Chapter 188: That's fucking awesome!

The villa's lobby was brightly lit.

Lin Zhiyuan stood by the pool table, a glass of whiskey in his hand, chatting and laughing with his cousins.

Standing next to him was a man half a head taller than him, around thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, with a burly build, wearing a black polo shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearm muscles.

His facial features are largely similar to Lin Zhiyuan's, but more rugged, especially his thick, fluffy black curly hair, which is particularly eye-catching.

Lin Zhihong.

Lin Zhiyuan's older brother, and the most important figure among the Lin family's grandchildren.

Inside the house, several children were chasing and playing, their laughter shrill and piercing.

One of the girls, about seven or eight years old, was squatting by the coffee table, intently playing with a Barbie doll in her hands. Her dark curly hair hung down from her ears, covering half of her face.

The moment Ding Heng and Lin Man entered the room, several pairs of eyes turned to them simultaneously.

The first to greet her was a woman in her early thirties, with exquisite makeup and a voluptuous figure: "Xiaoman's here! Long time no see, you've become even more beautiful!"

"Sister-in-law."

Lin Man's politeness was just right: "Your complexion is getting better and better."

The eldest sister-in-law turned her gaze to Ding Heng, looking him up and down: "And who is this?"

"My boyfriend, Ding Heng."

Lin Man stepped aside, giving up half a body space.

Ding Heng smiled and nodded: "Hello, sister-in-law."

"Okay, okay."

The eldest sister-in-law responded repeatedly, "Come in and sit down, don't stand."

Several more people gathered around.

"Xiaoman is back?"

"Long time no see, how are you doing in Changsha?"

"I heard you opened a gaming companion service? How's business?"

They greeted each other warmly, as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for years.

Lin Man responded to each question with a polite smile and a neutral tone.

Ding Heng stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over each face.

I can't feel any temperature at all.

It's totally fake!

Finally, Lin Zhihong potted the black eight, put down his cue stick, and turned around.

"Little Man's here?"

"Brother Zhihong, long time no see!"

"You haven't been back for more than half a year! Grandpa was talking about you yesterday. Take some time to go see him."

"I'll go tomorrow."

"That's good!"

Lin Zhihong then turned to Ding Heng, smiling politely: "Is this Mr. Ding?"

Ding Heng extended his hand, and the two shook hands: "Mr. Lin, you're too kind."

"Xiaoman told me you run an investment company in Hong Kong?"

"Minor skirmishes."

Ding Heng smiled and said, "It can't compare to your large-scale physical businesses."

"No, no."

Lin Zhihong waved his hand, about to say something, when a voice interrupted from the side.

"Oh, Xiaoman's back?"

A man in his early thirties walked over, holding a wine glass.

He was short and thin, with slicked-back hair, and wore a dark blue suit that didn't quite fit.

He exuded an energy that seemed to be "overdoing it".

"Brother Wenhao."

Lin Man spoke in a flat tone.

Lin Wenhao stopped in front of the two men: "Is this the one you were talking about... who runs an investment company?"

"Ding Heng".

Ding Heng introduces himself.

"Oh, Mr. Ding."

Lin Wenhao extended his hand: "It's an honor to meet you. I heard you run an investment company in Hong Kong?"

"Small company."

"Yeah?"

Lin Wenhao took a sip of his drink and teased, "The current economic climate isn't good, Xiaoman, don't get scammed."

Lin Man's smile remained unchanged: "Brother Wenhao, do you think I'm that stupid?"

"That's hard to say."

Lin Wenhao chuckled twice, his tone sounding like he was joking, but everyone could hear the barb in his words.

"Weren't you a bit silly when you were little? We used to tease you by saying that when your dad came home in the afternoon, you would stand guard at the gate all day, even if it was pouring rain and you were soaked to the bone, you wouldn't go inside."

Lin Wenhao seemed to be recalling something interesting.

"How old were you then? Six or seven? You were squatting by the door and wouldn't budge no matter who tried to pull you away. In the end, your aunt had to carry you inside."

"Yes, yes, I remember too."

Another woman chimed in, covering her mouth and laughing, "Back then, Xiaoman was so easy to fool; she believed everything she was told."

"Is that why I'm worried!"

Lin Wenhao said in an affected tone, "What if Xiaoman is still as naive as she was when she was little, and gets scammed out of money and her virtue?"

Lin Man clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, and said with a forced smile, "Brother Wenhao has such a good memory. I almost forgot about it, but you still remember it so clearly."

Lin Wenhao disagreed: "Of course! You had so many embarrassing moments when you were a kid, everyone's bound to remember one or two, right?"

Everyone laughed.

Ding Heng immediately realized what Lin Man had been afraid of.

During her childhood in the Lin family, she was teased, bullied, and used as a tool for amusement.

The trauma still lingers...

What the other person considers a "funny story" can be an indelible wound for a six or seven-year-old child.

Ding Heng took a step forward, intending to stand up for Lin Man.

A hand reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve.

Lin Man raised her head, met Ding Heng's gaze, and shook her head slightly, offering a silent word of advice.

Don't……

This is a matter for the Lin family, and she doesn't want to involve him.

I don't want to right now, at least not right now.

Ding Heng took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his chest.

Lin Man didn't want him to get involved in the Lin family's affairs, but he couldn't just stand by and watch his woman be bullied.

After teasing Lin Man, Lin Wenhao turned to Lin Zhihong and offered him a toast.

"By the way, Brother Zhihong, I really have to toast you today. Thank you for taking care of me in the trouble in Zhuzhou last time!"

Suddenly, the little girl ran over and grabbed Lin Wenhao's trouser leg.

"Daddy! Daddy! I want some juice!"

"Go away, go find your mother."

Lin Wenhao waved his hand impatiently, and the little girl pouted, turned around and ran away.

Ding Heng glanced at the girl's jet-black curly hair and suddenly his eyes lit up: "Brother Wenhao."

Lin Wenhao turned his head: "Hmm?"

"Your daughter?"

"Yes, my daughter, Lin Tiantian."

Lin Wenhao said indulgently, "He's eight years old, and he's quite mischievous."

"Quite cute."

Ding Heng smiled and turned his gaze to the woman next to Lin Wenhao: "Sister-in-law, do you have curly hair?"

Lin Wenhao's wife, Yu Qian, is also in her early thirties. She has short, straight hair and light makeup, and is pouring juice for her daughter.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qian looked up, paused, and said in surprise, "No, that's not it."

"Does anyone in your family have curly hair?"

"No, not at all."

The woman shook her head, looking confused.

Ding Heng gave an "Oh," and said casually, "That's strange, why does Tian Tian have curly hair?"

All eyes turned to Lin Tiantian, whose jet-black curly hair stood out under the lights.

"Just like Brother Zhihong!"

Everyone turned their heads again to look at Lin Zhihong's wild, fluffy black hair.

The banquet hall fell silent.

Yu Qian looked terrified and instinctively cast a pleading glance at Lin Zhihong.

Lin Zhiyuan reacted quickly, putting down his cue and stepping forward to smooth things over.

"Kids have all sorts of hair, it's perfectly normal. It's inherited from their grandparents, maybe they got it from their grandfather. My brother and I are brothers, one has curly hair and the other doesn't, don't you think, sister-in-law?"

Yu Qian didn't reply, but lowered her head and gripped the juice cup in her hand tightly.

Ding Heng asked Lin Man with a puzzled look, "Does Grandpa have curly hair?"

Lin Man answered cooperatively, "No, it's my aunt who has curly hair..."

The implication is that the curly hair is not a Lin family gene, but rather a result of Lin Zhiyuan and Lin Zhihong's mother.

Lin Wenhao stood there dumbfounded, his gaze shifting back and forth between his wife and Lin Zhihong, his lips moving and his pupils trembling.

"Brother Wenhao."

Ding Heng's voice rang out again, breaking the suffocating silence.

Lin Wenhao mechanically turned his head.

"Didn't you just say you wanted to thank Brother Zhihong for worrying about you?"

Ding Heng joked, "Let's toast two more times. Brother Zhihong is probably working hard behind the scenes."

"M!"

Lin Wenhao roared angrily, grabbed a fork from the table, and charged at Ding Heng: "I'll teach you to talk nonsense!"

Ding Heng neither dodged nor flinched. When Lin Wenhao rushed up to him, he slightly shifted his body, precisely grabbed Lin Wenhao's wrist with his right hand, and twisted it sharply.

"Click."

It's a cracking sound from a dislocated joint.

Lin Wenhao screamed as his fork flew out of his hand and clattered to the ground.

Ding Heng pulled him along, and Lin Wenhao lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground, landing on his back with a dull "thud".

The banquet hall was completely silent.

Ding Heng looked down at Lin Wenhao and said in a flat tone, "Brother Wenhao, why are you hitting me? I'm not concerned about your family matters."

Lin Wenhao was panting heavily, his eyes bloodshot.

He struggled to get up, bracing himself on his arms, the excruciating pain from his dislocated joint causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

"You just wait...you just wait..."

Lin Wenhao continued his hoarse roar: "I'll kill you sooner or later!"

Ding Heng sneered disdainfully, "Brother Wenhao, why are you so bold? Too bad even if you're bold, it's not your own child."

In the corner, the little girl burst into tears.

Yu Qian rushed over, squatted down, hugged her daughter, and hurriedly covered her mouth.

Lin Zhihong's expression changed several times before he finally spoke his first words.

"Sister-in-law, you take the child back first."

Yu Qian looked up at him, and there was so much in that glance.

It's hard to explain, hard to define...

She didn't say anything, picked up her daughter and walked quickly outside, glancing at Lin Zhiyuan again along the way.

Lin Zhiyuan shuddered under Yu Qian's gaze and turned to the two young men beside him: "Quickly help Wenhao to the hospital..."

Ding Heng took in all the eye contact between the three of them and quietly activated his True Sight Eyes.

I don’t know, I’m scared.

The Lin family is something else, filming a thunderstorm!

Lin Wenhao shook off the person who tried to help him, struggled to his feet, and frantically chased after his wife, then—

"Smack."

He slapped her across the face.

The crisp sound echoed through the villa.

The woman staggered as she was hit, and her daughter cried even louder in her arms.

"You bitch."

Lin Wenhao squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, turned around, and strode out.

"That's enough!"

Everyone turned their heads at the same time.

Lin Zhihong stared intently at Ding Heng.

"Brother-in-law."

His voice was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger: "You're quite thoughtful."

"fine."

Ding Heng smiled and said, "Not as thoughtful as my cousin. You must take good care of your wife and siblings every day, right?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the banquet hall froze again, and several men looked at their wives in unison.

Lin Zhihong's smile remained unchanged.

"Cousin, you've found someone who dotes on you, but he's already giving us a hard time right from the start?"

He turned to Lin Man: "You're much better than your good-for-nothing father. Back then, when his wife and daughter were being bullied, he didn't dare utter a single word."

Lin Man's pupils suddenly contracted, and she, who had just been advising Ding Heng to calm down, suddenly took a big step forward.

This time, Ding Heng gently pressed down on her shoulder and stood in front of her.

"Cousin, you're thirty-seven this year, right?"

"What advice do you have?"

"People as wealthy as you usually get regular checkups, but there are some things you might not be paying attention to... like whether you can father children?"

The next second, everyone perked up their ears.

"You must think you're fine."

Ding Heng smiled and said, "After all, you already have two daughters and a son, and they all look like you and have curly hair, so there's no need to doubt that there's anything wrong with you."

Lin Zhihong frowned.

"But I don't know if you've ever helped your child with their biology homework..."

Ding Heng continued, "Curly hair is a trait. For example, if the mother has curly hair and the father has straight hair, and their two sons have different hair types, one curly and the other not, it's a perfectly normal genetic phenomenon. But the one with straight hair can also have a child with curly hair!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Lin Zhiyuan's face turned deathly pale, and beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"But it's okay."

Ding Heng said casually, "After all, we're all brothers, and the children are all his uncle's grandchildren. Why should we differentiate between you and me?"

Finally, Ding Heng added one more sentence.

"You and Zhiyuan take care of your younger siblings together all the time, but you're clearly spineless and take the blame for everything. How unfair!"

The audience was silent.

Lin Zhiyuan's expression was even more disgusting than if he had eaten shit.

All eyes darted back and forth between the two brothers, the fire of gossip burning fiercely.

Lin Zhihong's love of playing games wasn't a big secret in the Lin family, but no one expected him to play games with his own cousin.

No one would have guessed that his own brother, Lin Zhiyuan, was involved in even bigger schemes!

The smile on Lin Zhihong's face finally vanished completely, replaced by an expression of frost.

Ding Heng concluded with a heartfelt word of advice: "Tomorrow is your eldest uncle's sixtieth birthday. You'd better settle your accounts tonight and don't give him a lavish gift."

After he finished speaking, he took Lin Man's hand and quickly turned to leave.

"etc!"

Lin Zhiyuan instinctively chased after him.

"stop."

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Lin Zhihong roared, "Let them go!"

Lin Zhiyuan's voice trembled: "Big brother, they..."

"I told them to leave. Tomorrow is Dad's birthday. Do you want to cause a scene?!"

Lin Zhihong roared and howled, his eyes devoid of any emotion as he looked at his brother.

While the two brothers were facing off, Ding Heng led Lin Man back to the garage.

The car started and slowly drove out of the villa area.

Lin Man was still in a daze.

"Boss."

"Um?"

"How did you figure that out?"

Ding Heng pretended to be stupid.

"What did you notice?"

"that is……"

"I was just rambling, don't take it to heart."

Ding Heng spoke casually, which made Lin Man's lips twitch.

What nonsense?

Ghosts believe.

Ding Heng then asked, "With such a big commotion today, are you still going to the birthday banquet tomorrow?"

"go!"

Lin Man answered without hesitation, "I have to go. There's a show to watch, how can I not go?"

Tonight's events will surely reach her uncle's ears, and tomorrow's birthday banquet will be quite a spectacle!

Streetlights flashed past the window one after another, casting flickering shadows on Lin Man's face.

She recalled the scene in the banquet hall just now.

Especially Lin Wenhao, Lin Zhiyuan, Lin Zhihong... they all had expressions of utter disgust.

The grievances she had swallowed all those years surged up again at this moment.

But it was no longer bitter; instead, it was a feeling of comfort I had never experienced before!

Cool!

That's fucking awesome!

Damn, it feels even better than being knocked unconscious by a man!

Ding Heng sensed Lin Man's excitement and reached out to pat her head.

"Don't get too excited yet, there's another big gift for your uncle tomorrow."

"Hmm! What big gift is it?"

"Would it still be a surprise if I told you?"

The next second, Lin Man slammed on the brakes.

"squeak--"

The tires made a short, sharp sound as they dragged across the concrete road.

Ding Heng leaned forward and then back into his chair.

What are you doing?

Lin Man suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt and lunged forward.

Before Ding Heng could react, his soft, warm red lips were already pressed tightly against hers.

warm.

eager.

It poured down recklessly!

The system interface quietly appeared in Ding Heng's mind.

Crown of Thorns: Lin Man

[Current Status: A Princess Defiled by Worldly Affairs]

[Penalty Value: 48%]

Atonement Value: 3%

[Refuge Value: 10%]

[Ding! Your Conversion Value has exceeded 10%, achieving the milestone!]

[Rewards: Divine Merit +3000, Intelligence +15, Skill "True Sight" upgraded again, Relic "Confessor's Whip" upgraded.]

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Man finally released Ding Heng, her forehead pressed against his, breathing slightly heavily.

"Boss."

"Um?"

"Tonight..."

She licked her lips, her foxy eyes gleaming.

"Don't treat me like a human being!"

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 187: It's fucking awesome! We look forward to your visit.