In the earpiece, Lin Xuyan's heavy, ragged breathing was clearly audible—like a trapped beast pushed to the brink. Zhou Yuqing's threats—calling him a murderer, saying he'd rot in jail—had clearly struck a nerve. After a brief, suffocating silence, Lin Xuyan finally spoke, his voice carrying a forced calm, even a deliberately softened, coaxing tone:
"Yuqing… Yuqing, calm down! Let's talk this through, okay?"
"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?!" Zhou Yuqing's voice was still sharp, but Lin Xuyan's sudden "capitulation" seemed to catch her off guard—her volume dropped slightly.
"It's my fault, all my fault!" Lin Xuyan's voice was filled with "regret," sounding painfully sincere. "I shouldn't have neglected you, shouldn't have been… distracted by some meaningless fling. Nan Zhi—she was just a momentary thing, just for fun. How could she possibly compare to you? You're the most important person in my life!"
Sitting in the car, I curled my lips into a cold, mocking smile. Just for fun? A momentary thing? Lin Xuyan, your excuses never change—no matter the life, no matter the woman. In our past life, you told Su Xiaoran that Zhou Yuqing was just a casual fling. Now you're telling Zhou Yuqing that I, Nan Zhi, am nothing but a toy. Disgusting… and so damn familiar.
"The most important? Lin Xuyan, do you think I'm a three-year-old?" Zhou Yuqing's voice was thick with suspicion and resentment, but clearly, Lin Xuyan's "submission" had loosened her taut nerves. What she wanted was that "most important" position—even if she knew it might be a lie.
"Of course! Yuqing, after everything we've been through, all these years—how could anyone else compare?" Lin Xuyan's voice became increasingly "tender," laced with a kind of seductive charm. "Don't worry. I'll keep my distance from Nan Zhi immediately. No—cut her off completely! From now on, all my time and attention will be on you. Okay?"
He paused, and his voice grew even more cautious, tentative:
"Just… put those things away, okay? Don't act on impulse. We're on the same boat. If it sinks, no one wins—right? Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Just stay calm. Just trust me."
"Really?" Zhou Yuqing's voice had shifted—her rage and hysteria now laced with smug skepticism. She was clearly enjoying his submissiveness, his promises—it made her feel back in control.
"Absolutely!" Lin Xuyan replied firmly, without hesitation.
"Hmph, smart choice." Zhou Yuqing scoffed, but her tone had softened significantly. "Listen—what I showed you today, those photos, that was just a small part. Just a warning. The real deadly stuff? You think I'd be stupid enough to keep that on my phone?" Her voice now held a boastful tone, with a hint of carelessness. "It's all locked in a little safe, at a friend's place. Only I know the password.
My heart skipped a beat. Zhou Yuqing, in your moment of triumph, you really can't keep your mouth shut.
"Of course, of course—you're the smartest," Lin Xuyan replied with a fawning chuckle. "So… how about we delete the stuff on the phone first? Just looking at it makes things worse. I swear, from now on, you'll never see me involved with Nan Zhi again. I'll text her right now and make everything clear!"
"Now that's more like it." Zhou Yuqing finally sounded somewhat satisfied. "Here's the phone—do it now. Just looking at it pisses me off."
Through the earpiece came faint rustling and the sound of phone taps—Lin Xuyan seemed to be actually deleting the photo that had sent Zhou Yuqing into a fury—and sent him into panic.
"All done. Look, I deleted her just like that," Lin Xuyan's voice sounded noticeably more relaxed. "Yuqing, see? Isn't this better? Let's stop fighting. Let's just be good to each other again, okay? Didn't you always want to go on a beach vacation? I'll make arrangements in a couple of days. Just the two of us. Let's relax and forget all this bad stuff."
His tone was tender, the words dripping with honey.
But I knew Lin Xuyan far too well—knew his selfishness, his greed, and his cold, calculating core. He was like a venomous snake—what he hated most was being exposed, being threatened. Zhou Yuqing's actions today weren't just about jealousy—they had shaken the very foundations of his carefully constructed image as a "successful man," and threatened his freedom, maybe even his life.
There was no way he'd allow such a dangerous, unpredictable bomb to remain near him.
All his sweetness and compromises were nothing more than poison to lull Zhou Yuqing into a false sense of safety. What he needed was time—space—and a foolproof opportunity to get rid of the woman who knew too much and could drag him straight to hell.
Zhou Yuqing… you think holding evidence gives you security? You think having him send me a breakup text and deleting me from his phone means you've won?
You're playing with fire.