you outside," Shang Moting said.

"Fine, I’ll just discipline my family member and be right there," Lin Ting said.

Qi Youfan grabbed the arm she was using to hit him. "Discipline your family? You’re not even as big as the turtle in my fish tank!"

"You're the turtle," Lin Ting retorted.

...

After Shang Moting left, Lin Ting bickered with Qi Youfan for a while longer before he went off to handle his affairs. Lin Ting headed to the restroom, but as she exited, she ran straight into Lin Shan.

Lin Ting ignored her entirely and walked past, but Lin Shan quickly caught up. "Sister!"

Lin Ting didn't want to engage, but Lin Shan quickened her pace, her heels clacking on the floor. "Sister, it really is you! I thought I’d seen a ghost."

Lin Ting kept walking. Lin Shan followed, saying, "I never expected to see you in a place like this."

Lin Ting glanced at her sideways.

Lin Shan continued, "I don't mean anything by it, but one needs certain qualifications and financial standing to enter this place. Who did you come with?"

"Who did *you* come with?" Lin Ting stopped walking.

Lin Shan stopped too. Hearing the question, she tilted her chin up, smoothed her hair, and smiled. "I, of course, came with my boyfriend."

"Then I’m better than you," Lin Ting said. "I can enter and leave this place freely all on my own."

"Sister, you are always so funny. Even Father can't come and go as he pleases here," Lin Shan said. "You don't have to be embarrassed. We’re adults now; we’re allowed to have boyfriends. You should bring him home for Father to see sometime. As long as he isn't too old, Father will approve."

"Lin Shan, do you know why you’re always flaunting your boyfriend?" Lin Ting asked.

"Do I? I’m not flaunting," Lin Shan said. "I just really like him, and I’m always thinking of him. He likes me too. A bracelet worth over thirty million—I just said I liked it, and he bought it for me immediately. When I get it, I’ll let you admire it, Sister."

Lin Ting chuckled.

"Over thirty million—I don't suppose you’ve even heard of such a number," Lin Shan said. "But I can wear it on my wrist whenever I want. Since you’re here, aren't you going to bid on something? If you don't bid today, you might never get back in."

"I genuinely enjoy watching you display your lack of substance through such petty displays of wealth; it makes life feel full of novelty," Lin Ting said. "They say the less a person has, the more they like to show off. You keep bringing up your boyfriend because you feel like you haven't done anything worth mentioning in all your years, don't you?"

"What do you mean by that?!" Lin Shan’s expression turned cold, as if she’d been stepped on.

Lin Ting replied, "A piece of advice: try improving yourself. Even the prettiest face will grow tiresome eventually. A place like the Shen family isn't somewhere you can secure a footing just by relying on a pretty face."

With that, Lin Ting turned and walked away, leaving Lin Shan standing there staring at her back. A wild girl who hadn't even finished her schooling—what right did she have to lecture her?

"You should worry about yourself first!"