Lin Han was very assertive, and I was a bit worried that Zhang Mao would become suspicious. But Zhang Mao showed no signs of it. He laughed heartily and said, "I don't have any other intentions just because you are Lin Zhiyuan's daughter. Miss Lin, I am truly here with sincerity. Let's get straight to the point. We intend to sell this Qianlong thumb ring to your father for 30 million. The method, Tang Nandou has already explained to you, after all, it was his idea."
"He did, but he didn't tell me how much I would get?"
Zhang Mao's brows furrowed slightly, and I felt a sense of amusement, thinking there was a chance. My anticipation was well-controlled. At this moment, Zhang Mao looked at me, seeking confirmation. I nodded silently, indicating that I truly hadn't mentioned any specific amount. It was reasonable that I hadn't, as selling it for 30 million was still uncertain.
Zhang Mao, understanding the situation, smiled slightly. "Miss Lin, I told you we came with sincerity. If we sell it for 30 million, you will receive one-seventh of the full payment as your reward."
"One-seventh?"
Lin Han repeated the phrase and snorted coldly.
Zhang Mao asked, puzzled, "Is something wrong?"
Instead of answering Zhang Mao's question directly, Lin Han picked up a pair of disposable chopsticks from the table, slowly pulled one out, broke it at a random spot, and snapped it in half. Then, Lin Han pushed the longer piece towards Zhang Mao. "This chopstick is split in two. Yours is longer, and mine is shorter. Yours is about twice as long as mine. What I'm saying is, if I were to restore this pair of chopsticks, and you were to break your piece into two and then restore it with me, would you say your contribution is two-thirds just because you used two pieces? A collectible is the same. It requires perfection, not quantity."
After speaking, Lin Han stood up and said to Zhang Mao with a smile, "Whether you agree with my reasoning or not, it differs from your expectations. I think you'll need to consider it before deciding whether to cooperate with me. I'll take my leave. I really can't stand the smell of the new renovation, and as a Xi'an native, I don't like braised noodles either."
With that, Lin Han patted my hand and said, "Don't drink, Mom made us something delicious tonight."
Lin Han turned and left. Zhang Mao said nothing, completely bewildered. I was inwardly delighted but said, "Brother Mao, you have to believe me. This wasn't my plan; this was all this woman's idea."
Her impromptu reaction was truly brilliant. It wasn't just Zhang Mao who was surprised; I was too. If the price couldn't be agreed upon, the transaction couldn't proceed. That was perfectly normal.
Zhang Mao remained silent, his expression grim. I looked at him and said earnestly, "Brother Mao, how about you consider it? You set the time and place for tomorrow, and we can continue talking. In business, if a deal falls through, we can discuss it again. Isn't that what being a businessman is all about?"
"Did you two plan this together?"
"We really didn't plan this. However, I agree with Lin Han's point. There are only two types of collectibles: incomplete or perfect. One-seventh in mathematics is really not suitable for collectibles. Brother Mao, I'll have to leave now. Lin Han's family is waiting for me to go home for dinner. Tricking Lin Zhiyuan out of thirty million is just the beginning. I can't afford to offend the Lin family. I'm sorry, I need to go now."
...
When I returned home, Lin Han was already there. She had changed into bunny pajamas, her hair loosely tied in a braid. Lin Han, now relaxed and at ease, was sitting cross-legged on a kitchen chair, a plate of meatballs in front of her, which she was happily munching on.
Just as I entered, Lin's mother came over and took the meatballs away. Lin Han looked at her mother with a pout and whined, "Mom~"
"Calling me Mom won't help. I'm making Hu La Tang, and you've eaten all the meatballs. How can I make the soup now?"
Tonight's meal was Youmian, the kind rolled by hand. The most important part of eating Youmian is the soup. Lamb soup or tomato soup. Lin's mother, afraid I'd get tired of lamb soup, had specially prepared meatball Hu La Tang. Although Hu La Tang is a famous Henan dish, Xi'an people believe it originated from the ancient culture of Chang'an and only later became widely popular in Henan.
...
The Youmian seemed to agree with Grandpa's palate. He was rosy-cheeked and had a small drink. He didn't pretend to be confused all evening. Seeing him like this, I knew he was probably happy about thwarting the scheme of the Heaven's Art Collection Investment Company. However, Grandpa's cheerful demeanor contrasted with Grandma's worried frown. The old lady seemed to have something on her mind, but since I interacted with her infrequently, I couldn't ask about it.
After dinner, I found an excuse to go into Grandpa's room. Grandpa closed the door and then said with a smile, "Little Tang, you did well."
"Grandpa, we've broken this scheme, and the money from those old friends will be returned. Can you stop pretending to be confused now?"
"Pretending to be confused wasn't just for this scheme. Little Tang, I think you're doing well. Little Han is also home. You should pack up and head back to Beijing. Don't get involved in this mess with her father and daughter."
I was extremely surprised. He was telling me to leave.
Something felt off, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"What's really going on, Grandpa?"
"I can't say, child. Listen to my advice. Since you can still get out of this, leave while you can."
The old man wouldn't say more, but I could feel his genuine sincerity. I nodded earnestly. "Tomorrow, I'll sort out my own affairs and head back to Beijing immediately."
...
When I came out of Grandpa's room, Lin Han was engrossed in reading a book. I recognized the cover as high school textbooks. I closed the study door, pulled up a chair, and sat opposite Lin Han. She lowered her book and looked at me naturally.
"You helped me out so much today, won't you praise me?"
"How did you know?"
"Shouldn't I have known?"
Lin Han's lighthearted retort truly stumped me. Lin Han's current state was very natural. She wasn't wearing makeup, her skin was a bit dry, and I could even see some freckles on her cheekbones. Besides this homebody look, she seemed very relaxed, as if I reverted to my true self at home after being adaptable in the outside world.
Yet, I felt that Lin Han's current state wasn't entirely real. She was like an onion to me; peel back one layer, and there was another, and I could never see her heart.
"Thank you. You were brilliant today. Why are you starting to read high school books?"
"You tempted me. I really want to go to college now. By the way, which university do you want to apply to? Maybe we'll become schoolmates."
"Let's just see which one I can get into. I'll let you know when I'm applying."
Lin Han smiled and nodded, then suddenly looked at me seriously and said, "If you don't lie to me, I might actually consider marrying you."
Her words inexplicably made my heart race. "When did I lie to you?"
"Grandpa told me everything. You're not really investigating my father. My father's true identity is an informant. You're here to investigate the x-driver, aren't you? Is that Zhang Mao the x-driver?"
"Something like that."
"Then go back to your hometown after you've dealt with him."
Lin Han's words pricked the nagging feeling of unease within me. I smiled and asked her, "Are you trying to chase me away already?"
"Go on, I'm afraid of developing feelings over time. You've become too significant in my heart. Besides, my grandfather said we have incompatible destinies, and we won't have a good ending. I don't want to end up with a tragic separation. Such pain would be unbearable, so it's better to part ways early."
"You watch too many movies, don't you?"
Lin Han laughed heartily. "Do you have a plan?"
"Yes. Once your father returns, we'll discuss it, and we should be able to resolve Zhang Mao."
...
Lin Zhijun returned quite late, smelling of alcohol. He had many social engagements, but he looked energetic.
"Wife, I haven't eaten yet. Can you heat up the Youmian for me? I smelled the soup as soon as I walked in."
"I've told you countless times, drinking without eating is bad for your health. Even with many engagements, you can't risk your life like this."
Lin Zhijun chuckled and replied dutifully, "I'll be more careful next time. Little Tang, you come to the kitchen too. Let's talk."
...
I sat opposite Lin Zhijun, watching him happily drink his soup and eat his Youmian. He gave me the impression that he was different from when I first met him, seeming very excited.
"Lin Han already knows my identity. You've skillfully leveraged our grandfather's affection for his grandchildren. The progress has been good. If my father didn't pretend to be confused sometimes, he probably would have kept you as a grandson-in-law."
Does Lin Zhijun also know that Grandpa is pretending to be confused? I wondered inwardly but didn't say anything.
"I'll ask you one question: do you want to be my son-in-law? I only have one daughter. If you become my son-in-law, everything will be yours."
"No, Mr. Lin. After dealing with the x-driver, I'll be going home."
"That's a shame. Do you have a plan?"
"The other party has already targeted me. They will contact me. I will follow the plan to let them trade with you. I'll give you a phone number, and you can help me contact my liaison."
Hearing my words, Lin Zhijun fell into thought. After a long pause, he said, "This is against the rules, isn't it? You and I are both informants, and each informant has their own liaison. It's against regulations for me to contact your liaison."
"The other party has changed their plan. They're keeping an eye on me, and I can't contact Yu Xiaoluo, so I have to ask for your help."
"Alright, this won't happen again."
After Lin Zhijun agreed, he happily finished the Youmian in his bowl and then looked at me, saying, "Do you want some more?"
"I'm quite full!"
As I left the kitchen, I saw Lin's mother talking with the worried Grandma. They stopped as soon as they saw me. I felt that Grandma seemed to have something on her mind, but I hadn't been in this family long enough for anyone to confide in me.
...
Since everyone knew my identity, I didn't need to hide anymore. The Lin family had many rooms, and they assigned me a guest room. I lay on the bed, temporarily pushing aside the feeling of unease. Then, I constantly replayed the situation in my mind, speculating on the potential developments for tomorrow. The worst-case scenario, which I hoped to avoid, was that Zhang Mao was so eager to help me complete this plan not because the "Logical Paradox" organization needed it, but because he needed money to abscond.
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