35: Young and unaware of the allure of rich women

Lin Chao's eyes widened.

Live for free?

This... this won't do!

"Sister Mengya, this isn't right, is it?"

He quickly refused, his attitude firm.

"I can't accept rewards without merit; I can't take such a huge advantage of you for nothing."

"I should at least pay some rent; it's the thought that counts."

Xie Meng... Ya glanced at him, her eyes carrying a queen-like authority that brooked no argument: "Do you really have to be so calculative with me?"

With one sentence, she completely shut down all of Lin Chao's arguments.

If he persisted further, it would seem like he didn't know what was good for him and would make things feel distant.

Lin Chao fell silent for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He knew that the favor he owed was growing larger and larger.

He could only nod solemnly, his voice full of gratitude.

"Then... thank you, Sister Mengya."

Only then did Xie Mengya curl her lips in satisfaction.

Without another word, she reached into the storage compartment of the center console and pulled out a set of keys with a smart access card.

With a jingle, she tossed them into Lin Chao's lap. "I'll send the address to your phone later."

"You can move in anytime tomorrow."

Lin Chao gripped the cold set of keys tightly, but his heart was filled with warmth.

He said solemnly once more, "Sister Mengya, thank you so much! You've helped me so much since I met you!"

Xie Mengya just chuckled. "As long as you know!"

The maserati sped along the road.

Soon, it pulled up in front of a brilliantly lit clubhouse that looked extremely luxurious.

Illusion Night.

Rich Womens Club.

Here again.

Xie Mengya unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to get out.

But she noticed Lin Chao beside her wasn't moving.

His brow was slightly furrowed, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes.

Being who she was, Xie Mengya instantly saw through his thoughts.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Chao hesitated for a moment before speaking up.

"Um... will Sister Yanran be coming today too?"

He couldn't forget the scene at the restaurant at noon, where the two queens were at each other's throats.

It was practically a Shura Field.

He didn't want to go through that again.

Hearing this, a playful smile curled at the corner of Xie Mengya's mouth.

She extended a slender finger and gently tilted Lin Chao's chin.

"Don't worry."

"Yanran didn't come today."

Lin Chao was taken aback, then it clicked.

Right!

Lan Yanran was still on her period today and felt unwell all over; how could she possibly come to a place like this to drink?

He was truly overthinking things out of concern.

At that thought, he breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed completely.

Seeing his relieved expression, the smile in Xie Mengya's eyes deepened.

She spoke leisurely, "You certainly seem to care a lot about her!"

There was a faint, subtle hint of jealousy in her voice.

Lin Chao's heart skipped a beat, and his survival instinct instantly kicked into high gear.

He immediately shook his head and explained.

"No, Sister Mengya, you've misunderstood."

"I just don't want a trivial matter involving me to affect the relationship between you and Sister Yanran."

His expression was incredibly sincere.

"After all, you still have important collaborations in the future."

He said it so convincingly he almost believed it himself.

But deep down, Lin Chao curled his lip dismissively.

Trivial matter.

In his eyes, this really was a trivial matter not worth mentioning.

Wasn't it just a question of how he addressed them?

Was it really worth two female CEOs, with a combined net worth of tens of billions, being at daggers drawn in a restaurant?

He really couldn't figure out why they cared so much.

Xie Mengya's captivating phoenix eyes seemed capable of seeing through people's hearts.

She stared at Lin Chao's incredibly sincere face, the curve of her lips becoming even more playful.

"Oh?" She drawled, with a hint of lazy pressure. "So, are you worried about me, or are you worried about your Sister Yanran?"

This question was like a bolt of lightning that made Lin Chao's scalp tingle.

A death trap question!

This was definitely a death trap!

Lin Chao's brain worked at high speed, and without the slightest hesitation, he blurted out.

"Of course I'm more worried about you, Sister Mengya!"

His gaze was incredibly firm, and his tone was decisive, as if this were an unquestionable truth.

Hearing this answer, the playfulness on Xie Mengya's face finally turned into a satisfied smile.

She extended a finger and lightly tapped his firm chest.

"Good that you know what's good for you."

Lin Chao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, though a thin layer of cold sweat had already broken out on his back.

Actually, what he said wasn't entirely a lie.

He really was more worried about Xie Mengya.

On Lan Yanran's side, if the deal fell through, it would at most be a loss of tens of millions in profit.

For the massive Lan Group, it would be a bruise but wouldn't break any bones.

But Xie Mengya was different.

Her current situation in the Hongzhi Group was already delicate.

The collaboration with Lan Yanran was a crucial bargaining chip for her to secure her footing and even advance further.

If the collaboration failed because of a small character like him... she might be kicked out of the power center by the predatory Zheng Guangzhi.

He could clearly distinguish which was more important.

The two walked side-by-side through that familiar, gilded, and carved revolving door.

A smartly dressed waiter bowed in greeting and led them through the luxurious corridor.

Eventually, they stopped at the door of a familiar private room.

The door was pushed open.

Decadent music and the mellow aroma of wine, mixed with the charming laughter of women, instantly wafted toward them.

Several people were already sitting in the private room, most of whom he had seen last time.

The elegant woman on the sofa wearing a royal blue velvet gown was indeed Zhong Lin.

Beside her sat two unfamiliar faces.

One looked gentle and quiet, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

The other was decked out in jewels, with a massive "pigeon egg" diamond ring on her hand that was almost blinding.

As soon as Xie Mengya entered, she became the focus of the room.

She gracefully took Lin Chao's arm and introduced him to the two new faces with a smile.

"Let me introduce you to my newly adopted younger brother, Lin Chao."

Having said that, she leaned in and whispered to Lin Chao, "The one with glasses is Mrs. Zheng, and the one next to her is Mrs. Wang."

"They are both wives of prominent figures in City Name."

Lin Chao understood.

Sure enough, in the circles of the wealthy these days, everyone does their own thing.

While the husbands are out conquering the world, the wives are here living a life of dissipation.

As soon as Zhong Lin saw Lin Chao, her eyes lit up.

She joked with a smile.

"Yo, Meng Ya, you finally brought your precious little brother back?"

As soon as she said that, Mrs. Zheng's and Mrs. Wang's gazes both landed on Lin Chao.

Zhong Lin began to brag to the two of them as if showing off a treasure.

"I'm telling you, don't underestimate Little Lin."

"His massage skills are simply incredible! One session leaves you feeling comfortable for over half a month!"

These words immediately piqued the interest of the two wealthy ladies.

Especially that jewel-bedecked Mrs. Zheng; she sized Lin Chao up, her gaze carrying an undisguised arrogance.