I’m a Villain! Why Are You Trying to Date Me?
Chapter 20 - You’ve Already Hurt Him, Lin Tian, Do You Still Want to Run?

Chapter 20: You’ve Already Hurt Him, Lin Tian, Do You Still Want to Run?

Amid the adoration of the stars, every move Shang Chan made was under the watchful eyes of everyone, so she was very careful with her actions.

But no matter how discreet she was, how could she hide it from Zhao Mengmeng, who stood beside her?

The young girl had always been curious about Lin Tian, and now, seeing Shang Chan glance secretly toward the corner of the banquet hall, it was no surprise that Zhao Mengmeng could guess what Shang Chan was thinking.

Did sister do all this because of Lin Tian? she thought to herself.

What exactly is their relationship? Could they really be lovers?

I’ve never heard of sister having a boyfriend like that…

Plus, their way of interacting is so strange.

The more Zhao Mengmeng thought about it, the more questions filled her mind. She wasn’t the only one who had noticed Shang Chan’s subtle gesture. Zhao Dongyun, who had been focused on his eldest daughter all this time, had also caught it.

As the saying goes, “No one knows a child like their father.”

Even though Zhao Dongyun’s relationship with his daughter had grown distant due to the troubles within the Zhao family, he had always cherished Shang Chan since she was a child.

That subtle glance she gave couldn’t escape his notice.

However, since they were at a considerable distance, he couldn’t make out exactly who Shang Chan had been looking at.

Moreover, the phrase she had just said also puzzled him…

Is this the person you hold in such high regard?

Who? Who did she hold in such deep regard, to the point of affecting her decisions regarding Jiang Yifeng?

Was it someone who had helped Shang Chan, allowing her to sever those intricate plans in such a short time?

Zhao Dongyun’s mind wandered back to something Zhao Mengmeng had mentioned earlier.

There’s someone called Lin Tian… He’s always by sister’s side.

Zhao Dongyun narrowed his eyes. Could it be Lin Tian?

In the crowd below, Bai Bing’er’s red lips curved slightly.

As a woman with an uncanny ability to read people, she had probably already guessed what Shang Chan had just implied.

Is it that person? Heh, it seems he’s not just an ordinary servant of the Zhao family, she mused, her eyes gleaming with interest.

Interesting…

……

Everyone had different thoughts running through their minds, but the Zhao family’s ancestor memorial ceremony had to continue.

After Jiang Yifeng left, Bai Bing’er and Bai Ze also made their exit.

The banquet hall gradually returned to its lively, bustling atmosphere, and on the surface, it seemed like nothing significant had happened.

However, it was clear that today’s events would not simply fade away quietly. After the Zhao family’s memorial ceremony, not only the Zhao and Bai families but also several other top families in Li City would likely be drawn into this conflict.

But all of that was a matter for the future, and had nothing to do with tonight.

Although Shang Chan had already performed the first incense offering and effectively become the one in power at the Zhao family, the official title of Zhao family head still belonged to Zhao Dongyun. Therefore, it was only natural for him to host the banquet.

Moreover, with the “Jiang Yifeng incident” serving as an opening, Zhao Dongyun clearly had intentions to take action.

Previously, Zhao Dongyun had been somewhat constrained by the balancing act of Zhao Zhong and the obstruction from Zhao Dongshan and Zhao Dongshui. This had kept him from fully exercising his power.

However, now, Zhao Zhong had finally seen the truth: each generation of the Zhao family only had one capable heir—Zhao Dongyun in the second generation, and Shang Chan in the third—while the others were, unfortunately, useless.

Thus, Zhao Zhong had willingly relinquished his control.

After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, Zhao Dongyun declared the banquet officially open. The guests witnessed the not-so-complicated Zhao family ancestral memorial ceremony before they were free to mingle.

The kind of high-class banquet organized by the Zhao family was, in essence, a social gathering, a space for networking and influence.

Those who could join this gathering were all people of the same caliber. A few casual words could potentially lead to a partnership.

And with the “Jiang Yifeng incident” providing an extra topic of conversation, everyone had even more to talk about.

Zhao Dongyun and Zhao Zhong moved around the crowd, finalizing collaborations with many guests. When a prestigious family like the Zhao family was willing to lower its stature, the influence they could exert was enormous.

…

In the midst of all this lively activity, the focal point of the conversation, Shang Chan, quietly left, and even Zhao Dongyun didn’t notice where she went.

Only Zhao Mengmeng knew her sister was likely going to find Lin Tian.

Just as she had guessed, after bidding her farewells, Shang Chan changed into a new dress in the back of the banquet hall. Without anyone noticing, she slipped out through the side door and made her way to Lin Tian’s corner, opening a small door.

“Lin Tian, Lin Tian!”

Lin Tian sat in the corner for an hour or two, finishing off an entire Cuban handmade cigar. Normally, such a cigar would last him several days, but today it was gone in one sitting.

The smoke from the cigar had surrounded him so thickly that anyone outside the corner couldn’t see what was going on.

When he heard Shang Chan’s soft call, Lin Tian slightly shifted his body, snapping back from his deep thoughts. He had been reflecting on the storyline from the original book, trying to figure out where things had gone wrong.

Lin Tian’s intuition told him that Shang Chan’s earlier statement—about “Zhao Dongshan and Zhao Dongshui being the problem”—was not the full truth. In the original story, Zhao Dongshan and Zhao Dongshui were just as foolish. How had the Zhao family been manipulated back then?

Or perhaps, before Shang Chan officially took charge of the Zhao family, she had no authority to investigate Zhao Dongshan and Zhao Dongshui. After all, they were the second and third heirs of the Zhao family, even if they didn’t hold much power. They weren’t the type of figures that a junior member could investigate.

Shang Chan must have been lying.

But why was she lying? What was the true issue here?

Apart from this, Lin Tian was also pondering his next steps.

With the story taking such a sharp turn, he felt uneasy not being directly involved, but he also couldn’t afford to be too conspicuous. The position of General Manager at Xinghai Investment was just right for him, and he had no intention of resigning.

But what would happen next?

It was certain that Jiang Yifeng would make a comeback. A great battle was bound to erupt between the Bai family, the Zhao family, and Jiang Yifeng.

Lin Tian, however, knew a lot about the elements in the plot that were favorable to Jiang Yifeng. These included several top strategists, a mysterious woman, and the black-clad army from today, which was most likely sent by that very woman. Additionally, there were some strange encounters that had benefited Jiang Yifeng.

If Lin Tian wanted to scheme against Jiang Yifeng, even though Jiang Yifeng was the protagonist, he wouldn’t stand a chance. At the very least, Lin Tian could seize some of his good fortune.

But… was it really wise to go up against the Child of Destiny?

Lin Tian thought to himself, concluding that it would be better to lie low for now.

Who knew how Jiang Yifeng’s “fortuitous encounters” would change after the storyline shifted? If any new problems arose that Lin Tian wasn’t familiar with, he might not be able to handle them.

“I’ll wait for the Survival System to give me some rewards before I act,” he murmured, setting aside his worries. Standing up, he quietly walked over to the small door, making sure no one was paying attention.

Outside the door, Shang Chan was dressed in a pure black dress, with light makeup on, a serene smile in her eyes and on her face.

This woman didn’t seem to realize that her attire, combined with her clear, innocent smile, could cause such a devastating impact on others.

Thinking this, Lin Tian suddenly noticed that Shang Chan’s left leg seemed to be trembling slightly.

“C-Cao… Shang Chan, what happened to your leg?” he asked, confused.

Shang Chan froze for a moment, as if only upon Lin Tian’s reminder did she realize that her left leg was actually hurting a bit!

“Maybe… I ran too fast earlier and twisted my ankle,” she said, furrowing her brows, but the more she spoke, the more it seemed to hurt.

Lin Tian let out a small sigh.

[This woman is usually so composed. Why is she being so careless today… Twisting her ankle isn’t a big deal, though. Fine, I’ll let her rest and recover on her own.]

With that thought, Lin Tian was about to speak, but suddenly, he saw Shang Chan’s brows furrow sharply, and she collapsed straight toward him.

Lin Tian was startled and quickly stepped forward to catch her.

“Are you okay?” Lin Tian asked, but he didn’t notice that the woman he was holding was wearing a sly, mischievous smile in her eyes.

She was hurt, and he still wanted her to rest on her own?

She was hurt because she rushed over to find him!

No way she was going to let him off the hook so easily!

With that thought, Shang Chan, pretending to be aloof, pushed Lin Tian away slightly.

“Lin Tian, I’m fine… let me walk on my own…” she began, but then, she let out a small cry, as if she had genuinely lost her balance.

Lin Tian was completely helpless, thinking to himself, You’re fine? Then why the hell don’t you let go of me?!