Chapter 133: I Am Who I Am, and I Have Never Changed

"Pay attention and learn, all of you!" Li Qinghai chided his female companion with a hint of irritation, blaming her for spoiling his plans. "Don't just fill your heads with such trivial things; it's so shallow!" Stung by the rebuke, the woman naturally felt wretched. She lowered her head, not daring to utter a word. That was the downside of taking someone's money—one had to grit their teeth and endure whatever the benefactor said. In truth, this was a skill in its own right.

The entire meal had left her bewildered. If the purpose was to facilitate a partnership, why hadn't Lin Shuo discussed business? If it was merely a gathering of friends, she couldn't fathom who among them, besides Zeng Ziyu, could be considered a true friend to Lin Shuo—and perhaps even Zeng Ziyu didn't qualify.

On the way back, her curiosity finally got the better of her. She asked him about it, only for Lin Shuo to reply with a straight face, "To be honest, I have no personal connection to those people. They just happen to be well-acquainted with my mother. Tonight's dinner was simply a way to use their mouths to tell her to stop worrying about my marital prospects."

Whether this was a proactive measure or an urgent necessity, she couldn't tell. "Is your mother... that worried about you?" she asked, trying to phrase it as tactfully as possible to probe him. With Lin Shuo's background, he had no reason to worry about finding a virtuous wife; if anything, he had too many choices and was spoiled for options.

Lin Shuo didn't answer. He leaned his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes, the faint scent of alcohol wafting out with his breath. He instructed the driver to turn up the music.

The track was heavily influenced by R&B; she remembered the singer was Canadian, with a voice that was languid and magnetic.

"I've treated you unkindly, but girl, can't you see? There's no one more important to me. So darling, can't you see through me? Because we're alone now, and I'm singing my song for you. You taught me precious secrets."

Love is a thing that, no matter how one tries to portray as flirtatious but not vulgar, or sorrowful but not wounded, thinking one has hit the mark, it is ultimately just scratching the surface of an itch.

He said, "Love has never been a secret to me." He then opened his eyes to gaze at her. The towering skyscrapers cast flickering shadows across her face. She merely said calmly, "Let's get out and walk."

It was the still-scenic Xiba Road. They had walked here hand-in-hand more times than they could count; she could even clearly tally the number of Chinese hackberry trees along the roadside. The pedestrians were gradually heading home, and the bustle of the day had faded, leaving only a crescent moon hanging lonely and dim in the sky.

"Lin Shuo."

"Hmm?" He walked beside her, his pace slow.

"I think..." She stopped and looked at him solemnly, calmly withdrawing her hand from his palm. "It has been quite a while since that matter. I think I would like to move back."

A heavy silence followed, as if he were deciphering her subtext. After a long while, he raised an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth curling upward slightly. "You're drunk." As he spoke, he raised his hand to signal the car following them to pull over.

She pulled his hand down. The driver in the distance also stopped. She tried hard not to look at his expression. "I've thought about it. I was truly happy that you returned, but so many things have changed. Before, you were just Lin Shuo..."

He interrupted her, "I still am. I am who I am, and I have never changed!"