An Infuriating Apology

I am sorry.

Facing Lin Yu's aggressive gaze and his repulsive threats, Tao Yaoyao suddenly spoke these words with an apologetic expression.

Tao Yaoyao's words stunned Lin Yu, but soon, he read the pity in her soft, guilty eyes.

Unable to conceal the anger at the bottom of his heart any longer, a touch of ferocity surfaced on Lin Yu's face.

I am sorry.

Tao Yaoyao was apologizing to Lin Yu.

She had not expected that incident to hurt him so deeply.

She knew better than anyone what kind of person Lin Yu used to be.

Faced with the desperate pursuit of so many beautiful girls, he would not even bother to bat an eye, his heart solely devoted to his girlfriend thousands of miles away.

Yet, such a fiercely loyal man in love was now actively seeking out affairs.

And even doing so through such a disgraceful, coercive method.

Tao Yaoyao did not know what kind of psychological journey Lin Yu had been through.

But she knew that an experience capable of changing a person so drastically must have been incredibly painful.

Therefore.

Lin Yu, I am sorry.

His hands beneath the table clenched tightly, gripping so hard that his wrists began to tremble.

Lin Yu had never imagined that one day he would become this furious when faced with someone's sincere apology.

Beforehand, Lin Yu had anticipated many possible reactions from Tao Yaoyao.

Like anger.

Feeling insulted, she might stand up, throw a glass of ice water in his face, and storm off indignantly.

Like loyalty.

She would firmly reject the proposal, declaring that she would never do something to betray Xu Mingyao.

Or perhaps a hidden temptation.

Knowing it was wrong, but under the pressure of reality and the temptation of a luxurious life, she would recognize the truth and choose to submit.

Actually, out of all these options, no matter which one Tao Yaoyao chose, her ending would be the same.

Because she no longer had the right to choose.

As long as she insisted on not abandoning Xu Mingyao, her only outcome would be submission.

It was just a matter of time.

The pressure of reality would sooner or later bend her proud spine, forcing her to walk dejectedly down this single path—a road leading straight to the hell of depravity.

But Tao Yaoyao's answer truly made Lin Yu feel a sense of overwhelming rage.

Looking at the soft pity in her eyes, Lin Yu was so angry he wanted to stand up, grab her by the hair, and smash her exquisite, moving face viciously against the table.

In truth, deep down, Lin Yu did not even know if the person he wanted to brutally beat up was her, or his current self.

Just as Lin Yu refused to admit that Tao Yaoyao's apology had struck a nerve.

He would not even admit that he still had this sore spot.

Amidst his manic anger, Lin Yu stared at Tao Yaoyao without a word, struggling to digest these extreme emotions.

Lin Yu knew that if he lost control of his anger and got physical now, he would have lost completely.

Even though Tao Yaoyao probably never even thought about winning.

After a few heavy pants, Lin Yu's breathing gradually steadied, and a smile reappeared on his lips, although this time it seemed a bit more rigid and sinister.

Save the apology.

I think what you should be considering right now is your and Xu Mingyao's future livelihood.

How much money do you even have left?

Is it still in the four digits?

Lin Yu's few short sentences laid the cruel reality bare before Tao Yaoyao, forcing her to confront it.

Seeing Tao Yaoyao's eyes become dazed and dim, Lin Yu struck while the iron was hot and asked:

So?

Will you consider accepting this job?

It will allow you and Xu Mingyao to live a very comfortable life.

Tao Yaoyao fell silent. She naturally knew this job would not come for free; it required her body as the final payment.

After a brief moment of thought, Tao Yaoyao shook her head. She looked up at Lin Yu, her voice soft but firm as she said:

No.

I know what you are trying to do.

You want to use me to take revenge on Xu Mingyao, to hurt her, right?

I will not agree to it.

After having his intentions exposed and being cleanly and clearly rejected by Tao Yaoyao, Lin Yu was not angry. Instead, the smile on his face grew even wider.

No, no, no.

He extended his index finger and wagged it back and forth, correcting the flaw in Tao Yaoyao's understanding:

Whether Xu Mingyao gets hurt or not does not depend on me.

It depends on you.

Lin Yu pointed lightly at Tao Yaoyao across the table and continued:

What happens between us, I will keep completely secret. I will not reveal a single word to Xu Mingyao.

So, as long as you do not show any flaws in front of her.

She will not get hurt.

Lin Yu's twisted logic made Tao Yaoyao want to retort.

What would hurt Xu Mingyao was the affair itself.

Not whether she knew about it!

Tao Yaoyao parted her full, pink lips, just about to argue back, but was interrupted by Lin Yu's next words.

Besides, you will not need to hide it from her for long.

One year.

Lin Yu held up one finger, smiling as he said:

Just one year.

If, after a year, you are still willing to be with her, then everything in the past will be written off.

I will not let anyone target you two anymore.

You can live freely.

And does not Xu Mingyao still have a lot of rich relatives?

With their help, maybe by pulling some strings, you can even bail the one in prison out.

The Xu family might even be able to make a comeback.

Tao Yaoyao was stunned for a moment as she listened.

The picture Lin Yu painted was simply too enticing.

Even without smelling its aroma, just taking one look at it made it incredibly hard to refuse.

But...

But this kind of thing was ultimately wrong.

Tao Yaoyao clearly recognized this point.

Lin Yu's promises were all illusory, but if she chose to make a deal with him, her betrayal would be very real.

Moreover, if the matter was exposed and Xu Mingyao found out about everything, Tao Yaoyao did not even dare to think about the consequences.

Yet the future Lin Yu described was just too beautiful—so beautiful that even if there was only a sliver of hope, Tao Yaoyao felt an urge to try.

Just...

Just one year?

Tao Yaoyao's eyes grew confused. A crack gradually appeared in the unshakeable bottom line of her heart, and the scale that had been extremely tilted to one side showed signs of rebalancing.

Just as Tao Yaoyao was agonizing over it.

Lin Yu's final sentence helped her make a decision.

Tao Yaoyao.

You are a smart person.

You should know that you do not actually have a choice.

Tao Yaoyao's beautiful peach-blossom eyes lit up. She stared blankly at Lin Yu, and soon, the light in her eyes dimmed again.

That is right.

Why did she even need to struggle so much?

She had lost the right to choose a long time ago.

Seeing Tao Yaoyao's silent, resigned appearance, Lin Yu smiled in satisfaction.

Just at that moment, the door to the private room was pushed open.

A waiter in a sharp suit wheeled in a serving cart, bringing the thick-cut steaks they had ordered to the table. He had even thoughtfully sliced the meat into neat strips.

Despite the mouth-watering aroma of the steak placed before him, Lin Yu did not wolf it down as he normally would.

Instead, he considerately forked a piece of steak and placed it onto the plate in front of Tao Yaoyao. With an attentive smile, he said,

"Eat up."

"You might get pretty tired later."

"It won't do if you don't keep your strength up."

Tao Yaoyao looked up at Lin Yu for a moment, then lowered her gaze back to the perfectly seared beef on her plate.

After a brief pause, she finally moved.

Picking up her fork, she slowly pierced the beef and brought it to her lips.

It was as if she were swallowing a long-overdue fate.