Who's Playing Who? - Chapter 7
Chapter 7
The hotel lobby was decorated with a splendor that rivaled a grand gala, the glittering crystal chandeliers casting light over the gathered guests. Lin Zhixia stood backstage, her simple black dress accentuating her cold, elegant demeanor. Her expression did not soften despite the magnificent setting. On the contrary, her heart was like a rolling tide, quietly concealing the truth that was about to surge forth in a violent storm.
She watched the stage intently. Her father appeared incredibly confident before the crowd, his face beaming with smiles, playing the part of a gracious host overflowing with warmth for his guests. Beside him stood her mother, dignified and poised, though her smile betrayed a hint of sharpness and calculation. At this moment, their image was as shimmering as a soap bubble, yet it hid countless undercurrents.
“Friends and family, thank you all for coming. Today is my sixtieth birthday, so please, enjoy this joyous occasion to the fullest.” Her father’s voice echoed throughout the hall, but Lin Zhixia’s heart was no longer in sync with him.
She knew that today’s banquet was a celebration of her father’s birthday on the surface, but in reality, it was a trap set for her. Every blessing felt like a blade, easily piercing the beautiful image of a family she had once held dear.
Suddenly, Zhou Qi’an entered her line of sight. Dressed in a sharp suit, his outward appearance remained the same, yet he couldn’t hide his inner restlessness. When his eyes met Lin Zhixia’s, the panic and guilt in his gaze made her catch her breath. At this moment, Zhou Qi’an’s presence was like a powder keg, ready to ignite an uncontrollable conflict at any second.
“You know, don’t you? He wants to push you into this position and force you to expose yourself.” He Xingchuan’s voice echoed in Lin Zhixia’s mind. His sarcasm and calm made him sound like a bystander, yet also like a guide in the darkness, filling her with both tension and anticipation for what was about to happen.
As the frequent toasts and bright laughter continued, the banquet grew more lively. However, this liveliness was merely armor for the despair and conspiracy lurking behind it. She secretly observed the people present, constantly pondering the tangled web of relationships between them. Everyone around her was, to some degree, fighting a secret war.
“Lin Zhixia, prepare your heart before you go on stage,” He Xingchuan reminded her. At this moment, she no longer wanted to hesitate; her gaze was firm. She knew she could no longer remain silent, nor could she allow this seemingly peaceful celebration to continue.
When the lights dimmed slightly, Lin Zhixia’s heart tightened. The technicians backstage cast an inquiring look her way.
“Now is the time.”
A strong impulse drove her to press the play button.
Amidst a harsh static crackle, her whole body jolted as that familiar conversation rang out through the hall, the volume turned up to the maximum. Time seemed to freeze at that moment. The laughter and chatter in the banquet hall came to an abrupt halt, as if a silence spell had been cast over the room.
“She’s been dependent on me since she was a child. As long as I speak up, she’ll sign it.” It was her mother’s voice, loud and piercing.
The atmosphere instantly turned deathly silent. The guests looked at one another, the smiles on their faces gradually replaced by shock. Lin Zhixia took a deep breath and did not back down. Her voice rippled across the still lake of the room: “Everyone, excuse me for interrupting your meal. This recording is a business negotiation between my mother and my fiancé, held one week before my engagement. The product is me. The price? A house and a pile of shares.”
Her words were like a heavy bomb dropped into the room. Everyone’s eyes snapped toward her, faces a mix of anger and confusion. Her mother’s face twisted, her original dignity instantly torn to shreds.
“Lin Zhixia, you’re crazy!” her mother shrieked, struggling to maintain composure, but she could no longer distance herself from the role she played in this scheme.
From the shocked gazes of the crowd, Lin Zhixia felt a long-lost sense of strength and determination. She would never retreat again. The timid girl of the past no longer existed; the person standing there now was a daughter who had realized the truth about her family and herself.
“Gu Lan, come up here.” Amidst the chaos and conflict, Lin Zhixia called out her name loudly, commanding her to step forward.
Gu Lan hesitated for a moment, but under the gaze of the crowd, she finally broke free from that layer of oppression and walked toward the front of the stage step by step. At that moment, she was no longer the little girl being used, but a woman bravely facing her own fate.
“Zhixia, she really meant well… I only wanted to get close to you at first… but I was forced to do many things I shouldn’t have done.” Gu Lan’s voice trembled slightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
“I neither need nor care about your explanation!” Lin Zhixia responded coldly. A sliver of hatred rose in her heart, yet she also knew that neither of them was innocent; they were both pawns swept up in this dispute.
He Xingchuan watched all of this from a distance. Although his face remained indifferent, he showed a spark of deep interest at this moment. Despite his detached appearance, he seemed to be internally evaluating every decision being made.
“What you have to pay for today is more than just your lies,” Lin Zhixia finally said, turning her gaze toward her father and mother. They had indeed performed a play before her that could be called a tragedy, but the ending would certainly not be what they desired.
As her voice fell, the scene felt like an approaching storm, and a tense atmosphere filled the air. Numerous relatives and friends whispered among themselves, shock and unease gradually spreading. A sense of unprecedented anticipation surfaced in Lin Zhixia’s heart, as if the silence following the surging undercurrents was finally about to be torn apart.
“Everything starts being revealed today,” she said slowly, her hand gripping the microphone tightly as if she were holding her own fate.
The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew even more somber because of her resolve. Everyone’s heart raced in the intense environment where light and shadow coexisted, making them even more eager to uncover the mystery about to be revealed. At this moment, Lin Zhixia’s gaze was firm; she was no longer the daughter to be manipulated, but a brave woman about to uncover the truth of her own life.
