Chapter 3: Deception Beyond Tolerance

  Zhang Yan's face flashed a hint of unbearable, but soon was replaced by a firm determination. Facing Wang Lin's questioning, Zhang Yan did not feel any unnaturalness or unbearable, as if in her eyes, all this was destined to happen.

  Zhang Ran didn't respond to Wang Lin's questioning, but instead turned his head to one side, avoiding looking at Wang Lin's despairing expression. The five years of emotions suddenly collapsed in an instant, and Zhang Ran also had a hint of reluctance. However, the pressure from their families ultimately led Zhang Ran to choose to give up. For these political families, political interests are often the most important thing. They usually have a halo that others don't have, and they receive admiring glances from others, but when it comes to marriage, they also envy ordinary people.

  "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. How can we be classmates for four years and I'm still hiding from you? That's not right of me, Li Zhi!" Li Zhi slowly released Zhang Ran's hands, leaning back against the backrest with a casual air, his left hand busy digging out a pack of Great Wall cigarettes from his pocket, pulling one out and lighting it up. He didn't offer one to Wang Lin, nor did he make any gesture for Wang Lin to take a seat.

  "I've already decided with Zhang Ran, we'll get married after a while. At that time, you must show your face and come to our wedding! I don't want people to say I'm stingy, not even inviting you, a classmate, to such a big event. After all, we're considered good brothers, aren't we?" Li Zhi continued to speak as if no one was around, looking at Wang Lin's current expression, he seemed to be enjoying it. He loved seeing Wang Lin being stepped on like this, the feeling was even better than his first night with Zhang Ran.

  Every time Li Zhi sees Wang Lin's current expression, he feels an indescribable sense of pleasure in his heart. In college, Li Zhi was warned by Wang Lin countless times. If it weren't for Zhang Ran secretly finding Li Zhi and forcing him to hold back, the current Wang Lin would probably be unrecognizable by now.

  Although I, Li Zhi, am not a noble or have any extraordinary abilities in Zhongzhou, I am still a respectable figure in Yizhou. I wouldn't dare bully an official's family, but if it's just bullying you, a commoner, what's the difficulty? Isn't it up to me to do as I please?

  Today, Li Zhi is so happy, if you want to say it carefully, you should thank Wang Lin. If it weren't for Wang Lin's ruthlessness in the past, Li Zhi wouldn't have this mood today. More importantly, Zhang Ran now belongs to Li Zhi, not Wang Lin. Also, on a certain night, Li Zhi discovered that Zhang Ran was still a virgin. This made Li Zhi extremely happy, unexpectedly, Wang Lin knew his limits and didn't try to force it, leaving the packaging intact for Li Zhi to unwrap. However, since there are exciting aspects, there must be some dissatisfaction, why didn't Wang Lin come down? According to reason, that matter can't be resolved with just money.

  Wang Lin stared at Zhang Ran with a bewildered expression, and in his heart, he couldn't help but ask himself: What has he been working so hard for this past year? When someone tried to take his place the other day, he fought tooth and nail to keep it, even if it meant spending all of his family's savings. Was it all just for this outcome today? No, I, Wang Lin, will never admit defeat. Even if I really lose, I must win in terms of momentum.

  What Zhang Yan wanted, Wang Lin indeed had no way to give her, at least not now. This was something Wang Lin was also very clear about. After all, the gap between their families was still quite obvious, and this wasn't something that could be changed overnight. And Wang Lin didn't blame his parents for any of this; everyone has their own path to follow. Now, looking at those officials' children and rich kids who can appear with all sorts of halos, it's because their elders have paved the way step by step, and they should get these things. Wang Lin's elders hadn't taken that step, so now Wang Lin was just an ordinary person.

  "Let me have a word with Zhang Ran alone!" After thinking it through, Wang Lin's hatred for Zhang Ran wasn't as deep-seated as before. He just wanted to have one last conversation with Zhang Ran before accepting the reality of the situation, even if it would deeply hurt himself, and he was willing to take that risk.

  "I am Zhang Ran's fiancé, you can talk to me, I can make decisions for everything about Zhang Ran!" Li Zhi didn't even glance at Wang Lin, who was now as insignificant as an ant in his eyes. He didn't even deign to give him a slap or a kick. Since he got Zhang Ran, Li Zhi also felt a sense of conquest, a feeling he had never experienced before. Perhaps the previous ones were not challenging enough for him.

  "Li Zhi, let me talk to him for a bit, just five minutes, okay?" Zhang Yan suddenly spoke up after being silent the whole time, but the determination in her eyes made Wang Lin feel a sense of unfamiliarity. The woman who had been lovingly entwined with him for five years suddenly seemed like a stranger to him.

  "Alright, since that's the case, I'll give you five minutes!" Li Zhi shrugged indifferently, but in fact he wasn't trying to stop Wang Lin and Zhang Ran from having a private conversation. He was doing this just to annoy Wang Lin, who thought he was so great for making Zhang Ran his first-in-command. Did he see that now? Zhang Ran was standing obediently by his side, did he dare to resist what Li Zhi said?

  Reversal? Li Zhi never knew how to write the word "reversal" in two characters, especially when facing Wang Lin. Li Zhi thought of all the scenes, but there was no mention of reversal. Li Zhi's father was the deputy director of the Organization Department of Yiyang City, and his mother was the president of Honghe Group. It can be said that Li Zhi is a combination of official second generation and rich second generation. What about Zhang Ran? His father was just a county magistrate under Yiyang City, a mere section-level cadre. Whether he could eventually cross the threshold of being a section-level cadre depended on whether Li Zhi's father would help him or not.

  A deputy minister of an organization department may not have much dominance in personnel appointments. However, a proposal from a deputy minister of the organization department is still worth considering by others. This is how things work at higher levels - sometimes just saying a word can greatly help someone else. Moreover, this deputy minister of the organization department is also the vice secretary of the municipal party committee, who dares to offend him? Everyone hopes their own camp will become stronger and stronger. A section-level cadre can be considered a mid-ranking official, and within the camp, they are also an important component. If you win over a section-level cadre and help them overcome this hurdle, then obviously, there will be one more deputy department-level cadre in the camp from now on. The power of this camp will become even stronger and unshakeable.

  It's now the Zhang family who is seeking them out, the Li family, so Li Zhi naturally doesn't have to worry about anything. Even if Li Zhi were to play with Zhang Ran and not end up marrying her, Zhang Ran's father wouldn't dare say anything. Moreover, the person at home has already planned to recommend Zhang Ran's father for a higher position, otherwise it would be impossible for him to come and agree to this marriage with a smile on his face.

  However, if this had happened a year ago, it would have been impossible. In the past year, the officialdom of Yizhou can be said to have changed dramatically. Originally, as long as Zhang Ran's father's backer made some effort, Zhang Ran's father would have naturally crossed the threshold and become a deputy director. But in this year, Zhang Ran's father's backer seemed to have gotten into some trouble and was struggling to protect himself, let alone having the energy to take care of his subordinates. It was also in this year that Li Zhi's father's faction finally won the political game and Li Zhi's father was promoted to deputy director of the Yizhou Public Security Bureau. Although the rank was still the same, his status and position were different.

  Li Zhi left the card seat leisurely, and before leaving, he still didn't forget to give Wang Lin a provocative glance. Then, with an air of being pleased with himself, he wandered around the coffee shop at will.

  "Why?" Wang Lin asked faintly, having thought through the problem and no longer hating as much. What he needed now was just an answer, whether good or bad didn't matter, as long as it brought comfort to his heart.

  "We don't match!" Zhang Ran replied calmly, without intending to continue the conversation.

  "If we're not suitable, then we should have parted ways five years ago. Why did you persist until now and only tell me that we're not suitable?" Wang Lin continued to ask calmly.

  "I've told you, my parents hope I find a certain kind of husband. I've also given you the opportunity, but what have you done? What achievements do you have now? Tell me! It's not that I didn't give you the chance, it's just that you don't have the ability to marry me, to give me what I want. Now everything I wear is a famous brand, I ride in an Audi, and live in a five-star hotel. What can you offer me? Street vendor goods? A public bus? A small inn? Wang Lin, I'm telling you, I've already lost all hope in you." Zhang Ran said with some anger.

  "For you, I've been working hard to change everything. Now I've become a formal civil servant and my income is gradually increasing. It won't be long before I have everything I'm supposed to have. What more do you want me to do?" Zhang Yan said, stating facts that left Wang Lin with no choice but to respond helplessly. What Zhang Yan wanted, Wang Lin indeed couldn't provide for her at the moment, as he was still working hard to make this dream a reality, while Zhang Yan seemed to be growing impatient."

  "Wang Lin, I'm telling you, your efforts are no longer needed by me. I've already found my destination. From now on, whether you live or die, whether you're rich or poor, it has nothing to do with me. You go your own way, and I'll cross my own bridge. We two will have no more debts to each other from now on.

  Also, Wang Lin, I want to tell you that I hope we won't have any more contact from now on. I don't want to see you again. If possible, please leave H Province. Really, I really don't want to see you again. Even if it means going our separate ways forever, I'm fine with that."

  Zhang Ran said all this in one breath, then turned around and picked up her white bag, leaving."

  What was left was Wang Lin's helpless smile. Who would have thought that the loving couple who had talked on the phone just yesterday would end up like this today? Heaven really knows how to play tricks on people, and the change in reality is indeed too fast, so fast that Wang Lin cannot accept it.

  "I will never leave H Province! One day, you will regret treating me like this!" Wang Lin muttered to himself. At this moment, in addition to the pain, some of the hatred that had originally been put aside once again ignited in his heart.

  "By the way, I forgot to tell you just now. Next month on the first day is our class reunion, at the Huayuan Hotel in Zhongzhou City. At that time, you must come, and you can bring your family!" Li Zhi, who had already left, seemed to have forgotten something, hurriedly turned around and walked back, saying a sentence to Wang Lin with a contemptuous smile on his face.

  How dare you!

  P.S: Updated yesterday and today together