Chapter 86 — I Want to Let You Go

"Where are you? I want to see you."

After a sleepless night of tossing and turning, Lin Xiaowen finally decided she had to meet with Si Nan and settle things face to face. So, she searched through her pending friend requests on WeChat, finding the number she had deliberately ignored before.

That single character—"Nan"—was enough for Lin Xiaowen to be certain it was him.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. Just as she was growing restless, debating whether to send another message, her phone vibrated.

"j"

She stared at the two lonely letters on the screen, her brows knitting even tighter.

Perfect Journey.

The "j," situated in a prime location, marked this five-star hotel as one of the most prestigious in all of Shanghai. The cars coming and going were nothing short of luxurious, and those entering and leaving the hotel were all impeccably dressed.

But Lin Xiaowen, in her short skirt and white t-shirt, hair twisted into a bun, stood out like a sore thumb among them. Even the doormen at the entrance regarded her with a peculiar look.

She had been standing outside the hotel lobby for over an hour. After Si Nan sent her those two letters, no matter how many messages she sent—even telling him she was waiting outside—he said nothing about how to meet him.

So Lin Xiaowen had no choice but to clutch her phone and wait in the scorching sun.

Fine beads of sweat had already rolled down her skin countless times, dampening her thin clothes. When a breeze blew, it brought a fleeting hint of coolness.

What she didn't know was that, on one of the upper floors of that building, a pair of dark, cold eyes had been watching her quietly for a very long time—just as she had been standing in the sun for so long.

"President Si, the car is ready and will be here any moment now!"

A group of men in matching black uniforms surrounded Si Nan as they exited the hotel lobby. Lin Xiaowen's eyes lit up. Without a second thought, she strode quickly toward them.

"Si Nan…"

Though she was a woman, Lin Xiaowen's presence was anything but timid; in fact, she came forward with an air of urgency. The two doormen, who had already been watching her for some time, immediately stepped forward to block her path.

Xia Bin, trailing after Si Nan, paused in surprise and murmured, "Lin Xiaowen…"

Blocked from approaching, Lin Xiaowen could only call out to Si Nan from a distance.

"Since you're finished with your business, do you have time to talk with me now?" she asked.

Si Nan glanced at her. Her already pale, slender face was now flushed from excitement and the harsh sun. Her lips, thin and dry from dehydration, were chapped, but her bright, round eyes still shone like stars in the night sky.

"Miss Lin?" Si Nan halted and signaled for the doormen to release her. Only then did Lin Xiaowen step quickly up to him.

This man, who fancied himself inscrutable, radiated a chill from the overzealous air conditioning inside. As Lin Xiaowen stood before him, tilting her head up to meet his gaze, a shiver ran through her from the inside out.

"Since you came, Miss Lin, why not come inside and sit for a while?" Si Nan's lips curled into an elegant smile. If only his eyes held a sincere warmth, he would have been the very image of a perfect lover.

But, alas…

"I'm fine waiting here for you," Lin Xiaowen replied, averting her eyes.

Si Nan clearly found her answer unsatisfactory. He withdrew his gaze and said coolly, "Then I suppose there's nothing left to discuss."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Hey, I'm not finished!" Lin Xiaowen quickly stepped in front of him, meeting his eyes directly. "I've waited for you out here for over an hour, and you're just going to walk away?"

Si Nan looked at her with impatience, frowning. "You knew exactly why I asked you to come, yet you insisted on standing outside in this weather, waiting for me? Are you always this adept at using self-pity to soften a man's heart, Miss Lin?"

"What are you talking about?" Lin Xiaowen was momentarily confused, staring at Si Nan's mocking smile as he continued, "It's useless. I might have been interested in you once, but I truly detest women who play games and think themselves clever."

Si Nan brushed past her bewildered expression just as the car pulled up. Xia Bin hurried over to open the door.

But Lin Xiaowen moved first. With a loud "bang," she slammed the car door shut and glared at Si Nan, raising her voice.

"Explain yourself! What games, what cunning? I came to talk to you, and you accuse me of these things before I've even spoken. Si Nan, if you're a man, tell me clearly—why are you making things difficult for my friend? If anyone here is guilty of scheming and underhanded deeds, it's you and no one else!"

Her voice was calm yet resolute, every word ringing clear and true. The men behind Si Nan were all stunned.

The two doormen at the entrance lowered their heads as much as possible, terrified that their boss might be subjected to such a dressing-down by a young woman under their watch, and worried they might lose their jobs for witnessing it. Still, they couldn't contain their curiosity and stole glances at the scene.

Everyone present thought this woman must have a death wish, daring to confront the president in such a manner. Surely, Si Nan would not let this go unpunished…

Yet Si Nan suddenly laughed. His laughter left Lin Xiaowen momentarily disoriented. She tried to speak, but a sharp pain shot through her shoulder.

In the next moment, as dizziness clouded her vision, her back was pressed hard against the side of the car.

There was no longer any attempt to mask the cruelty in Si Nan's eyes. The grip of his hand tightened, making Lin Xiaowen gasp for breath, but she refused to cry out, staring up at him with stubborn defiance.

"I was already prepared to let you go—as long as you returned the child to the Si family. But you just had to come back on your own. Lin Xiaowen, what do you really want? Am I underestimating you time and again, or is your ambition truly that great, hmm?"

Si Nan's breath, thick with alcohol, poured down on Lin Xiaowen as he loomed over her, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Her head was pounding, the smell of liquor making her desperate to break free from his control.

"You… let go of me, Si Nan, I don't understand what you're saying…" Lin Xiaowen struggled to pry his iron grip from her wrist. "You know I'm here for my friend. As for the Si family, why should others be dragged into our issues without knowing the truth?"

In her struggle, Lin Xiaowen's sharp fingernails accidentally scratched a red mark across the back of Si Nan's hand, but he showed no sign of letting go.

His eyes grew even fiercer as he seized her other hand behind her back. Unable to move, Lin Xiaowen, both furious and anxious, glared up at him and cried out,

"So this is how the president of Randong Group treats—"

Her words broke off abruptly, her heart lurching in her chest.

She had almost let those few words slip out…

"What? Treats whom?" Si Nan looked at her with a half-smile, tightening his grip once more. The pain snapped Lin Xiaowen back to her senses, and her angry gaze quickly masked the flicker of desolation that had just passed through her eyes.