Chapter 66: A Private Meeting

Ning Yurou was not entirely certain about the matters Lin Li had mentioned. At the time, her actions had been more impulsive than calculated—she had never stopped to consider what consequences these choices might bring upon herself. In her view, given the current circumstances, there was no way they could find any evidence against her. Yet, this time, she had underestimated her opponent.

Lin Li was not someone to be easily deceived. Since he had set his mind on dealing with Ning Yurou, he would hardly give up so readily. Now, after hanging up the phone, Ning Yurou’s mind raced through countless thoughts.

“What exactly does he intend to do?” she wondered. Although she had known Lin Li somewhat, it was clear that her limited understanding was insufficient to alter her perception of him, nor could it help her anticipate the manner in which he would approach her next. This was the true source of her frustration—this man was a master of many tactics, while she herself was in the dark about his true capabilities.

Of course, if everything could be handled smoothly, that would be ideal. But Ning Yurou’s strategies had long since fallen under Lin Li’s control, and her situation was only becoming more precarious. The Ning family was not as powerful as it once was. In fact, the so-called four great families of River City no longer possessed their former glory. Most of them were merely getting by on their past reputation, clinging to their previous status. To return to their peak would require far greater sacrifices and an increase in strength. Few were truly qualified; most of these families were simply hollow shells.

The meeting place this time was a rather secluded restaurant. When Lin Li entered the private room, he found Ning Yurou had already been waiting for some time.

“It seems, Miss Ning, that my suspicions were correct. You must be aware of your precarious situation by now and have come to negotiate,” Lin Li said, narrowing his eyes at Ning Yurou as he extended his right hand.

Ning Yurou shot him a vicious glare.

To be honest, even now she found the man before her particularly loathsome. Yet she could not quite explain why she felt this way. She hadn’t interacted with Lin Li much in the past—her deepest impressions of him were due to Leng Ningxue.

“I only came here today to see what tricks you might pull. You talk as if you’re so formidable, but I’m curious whether you actually have the ability to back it up,” Ning Yurou remarked, looking Lin Li up and down with a sneer.

Faced with her disdain, Lin Li remained perfectly composed. “You’ll soon find out whether I’m capable or not,” he replied calmly. “But I didn’t come here simply to threaten you. I hoped we could find common ground for mutual benefit. If we can’t reach an agreement, however, it won’t be long before we become business rivals.”

This was a blatant threat. Ning Yurou’s expression turned icy as she fixed her gaze on Lin Li and scoffed. “Do you really think I’m easily frightened? That I’d be cowed by your words?”

Lin Li shook his head, his face devoid of any smugness. “Miss Ning, you really are underestimating others. I’ve never looked down on your family. After all, the Ning family once made a name for itself in this city—you were formidable in your prime. Even in the field of traditional medicine, your family was somewhat renowned.”

Though his words sounded complimentary, to Ning Yurou, they stung like a thorn. “The past is gone. The Ning family won’t dwell on former glories,” she replied coldly. “Enough with the small talk. Why did you ask me here today?”

“Miss Ning, you are indeed straightforward. In that case, I’ll get right to the point. I invited you here because I hope we can reach an understanding. I believe you’re already aware of what happened with the Leng family.”

Ning Yurou did not answer immediately, so Lin Li continued.

“Leng Ningxue aspired to prove her own worth, to make the Star Group even greater. But the internal situation of the Leng family is very complicated. Not only do many people refuse to support her, but some even wish to depose her. Even her father hopes she’ll consent to a marriage alliance for the sake of the family.”

“And the person they want her to marry is Ye Aotian.”

At the mention of Ye Aotian, Ning Yurou was dumbfounded. “Isn’t that man just Leng Ningxue’s bodyguard? He may have some skills, but Leng Tianyi would never consider him a suitable match.”

She found this news almost impossible to believe. Yet Lin Li’s serious demeanor suggested he was not joking. Could something so explosive truly be happening? If so, it would be quite the scandal.

“I understand if you find this hard to accept, Miss Ning. But the details are all there for you to investigate with your own resources. In time, you’ll see that I’m telling the truth.”

After pondering for a moment, Ning Yurou asked, “Even if this is true, what does it have to do with me or my family?”

Lin Li shook his head, interrupting her. “That’s shortsighted. Perhaps right now it appears unrelated. But as far as I know, Ye Aotian’s ambitions are not limited to the Leng family. He aims to have all four great families of River City under his control. I’ve been crossing swords with him for quite some time and have done everything I can to investigate him. No one understands his intentions better than I do.”

Lin Li spoke with utmost seriousness, but Ning Yurou remained unconvinced. It was a difficult story to believe, and her nature made her unlikely to accept anything at face value.