son, don't mess around

Chapter 798 Give you a chance

At this moment, Hu Yao stared intently at Xu Zhongshan, her face full of disbelief.

She's not stupid, how could she not realize what's going on?

Why is the Crown Prince of Lin here?

Why does he want to see me?
He's been lying to her all along?
At this moment, Hu Yao was overwhelmed with countless emotions. When she saw Xu Zhongshan's eyes, filled with guilt and unease, and even somewhat evasive, she understood everything.

Hu Yao's body swayed suddenly, and then a self-deprecating sneer appeared on her face.

"So, this was all a setup by you?!"

Hu Yao stared intently at Xu Zhongshan: "From the very beginning, you've been lying to me?"

"Is that right?!"

Xu Zhongshan felt complicated, even somewhat heavy-hearted. He had indeed lied to her, and had been deceiving her from beginning to end.

In the past, he would not have felt any guilt, but now, when he heard Hu Yao's question, his unease grew stronger.

He was somewhat afraid to meet Hu Yao's gaze, afraid to look into her eyes. He didn't even know how to answer. But his silence and evasiveness answered everything.

Hu Yao's sneer grew even more pronounced, a self-deprecating and sarcastic expression, as if she had suffered a severe blow. She staggered back a step and leaned against the back of the door.

Her gaze remained fixed on Xu Zhongshan's face, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"So, everything you said was a lie?"

"All that talk about admiring me for so long, being willing to give everything for me, and wanting to protect me... it's all a lie?"

"From beginning to end, this has been a scam orchestrated by you all, hasn't it?!"

Hu Yao's tone was filled with sorrow as she questioned him, and by the end, she was almost gritting her teeth as she squeezed the words out.

"Miss Hu."

Faced with Hu Yao's questioning, Xu Zhongshan took a deep breath, finally looked at her, and calmly nodded: "This is indeed a scheme we set up. From the beginning, I approached you in order to help His Highness find out who was behind it all."

"I did lie to you about that."

"But don't worry, you are also a victim in this matter. You were just deceived and implicated by the Sixth Prince. His Highness will not harm you."

"Ah!"

Hu Yao sneered, her eyes reddening as she stared at Xu Zhongshan.

At this moment, her eyes were bloodshot, and resentment was constantly surfacing.

She clenched her teeth and remained silent.

th.

The things she had gone through during those days had caused her indelible harm and trauma. She had sacrificed so much to protect herself and the Hu family.

However, even her own father didn't understand.

In her grief, she ultimately chose to trust Xu Zhongshan and rushed to him without hesitation. One might think she was lucky, at least at this time, to have a man who cared for her, protected her, and cherished her.

However, it's all a lie!
Everything is fake!
Everyone is lying to her; no man is any good!

Hu Yao's face was contorted with rage, her eyes filled with hatred.

"You've all lied to me, you..."

Hu Yao gritted her teeth, and in her anger, her body swayed violently, and everything went black before her eyes.

"Miss Hu?!"

Upon seeing this, Xu Zhongshan quickly stepped forward and hugged Hu Yao tightly.

"How are you? Are you alright?!"

Xu Zhongshan's expression changed drastically.

This scene surprised Lin Jiangnian. He hadn't expected the woman to react so strongly, even making him faint from anger?
Lin Jiangnian glanced at the woman's condition and said, "She just fainted. She's fine and will be alright after a rest."

Seeing this, Xu Zhongshan breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he looked at Lin Jiangnian with some difficulty: "Your Highness, she..."

"Let's wait until she wakes up first. We can't let anything happen to her. She can't die yet."

Lin Jiangnian spoke, then glanced at Xu Zhongshan with a strange look in his eyes.

Previously it was just speculation, but now it seems... there might be something wrong between Xu Zhongshan and Hu Yao.

Hu Yao's reaction was not the kind of reaction a normal person should have.

Even knowing that Xu Zhongshan had lied to her shouldn't have caused her such grief and anger; this was clearly like...

Has Xu Zhongshan become a heartless man?

Lin Jiangnian seemed to be deep in thought.

……

Inside the quiet, cold room.

After an unknown amount of time, Hu Yao slowly opened her eyes and woke up.

"Miss Hu, you're awake?!"

A surprised voice came from beside me.

Hu Yao saw Xu Zhongshan's voice. He was standing by the bed, looking at her with a mixture of surprise and worry.

How are you feeling?

Looking at Xu Zhongshan's tense reaction, Hu Yao's eyes flashed with a hint of bewilderment. Then, a cold smile appeared on her face.

She struggled to sit up, gritting her teeth and coldly asking, "What else do you want to do?"

"Are you still trying to lie to me?!"

Xu Zhongshan sighed: "Miss Hu, I didn't mean to lie to you, I was forced to do it. I had no choice but to do it."

"Ha, you speak so grandly, do you think I'd still believe you?"

Hu Yao stared at him coldly.

Xu Zhongshan knew that Hu Yao could no longer trust him. However, he still spoke up: "Whether Miss Hu believes it or not, I was indeed in the wrong first, but I have to do this..."

“My Xu family and the Lin family have been friends for generations. The Lin family has done my Xu family a great favor. If it weren’t for His Highness the Prince of Lin, my Xu family would probably no longer exist. My life, Xu Zhongshan’s life, was saved by His Highness.”

"His Highness was assassinated in Jiangnan and barely survived. I cannot stand idly by no means. I have to do this. Miss Hu may hate me, but that doesn't matter."

At this point, Xu Zhongshan paused for a moment: "In this matter, I am the one who wronged Miss Hu. If Miss Hu wants to hate me, I have nothing to say. If Miss Hu wants to take revenge on me, I will have no complaints."

Xu Zhongshan spoke calmly, though he felt uneasy about the matter.

There are some things he has to do, and he won't regret it. Even if he could do it all over again, it wouldn't change his mind.

Hu Yao sat on the bed without saying a word.

Her eyes were filled with resentment and anger, the kind of grief and indignation that comes from being betrayed and mocked; she even felt hatred towards him.

Even though Hu Yao was still very angry after hearing Xu Zhongshan's explanation, she suddenly couldn't muster any anger.

This made Hu Yao somewhat flustered and at a loss.

She stared intently at Xu Zhongshan, trying to find a flaw in his face and evidence that he was lying.

But Xu Zhongshan looked completely calm, without the slightest hint of concealment.

She failed!

Hu Yao looked away, lowered her head, and gritted her teeth: "I don't want to see you. You can leave."

Xu Zhongshan stood aside without saying a word.

Hu Yao seemed to realize something then, and sneered, "That's right, this is your Xu family home, I should be the one leaving."

As she spoke, Hu Yao struggled to get up.

"Miss Hu."

Xu Zhongshan sighed: "That's not what I meant."

Xu Zhongshan paused, opened his mouth, but said nothing. He turned and walked towards the door.

However, he had only taken a few steps when Hu Yao called out to him from behind.

"Where is the Crown Prince of Lin?"

Xu Zhongshan stopped and turned to look at her.

"Let him come to me."

Hu Yao lowered her eyes, her tone indifferent, revealing no emotion.

……

Outside the door, in the courtyard. Xu Zhongshan walked out of the room and came to the end of the corridor. At the end of the corridor, Lin Jiangnian was sitting quietly under the eaves, his gaze languid.

"Your Highness, thank you."

Xu Zhongshan came to Lin Jiangnian's side and sincerely thanked him.

Your Highness has come here today to find Hu Yao. Given Your Highness's status, you could have simply taken Hu Yao away by force.

But His Highness did not; instead, he gave him plenty of time.

Xu Zhongshan knew that His Highness had refrained from directly harming Hu Yao because of him.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhongshan was filled with gratitude and said, "Your Highness, she wants to see you."

"Oh?"

Lin Jiangnian was somewhat surprised, seemingly not expecting Hu Yao to take the initiative to ask to see him.

However, he then became calm about it.

That woman is quite clever.

"Row."

Lin Jiangnian slowly got up and was about to walk towards the room when he stopped and glanced at Xu Zhongshan.

Seeing his complicated expression, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, and as if there was some unspeakable worry between his brows.

"What? Are you worried I'll hurt her?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhongshan lowered his head slightly: "Your Highness, in this matter... she is actually quite pitiful."

Xu Zhongshan didn't say Hu Yao was innocent; she wasn't innocent at all. She truly deserved to have fallen to this state.

However, she did not deserve to die.

This was Xu Zhongshan's personal motive, though he couldn't bring himself to say it. The final decision on how to deal with Hu Yao rested with Lin Jiangnian.

Lin Jiangnian looked quietly at Xu Zhongshan in front of him, then suddenly asked, "You like her?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhongshan was visibly taken aback.

like?

This was something he hadn't considered.

He didn't think so.

"without……"

"No need to explain."

Lin Jiangnian interrupted him.

Xu Zhongshan remained silent, unable to speak for a moment.

"She's not a good woman."

Lin Jiangnian shook his head again.

Considering that Xu Zhongshan is Xu Lan's older brother, Lin Jiangnian still felt he had to give him a heads-up. However, matters of the heart are beyond the comprehension of outsiders, so Lin Jiangnian didn't say anything more.

He turned and walked towards the room, leaving Xu Zhongshan standing there, looking dazed and confused.

"..."

The room was dimly lit.

Hu Yao sat leaning against the edge of the bed, her face slightly pale, looking up at the figure in front of her.

Not far from her sight, a young man sat by a screen table, quietly watching her.

Those calm, handsome eyes seemed to see right through her, and Hu Yao's heart trembled. It was as if all her thoughts were exposed, making her want to hide.

Is this the legendary Crown Prince of Lin?
"So you are Hu Yao?"

Lin Jiangnian looked her over and spoke calmly.

Hu Yao forced a calm tone: "It's me."

"You should have been dead long ago."

Lin Jiangnian suddenly spoke.

The calm tone sent a shiver down Hu Yao's spine, making her face turn even paler.

"However, for Xu Zhongshan's sake, I'll give you a chance to turn over a new leaf."

Hearing this, Hu Yao was startled again. She looked up and met Lin Jiangnian's gaze, then suddenly sneered, "Is Your Highness pitying me?"

She was about to say that she didn't need anyone's pity, but before she could open her mouth, she heard Lin Jiangnian's indifferent voice again.

"Pity you?"

"Are you worthy?"

Hu Yao's expression froze.

"You really think you're someone important?"

Lin Jiangnian glanced at her and said with a smile, "I have no interest in whether you live or die. If you really want to die, you can do it anytime. No one will care where you die."

Lin Jiangnian's merciless and even somewhat humiliating tone made Hu Yao's face burn and her heart tremble. A feeling of anger yet helplessness welled up inside her.

"I'm sure you know why I've come to see you today."

Upon hearing this, Hu Yao sneered, "What can Your Highness do if I don't tell?"

You have no chance not to speak.

Lin Jiangnian glanced at her again: "I'll say it again, do you really think you're someone important?"

A cold and indifferent tone, utterly impolite.

"Now, you only have two paths before you."

Lin Jiangnian said calmly, "You are very clever. You have grasped the Sixth Prince's secret, which makes him dare not touch you for the time being. But you should also know that he has long regarded you as a thorn in his side, and he will get rid of you sooner or later. It's just a matter of time."

Hu Yao trembled and her face turned pale. How could she not know this?

She knows so many of the Sixth Prince's secrets, how could the Sixth Prince possibly still keep her alive?
Only the dead keep secrets.

"Therefore, I, the Crown Prince, will give you a chance to repent and tell me all the secrets you know. Not only will I protect you from death, but I will also give you a chance for revenge!"

Lin Jiangnian stared at Hu Yao, his tone seemingly seductive: "Don't you want revenge?"

"The Sixth Prince humiliated you like that the other day, don't you want to take revenge yourself and finish him off?"

Lin Jiangnian's words seemed to strike a chord deep within Hu Yao's heart. She trembled violently, a look of terror on her face.

How could he know?
Those two days were memories she didn't want to recall.

revenge?

Of course she wanted revenge!

But how can she get revenge?
Based solely on him?
"You can help me get revenge?!"

Hu Yao stared at Lin Jiangnian and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Why not?"

Lin Jiangnian scoffed: "I dared to beat even the Third Prince, so what is a powerless, crippled Sixth Prince?"

Hu Yao suddenly remembered that a year ago, this Prince Lin's heir had publicly slapped the Third Prince's face in the capital.

That's the Third Prince!

A powerful figure who almost seized the throne!
At that moment, a fervent hope surged in Hu Yao's heart. She looked at Lin Jiangnian, her voice filled with trepidation and fear: "You... don't hate me?"

She was aware of the assassination attempt on the Prince of Lin in Jiangnan, and even participated in passing on intelligence.

But when Hu Yao saw Lin Jiangnian's indifferent gaze, she quickly realized...

hatred?
She's just a nobody, why would a dignified prince like her hold a grudge against her?
They probably never even considered her a threat from the beginning.

Hu Yao gave a bitter laugh, but was soon overwhelmed by the urge for revenge.

"Okay, I can tell you everything..."

"That Sixth Prince is not a human being at all; he is not as harmless as he appears..."

"He's secretly plotting a grand scheme..."

"His ambition is even greater than that of the Third Prince!"

"!!!"

(End of this chapter)