Chapter 4: They're All Villains!

Lin Ting stayed overnight at the hotel and found it quite pleasant. The next morning, after waking up, she went shopping with Shen Anyu, buying some clothes and everyday necessities. She planned to stay at the hotel for a while. If nothing urgent came up, she wouldn’t return to the Lin family home just yet.

They spent the entire day out. After dinner, Lin Ting returned to the hotel. Passing by Shang Moting’s room, she noticed the door was open. Hearing voices, she instinctively glanced inside. The person opening the door was the same man who had been leaning against the wall the previous night.

Tilting her head, Lin Ting watched as Shang Moting stepped out. Standing at the doorway, he glanced at Lin Ting and then at the two attendants behind her. Both attendants were carrying bags full of items.

Lin Ting was momentarily stunned as she looked at Shang Moting. He wore a black shirt with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs—the proportions were perfect. He exuded an air of arrogance, rebelliousness, and mystery.

“Are you heading out?” Lin Ting admired him briefly and then stepped closer.

Lowering his gaze to meet her beautiful eyes, Shang Moting paused before saying, “Join me?”

“Sure.” Lin Ting agreed almost without hesitation.

The two attendants exchanged a glance, silent but surprised in their eyes. Lin Ting handed her room card to the attendants, asking them to put the purchased items away, then followed Shang Moting outside.

In this season, Jiang City felt oppressively hot. Lin Ting wore a simple white short-sleeved T-shirt and light blue wide-legged pants—fresh and understated. She got into the car with Shang Moting. Though the air conditioning was on, it was still warm as it had just been switched on.

She gathered her hair, intending to tie it up. Just as she was about to secure it, Shang Moting’s hand reached out. Seeing his hand from the corner of her eye, she turned her head to look at him.

His gaze settled on her neck. For a moment, Lin Ting feared he might mark her neck, a silent farewell to this world. Instead, she saw his index finger lift a stray strand of her hair. His fingers moved gently, allowing the strand to fall into his palm, sliding slightly across it.

That stray lock of hair, accidentally left behind.

Lin Ting watched the hair in his hand, her heartbeat quickening.

The strand in his palm seemed both enveloped and controlled by him.

She lifted her eyes to meet Shang Moting’s gaze.

Sensing her fleeting wariness, he raised an eyebrow, radiating a strong sense of dominance.

He said nothing, only holding the strand of hair delicately.

They locked eyes for two seconds before Lin Ting realized and quickly gathered the stray hair, swiftly tying up her hair.

Shang Moting withdrew his hand, fingers brushing his palm, then lowered his gaze to the laptop resting on his lap.

The cool air gradually filled the car.

After a moment of silence, Lin Ting looked out the window.

Noticing that no one else seemed inclined to talk, she broke the quiet with a question: “Shang Moting, are you here in Jiang City to attend the Shen family’s engagement banquet?”

It was no secret that Shang Moting’s aunt had married into the Shen family.

Without looking up from the laptop, Shang Moting replied, “Weren’t you asking my name just yesterday?”

Lin Ting’s expression stiffened. The two in the front glanced back through the rearview mirror.

“Yesterday I didn’t know, today I do. What’s wrong with that?” she said, both unreasonable and boldly defiant.

Shang Moting smiled faintly and asked, “What do you know?”

“What?” Lin Ting met his eyes.

“About me. What exactly do you know?”

They stared at each other for a few moments before Lin Ting said, “A lot. Things others know, things others don’t—I know them all.”

Shang Moting chuckled again and said to the men in front, “Drive out to the countryside, find a deserted spot, and bury her.”

The man who had been leaning against the wall last night was driving. Hearing this, he eagerly responded, “Got it, boss.”

The man in the front passenger seat suggested, “Boss, let’s dismember her and bury the parts separately. It’s safer.”

“Mm.” Shang Moting seemed very pleased with the suggestion, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. “Good idea.”

Lin Ting’s lips twitched. What kind of people were these?

She stared at Shang Moting fiercely. “If you dare. If you bury me, I’ll become a vengeful spirit, haunting you every day and draining your life force.”

At her words, the driver suddenly choked, coughing.

Shang Moting looked at Lin Ting’s defiant posture, arms crossed, chin raised arrogantly.

He said nothing, bowed his head back to the laptop, but his eyebrows twitched slightly.

Lin Ting didn’t notice this. She snorted, raised her chin, stared at him for a moment, then turned to the two men in front and asked, “What are your names?”

The driver glanced back at Shang Moting through the rearview mirror. Seeing no reaction, he said, “Wei Zishu.”

Lin Ting then looked at the other man.

“Fang Cheng,” said the passenger.

Lin Ting nodded. “I know your names now. If you dare bury me, I’ll report you to the underworld’s enforcers, and they’ll come for your lives.”

Her tone was polite when asking names but immediately switched to a threatening one—very fierce.

Wei Zishu smiled. “Sounds interesting. Miss Lin, pick a mountain.”

Seeing they were impervious to reason, Lin Ting leaned back in her seat. “Villains! A den of villains!”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Shang Moting’s mouth.

...

Nearly fifty minutes later, Lin Ting had fallen asleep in the car.

When the vehicle stopped, she opened her eyes and glanced outside.

In the darkness, she saw several bright characters shining above the entrance of a tall building:

“Wangyue Auction House.”

An auction house on the surface, with an information exchange center underground.

As long as one offers the desired price, the information they seek can be obtained.

Whether the price is high or low depends entirely on Wangyue Auction House.

Lin Ting hadn’t expected him to come here today.

She felt a surge of wanting to leave but honestly followed Shang Moting into the auction house. They sat together in a private box on the second floor.

A jewelry auction was underway on the first floor.

Currently up for bid was a sky-blue jade bracelet, with bids reaching ninety million.

After sitting down, Lin Ting immediately fell in love with the bracelet. It was stunning.

She watched for a while, then took out her phone and began typing a message:

“Bracelet number twelve, I want it.”

Just as she was about to hit send, a voice sounded at the door to the box, and her finger paused.

“President Shang, have you reserved this entire second floor just to see me?”

It was the voice of Qi Youfan, the owner of Wangyue Auction House.

Lin Ting looked up toward the door and locked eyes with Qi Youfan as he entered.

For a moment, Qi Youfan’s face, previously brash, carefree, and even somewhat arrogant, suddenly stiffened, his gaze becoming clear and sharp.