Chapter 142: Winning Over the Two Female Leads, Setting the Stage for Li Zhou - The Rich Second-Generation Villain With No Morals

Chapter 142: Winning Over the Two Female Leads, Setting the Stage for Li Zhou "By the way, what did Yan Yan blatantly invite me into the villa for today?" Qi Lin lit a cigarette, blowing out a smoke ring, and asked, "Aren't you afraid that Li Zhou will find out about us?" Yan Yan swept her beautiful eyes over Qi Lin. Though his words were frivolous, she no longer felt like engaging with him. "The maid just got off work. The bodyguards in the yard didn't come to work today. As for Li Zhou, he’s already asleep and usually sleeps quite deeply, only waking up in the morning," Yan Yan explained to Qi Lin. Hearing this, Qi Lin smiled, "The bodyguards didn't come? Maybe because I injured one yesterday, and now they're at home recovering." Yan Yan was surprised, "You went to the villa yesterday?" "Where else would those recordings you've been listening to have come from?" Yan Yan now had a rudimentary understanding of Qi Lin's capabilities. Despite being with Li Zhou for over a decade, she had never noticed the bizarre and sordid deeds he’d once committed. Though she'd only known Qi Lin for a few days, he had already gathered all the evidence of Li Zhou's past sinister actions. "Li Zhou really does value his life. He's probably done a lot of bad things, considering he hires such skilled bodyguards. One person could easily take on a dozen strong fighters. If it weren't for my own abilities, it would have been dangerous when I went to find evidence yesterday," Qi Lin said, casting a nonchalant glance at Yan Yan. He added fuel to the fire by recounting the dangers he faced for Yan Yan to remember, though without much detail—just a reminder to cast off restraint and embrace freedom. True to expectation, a trace of concern flickered in Yan Yan's eyes, though her face remained icy. Despite not wanting to admit it, she had always held some fondness for Qi Lin, especially after he risked his life to save her from a car, a memory etched deeply in her mind. "Yan Yan, now that you know the truth, what do you plan to do?" Qi Lin casually took her small hand, playing with it as he asked. Before, she would have shyly glanced at him with those beautiful eyes and withdrawn. But thinking of Li Zhou's madness, a hint of coldness flickered in her gaze, giving Qi Lin an advantage. As for the enemy who killed her father and destroyed her family, there was no need for self-preservation anymore. Now married to Li Zhou as his wife, she sought revenge. Planting grass on his head was the most direct approach. "What to do? A father's murder is unforgivable. Being tricked into becoming his wife is even more humiliating. I want him to pay the most painful price for his past atrocities," said Yan Yan, her eyes welling up as she bit her lip. Qi Lin sighed, "If only you'd listened sooner, back when I told you Li Zhou wasn't good news. But you didn't, and now I have to slowly gather evidence for you to believe it." Yan Yan glared at Qi Lin in a mix of shyness and anger, "You're no saint yourself, so cunning at such a young age. Don't think I don't know, you just wanted to take advantage of a daughter-in-law’s situation to pretend to faint at the amusement park and trick me into giving you CPR." Despite the irony, Qi Lin couldn't help but smile, "Regardless of what you think, at least I was envious of Li Zhou’s boldness, even risking danger to find evidence for you. While I claim to be a villain, I do have my principles. I won't harm you or your family." The two bantered like lovers, each saying their piece. "By the way, Yan Yan, you haven’t mentioned your revenge against Li Zhou," Qi Lin prompted, waiting for Yan Yan to ask for his help. Yan Yan looked deeply into Qi Lin's eyes and said, "Though I despise him, dealing with Li Zhou is no easy task. We sleep in separate rooms, and his room is equipped with monitoring and alarm systems. Assassination would be impossible, even at the company. Huamei Zixin currently operates seven hospitals, with two more under construction. I've worked tirelessly, yet Li Zhou hasn't given me any shares, only dividends and a salary. Thirty-five percent of Huamei Zixin Hospital’s shares are in Li Zhou's possession, and another thirty-five percent belongs to Li Jiaming." "The hospital operations differ vastly from others; each operating hospital’s director has been recruited with high salaries and given a certain percentage of shares. This not only gives Li Zhou absolute control but also loyalty from the directors. Although I'm the deputy general manager, any significant actions I take would be immediately reported to him," Yan Yan explained, a pained look in her eyes. Qi Lin listened intently, pondering her words. "Has Li Zhou had any illnesses?" Qi Lin asked after a moment. Yan Yan, curious, replied, "He had a stroke before and underwent surgery to clear the clot. Now, he's drinking traditional Chinese medicine again." Qi Lin reassured her, "Implementing slow poison within his medicine seems impossible since it's handled by the maid. However, trust me a little, and answer this—does he have dietary habits?" Yan Yan thought for a moment, "Li Zhou has high uric acid levels, so he drinks a glass of cool boiled water every morning. But no matter what’s added, flavors are easily detected, and drugging would be noticeable." Hearing this, Qi Lin had an idea. "I'll have someone send you some Bletilla powder. Just add a milligram to his water. This powder is colorless, flavorless, non-toxic, and undetectable in tests." "We just need to wait patiently until his health deteriorates. A recurrence of stroke could render him speechless, paralyzed—worse off than what your mother went through," Qi Lin explained. "This is true justice, a taste of his own medicine. Killing would make it too easy for him." "Letting him live miserably, seeing us love each other in front of him, making his company ours, and then watching his son become useless—now that sounds like a spectacle!" Yan Yan thought Qi Lin’s plan was shameless, yet his forthrightness somehow made him more endearing to her. "Indeed, dealing with someone like Li Zhou requires cunning. Qi Lin can help me better than anyone," Yan Yan sighed inwardly. "As for taking over Li Zhou's company, I already have a rough plan. Just work with me, and I promise within two months, his company will become part of our assets," Qi Lin stated confidently, no longer fidgeting with Yan Yan’s hand but instead embracing her waist. Right now, Yan Yan was at her most captivating. Once loyal to Li Zhou, not easily swayed by typical means, Qi Lin had now found Li Zhou’s fatal weakness. It was time to win over this beautiful young woman. "Would Yan Yan, a lady protect Li Zhou's reputation? I'm warning you, helping isn’t charity. If you want my strength, you have to join me on this journey, become my woman," Qi Lin declared, gripping her delicate chin, meeting her eyes with his. Yan Yan's mind drifted to her mother's words earlier. "Yan Er, though Qi Lin isn’t a good man, his relentless efforts to save you show he truly cares. He’s younger, more vibrant than Li Zhou, and possesses greater skills. Most importantly, he has a moral baseline, not harming those dear to him. Together, you can face Li Zhou, but discretion is paramount. Reject him, and he might become hostile." "You've endured enough, Yan Er. Listen to your mother: secure revenge, then live peacefully with Qi Lin. If, one day, things don’t work out, you can always find your sanctuary." Yan Yan's eyes were a mix of confusion and a hint of shyness. Upon initially meeting Qi Lin, Yan Yan had secretly imagined a love story. However, she was well aware of her marital status, bound to a man, and knew she couldn't stray any further with Qi Lin. Her marriage was a warped construct, a sacrifice she had made on her own. But fate had a way of deceiving. Yan Yan would never have imagined that Li Zhou was her enemy, the mastermind behind the ruin of her family. Instead, Qi Lin became her benefactor. If he hadn't revealed the truth to her, perhaps her mother, Sun Lan, might have fallen victim to Li Zhou just like her father. Unaware, she had believed her mother's illness was purely medical. In essence, he had saved Sun Lan's life. "You little scoundrel, don’t you want my body?" Yan Yan teased, her voice laced with bitterness. "I despise that demon Li Zhou. Since he committed such unforgivable acts against my family, I must seek revenge. Hold me tight; I’ll let you do as you wish today." Yan Yan's eyes held a glint of determination as she reached out to Qi Lin. "Miss Yan, do you know how beautiful you are right now?" Qi Lin's dark eyes sparkled with amusement. Finally, the woman he'd longed for had come to him. Compared to girls like Lan Yu Xi, he was more drawn to women like Yan Yan, who exuded femininity. Carrying Yan Yan up the spiral staircase, Qi Lin marveled at how this wasn’t his own staircase. Yan Yan clutched his neck, her lovely face tinged with a faint pink. Her twisted relationship with Li Zhou was finally over. Though this was merely a transaction, she had no love for Qi Lin, yet she couldn't deny feeling a flicker of anticipation for the moments shared with him. Yan Yan was quite the wealthy woman. In the opulence and femininity of her private chamber, the intoxicating scent was a spectacle that made Qi Lin draw a sharp breath. He gently closed the door behind him. By eleven at night, the world outside was plunged into darkness. Qi Lin lit a cigarette, covering Yan Yan's ivory shoulders with a blanket. "Mrs. Yan, I'm leaving. Remember, be extremely cautious in your actions. Now that you’re aboard my pirate ship, I wouldn’t want to lose such a beautiful crew member," he said, brushing her face with a hint of a mature, womanly charm. He dressed quickly, then slipped through the large window curtains billowing in the wind, disappearing into the night. As soon as Qi Lin left, Yan Yan, who had been feigning sleep, opened her eyes. Her face flushed slightly as she gazed wistfully in the direction Qi Lin had departed. Why was fate so harsh on her? If she had met Qi Lin a decade earlier, would she have been spared these hardships? Unbeknownst to her, ten years ago, Qi Lin was only eight, probably too young to play protectively, let alone stop her misfortunes. When Qi Lin returned home, Qi Xue Yao was still in the living room. Upon noticing his return, she hastily hid a book she had been reading behind her. "Oh, Xue Yao, such a quiet and lovely lady, secretly reading adults’ magazines?" Qi Lin teased, retrieving the book behind her. "It’s just a guide for three," Qi Xue Yao remarked shyly, glancing at Qi Lin before turning away. On inspection, Qi Lin found it was actually a parenting encyclopedia, sparking his amusement. "Turns out my cousin likes kids. If I'd known, I might have chosen the direct approach instead of beating around the bush." Of course, he was jesting. Without the foundation of genuine emotion, snatching Qi Xue Yao's innocence could have spiraled into disaster. "Xue Yao, I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow. Pregnancy tests need two weeks for results, but a blood test can instantly determine through progesterone and luteinizing hormone levels," Qi Lin suggested with a smile. Not wanting to confront the reality, Qi Xue Yao appeared flustered. "I don’t want to be pregnant. If I am, I'll get rid of that jerk's child!" Qi Lin playfully argued with her. Ultimately, she glared at Qi Lin and changed the subject: "What would you like to eat? I’ll cook something now." Qi Lin savored the domestic charm Xue Yao offered, someone who couldn’t harm but could cook for him. "I was on a business trip, busy all night without a meal. Could you make me some noodles? Add lots of vegetables, thin pork slices, and a few cloves of garlic," he requested. Used to hearing him refuse food, Qi Xue Yao rolled her eyes at his detail. "Master Qi, you’re quite the demanding one." Qi Lin chuckled, "Just average, third in the world." Even if her words might hold no sway over him, Qi Xue Yao was too superstitious about pregnancy to bicker further. She shuffled off to the kitchen, ready to prepare his meal.