Chapter 28 Undercurrents at the Dinner Party

Chapter 28 Undercurrents at the Dinner Party

The air in the private room froze instantly, and even Liang Cheng noticed something was wrong.

His hand, holding the wine glass, froze in mid-air. He gave an awkward laugh: "Isn't this topic a bit too heavy? Let's change it!"

Bai Xiulin, however, seemed oblivious to Xie Lin's sudden change in demeanor.

He slowly put down his wine glass, his fingertips gently tracing the inside of the glass.

A nonchalant smile played on his lips: "What? Can't a person even keep a little bit of their 'white moonlight' in their heart?"

His words, delivered with effortless grace, instantly and lightly brushed aside the ambiguous and contentious tension that lingered in the air.

Xie Lin stared at him for a few seconds, the coldness in his dark eyes not dissipating, but he didn't ask any more questions. He simply picked up his wine glass, tilted his head back, and drank the rest of the wine in one gulp.

The rolling of his Adam's apple carried a hint of pressure.

Jiang Nuan reacted the fastest, immediately slamming her hand on the table and egging them on: "Stop talking about yourselves! You beautiful lady, it's your turn! Did you buy that mom-style bodycon dress you saw while shopping last time? I think that color made you look incredibly fair!"

Upon hearing this, Song Siyi tossed her long hair that fell over her shoulder, her red lips curving into a bright smile. She tapped Jiang Nuan's head with her beautifully manicured hand: "You have such a good memory. You bought it a long time ago and put it in the closet waiting to wear it when you go out."

Her gaze swept over the frozen group, then she changed the subject, looking at Lin Mianmian, "Mianmian, the mango sticky rice at this place is super delicious, shall I get you a serving?"

Lin Mianmian was clutching the hem of her clothes, her palms sweating with nervousness. Upon hearing this, she quickly nodded and said, "Thank you, Siyi."

Jiang Nuan also came over, took Lin Mianmian's arm, and winked, saying, "I'll go with you, and we'll see if they have any coconut juice while we're at it."

She lowered her voice and whispered in Lin Mianmian's ear, "The way your Xie Lin looked at you just now, he looked like he wanted to devour Bai Xiulin alive. You have to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't do anything reckless."

Lin Mianmian's cheeks flushed, and she secretly glanced at Xie Lin, who was leaning back in his chair, staring intently at Bai Xiulin.

The atmosphere between the two remained tense, yet there was an unspoken restraint.

Song Siyi returned with two servings of mango sticky rice. She handed one to Lin Mianmian and placed the other in front of Bai Xiulin, saying casually, "You drank quite a bit of wine just now, this sweet treat will help cut through the richness."

Bai Xiulin looked up at her, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, then smiled and said, "Thanks."

Song Siyi didn't reply, but simply sat back down, her gaze seemingly shifting between Xie Lin and Bai Xiulin, a meaningful smile playing on her red lips.

He thought to himself, "Isn't this a battleground of fierce competition?"

Liang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly urged everyone to play a game: "Come on, let's play something exciting! An upgraded version of Truth or Dare, the loser either drinks three cups, or..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, looking at Xie Lin with a wicked grin, "Or give one minute to confess to one of the opposite sexes in the room!"

The bottle spun again, and this time it stopped right in front of Bai Xiulin.

Liang Cheng's eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when Bai Xiulin picked up his wine glass first, raised an eyebrow and said, "Three glasses it is. Forget about the confession, lest some people glare at me again."

He glanced meaningfully at Xie Lin, who snorted coldly and ignored him.

After three glasses of strong liquor, Bai Xiulin's expression remained unchanged, only the light in his eyes dimmed slightly.

He put down his wine glass and glanced at Lin Mianmian seemingly unintentionally, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone to hear: "Speaking of which, last time I saw a bear hair tie at that jewelry store in the west of the city, I wanted to give it to my sweetheart, but unfortunately I was a step too late and someone else bought it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Lin's face darkened instantly.

What did Bai Xiulin mean by that? Was he implying that he had feelings for Mianmian? When did his feelings for Mianmian begin?

Xie Lin's fingers slowly tightened, his knuckles turning white, and the air pressure around him was frighteningly low.

Bai Xiulin seemed not to notice, but simply smiled, poured himself another glass of wine, and slowly said with a wry smile, "However, that little girl is no longer needed."

Jiang Nuan and Song Siyi exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

The atmosphere in the private room plummeted to freezing point once again.

Just then, Lin Mianmian's phone suddenly rang.

The two words "Thank you, Father" flashing on the phone screen were like a red-hot branding iron, making Lin Mianmian's fingertips tremble.

She hurriedly pressed the mute button, but her fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and the phone almost slipped from her palm.

Xie Lin's gaze froze instantly. His previously cold and indifferent eyes now showed a hint of understanding. He reached out to take her phone: "I'll answer it."

"No!" Lin Mianmian instinctively pulled her hand back, her voice barely audible, filled with barely concealed panic.

Her reaction was like a soft thorn, gently piercing Xie Lin's heart.

He looked at her panicked face, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he softened his tone: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Jiang Nuan and Song Siyi exchanged a glance, both realizing that something was wrong.

Jiang Nuan quickly smoothed things over: "Is there something urgent? Why don't we go outside to pick it up first?"

Lin Mianmian bit her lower lip, nodded, and practically fled the private room.

At the emergency exit at the end of the corridor, she took several deep breaths before shakily pressing the answer button.

"Lin Mianmian." Xie's father's voice came through the receiver, cold and authoritative, with an undeniable sense of pressure.

"I don't care what methods you used to win Ah Lin back, but let me tell you, you'll never be allowed to step into the Xie family's door in this lifetime."

Lin Mianmian's heart clenched, her fingertips turning icy cold: "Uncle, it's me."

"Don't call me uncle, I can't accept that title." Xie's father interrupted her, his tone even colder.

"Ah Lin is the only heir of the Xie family, so his fiancée can only be someone who can help his career."

“I know that Ah Lin paid for your grandmother’s surgery. I will have my assistant transfer double the money to you. Take the money and leave him.”

"No, I'm not doing this for the money." Lin Mianmian's eyes reddened with anxiety, and her voice trembled with tears.

"Not for the money?" Xie's father sneered.

His tone was full of sarcasm, "Could it be for love? I know Xie Lin, he likes excitement, adventure, and challenging things."

"He pursues you like a cheetah catching a hare; once he gets you, he'll move on to the next one."

These words, like a knife chilled to the bone, plunged deep into Lin Mianmian's chest.

She trembled all over, her face turned as white as paper, her lips quivered, but she couldn't utter a single word.

After hanging up the phone, she slid slowly to the floor against the cold wall, tears streaming uncontrollably onto the phone screen, blurring the words "Father Xie".

Inside the private room, Xie Lin's expression darkened, but he showed no sign of panic.

He suddenly stood up and was about to leave when Bai Xiulin stopped him.

"Where are you going?" Bai Xiulin asked, his expression a mixture of emotions.

"Get out of here." Xie Lin's voice was as cold as ice.

Bai Xiulin didn't move, but just looked at him and slowly said, "Xie Lin, you know better than anyone what kind of person your father is. You can protect her for a while, but can you protect her forever?"

"Whether I can protect her or not is none of your business," Xie Lin said with a smirk.

A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. "You know perfectly well who holds the real power in the Xie family. My grandfather has been waiting to hold his granddaughter-in-law for a long time. My father? He's all talk and no action."

Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng burst into laughter, slapping his thigh: "That's right! Brother Lin's maternal grandfather is the real big shot, while Uncle Xie is just a figurehead, yet he dares to point fingers here."

Song Siyi nodded in agreement, a hint of understanding in her eyes: "No wonder you're not flustered at all, it turns out you have a powerful backer."

Xie Lin ignored them and strode out of the private room.

In the corridor, he spotted Lin Mianmian huddled in the corner at a glance.

She hugged her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly, and cried like a lost child.

Xie Lin's heart clenched instantly. He quickly walked over, squatted down, and hugged the person tightly in his arms.

His strength was so great it felt like he wanted to meld her into his very bones. His chin rested on the top of her head, his voice hoarse yet filled with unprecedented certainty: "Why are you crying? You believe him?"

“I’m in charge of the Xie family, and my maternal grandfather is on our side. He’s just a clown; he can’t cause any trouble.”

"Don't worry about my dad, don't believe anything he says. And if you want to thank me, the only way is to be my girlfriend, I don't want anything else."

He understood the girl's personality; she didn't like owing others anything.

Only by saying this could she feel secure staying by his side.

Xie Lin raised his hand and gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips, his eyes full of doting: "My grandfather asked me yesterday when I would bring you home for dinner."

"He said he had long wanted to see what the little girl who could make him lose his mind looked like."

Around the corner not far away, Bai Xiulin watched the two embracing, his eyes swirling with emotions no one could understand. In the end, he simply sighed silently and turned to leave.