Chapter 126: A Confidante

Following Lin Yu’s preemptive stalling tactic, Wang Yan had not yet reached the side of Mayor Wang Kezhou. In that moment, Lin Yu clamped his right hand around Jia Quan’s throat, hoisting him into the air, and barked, "Wang Yan, stop right there! Otherwise, he will be suffocated to death within two minutes."

Wang Yan, who carried the aura of one who could "slay a man every ten steps and never leave a trace behind," halted immediately upon hearing the roar. He turned back and cursed at his men, "Are you all useless? Letting one kid capture Master Jia so easily! Do you have a death wish?"

Chastised by Wang Yan, his dozen or so subordinates lowered their heads in shame. They had assumed their boss had already cowed the opposition, never imagining this boy would be as cunning as a fox.

"I’d say it’s been half a minute already. Secretary Jia is starting to tremble. You’d better think clearly and decide what to do next," Lin Yu said with a cold sneer, his eyes revealing a ruthless resolve. Looking at his violent demeanor, one would never guess he was merely a high school student.

After scrutinizing him for a few more moments, Wang Yan clapped his hands, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "You win."

"It’s not that I won; justice won." Lin Yu loosened his grip slightly, though he did not fully release the flushed Party Secretary, Jia Quan.

Once released, Jia Quan began to gasp for air. He loathed the boy who had restrained him. He never expected that after surviving so many storms, he would fall today at the hands of an eighteen-year-old. There is a saying that things turn into their opposites at their peak; he felt his political career was exactly like that. Just as he reached the zenith, sailing smoothly, his fortune had collapsed like a mountain in an unexpected defeat.

As Jia Quan’s spirit dissipated, his entire faction let out a long, heavy sigh. They knew in their hearts that the political climate of Bincheng was about to change completely. The name Lin Yu, once obscure, was suddenly on everyone’s lips, discussed by the hurried crowds in the streets and alleys of Bincheng. Many teenagers, in particular, began to view him as an idol, admiring him with absolute devotion.

Later, some would conclude that tonight’s events should never have happened. If Jia Qing had not provoked Lin Yu on stage, if Zhang Yang and his group had not intervened, if Jia Quan had been magnanimous enough to suppress the matter, if he hadn't pettily expelled an eighteen-year-old, if he hadn't struck that fateful slap—then Bincheng would still be his domain. But destiny is an unfathomable thing; it only moves forward, never back. What happened, happened.

After Hu Rongqiang, Han Kezhen, Lin Huiyin, and the others filed in, the night’s farce finally reached its conclusion. Because Yang Zhilin had been injured on the face, Lin Yu bid farewell to Mayor Wang Kezhou, Vice Mayor Yang Xiong, Xia Ling, and his own parents, before leaving the Brilliant Hotel with the girl.

As they exited the hall, Lin Yu held Yang Zhilin’s hand the entire time without speaking a word. They stepped softly across the plush red carpet and vanished from the sight of the crowd. Watching the pair depart under the gaze of everyone, Jiang Lele’s expression dimmed. She pretended to tidy her handbag to hide her discomfort, but within three minutes, she was once again bright and animated, as if she had thought of something else. Lin Tiancheng and his wife, Wang Chunhua, exchanged a brief look; despite the danger, they felt immense relief that they had survived the ordeal.

Exhausted by the reactions of those in the hall, Lin Yu no longer had the energy to dwell on them. Once outside the hotel, he let go of Yang Zhilin’s hand and asked with concern, "Does it hurt a lot?"

"It’s alright." Yang Zhilin’s face was slightly flushed, the five-fingered mark still shockingly visible on her cheek.

These marks burned into Lin Yu’s heart. Being protected felt wonderful, but he had been too slow to act, allowing the girl to get hurt, which filled him with profound guilt. He longed to touch her injury, but halfway there, he pulled his hand back, reminded of Qi Yue. He changed the subject: "I really didn't expect that the famous Brilliant Hotel in Bincheng was actually owned by your family!"

"Hehe, is that so strange? Haven't you noticed that my mother is a very strong-willed woman? It would be strange if she hadn't achieved something." Yang Zhilin was a perceptive girl; she saw through his facade and understood the situation. She knew that the most important girl in Lin Yu’s heart was Qi Yue—a bond so firm that no one could intrude. Naturally, she would not try to steal her best friend’s love.

"That's true. Actually, your personality is quite like your mother’s, too—ambitious and strong." Lin Yu scanned her slightly wistful eyes, his words betraying a trace of awkwardness.

Noticing his demeanor, a faint smile bloomed on Yang Zhilin’s lips. As they walked, she said, "Meeting is fate, understanding is rare, friendship is precious, and finding a soulmate is hard. Lin Yu, why don't you let me be your confidante?"

After saying this, Yang Zhilin looked up at the star-studded sky, her face flushing slightly. Her eyes flickered with an uncharacteristic shyness, clearly revealing her nervousness. Under the dim yellow streetlights and the caress of the moonlight, her light-gray hair swayed gently in the breeze, making her look incredibly enchanting.

Such a woman, in the moonlight, was breathtaking.

Upon hearing that Yang Zhilin wanted to be his confidante, Lin Yu felt a strange, inexplicable joy, yet it was laced with a hint of sorrow. "A little more than a friend, a little less than a lover"—that was how people defined a confidante. It was the state of being "more than friends but not yet lovers." If this were true, their relationship would be defined; it would veil their burgeoning feelings and lead them into a new stage, but one that was strictly devoid of romance.

Waiting for a moment and receiving no reply, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Lin Yu, who was staring at the passing pedestrians. His expression was strange, as if he were deep in thought.

"This is enough," the girl said with a serene smile. The night wind was chilly, and she hugged her shoulders.

After walking for about a block, they reached "Flower Grid," the most famous accessories shop in Bincheng. Lin Yu slowly stopped and looked at her with a gentle smile: "Having a confidante like you is the honor of my life."

At that moment, Yang Zhilin also smiled. Though the smile carried a hint of bitterness, it was also satisfied. She thought that perhaps it was for the best that they wouldn't cross that forbidden line; it was a way of pulling back from the edge.

Her graceful composure warmed Lin Yu’s heart. He reached out, opened the door to the Flower Grid shop, and gestured for her to enter. He decided to take the girl in to disturb the "lovers who didn't want to be disturbed."