I sneered, giving him a merciless look:
"Bạch Vân Kính, right? Cố Thanh Hoài's bunkmate and loyal friend. No wonder you two are birds of a feather."
"Not long ago, Cố Thanh Hoài even said he'd marry off his sister Khương Nguyệt - the girl you've been pining after for years - to you. You were so ecstatic you started acting like the Cố family's son-in-law already."
"To be fair, you're a diligent young master from a comfortable background. A decent match, I suppose.""The Cố family really went all out finding such a fine son-in-law."
Cố Thanh Hoài's face paled at my words.
My eyes glinted with amusement:
"But do you know why you haven't been able to see Khương Nguyệt lately?"
Seeing my meaningful smile, Cố Thanh Hoài immediately tried to stop me:
"Lâm Hựu Thanh! Don't you dare cross the line!"
I slapped away his pointing finger and connected my phone to the café's projector –
A video began playing of Khương Nguyệt kneeling naked on a hotel carpet, being slapped. The café had been quietly cleared out earlier. Besides our trio, only the indifferent owner remained behind the counter.
Bạch Vân Kính's expression contorted as he recognized the face in the video. Amidst the sounds of a woman's curses, sobs, and footsteps from the recording, I leisurely tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear:
"Khương Nguyệt volunteered to be a rich man's mistress for money. The legal wife dragged her off the hotel bed by her hair and beat her. Your dear friend Cố Thanh Hoài happened to be staying next door and watched the whole show."
"But obviously, he chose to screw over his brother instead of telling you – wanted you to be the sucker raising another man's leftovers."
"Now Khương Nguyệt's face is ruined, legs broken. She'll never dance again."
"So tell me, do you still want her? Does the Bạch family still want damaged goods?"
Cố Thanh Hoài tried to stand up to defend his sister, but my next words nailed him to his seat:
"Oh, and here's a bonus gift."
"The tycoon Khương Nguyệt seduced? He was recently diagnosed with tertiary syphilis."
My eyes curved into crescents:
"You're next in line."
I left immediately, leaving them to their chaos. Fifteen minutes later, the café owner called police to report a near-murderous brawl.
08
After that café encounter, news came that Bạch Vân Kính committed suicide the day before his civil service physical. The Bạch family severed ties with the Cốs. My father, who attended the funeral, said the Bạchs treated their son's death with chilling indifference – the eldest brother didn't shed a tear, his face frozen throughout.
I laughed. During this sensitive period, any scandal would doom the entire Bạch family. Sacrificing the pawn to save the king was their only move.
Soon came news about the Cốs: Cố Thanh Hoài tested positive. Distraught, he handed company control to his business partner. Though incompetent himself, the partner had real talent. Yet even he couldn't overcome my strategies, becoming my latest conquest.
After winning the bid, I invited him for drinks:
"Consider joining my company."
"Or I'll invest. We'll partner up. Ditch Cố Thanh Hoài."
In our past life, he and Cố had parted ways early. He went abroad, caught the industry wave, and built an empire. We had no feud – this time, I'd harness his talent for the Lâm family's rise.
The partner smiled and agreed. Compared to Cố Thanh Hoài, I offered Lâm family's resources without meddling elders. Businessmen understand – we shook on it immediately.
Cố Thanh Hoài became irrelevant overnight.
As the Cốs imploded, Khương Nguyệt was found pregnant. Cố's father saw new opportunity, dragging her to the tycoon's mansion demanding responsibility. But he didn't know power had shifted – the tycoon's children had split shares and institutionalized their philandering father.
Hearing of the Cốs' antics, I smirked: Absolute fools.
That tycoon had been sterile since a car accident decades ago. Khương Nguyệt's bastard child? Could be Cố Thanh Hoài's. Could be Bạch Vân Kính's. Not my concern anymore.
The Cố clowns were eventually driven off, their reputation in tatters.
I maintained my routine. The project I'd contested with Cố Thanh Hoài concluded successfully. My father, recognizing my capabilities, began grooming me as heir. My partnership flourished – proof of my partner's genius. Letting him steer while I invested brought overflowing profits.
In our past life, Cố Thanh Hoài jumped to his death after late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis. By current timelines, I could warn him now for early treatment.
But why would I?
Let him die disgraced and in agony, tasting my past life's despair.
Seasons turned. Two years later, my father retired, passing me Lâm Group's helm. I steered the corporate giant flawlessly. My future shone boundless.
(End)
