Chapter 86: The Alluring Moonlight

  Looking at Jiang Yan's cute and angry face in front of him, Luo Lin's smile became even more radiant. Perhaps it was because Jiang Yan's unconditional help had solved many troubles for him that every time he saw Jiang Yan, his heart would involuntarily rise with a warmth. On this quiet and cold winter night, the reunion of the two people seemed so romantic.

  They casually said a few words, and the two of them started eating spicy hot pot while drinking canned beer. The owner of the spicy hot pot stall was also delighted to do business with these two people in front of him, and the amount of fish balls and beef balls sold this time was enough to make up for a whole night.

  Two people, you say one word and I say another, although it's been a long time since we've seen each other, but there isn't the slightest bit of estrangement.

  "Yan Jie, what's wrong? You looked upset when you hung up the phone. Did you have a fight with your family?" Luolin took a sip of beer, "Honestly, Yan Jie, being able to see your parents every day is a very happy thing... Let me take you home after I clear my head."

  Jiang Yan obviously wasn't very good at drinking, after two beers, her pretty face had already flushed with a hint of red, and sadness and helplessness showed through her beautiful eyebrows. She let out a deep sigh: "I didn't want to fight with my family either... but, alas, I just can't accept that Liu Hao, and my parents are too arbitrary about my emotional matters."

  Liu Hao?

  Luo Lin blinked his eyes, thought for a moment, and recalled the guy he met with Jiang Yan at the small restaurant. He estimated that it was probably that self-proclaimed big shot who was as pretentious as Mount Everest. It seemed that his family background was not bad, but his character was too poor, no wonder Jiang Yan's picky dating standards couldn't accept him.

  Lorraine shrugged: "That's right, sister Yan. You're already 24 or 25 years old this year, after all. As a girl from a good family, it's inevitable that your family will worry about you. Besides, who doesn't know about your reputation as a cold and beautiful policewoman? It's basically impossible for the opposite sex to get close to you, it's a high-difficulty level. If you were like other normal girls, with a boyfriend by your side, your family wouldn't take the initiative to arrange blind dates for you."

  "Heh heh, little guy, don't you like me because I'm old?" Jiang Yan's words carried a hint of bitterness, but her eyes flickered with a thread of sorrow, "Alas, it's easy for you to say... You men are all unreliable. How can I entrust my entire life to an untrustworthy man?"

  "Not necessarily, don't generalize. "Lorin chuckled and patted his chest, "Am I not a perfect man?"

  As soon as she heard this, Jiang Yan quickly rolled her eyes and suddenly thought of Qin Wanshu, Song Meiyan, and Lanlan. She gave Luo Lin a cold look: "You? Don't be ridiculous! You're already surrounded by beautiful women at such a young age, who knows what will happen in the future? A big philanderer like you, I'd rather stay single for life than find a boyfriend like you who makes me feel so insecure."

  Lorraine cried out: "I'm innocent!"

  Jiang Yan hummed and said, "I didn't wrong you, those two aunts of yours aren't big beauties? You don't have any blood relationship with them, I see they look at you with different eyes. And that student sister of Lan's, she probably has a crush on you too. You, your way of doing things is too unconventional, always leaving emotions everywhere." As she spoke, Jiang Yan smacked her red lips and smiled slyly with her slightly cold eyes: "However, as a younger brother, you're still quite suitable. At least when taking you out, people generally like you. Although... you have a belly full of evil intentions."

  "Who's been pouring dirty water?" Lorin denied it with a flick of her mouth.

  Jiang Yan gave him a sideways glance, changing the subject: "By the way, little guy, what's wrong with you today? You're wandering around the night market at midnight. This place has been under construction for a while now, I don't believe that as the young master of the Luo Group, you wouldn't know that there aren't any entertainment venues left here. What's gotten into you, sitting on this small cart looking all melancholy? Don't you have your Qin Ayi to keep you company? How is it? Has she found someone new and doesn't want you anymore?" As soon as Jiang Yan mentioned this, she recalled the figure of Luo Lin she saw when she first arrived, his slightly lonely back. She casually threw out a sentence, seemingly trying to provoke Luo Lin, but also revealing a hint of expectation, as if hoping that Qin Ayi had indeed "found someone new".

  Those words from Jiang Yan stirred up the lingering sorrow in Luolin's heart, and his expression suddenly became somewhat lonely: "She also went to Yanzheng, and I'm really left with no one now."

  Jiang Yan felt a slight joy in her heart. But thinking of Luo Lin's family background, his parents rarely returned to Zhenzhou City, and now that they were approaching the end of the year, Luo Lin was alone by himself. In fact, sometimes when she thought about it, an eighteen-year-old high school student who lived alone every day, went to school alone, slept alone, and didn't even have anyone to talk to at home, was indeed quite pitiful.

  However, from Jiang Yan's understanding of Luo Lin, he is a very strong person. On the surface, he always appears to be carefree and playful, but after many interactions, it was discovered that Luo Lin has been dealing with all sorts of things, some for his loved ones, some for his friends, and some even for a hint of kindness. As for himself, he seems to have always had an attitude of indifference. People like this generally live very tired lives. It's hard to imagine that someone so young could have such an admirable outlook on life.

  Perhaps it was because she gradually discovered this quality in Lorraine that Jiang Yan's affection for the little guy deepened.

  "Will your parents be coming back for the New Year?" Jiang Yan looked at Luo Lin, who had suddenly become somewhat melancholy, and asked softly, feeling an inexplicable pang in her heart.

  Lorraine smiled: "They said they would come back, but I also knew that the year-end was a great opportunity for market integration. If we missed this opportunity, we might be overtaken by others, or even left far behind in the competition. Honestly, I miss them, but I don't want them to delay the business of Yanjing because of me."

  "So... what do you plan to do?"

  Luo Lin's eyes were slightly absent-minded, the lamp on the cart stall emitted a faint yellow light, and in Luo Lin's eyes, it drew out a hint of desolation. Finally, he gulped down a mouthful of beer, wiped his mouth, and exhaled white mist: "Of course, I'll still wait for them to come back. As parents, they will only be at ease when they see me. If we can't spend the New Year together, or if I go to Yanjing alone, it will only make them worry and blame themselves, nothing else."

  "Wouldn't that affect the business of Yanjing?"

  Lorin suddenly burst out laughing, and Jiang Yan couldn't tell if it was an illusion, but in that instant, she felt that the little guy in front of her had transformed into a man who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, exuding a hint of calmness and a demeanor that seemed to have seen through the world's superficiality. "Business? Life is about emotions, not material things. In today's world, everyone is rushing around for survival, without stopping to reflect on their own lives. They come into this world without understanding, live for some colorful pieces of paper, and then leave without understanding. Many people live in a daze. Actually, it's often the case that material possessions control us, rather than us controlling them. Although the value of material things is created by humans, we can't bring anything with us when we're born or take anything with us when we die. As the only emotional creatures in this vast world, if we only focus on material things and not emotions, then we're really no better than walking corpses."

  Perhaps it was the enchanting moonlight, combined with his two lifetimes of experience, that stirred up the deep sense of loneliness in Lorrain's heart, causing him to express his attitude towards life for the first time. This remark, if heard by ordinary people, would likely be met with disdain: "What nonsense is this? Showing off." However, if one were to savor it slowly and carefully, they might come to understand something profound.

  At this time, Jiang Yan was a little distracted, looking at Luo Lin's thoughtful and calm appearance, she seemed to find that the Luo Lin in front of her was somewhat unfamiliar. In a daze, she was touched by Luo Lin's slightly melancholic and calm words...

  For a long time, neither of them spoke, silently drinking their beer.

  Finally, Lorraine smiled and broke the silence: "However, I will help the Luo Group settle down in Yanjing. I've decided to go to university in Yanjing, my parents have raised me for so many years, I should repay them well."

  "Uh... hang in there." Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment, her words were stuck on the tip of her tongue, and she nodded seriously, uttering these two words.

  "Right, Sister Yan." Lorin's previous worried emotions were swept away, replaced by a usual smile. "Recently, our Zhenzhou City Bureau has been cracking down on those entertainment venues and mass gambling dens, is the action still ongoing?"

  Lorin's thoughts were a bit jumpy, and Jiang Yan didn't react immediately. After a slight pause, she regained her composure as a seasoned policewoman and thought for a moment before saying: "Yes, it's still ongoing. And now that we're approaching the end of the year, there are more and more people gathering to gamble and those who have had too much to drink and need to vent their frustrations often arrange those disgusting entertainment projects. So, the monitoring of these places is being further strengthened... However, many places can't be touched. Some big shots back certain places, and no one dares to monitor them... These unspoken rules that can't be exposed, Lorin, you should understand."

  Jiang Yan's expression at this time was somewhat tired, obviously a bit disgusted with this kind of routine and uninteresting work, which could not fundamentally solve these phenomena, but only made use of those insignificant places to show off, all were just pretending for the citizens.

  After a brief pause, Jiang Yan seemed to have thought of something and suddenly turned her head to Luolin: "By the way, I heard that your Luoshi Group is now the second largest shareholder of Caesar's Imperial Palace. Honestly tell me, has the Luoshi Group invested money in those color departments?"

  Luo Lin smiled and thought the main topic had arrived, waving his hand: "Of course not. I'll whisper to you, the fact that the Luo Group became the second largest shareholder of Caesar's Palace was all planned by me."

  "What?" Jiang Yan's beautiful eyes widened in surprise, and she asked somewhat incredulously.