Chapter 153: Chapter 152: I Was Originally Just Acting on Lust

The Wellington Steak arrived, the red wine had been decanted, the piano music was still flowing, and the fragrance in the air was pleasant—light, elegant, and serene.

Lin Chu felt like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a bandit in a tailored suit.

Of course, the woman across from him was no little lamb, either.

He remembered a news story about a high school senior who, at a pre-exam pep rally, boldly declared he would work hard to get into a big-city university so he could go "poach the city’s finest girls."

Youths will be youths, bragging about anything and everything.

But the city’s finest girls weren’t so easily poached.

Right now, it wasn’t so much that Lin Chu wanted to sleep with her, but rather that he wanted to test his own charm. He wanted to put the theoretical knowledge from his recent cognitive upgrades into practice.

Liao Meili’s posture as she sipped her wine was very elegant. She truly had the air of a sophisticated, wealthy beauty.

An aura like that couldn’t be cultivated without long-term immersion in that kind of environment.

From that perspective, she was even more of a "lady" than Yang Huixian.

Of course, Yang was more genuine, more soft-hearted.

"So, where did you go to school?"

Lin Chu asked with a casual smile, swirling his wine glass. The scarlet liquid swirled, catching the light with an intoxicating glimmer.

Liao Meili replied politely, "In Switzerland, at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. And you, President Lin?"

"A regular second-tier university here in the country."

Lin Chu couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Oh, so you’re a self-made man. Very impressive."

She raised her glass in a small toast to him but didn’t clink glasses, only taking a delicate sip.

’That explains his domineering and aggressive nature,’ she thought. ’It makes sense. Anyone who can build an empire from scratch has to be a force to be reckoned with, right?’

To be honest, she did feel a bit of admiration for him.

If she didn’t have even a sliver of a good impression, she wouldn’t have agreed to this date, let alone given him the chance to swim with her.

"To be honest, I was initially driven by pure lust. I saw you once at the swimming pool and couldn’t get you out of my head for the longest time..." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Lin Chu said this suddenly with a smile, his eyes looking exceptionally sincere.

Liao Meili was speechless.

She was a little surprised, not expecting him to be so frank. A flicker of pride sparked within her as she replied politely, "Thank you. I’ll take that as a high compliment."

"So, what about you?"

Lin Chu shot back the question at the perfect moment, watching her with a half-smile.

’Attack!’

’Go on the offensive!’

’If she tells the truth, I have a way to handle it.’

’If she lies, I have a way to handle that too.’

’This isn’t a question. It’s an assault on her psychological defenses.’

Liao Meili’s gaze wavered. She felt a bit of pressure but managed a playful smile. "I was afraid you’d file a complaint against me."

"That’s a lie. Tell me something I’d like to hear," Lin Chu said with a laugh, his tone still light and easy.

She knew she couldn’t evade the topic and had already prepared an answer. "You’re young, handsome, and rich. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get to know you better, is there?"

"But for now, we can only be friends. As for flowers, I prefer red roses—red roses that are given openly and honorably."

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

’From a woman’s perspective, that was a perfect answer.’

Lin Chu silently gave her props. The last time he’d faced this line, it was from Yang Huixian. Back then, he had decisively walked away, deleted her on WeChat, and bluntly stated that he wasn’t looking for friends. A complete shutdown.

This time, however, Lin Chu wanted to explore other possibilities.

"What? Has no one ever sent you any?"

Her reaction was quick. "I’ve never agreed to accept them."

Just then, Lin Chu gave her a deep look, then suddenly pulled out his phone. He dialed a number saved under the contact name "Babe," flashing the screen at her for a second. Once the call connected, he said casually, "I’m calling to inform you of something. We’re breaking up. Effective right now, this very second. Whatever compensation you need, I’ll give it to you later."

Then, he hung up.

Liao Meili: ???

His move completely shattered her composure. She was in a state of extreme disbelief.

’Has he gone insane?’

’What kind of crazy stunt is this?’

’This is... No...’

"Are you for real?"

She suspected it was a fake call, but just then, Lin Chu’s phone started vibrating again. The screen lit up, showing an incoming call from "Babe." Lin Chu ignored it, letting the phone BUZZZZ on the table.

"Mhm."

Lin Chu fought to hold back a laugh, suddenly feeling a bit unhinged himself.

"You’re so cold-blooded, aren’t you? You like someone new and just break up with the last one? Do you have any respect at all?"

She kept her voice down, but she was clearly agitated. At least she no longer had that elegant, deadpan expression.

"This is true respect."

"A person can’t respect everyone at the same time. Respecting her would mean disrespecting you. Don’t you agree?"

Lin Chu said with a smile, raising his glass to her.

Her breathing grew slightly ragged. She placed her hand on her wine glass but didn’t lift it. She even had the urge to flee.

"Don’t go. At least finish this meal, even if it’s our last."

"Heh, go ahead, make me the bad guy in every scenario. I don’t care anyway. I’m used to it."

Lin Chu rejected the call and, for good measure, added the number to his blacklist.

...

「Meanwhile.」

Back at the office, Zhang Peng was completely bewildered. ???

’What is Brother Chu doing?’

’He said some bizarre things and then wouldn’t pick up his phone. He was starting to wonder if Brother Chu had been kidnapped.’

’But... that didn’t seem right, either.’

After thinking for a moment, he pretty much figured it out. ’Damn it, he’s trying to pick up a girl. Never mind, never mind. I’ll just ignore him.’

"I... I need to use the restroom."

Liao Meili took a deep breath, stood up, and walked briskly toward the restroom. The whole situation was too absurd; it was so shocking her scalp tingled.

Lin Chu watched her leave, a smirk playing on his lips. He drained his glass, poured another, and took a bite of his now-lukewarm steak.

’This move... isn’t working so well.’

’I’m speechless.’

’Looks like she isn’t compassionate enough. Nope, nope, this round just made me look like a clown.’

’See? Girls like this aren’t so easily poached.’

He removed Zhang Peng from his blacklist, changed the contact name back to his real name, and called him. "What’re you up to?" he asked with a laugh.

Zhang Peng replied, "Working overtime. What was all that about just now? I’m guessing you were... next to a girl? Did you crash and burn?"

His tone was even a little teasing.

Lin Chu: "Fuck! I overplayed my hand. But whatever, it’s fine, it’s fine. It’s nothing now. You better keep this a secret for me, or I’ll silence you permanently. You still got a lot on your plate? If not, come have a drink with me. The western restaurant at the InterContinental Hotel."

’Damn it, I have to at least get my money’s worth for this expensive booze!’

’If the girl runs off and the money’s already spent, I’ll look like a complete idiot!’

Zhang Peng: "Alright, alright. You’re the boss, so you call the shots. I’m only working overtime for you anyway. I’m on my way, on my way. Wait for me, twenty minutes max."

Lin Chu: "Okay."

When Liao Meili returned from the restroom, Lin Chu had already finished his call. He was sipping his wine and rolling a string of Imperial Green Jadeite beads in his hand, looking surprisingly lonely and dejected.

A lot of the wine was gone.

A moment ago, the bottle had been more than half full; now, less than half remained.

Shreds of white rose petals were scattered on the table, as if Lin Chu had torn them apart, piece by piece, mirroring his own shattered heart.

’This scene...’

She drew a sharp breath.

"Are you leaving?"

Lin Chu asked with a "miserable" smile, his voice low and somber.

She was speechless...

She felt strangely guilt-tripped.

But seeing such a "fierce and domineering" man reduced to this state by her—after he’d prepared this elaborate dinner and even broken up with his girlfriend—made her feel a little bit of pity.

"I... I’ll sit with you a little longer."

"Sigh. Why did you have to do that?"

she said with a sigh, sitting back down.

Lin Chu glanced at her. "It’s just one of my trials, I guess. I don’t lack women, and I don’t lack girlfriends. But I must be a masochist. I always manage to pick out the one person in a vast sea of people who doesn’t like me."

Liao Meili couldn’t help but want to laugh, but she forcefully held it in, her face turning red from the effort.

’How pitiful.’

’But also hilarious.’

It was in this moment of Lin Chu’s most over-the-top performance that she felt he was being his most genuine self.

...

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