Chapter 1052: Lust Leads to Bitter Consequences
The first thing He Yidu did when he woke up was hug Lin Shuang, but when he realized that the person, or rather thing, in his arms didn't feel right, his eyes instantly snapped open. His eyebrows furrowed as he threw the thing in his arms aside before flipping the light switch on. It was only then that he realized what he had been hugging… a pillow.
He scanned the quiet bedroom and noticed that Lin Shuang's clothes, which had been on the floor, were gone. It occurred to him right there and then that she had run away again.
His face darkened as he got off the bed to find his phone and make a call.
…
He Yidu created such a huge scene at the airport that everyone knew about it. Even Lu Zhan had called Lu Chengzhou to ask what was going on.
Ming City, No. 14 Research Center.
Qin Fang originally thought that his buddy would bring him some good news today, that he would soon have another wedding to attend and another couple to give a red packet to, and that he would be all alone from then on. However, before he could receive any good news from He Yidu, he heard the news that the latter had caused another round of commotion at the airport again.
All the planes were barred from flying just for He Yidu to find Lin Shuang, although his search wasn't successful in the end as Lin Shuang had gotten smart this time; she had fled on a private plane.
As expected of Shadow League's Nine Tails! If she had taken a passenger plane, there's no doubt that He Yidu would make the plane turn around immediately. For a moment, Qin Fang didn't know how he should feel about this—whether to pity his buddy or celebrate his buddy's return.
He Yidu's face was currently shown on the lab's electronic screen on the wall in a video call. His voice sounded serious as he said, "Brother Cheng, I won't be back so soon."
Lu Chengzhou nodded, his gaze landing on the scratch marks on He Yidu's neck as he continued working on the experiment. Speaking from experience, he said, "Lust leads to bitter consequences."
Qin Fang, who had never seen this side of He Yidu before, couldn't help roaring with laughter and giving the latter a thumbs-up in admiration. "Pfft, bwahahahaha! She was just right under your nose, and yet she still managed to give you the slip. You sure are something!"
Hearing that, He Yidu immediately ended the video call.
…
Country D, Nata Nursing Home.
Those who could stay at this nursing home were all either dignitaries or people with a high status. It was the 'backyard' of the top-level politicians and aristocratic families, where people with special statuses stayed. In simple words, those people couldn't be killed, but also couldn't be let free out of fear that the secrets they knew would threaten the former's positions.
All areas were tightly enclosed with barbed wire, save for the entrance.
Lin Shuang was currently standing outside the barbed wire with a young man named Feng Zuo, who was the director of the nursing home.
"Madam's mental condition has been fluctuating lately," said Feng Zuo gently.
Lin Shuang looked at the woman who was sitting on a bench nearby and reading a book. Her expression was somewhat serious as she asked, "Has she remembered me?"
Feng Zuo shook his head. "According to the psychologist, she's very resistant to the idea of recalling her past memories and has never cooperated with the treatment."
"Alright, I'll visit her again next time." Lin Shuang slipped her hands into her pockets as she tugged at her lips.
All of a sudden, Feng Zuo turned around and bowed respectfully. "Mr. President."
Lin Shuang's spine stiffened slightly.
"Xixi." A man walked steadily toward her.
Lin Shuang couldn't help clenching her fists in her pockets as she turned around to see her father—Meyett, Country D's president.
The man had maintained himself very well, given how he looked no more than forty when he was, in fact, well into his fifties. He had superior and gentlemanly looks that women liked—gentle and yet dignified at the same time. He was dressed in an expensive custom-made suit, matched with a dark-colored tie that had a sapphire tie clip, which signified his lofty status and position.
"What brings you here, Mr. President? Don't you need to put on the good man act and accompany your wife and daughter?" Lin Shuang's eyes turned slightly aggressive as she spoke in an acidic and sarcastic tone.
Meyett didn't get angry though. "Why didn't you tell me that you're back?"
"Why didn't you tell my mother that you cheated on her?" Lin Shuang fired back.
Meyett still didn't get angry.
Shadi, the female secretary behind him, however, couldn't resist saying, "Princess, please be careful with your words. That's your father you're speaking to."
"If he dared to do it, then he shouldn't be afraid of others talking about it." Lin Shuang turned her gaze to the secretary and crossed her arms. "Are you dreaming of replacing his wife too?"
Shadi looked at her.
"You stand a great chance. After all, there's already a precedent of a female secretary promoting to become First Lady." Lin Shuang curled her lips into a mocking smile.
Country D's current First Lady used to be Meyett's secretary.
Shadi's eyes remained as clear and calm as a lake, and she was respectful when she said, "You're overthinking it, Princess."
"Is that so?" Lin Shuang retracted her gaze. "None of my business anyway."
With that, she put on her sunglasses and made a move to leave.
"Wait." Meyett turned his head toward her and said as gently as ever, "Let's go back to the President's House together. Your stepmother and sister are waiting for you."
After a few seconds of silence, Lin Shuang smirked. "Sure."
…
The President's House, which also symbolized Country D, was located in the heart of the capital and surrounded by thick and tall walls. Sentries could be found both inside and outside the 18 towers of this opulent imperial residence. It was also one of the world's largest complexes along with the Lu residence and Country K's Presidential House.
Meyett, along with Lin Shuang, entered the hall, where his current wife, Miraine, and daughter, Sasha, got up to welcome them upon seeing their return.
"Welcome home, Xixi." Miraine treated Lin Shuang carefully as she had always felt somewhat uncomfortable around the latter.
Lin Shuang ignored her.
Miraine didn't say anything else either. While she very thoughtfully went to help her husband take off his suit jacket, Sasha greeted Lin Shuang with a smile. "Hey, Sis."
Lin Shuang removed her sunglasses, her eyelids slightly lowered. "My mother only has one child, and that's me."
The smile on Sasha's face stiffened.
"Oh, that's not right. I was supposed to have a younger brother." Lin Shuang flashed a smile at the family of three. "But my mother ended up giving birth to a stillborn at eight months of pregnancy because of the three of you."
The temperature in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point, and Meyett, who had always controlled his emotions well, was now wearing a dark expression.
Lin Shuang's smile grew wider as she looked at Miraine and then at Sasha. "If you know that I don't like to see you guys, then don't show up in front of me."
Miraine pursed her lips and lowered her head. Both mother and daughter remained silent.
Lin Shuang turned to look at the butler. "Is dinner ready?"
The butler, who was loyal to Lin Shuang, had worked in the President's House all his life. Even when Miraine moved into the President's House and tried all ways to get rid of him, Meyett didn't agree to it. He bowed at her. "Yes, milady."
Lin Shuang nodded and headed straight for the dining room, where she sat down, picked up the cutlery, and began eating without any care.
Meyett, who was very indulgent toward Lin Shuang as he felt guilty toward her, put his arm around Miraine's shoulders and squeezed it comfortingly.
Soon, the family of three joined Lin Shuang at the table.
The meal proceeded in silence for a while before the mood eased up a little. It was then that Meyett said to Lin Shuang, "I've invited the Deiss family for a gathering between our two families on the sixth of next month. Since you've agreed to the engagement, keep your temper in check a little and try to get along with their grandson."
"Grandson?" Lin Shuang repeated in surprise.
Although she knew very little about the aristocratic families in Country D, having left the country to enter Shadow League after she fell out with her father, she wasn't aware that she was engaged to that family's grandson.
The Deiss family was considered the top family in Country D. Even Meyett had only managed to rise to power with the monetary support of this family. They were the backing that Lin Shuang's mother had found him.
Lin Shuang wasn't aware that she had a fiancé at first and had only found out about this around two years ago. She had planned to ignore this matter, but the butler later told her that her half-sister had been visiting the Deiss family very frequently. At the thought of this, she glanced at Sasha.
Meyett continued, "I didn't mention the engagement to you in the past because the Deiss didn't have any grandchildren back then, and so the engagement promise naturally couldn't be fulfilled."
The two families didn't have any grandchildren at the time, but due to their close relationship, they promised to have their grandchildren engaged to one another.
Aristocratic families usually paid a lot of attention to such promises. Originally, Lin Shuang's younger brother should have been the one to fulfill this promise, but he couldn't in the end as he failed to survive the pregnancy.
There were times when Lin Shuang would wonder why her father would find the topic of the premature child a taboo, but after thinking about it, she figured that it was only natural for him to feel that way as he had missed such a good chance for both families to be connected by marriage.
Money was needed in order to gain power and the Deiss family was the most important aristocratic family in Country D.
Meyett took a sip of water. "Two years ago, Madam André found her youngest daughter and it turns out that she has a son."
Madam André was the matriarch of the Deiss family.
"She kept all the information about her youngest daughter hidden very well. Not even your sister can find any information on her."
Sasha is the current head of the technical division of the intelligence bureau, and yet she couldn't find any information on them? Lin Shuang fell silent. Now I know why he couldn't produce a single photo of my fiancé. Not only have I not met said fiancé, nobody knows who he is and what he looks like.
Lin Shuang propped her chin on her hand and sneered. "What a good father you are. Trust you to force me into this marriage when you don't even know what kind of person that man is."
Meyett didn't deny it. "Madam André was very fond of your mother, so she surely won't treat you too shabbily. Besides, the young chap is no simpleton, considering how even your sister couldn't find any information about him."