89: A strong sense of crisis

That look was like he was looking at a total fool.

"So what?"

These three light words were more chilling than any vicious curse.

Lin Chao's heart sank heavily.

It seemed Shen Zhixia had really met the wrong person this time... Guo Fandong looked at Lin Chao as if he were looking at an ant who didn't know its place.

He curled his lips condescendingly, his face full of mockery. "Don't think you can be like me."

"A wet-behind-the-ears kid like you should just get lost and go back where you came from!"

Ordinarily, Guo Fandong wouldn't even bother wasting words on such a minor character.

But today, he was truly bursting with anger.

It was all this kid's fault!

Just because he had spoken a few words to Shen Zhixia yesterday, her mood had clearly soured.

Most importantly, early this morning, he had called Shen Zhixia with great expectations, saying he wanted to come and see her.

Of course, Guo Fandong's purpose was far more than just "seeing" her.

He imagined the two of them chatting, drinking tea, and then, when the passion was high, something happening as a matter of course.

To his surprise, Shen Zhixia flatly refused!

After Guo Fandong pestered her for quite a while, Shen Zhixia finally said with a hint of exhaustion that her condition had flared up yesterday and she wasn't feeling well today, so she just wanted to rest at home.

Upon hearing this, instead of backing down, Guo Fandong became even more persistent, insisting that he must come to see her and take care of her.

Shen Zhixia really couldn't talk him out of it, so she reluctantly sent her address.

But she didn't expect Guo Fandong to arrive so quickly.

Even less did she expect that he would run into Lin Chao, who was also coming to deliver medicine, in the elevator!

...Meanwhile, Room 1902.

Shen Zhixia's hand holding the phone was trembling slightly.

The cold body of the phone seemed to suck away the last trace of warmth from her bones.

In her mind, Guo Fandong's cold and certain words echoed repeatedly.

—She is Yang Shengli's mistress!

—She is Yang Shengli's mistress!!!

Every word was like a red-hot steel needle, stabbing deep into the core of her heart.

Back then, he was the one who vowed that he believed in her innocence.

He was the one who spoke righteously, saying those rumors were a defilement of her.

So... it was all a lie.

So in his heart, she had long been labeled with such a filthy tag!

Ding—

The elevator arrived.

The number 19 lit up before their eyes, carrying an indescribable eeriness and irony.

With a "ding," the elevator doors slid open mercilessly.

The bright corridor lights, like stage spotlights, shone on the two confronting men.

Guo Fandong's gaze, like a knife dipped in ice, slowly moved down from Lin Chao's face.

Finally, it landed on the bulging plastic bags he was carrying.

Inside the bags were categorized Chinese herbs and a rustic-looking brown clay pot.

A thick and strange medicinal smell wafted into Guo Fandong's nostrils.

The contempt in his eyes almost overflowed.

So this kid was also using the pretext of visiting a patient to curry favor with Shen Zhixia!

He probably heard about Zhi Xia's illness from somewhere and wanted to win her over with such a cheap method!

But what truly made Guo Fandong's blood boil was another thought.

It was one thing for Shen Zhixia to tell him, her official boyfriend, the address.

But she actually... gave the address to this kind of trash too?!

On what grounds!

A strong sense of crisis instantly seized Guo Fandong's heart!

It was precisely this sense of crisis that made him say such merciless words in the elevator just now.

Lin Chao took in the changes in his expression, his lips curling into an extremely mocking arc.

"Heh."

"I thought you and Director Shen had such a great relationship."

"I didn't expect that in your heart, she's that kind of person."

Lin Chao's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, like a small hammer tapping on Guo Fandong's nerves.

Meeting Guo Fandong's murderous gaze, he continued fearlessly, "Since you're so certain that Director Shen is President Yang's mistress..."

"...and yet you're still dating her..."

Lin Chao paused deliberately, the mockery in his eyes deepening. "It seems, Mr. Guo, you have quite the grand scheme!"

These words were like an invisible slap across Guo Fandong's face!

His face instantly turned ashen.

"This isn't something a small fry like you could possibly understand!"

Guo Fandong growled in embarrassment and anger.

His gaze swept over the things in Lin Chao's hands with disgust once more.

"Besides, you're visiting Zhi Xia and you bring this junk?"

"How pathetic! And it smells weird!"

Hearing this, Lin Chao looked down at the herbs and the clay pot in his hands, his cold smile deepening.

"Still better than you."

"Coming here empty-handed."

"Swish—!"

Guo Fandong's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

He opened his mouth to retort, but Lin Chao had already stepped out of the elevator first.

Guo Fandong quickly followed, his expensive custom leather shoes clicking urgently on the polished floor tiles, betraying his inner turmoil.

He took a few quick steps to walk side-by-side with Lin Chao and lowered his voice, speaking in a threatening tone:

"I'm warning you, watch what you say later!"

After saying that, he seemed to have regained his confidence, and that smug smile reappeared on his face. "Anyway, Zhi Xia definitely won't believe anything you say."

Lin Chao's footsteps stopped in front of Room 1902.

He slowly turned his head and shot Guo Fandong a meaningful look.

"In that case..."

"...she'll believe what you say?"

Lin Chao's rhetorical question was like an invisible poisonous sting, accurately piercing Guo Fandong's most vulnerable nerve.

"Of course!"

Guo Fandong almost roared it out, as if the louder he was, the more it proved his confidence.

He puffed out his chest, and the arrogance of a victor was once again plastered on his face.

Lin Chao just gave a very slight nod. "That's good."

His voice was calm and devoid of emotion, yet it made Guo Fandong feel a strange palpitation.

At this point, the two of them were standing in front of the door to Room 1902.

Guo Fandong could no longer restrain himself. He wanted to see Shen Zhixia immediately and declare his sovereignty in front of this guy named Lin!

He suddenly turned sideways, slamming into Lin Chao with his shoulder to push him aside, and took the lead by standing right in the center of the doorway.

Immediately after, he raised his hand and pressed the doorbell hard.

"Ding-dong—"

The crisp ring echoed through the quiet corridor.