Ling Xiao personally arranged for Zhong Wusheng’s treatment before asking Xu Tingsheng, “Where did you invite such an expert from?”


  “I ran into him,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  ‘Inviting’ and ‘running into’ were actually two totally different concepts in human interactions.

  Ling Xiao next comforted that injured youth in a gentle tone.

  Seeing how the youth was looking at her and how his expression changed as she comforted him, Xu Tingsheng asked Ling Xiao as he was following her upstairs, “If what you said weren’t completely lies, this Junwen should be that person prepared by the Ling family, right?”


  “That’s right,” Ling Xiao said expressionlessly, “I didn’t lie about that. Lies with bits of truth mixed in them are the most believable. Also, it is best that they contain negative events or emotions such as pain, helplessness or sorrow. People are unconsciously more inclined to believe in tragedy and pain as opposed to happiness and everything going well.”


  “Knowledge from psychology?”


  “Common knowledge. Human nature.”


  “.……” Accidentally being looked upon disdainfully by a professional, Xu Tingsheng asked, “So, everything else was a lie?”


  “Yes,” Ling Xiao said, “Oh, there’s one more thing that wasn’t……”


  “What?”


  “It was when I asked you if you’d like to have a baby with me. My Dad would agree to this. I think that things will more or less be ending today. How about I get someone to arrange our consummation now?” Ling Xiao’s smile was somewhat sly and provocative.

  “.……If I do that, your younger brother Junwen will definitely crawl up and render me dead even if it kills him,” Xu Tingsheng rebutted.

  Ling Xiao stopped and looked at Xu Tingsheng for a while before she asked, “You could tell? Actually, before he turned fourteen, he thought all along that I was his older sister. Then, after somebody told him what the old men are planning, he has seen himself as a husband, the very sticky and inseparable kind. I think he might really like me.”


  “Won’t that be very troublesome then?”


  “Right. So, after I’ve given birth to a child, he’ll be sent to Dongbei to enter the army.”


  After a momentary silence, Ling Xiao reverted to the original topic, “Actually, I didn’t have such intentions at first. I wasn’t planning to expend so much effort on you. It was only in the car that day that I discovered you trying to use me as a point of breakthrough……so I gave you what you wanted.”


  Ling Xiao’s words were like a martial expert saying to a frail scholar, “I wasn’t going to originally, but who asked you to brandish your claws at me?” Xu Tingsheng felt rather awkward here.

  “Gave me Ling Xiaoqing?” He asked.

  “Right. Actually, I sometimes feel that this name is pretty cute. If Ling Xiaoqing actually existed, maybe I would like myself more,” Ling Xiao resumed walking up the staircase as she said, “As compared to Ling Xiao, your guard towards Ling Xiaoqing was about ten thousand times lower. If I didn’t have Ling Xiaoqing’s identity, you probably wouldn’t have believed what I said afterwards at all.”


  She turned back to glance at Xu Tingsheng, smiling. He said nothing in a silent admission of her words.

  Ling Xiao explained, “Those in a position of power often more easily believe information coming from those in a weaker position. If they obtained that information through analysis, it is even more effective. This is because people in power are more likely to believe that they are in control of the overall situation. The relationship of power between Ling Xiaoqing and you just happens to be like this. I very seldom have the chance to play the role of a weak woman. Thank you for giving me this chance.”


  Xu Tingsheng forced a smile, “I should thank you for teaching me.”


  At this point in time, the two had already arrived upstairs.

  Combining both Western and Eastern styles of architecture, the second floor was an open, wide space. There was an old tea table in front of the window. The two old men of the Ling and Xiao families were sitting there, brewing tea.

  Xu Tingsheng asked after them before sitting beside Ling Xiao by the other side of that table.

  Old man Lin passed Xu Tingsheng a cup of tea and poured another for Ling Xiao as he said, “We heard you talking happily as you were walking up. It seems you’re not done yet. Go on, we’ll listen.”


  Xu Tingsheng was rather hesitant.

  Ling Xiao shot him a reassuring look and nodded.

  “What I want to know is-how did you induce the third generation of the Fang family to collectively leave the country?” Xu Tingsheng cut to the chase before patting his pocket, indicating that his handphone was not with him and he could not transmit information away.

  In truth, he had already done all he could do, having managed to get Fang Chen, Fang Yuqing and Fang Ruli to stay. Adding on Fang Ruju who was recuperating in Jiannan, those that old man Fang most cared about were all still here. As for those currently still on the plane, Xu Tingsheng had already asked Fang Yuqing and co to get in touch with them and salvage the situation.

  It was just that Ling Xiao and the two old men before him did not know about this.

  Ling Xiao gazed at the two old men and received approval from them before speaking, “Actually, you shouldn’t blame yourself too much. Your responsibility in this matter isn’t great. Also, what I did to you was just so that you would not be the final obstacle in this matter. In other words, I only hoped to guide your thoughts to be mentally prepared such that when the Fang family themselves propose this, you’d feel that this is very reasonable and perhaps the best solution to the matter.”


  “Indeed, when the Fang family said that they wanted to leave the country, I could find no reason to oppose them. Instead, there were many factors leading me to choose to support them,” Xu Tingsheng nodded, indicating for her to continue.

  “In terms of mentally preparing you for this, Ling Xiaoqing’s existence was the most essential,” Ling Xiao’s words came out in a frank, natural fashion as if this was a mere exchange in class.

  To her, after Xu Tingsheng was here for two more hours, this affair would basically be settled. Thus, there was no need to hide it any further.

  “Her image was basically like this, strong yet weak. Regarding the Fang family’s matter, she did not hold very intense hatred, rather even being somewhat helpless and tired of it. It was just that she did not have any thoughts and determination to go against this.”


  Xu Tingsheng nodded in agreement. Being at neither extreme, this profile was instead more believable. It had also been easier to, without it seeming intentional, convey to Xu Tingsheng the relevant information, guiding his mentality and thoughts.

  “You actually overlooked one thing. Generally speaking, as the sole daughter in a family, and even the youngest, one would be treated by their older brothers like a princess, giving her all their love. It was like this for me. I used to have older brothers. They all doted on me,” There was a light mist covering Ling Xiao’s eyes as she continued, “I have a harmonica. My older brothers made it with bullet shells when they were in Vietnam……later, it was returned along with the belongings of the deceased.”


  “So, whether right or wrong, I actually only know that I definitely have to do something for them. Do you know? My third brother was only nineteen that year. He looked the nicest, and he loved playing with me the most……”


  From where Xu Tingsheng stood on this matter, he could not say anything to these words.

  Silence fell.

  Ling Xiao averted her face and closed her eyes for a moment. When she turned back, there was already a smile on her face. The old men opposite them were still as a pool of dead water. More than twenty years having passed, that volcano had long since sunk to the bottom of the pool. It was just that its flames……had never been extinguished.

  At this instant, Xu Tingsheng understood: There was no right or wrong in this matter. There was only where one stood on it.