Chapter 52 Yaoming Group Chamber of Commerce

Lin Wan put on a sorrowful expression and said, "You seem a bit down lately."

"Seeing you like this makes me upset too. It must be because of her, right?"

"I couldn't sleep at last night, and I kept thinking of Momo as well. I just didn't dare to bring it up, fearing it would upset the family."

Lin Qinglang's long eyelashes trembled slightly.

"I know you are hurting," Lin Wan looked at Lin Qinglang and sighed. "Why don't we go to the chamber of commerce tonight? It might help take your mind off things."

With an innocent and pure look, she continued, "Third Brother said that if we manage to make some useful connections this time, it will be a huge help for the business..."

"I was thinking, if only I could meet the CEO of the Yaoming Group tonight."

"That way, Dad and Third Brother won't have to bear so much pressure..."

Lin Wan was still trying hard to shape her own persona.

She was going to the chamber of commerce for the sake of the Lin family.

Not for herself.

She looked at Lin Qinglang, hoping he would understand her good intentions.

Lin Qinglang said expressionlessly, "We have lived together for eighteen years."

Lin Wan was slightly taken aback. "Yes, we have known each other for eighteen years..."

Lin Qinglang looked straight into Lin Wan's eyes.

He remembered that when Lin Wan was little, the death of a pet rabbit had caused her to grieve for half a month, refusing to step outside.

She could not eat properly and could not sleep well.

Yet now, the one who had died was a human being.

And she was calm and content enough to attend a banquet.

Clearly, back when they were at the Lin family estate, she had been the one who cared most about and showed the deepest concern for Lin Momo.

The stark contrast between then and now truly gave one food for thought.

"Did you ever genuinely care about Momo in the past?"

"Of course!" Cold sweat broke out on Lin Wan's palms. "Brother, do you think I am cold-hearted?"

She squeezed out a few tears. "I am grieving inside too, and I feel so guilty toward Momo..."

"But she risked her life to save us, and I have to shoulder her responsibilities. I didn't dare to show my sadness; I just wanted all of you to be well."

"If I were to break down as well, Mom would only blame herself even more..."

If he had not witnessed it with his own eyes just moments ago,

he might actually have believed Lin Wan's words.

Yet, how could someone forcing a smile on the surface have been laughing so happily behind closed doors?

Lin Qinglang frowned. "Wanwan, I thought I knew you well enough."

"You and she were supposed to be sisters with a deep bond, yet at a time like this, you have the mood to attend some chamber of commerce event."

"From this, it is evident... that all your past affection and care for Momo were fake, weren't they?"

"No," Lin Wan grabbed Lin Qinglang's hand. "Fifth Brother, I am doing this for the family. You know how much Father values this chamber of commerce gathering."

"If you don't want me to go, then I won't go, alright?"

Lin Wan lowered her head, tears streaming down her face. "Brother, you cannot misunderstand me like this."

For some reason, Lin Qinglang felt a surge of inexplicable irritation.

He brushed her hand away and looked at her with a trace of disappointment. "Let me have some peace and quiet for a moment."

Lin Wan watched as Lin Qinglang walked away.

The sorrow on her face vanished completely. How careless of her.

She had been too overjoyed and let her excitement show on her face, which might end up affecting how the family viewed her.

"Fortunately, it's just Fifth Brother. He has the simplest mind of them all. I'll just go sweet-talk him and play the pitiful card later."

"He never had much of an attachment to Lin Momo anyway, so why is he reacting so strongly this time?"

"If he cared so much about Lin Momo, why didn't he do anything earlier?"

Lin Wan closed the door and went to retouch her makeup.

The Yaoming Chamber of Commerce.

It was held on the sixteenth floor of the Yaoming Group building.

Many socialites and celebrities had already arrived.

Lin Wan, accompanied by her father and third brother, arrived by car, looking curiously out the window.

"Third Brother, who on earth is this CEO?"

"I heard it's a woman, very mysterious and with a powerful background," Lin Jiayan replied. "The specific details are unclear, and her background cannot be investigated at all."

Lin Wan was instantly deeply disappointed. A woman, huh...

She stepped out of the car alongside Lin Jiayan.

Naturally, she hooked her arm around her brother's, attending the event as his companion.

Under normal circumstances, Lin Jiayan was undoubtedly a young and handsome CEO.

However, upon entering the territory of the Yaoming Group, men of his status were a dime a dozen.

No one was going to come over and shower them with flattery.

Mu Bai was waiting for them near the entrance.

Mu Bai was in low spirits; upon seeing them, he gave a slight nod and walked ahead.

Lin Jiayan murmured in a low voice, "Wanwan, do you want to go keep him company?"

He was not a fool and knew there was history between the two of them.

Lin Wan hesitated for a moment. "I'll go comfort him."

Clicking in her high heels, she walked over. "Brother Mubei."

Mu Bai nodded and managed a faint smile, but dark circles of exhaustion stained his lower eyelids.

Whenever he recalled that he had lost someone who loved him so deeply and was willing to lay down her life for him,

he felt a piercing, excruciating pain in his chest.

He had not slept a wink all through the night.

The more he reminisced, the more flawless Lin Momo appeared to him.

Her exceptional academic performance, her down-to-earth nature, her pure and unselfish love, her fierce and courageous devotion...

It was a pity that she was dead.

"Wanwan, is there any news from the search and rescue team?"

A heavy stone dropped in Lin Wan's heart, but she still managed a smile. "Not yet. You should try to set your mind at ease. Seeing you looking so haggard breaks my heart."

She linked her arm through Mu Bai's. "Brother Mubei, please take good care of yourself. I'm sure Momo would want you to be well."

"Mm." Hearing those words brought a modicum of peace to Mu Bai's troubled mind.

The two of them stood side by side.

They entered the bustling chamber of commerce hall.

Before long, someone recognized Mu Bai.

"Young Master Mu, I thought you wouldn't come today. Your father is already here; he was just speaking with us a moment ago."

"Oh, and who is this..." The speaker knew that Mu Bai's fiancée had just died, and seeing him holding hands with a female companion now, could not help but feel curious.

"She looks so familiar. Is she the eldest daughter of the Lin family?"

Lin Wan bit her lip and offered an innocent smile. "It's me. Hello, uncle, my name is Lin Wan."

However, the moment those words left her lips,

the expressions of the surrounding people turned somewhat subtle.

How could the younger sister of a deceased fiancée die, only for him to immediately bring the elder sister to a high-society event?

"Hahaha... We'll talk later, we have some business to attend to." The group excused themselves and walked away.

They were not people given to petty gossip.

Upon spotting her son, Xiao Ru frowned deeply. No matter what the circumstances, while Lin Momo's body had not even been recovered, he had no business parading around so intimately with her sister.

"Mu Bai, come here!"

Hearing his mother's call, Mu Bai was just about to walk over.

Suddenly, a group of men aggressively plowed through the middle of the crowd, bumping into Mu Bai and sending him stumbling sideways.

Mu Bai frowned and looked up, catching sight of a tall, imposing man with an aura of dangerous rebelliousness turning his head back.

That gaze was haughty, cold, and filled with deep aversion.

It was as if he were looking at nothing more than an ant.

An extremely unpleasant feeling settled in Mu Bai's chest.

The group did not linger, striding purposefully toward the inner hall.

Xiao Ru hurried over. "Son, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. The aura of the man who just passed by was terrifying. Who is he? I've never seen such a person in City A."

Xiao Ru's gaze darkened. "He's from the capital, rumored to be in the arms trade. In any case... you must not cross paths with him, otherwise..."

Even Xiao Ru looked apprehensive, which clearly meant the man possessed a dangerously high status.

Mu Bai frowned. "Why would a person like that appear in City A?"

Xiao Ru happened to have heard some whispers. "He has a very close relationship with that female CEO of the Yaoming Group. He's definitely here for her."

Listening from the side, Lin Wan could not help a pang of envy.

Such a powerful and handsome man had actually flown in just to back someone up...

Yet, the moment they looked over toward the inner hall, all of them froze in place.

The man walked toward the rear of the hall, and under the dim lighting, he wrapped his arm around a woman's waist.

His demeanor was fiercely intimate and dripping with absolute indulgence.

Mu Bai stood frozen in utter shock. "Momo?"