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墨書 Inktalez
Lin Yue leaned against the hotel’s exterior wall and let out a long sigh. The doorman called a ride for her, and she slipped into the back seat, providing the address of her villa before closing her eyes to rest.
The car slowly came to a stop in front of Lin Yue's villa in Los Angeles. The modern minimalist decor of her home greeted her, and as she stepped into the foyer, the familiar scent of sandalwood eased her tense nerves. Lin Yue exhaled softly and walked straight to the walk-in closet.
Inside, clothes, shoes, bags, and watches were all neatly arranged. Lin Yue's fingers glided over rows of high-end custom garments, as if she were selecting a battle outfit. Tonight was crucial; she had to be perfect.
She knew her mother’s preferences well and deliberately chose a sky-blue Loro Piana linen suit paired with a water lake blue shirt from the same brand. Sky blue was one of Shangguan Yun's favorite colors and also the main tone of Eugene's summer collection.
Opening the jewelry box, she took out the Eugene series earrings that Shangguan Yun had gifted her—pieces designed by her mother herself, which she had never worn before. The jewelry felt like a symbol of compromise; wearing them would mean bowing to her mother’s wishes.
Tonight, she had to make Shangguan Yun happy. She hoped this outfit would somewhat soothe her mother's emotions, at least not put Su Yao in a difficult position.
Lin Yue examined herself in the dressing mirror. She stood tall with an air of cool elegance, but deep within her eyes lay an imperceptible hint of vulnerability and anticipation. "I'll take it as it comes," she whispered to herself, her gaze growing resolute.
Once again, she dialed Lu Chen’s number, but it was still off. She put away her phone, picked up the car keys, and headed toward the garage.
As she drove her Ferrari to pick up Su Yao, countless possible scenarios flashed through Lin Yue's mind. She understood Shangguan Yun too well—the woman was fiercely controlling and astute, never easily showing weakness or accepting any challenges, especially those concerning her life plans.
The most troublesome part was that tonight she was both Lin family's daughter and someone engaged to the Jiang family. How could she navigate between these identities?
With that thought, she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. No matter what happened, she would not allow Su Yao to suffer even a little.
At six o'clock in the evening, at the Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Su Yao stood before a floor-length mirror, carefully putting on diamond earrings. She wore the Loro Piana set in walnut syrup color that Lin Yue had prepared for her, which made her skin look like jade and exuded a gentle grace.
"It will be fine, it will be fine," she whispered to herself in the mirror, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
The doorbell rang suddenly, and Su Yao quickly walked to the door.
Peering through the peephole, she saw Lin Yue standing outside.
Dressed in a sky-blue suit that accentuated her fresh and charming demeanor, Lin Yue's sleek black hair glimmered softly under the light.
Su Yao opened the door swiftly, and at the moment Lin Yue laid eyes on her, all her worries seemed to dissipate.
With a light touch of makeup and a hint of gardenia fragrance, Su Yao resembled a girl next door.
Lin Yue was captivated, her gaze slowly sweeping over Su Yao's entire figure, filled with admiration as she softly said, "You look beautiful."
Su Yao's cheeks flushed crimson as she gently brushed a stray hair behind her ear. "Lin Yue, I'm a bit nervous."
"It's okay, I'm here," Lin Yue stepped closer and tightly grasped her hand, their fingers interlocking.
Once in the car, Su Yao's hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, resembling a delicate watercolor painting—fresh and ethereal.
Lin Yue looked at her against the light, with the hotel’s golden entrance behind them; she appeared like an angel descending, and once again, Lin Yue found herself entranced.
"You've been staring at me; it's making me shy," Su Yao teased with a blush.
"I feel like I could look at you like this for a lifetime," Lin Yue said dreamily, her gaze soft and affectionate.
Su Yao became even more bashful from this straightforward confession and lightly punched Lin Yue's shoulder.
"If you keep looking at me like that, we’re going to be late."
As she spoke, she leaned in closer to Lin Yue and gently kissed her lips.
Neither of them noticed that during those few minutes of mutual attraction, the hotel Lobby Manager had placed the gift Lin Yue had chosen earlier in the back seat.
They also failed to notice a black Maybach quietly passing by; inside, Zhang Zihao watched the scene coldly.
Then he picked up his phone and dialed Jiang Rou's number. "Your Miss Lin has picked up Su Yao; they’re in the car being all lovey-dovey. I’m on my way and will arrive before them," his voice laced with jealousy and mockery.
Jiang Rou stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gripping her phone tightly. "Got it," she replied coldly as ice.
After hanging up, her expression darkened for a few seconds until Shangguan Yun's voice echoed from the staircase.
"Rou Rou, they should be arriving soon; why don’t you check how the dining table is set up?"
Jiang Rou immediately put on a sweet smile, her tone instantly brightening. "Okay, Godmother. I’ll go right now."
The sun hung low in the western sky like blood as Lin Yue drove along the coastline in her Ferrari.
With one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding Su Yao’s hand tightly, she occasionally caressed the back of Su Yao’s hand with her thumb.
"By the way, my mom can be quite assertive; I hope you don’t mind too much," Lin Yue said with some concern as she glanced at her.
Su Yao smiled slightly, "Hmm, I wouldn't mind."
"My dad doesn't say much, but he's actually very gentle." Lin Yue paused for a moment, "Anyway, if you feel uncomfortable at any time, just let me know and I'll take you away immediately."
The fading light of the Pacific reflected on Su Yao's face as she nodded gently, her heart filled with unease.
The car drove into a secluded private beach, ascending along a winding mountain road.
Tall palm trees lined the sides of the road, showcasing the extraordinary status of the owner.
Passing through a lush courtyard, a massive white building gradually came into view.
It was a typical Mediterranean-style structure, its snow-white walls and blue dome shimmering in the sunset.
"We're here; this is my parents' home," Lin Yue said in a flat tone.
Su Yao couldn't help but hold her breath—this was simply a white palace.
As the car entered the courtyard, neatly dressed servants immediately came to open the door.
At the moment they stepped onto the stairs, Lin Yue quietly held Su Yao's hand, their palms touching, the warm sensation conveying silent strength.
Su Yao returned the grip, her palm slightly damp with sweat.
"There's no need to be nervous," Lin Yue gently reassured her.
The grand door swung open, revealing a high-ceilinged hall filled with classical charm.
A crystal chandelier sparkled above them, Gothic arches led to different areas, and European masterpieces adorned the walls amidst exquisite antiques.
"Miss Lin, you’re back," a butler in a tailcoat bowed respectfully.
As they stepped into the foyer, Jiang Rou and Lu Chen emerged from the living room to greet them.
Jiang Rou wore a flowing water-blue spaghetti strap dress, her hair like satin, with two blushes on her cheeks enhancing her allure.
Lu Chen was dressed in a well-tailored brown suit, standing tall like a pine tree; yet when he met Lin Yue's gaze, his eyes flickered with unease.
"Lin Yue!" she exclaimed joyfully as she rushed over in high heels and naturally linked arms with Lin Yue.
Lu Chen followed closely behind in his well-fitted brown suit; when he caught Lin Yue's eye, he subtly gestured as if he had something to say.
But Lin Yue's attention was suddenly drawn by an unexpected voice from the living room.
"Miss Lin and Miss Su, you finally made it!"
Zhang Zihao!
He appeared in a white suit, leisurely toying with a glass of whiskey as he strolled out.
Lin Yue's expression instantly darkened as she cast an accusatory look at Jiang Rou.
Because who else could have invited him here?
Jiang Rou immediately put on a wronged expression, shaking her head slightly to imply that Zhang Zihao was not her guest.
Su Yao felt a flicker of unease upon seeing Zhang Zihao and instinctively moved closer to Lin Yue.
Zhang Zihao stepped forward, surveying the surroundings. "The Lin Residence is truly luxurious, filled with priceless antiques and precious artworks, it feels like stepping into a palace."
At that moment, Jiang Rou realized that Lin Yue was displeased. She quickly interjected, "Young Master Zhang is too kind; this is just one of the Lin family's properties here. Since it's close to where Lin Yue and I live, my godmother chose this place to host everyone."
Lin Yue maintained a cold expression, ignoring Zhang Zihao's performance, and directly asked, "Where are my parents?"
"Auntie has been personally supervising the kitchen preparations and is upstairs now," Lu Chen quickly explained. "Uncle is with her and will come down shortly."
Lin Yue nodded and turned to Su Yao, her tone softening instantly. "Let's go sit in the living room."
Jiang Rou perceptively released her hold on Lin Yue's arm. Although she felt an intense jealousy inside, she still maintained a perfect smile on the surface, welcoming everyone like a host and personally leading Su Yao to sit in the living room.
"What kind of tea do you like, Miss Su? West Lake Longjing or Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao?" Her movements were graceful and warm.
Su Yao appeared slightly reserved. "Either is fine, thank you, Miss Jiang."
Jiang Rou poured her a cup of Longjing tea. "Here, try this tea; it's West Lake Longjing picked this spring, my godmother's favorite." She served Su Yao with exaggerated enthusiasm before sitting down beside her and naturally starting a conversation.
Lu Chen seized the opportunity to pull Lin Yue aside and lowered his voice. "Sorry, Lin Yue, Auntie went to the hospital today. When she found out you weren't there, she asked me and Jiang Rou."
"You know Auntie's aura; we couldn't dare lie," Lu Chen said with a wry smile.
Lin Yue's gaze turned icy. "So you told her everything?"
Lu Chen nodded helplessly. "Auntie even forbade us from contacting you or giving you any 'tips.'"
Lin Yue glanced at Zhang Zihao. "What about him? Why is he here?"
"I really don't know," Lu Chen frowned. "I was surprised to see him too."
Zhang Zihao noticed Su Yao's tension and moved to sit beside her. "Don't worry; I'm here to protect you." He lowered his voice. "The Lin family isn't easy to deal with; today's dinner is clearly a trap. I can't let you suffer even the slightest grievance."
Su Yao smiled politely but subtly shifted away from him, increasing the distance between them.
Meanwhile, Zhang Zihao chuckled inwardly, knowing that today Su Yao would see for herself that her love with Lin Yue was destined to be an illusion. This was also Jiang Rou's intention—to shatter all of Su Yao's fantasies with harsh reality.
Seeing Zhang Zihao whispering to Su Yao made Lin Yue's anger flare up. Just as she was about to get up and confront him, footsteps echoed from outside the living room.
The group stood up in unison as Shangguan Yun walked in slowly, linking arms with Lin Zhihong.
Shangguan Yun wore a custom gray-blue qipao by Eugene, her hair meticulously styled in an updo. Her earrings, necklace, and bracelet were all from Eugene's latest collection, sparkling under the lights and enhancing her noble elegance.
Lin Zhihong, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, exuded an air of elegance and authority that spoke of his prestigious lineage. Jiang Rou eagerly approached, linking her arm with Shangguan Yun's as naturally as if she were her own daughter.
Shangguan Yun nodded slightly, her gaze drifting past Jiang Rou to rest on Lin Yue, her eyes filled with both warmth and reproach. "You’re back?" she asked in a flat tone. "It seems your health has improved?"
Lin Zhihong shook his head. "Lin Yue, even if you're feeling better, you shouldn't leave the hospital without permission. You scared your mother half to death."
Lin Yue lowered her head, her demeanor respectful. "I'm sorry, Dad, Mom. I didn't mean to worry you."
Taking a deep breath, she turned slightly to introduce, "Dad, Mom, this is Su Yao; she’s the lead actress in Dark River."
The moment Shangguan Yun and Lin Zhihong's eyes fell on Su Yao's face, their expressions froze in shock. Shangguan Yun's eyes were filled with disbelief and a hint of fear, while Lin Zhihong struggled to swallow but couldn't utter a word.
An eerie tension filled the air; even the usually lively Jiang Rou was momentarily taken aback by the sudden shift in atmosphere, unsure how to break the silence.
Su Yao stood there nervously, confused by the intense reaction from the two elders. Lin Yue sensed something was off and instinctively stepped forward to shield Su Yao as if to protect her from harm.
"Dad, Mom, Su Yao came specifically to visit and brought gifts," Lin Yue said, feigning ease.
No one responded; Shangguan Yun continued to stare at Su Yao as if she were a ghost.
"Uncle Lin, Auntie Lin, it's an honor to finally meet you!" Zhang Zihao interjected, stepping forward to shatter the silence. He exaggeratedly introduced himself and complimented Shangguan Yun on her youthful elegance while praising Lin Zhihong's vitality and marveling at the opulence of the Lin family's home.
Only then did Shangguan Yun snap back to reality, forcing a stiff smile. "Zhang Shaoye has quite the sweet tongue; no wonder girls are fond of you."
"Aunt Shangguan, Uncle Lin, shall we head to the dining room?" Lu Chen signaled Jiang Rou with a glance, prompting her to remind Shangguan Yun about the dinner.
Jiang Rou quickly smiled in agreement. "Yes, the banquet is ready! Godmother, Father Lin, let’s go."
Shangguan Yun gradually composed herself and nodded. As they made their way to the dining room, she cast another meaningful glance at Su Yao—one that seemed to pierce through her soul while confirming some unbelievable truth.
Lin Yue tightly grasped Su Yao's hand and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry; I'm here for you."
She returned the grip and nodded as they followed everyone toward the dining room, unaware of the astonishing secrets lurking behind this so-called family dinner.
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