Chapter 231: Internal Betrayal
Sitting in the taxi, Lin Tian leaned against the seat and looked out of the window. Just after taking a nap, so many things had happened; he really didn’t know whether it was a blessing or a curse.
The gears of fate often change dramatically just because you stepped in some dog poop...
"Ah~ if only I had known, I might have slept at the economy hotel last night!" Liou Qingcheng was also troubled by the morning’s events, her head leaning against the seat as she pondered.
"Hmm, why not just let Lin Tian pretend to be my boyfriend?" Liou Qingcheng leaned her head against the seat, suddenly coming up with this odd idea.
Isn’t there news online that some men and women around the Lunar New Year, to avoid being pushed into marriage when returning home, hire a boyfriend or girlfriend from the internet?
This way, the family won’t keep nagging, and there’s no need for the heartache.
"This is actually a good idea!" Liou Qingcheng suddenly felt that her brainwave was quite clever.
It’s just that Lin Tian, who was sitting next to her, didn’t know about Liou Qingcheng’s idea. Otherwise, he would immediately dispel this hellish thought...
While the two were hurrying to Kanyue City First Middle School, Bai Shishi, in the Xianglong Tea House office, was frowning as she looked at the file in hand.
Having spent a few days in Waihai City, upon returning, she checked the accounts at the company last night.
Bai Shishi found that the accounts were off; the revenues from several entertainment venues managed by Xiaogang were all abnormal.
Usually, there’s nearly ten thousand yuan in net income daily across several shops, raking in hundreds of thousands easily a month.
However, over these past few days, the return was only a hundred yuan at best, and sometimes nothing at all. Isn’t this drop too drastic?
Feeling that something was amiss, Bai Shishi checked the statements all night long, and early in the morning, she made a call to bring Xiaogang to her office.
Upon receiving the call, Xiaogang was not at all nervous. Instead, he tightened the collar of his shirt with a ninety-degree curved smile: "Miss Bai, the exciting moment is coming!"
Xiaogang pushed open the door to Bai Shishi’s office and came to sit across from her at the desk.
"Xiaogang, the revenues from those entertainment venues are off!" Bai Shishi questioned Xiaogang right away.
"Off?" Xiaogang didn’t immediately answer Bai Shishi’s question; instead, he lit a cigarette leisurely and took a drag.
"I’m asking you a question!" Bai Shishi’s face changed drastically with anger, slamming the table hard.
"I know you’re asking, but I want to smoke a cigarette!" Despite Bai Shishi’s wrath, Xiaogang responded with a mocking smile.
At this point, Bai Shishi could see that Xiaogang was no longer under her control.
"Xiaogang, are you trying to rebel?" Bai Shishi, no longer angry, questioned coldly.
"Rebel? What rebellion?" Xiaogang replied mockingly, "You’re not like Mr. Wang, so why say I’m rebelling?"
Bai Shishi squinted her eyes, glaring at him: "Spit it out, Xiaogang, what’s your purpose!"
"My purpose is simple. Back when I helped Miss Bai build the Xianglong Tea House empire, I’ve made immense contributions. So, I’ve decided to take over a few entertainment venues!" Xiaogang crossed his legs, speaking with a bargaining tone to Bai Shishi.
"Xiaogang, you bastard! I’ve treated you well, and yet you do this to me!" Bai Shishi trembled with fury.
"Miss Bai, you should blame yourself for always being with Lin Tian; I hate him so much. I have another idea: What if I tell the smiling tiger, Du Dahai, about Lin Tian’s identity as an honor student?" Xiaogang wore a sinister smile.
With these words, Xiaogang was fully threatening Bai Shishi. After all, wanting to join forces with Du Dahai initially led to nothing.
The subordinate once trusted the most has now betrayed her and bitten back, leaving Bai Shishi’s delicate face pale.
Bai Shishi took a deep breath to calm her inner emotions: "Can you spare Lin Tian?"
"Miss Bai, that’s really simple~!" Xiaogang smiled smugly: "Just a night with me will do!"
"Shameless!" Bai Shishi’s face turned red with fury, wishing to slap Xiaogang right in front of her.
Originally, Xiaogang was an outsider in Kanyue City; if she hadn’t taken him in out of pity back then, how could he thrive like today?
As they say, no good deed goes unpunished; it’s just like the parable of the farmer and the snake, where the snake, instead of gratitude and forgiveness, bites the farmer back.
Inside, Bai Shishi felt particularly unwell.
"Miss Bai, you can either agree or refuse!" Xiaogang smirked playfully: "Anyway, it doesn’t matter to me~ hahaha!"
Once again enraged, Bai Shishi’s chest heaved violently as she breathed heavily.
"You really are a bastard! To have hidden so deeply!" Bai Shishi slapped her hand on the table furiously, utterly disgusted by Xiaogang’s words.
"Can’t help it, who told me to love Miss Bai?" Xiaogang shrugged.
Threatened again: "So you better consider my terms. As I’ve now partnered with Du Dahai, if you secretly act against my entertainment venues, Xianglong Tea House might soon face destruction."
"Will you agree?"
"If she doesn’t agree, Lin Tian will be in danger!" Bai Shishi was deeply conflicted in her heart. Xiaogang’s condition was clearly vile, but regardless of its vile nature, logically speaking, not agreeing puts Lin Tian in jeopardy.
Lin Tian would be endangered, all because of her, starting from the first time Du Dahai caused problems to Xiaogang’s rebellion now—all because of her.
Bai Shishi felt deeply guilty and remorseful.
"But if I agree to Xiaogang..." Bai Shishi felt nauseated just thinking about it.
"What should I do?" Bai Shishi took out a lady’s cigarette, lit it, and quietly took a puff.
"Miss Bai, think it over. I have things to attend to, so I’ll leave!" Xiaogang said, leaving upon seeing Bai Shishi pondering with her brow furrowed.
Xiaogang hurried to leave, afraid of possibly encountering danger later, fearing Bai Shishi might retaliate if she wasn’t fooled, ensuring he couldn’t escape unscathed.
Thus, Xiaogang wanted to slip away before Bai Shishi reacted...
Watching Xiaogang close the door, Bai Shishi’s blank expression slowly transformed into a more fierce look.
"Xiaogang, I’ve treated you well, but since you want to rebel, don’t blame me for being ruthless!" Bai Shishi’s beautiful eyes showed a fierce glint.
The changes at Xianglong Tea House were unbeknownst to Lin Tian, who at that moment was already sitting in the principal’s office at Kanyue City First Middle School.
In front of him stood reporters with cameras, each looking ravenously eager at him.
"Everyone, quiet down. This is our school’s top scorer in the unified exams, Lin Tian!" The middle-aged man standing next to Lin Tian, Mr. Xu from the school, introduced Lin Tian to a group of reporters: "Feel free to ask any questions; you have half an hour for questions!"