area51novel Chapter 246 Chen Xueru Awakens
Chapter 246 Chen Xueru Awakens
The atmosphere in the tavern had just been warmed up again by Lin Yan's laughter and conversation with Uncle Niu and Uncle Pian when Xu Huizhen, carrying a tray with two glasses of wine on it and wearing a perfectly warm smile, walked towards Lin Yan's table again. What was even more surprising was that Chen Xueru, who was following behind her, was acting awkwardly and with an extremely unnatural expression.
"Brother Lin," Xu Huizhen said in a clear, cheerful voice, with a deliberate air of intimacy, "I was so focused on calming you down that I forgot about the important matter. This is Chen Xueru from the silk shop across the street, my best friend." As she spoke, she gently nudged Chen Xueru, who was frozen in place, with her elbow.
Chen Xueru's face flushed and paled in turns, clearly having been dragged here by Xu Huizhen. She recalled the scene where Lin Yan had humiliated her so badly that she wanted to disappear into her shoes, her toes practically digging into her own. But Xu Huizhen's words, "This is the real Buddha, you can't refuse to pay your respects. If you want to survive on Qianmen Street, you have to get past this!" still echoed in her ears. She bit her lipstick-covered lips, forcing out a smile that looked more like a grimace.
Xu Huizhen quickly tried to smooth things over, raising a glass of wine: "Brother Lin, Xue Ru was ignorant last time and offended you. She spoke without thinking. On her behalf, and on behalf of our little shop, I sincerely apologize to you again! Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against us women." As she spoke, she gently kicked Chen Xue Ru's heel.
As if a switch had been flipped, Chen Xueru quickly picked up another glass of wine, her voice a little hoarse: "Comrade Lin, I was wrong last time, I was impulsive and said the wrong thing, please...please don't take it to heart." She stammered as she spoke, which was a huge apology for her.
Lin Yan looked up, his gaze sweeping over Xu Huizhen's sincere face, a hint of amusement creeping into his eyes. He hadn't taken Chen Xueru's provocation to heart, much less refused the face-saving offer Xu Huizhen had offered. Looking at Chen Xueru's forced aggrieved yet defiant expression, he was momentarily reminded of a shrewd business rival from a past life, one who had ultimately fallen into a trap of lust. A sudden thought stirred within him, a rare urge to offer a word of guidance.
He didn't get up, but simply raised his wine glass with a smile: "You flatter me, landlady, and you're too kind, Mr. Chen. I've long forgotten about that little argument. Please sit down."
The casual "Sit down" sounded like heavenly music to Xu Huizhen's ears. She immediately beamed and pulled the still somewhat dazed Chen Xueru to sit down in the empty seat at Lin Yan's table.
"Brother Lin, you truly have the magnanimity of a prime minister!" Xu Huizhen quickly flattered him, then naturally continued, "Xueru, haven't you always been praising Brother Lin's imposing presence? Haven't you ever seen the material of that coat before? Now that the real deal is right before your eyes, why don't you quickly ask him for his expertise?"
Provoked by Xu Huizhen, Chen Xueru's professional instincts overcame her slight embarrassment. She couldn't help but steal another glance at the fine texture of Lin Yan's wool coat, her eyes revealing professional appreciation and curiosity. However, this time, she kept her hands obediently on her knees and dared not reach out again.
Lin Yan saw this scene and understood perfectly well, but he was too lazy to point it out. He casually poured Xu Huizhen a small cup of tiger bone wine as a gesture of respect.
Lin Yan glanced at Chen Xueru, who was sitting opposite him and looked extremely uncomfortable, and asked calmly, "Do you know what you did wrong last time?"
Chen Xueru lowered her head silently, first shaking her head subconsciously, then nodding as if remembering something, her voice barely audible: "No... I shouldn't have touched your clothes."
"Hehe," Lin Yan chuckled and shook his head. His laughter was unreadable, but it made Chen Xueru's heart clench even tighter. "Then you still haven't thought it through."
Chen Xueru raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion and resentment, but even more so with a sense of powerlessness in the face of this unfathomable young man. She bit her lip and straightened her posture: "Please enlighten me, Mr. Lin!" This time, her words carried a genuine desire for guidance.
Lin Yan did not answer immediately. Instead, he slowly fed Xiao Qi a small piece of shredded beef and watched it swallow it with satisfaction before turning his gaze back to Chen Xueru. His gaze seemed to see into people's hearts.
"Miss Chen, think carefully, why did you touch my clothes?" he prompted.
"Uh..." Chen Xueru paused for a moment, then answered honestly, "I wanted to find out where this fabric and this dress came from!"
"So in other words, you're here for business, right?"
Chen Xueru nodded quickly.
Lin Yan leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.
"I understand. It's not easy for a woman like you to gain a foothold in this world and keep your business going." He first acknowledged her difficulties.
Then, changing the subject, he said, "But you've probably fallen into a misconception. If you want to ask me where this fabric comes from, you just need to politely ask, 'Comrade, the fabric of your clothes is quite rare. Would you mind telling me where you bought it?' I certainly won't make things difficult for you. Even if I slapped your hand back then, as long as you correct your attitude and sincerely ask for my advice afterward, you can still smooth things over and get things done."
He paused for a moment: "But you may be very confident in your appearance. All along, if you want to control men and achieve your goals, your first choice has always been to show off your feminine charm. Pose coquettishly, flirtatiously... Perhaps the men around you have never tasted fine food, and this approach has worked for you time and time again, giving you the illusion that all men fall for it."
At this point, Old Niu couldn't help but cough softly, shifting his body somewhat awkwardly and subconsciously avoiding Lin Yan's gaze, as if he were one of those men who "had never eaten fine food." Old Pian was dumbfounded, mouth agape, looking at Lin Yan, then stealing a glance at Chen Xueru, whose face flushed and paled in turns, thinking that this Brother Lin's words were too... too incisive!
Lin Yan continued, each word piercingly incisive: "So, when you encounter someone like me who doesn't buy into your act, or even directly embarrasses you, you become 'furious and embarrassed,' feeling like you've lost face, and then you 'speak recklessly,' trying to get back at them, right?"
Chen Xueru's face turned completely pale. Her lips moved, but she couldn't utter a single word because Lin Yan's words perfectly recreated her mental journey at that time.
"Do you know? How a woman treats a man determines how he will see her." He spoke with a cold, insightful understanding of human nature. "Even those men who are completely subservient to you, who seem to be under your control, if you use your charm to manipulate them, they may outwardly comply, but inwardly they will only ever be interested in your body. They will never respect you, much less see how rich your soul is or how outstanding your abilities are. So, Miss Chen, your way of doing things is ultimately a low-class approach," he emphasized slightly, "and the lowest of the low."
These words, like an icy waterfall, poured over Chen Xueru, chilling her to the bone, even her fingertips trembling slightly. Xu Huizhen, standing nearby, held her breath, her heart churning with shock. She considered herself a shrewd and capable woman, but listening to Lin Yan's merciless analysis, she suddenly realized that, in some ways, she and Chen Xueru were perhaps no different. Her gaze towards Lin Yan held not only awe but also deep admiration—how insightful must one be to see through people's hearts and the ways of the world so clearly! And he's still so young!