After the others had left, only Lin Xiao Tian and Xia Qing Ling remained in the room.
"Xiao Tian, I'm sorry. I didn't expect so many things to happen," Xia Qing Ling said with a guilty expression.
She never imagined that a seemingly ordinary banquet would lead to so much trouble.
Looking at Lin Xiao Tian's injured arm, which his own mother had struck with a glass bottle to save her, Xia Qing Ling's eyes welled up with tears as she recalled the scene of flying glass shards and how much pain Lin Xiao Tian must have endured.
"Then remember, you owe me a favor," Lin Xiao Tian said, as if joking.
"I..." Xia Qing Ling thought for a moment and finally nodded.
Then, she recalled her previous encounter.
"That scoundrel Dong Lin, how dare he do that to me! I won't let him off easily once I'm recovered!" Xia Qing Ling gritted her teeth.
Lin Xiao Tian understood Xia Qing Ling's anger. However, he recalled what Zhao Man had told him not long ago and hesitated before saying to Xia Qing Ling, "Qing Ling, your mother told me they don't plan to pursue Dong Lin's responsibility deeply."
"What?" Xia Qing Ling exclaimed.
"But... but he did that to me..." Xia Qing Ling couldn't help but feel wronged.
For a woman, such an event could be a lifelong nightmare.
"Not pursuing it deeply doesn't mean nothing will be done. You have to trust your family. They will find a way to get justice for you, just not at this moment," Lin Xiao Tian explained patiently.
Lin Xiao Tian reiterated the information about the business interests between the two families that Xia Qing Ling had told him earlier.
Xia Qing Ling nodded in understanding, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Lin Xiao Tian, can I lean on your shoulder?"
After saying this, Xia Qing Ling leaned on Lin Xiao Tian without waiting for his response.
"Sigh!"
Feeling the young girl's distress in his arms, Lin Xiao Tian couldn't help but sigh.
However, he felt it was their family matter and he didn't want to get too involved.
If Lin Xiao Tian were truly Xia Qing Ling's boyfriend, he would have no hesitation, but he was only pretending this time and didn't want to create more trouble.
Moreover, Lin Xiao Tian already had his own enemies, such as Cao Yun Tian and the Jiang family. Neither of them were easy to deal with and were far more formidable than the Dong family.
Unless absolutely necessary, Lin Xiao Tian would never make more enemies for himself!
"Lin Xiao Tian, thank you for saving me just now. Otherwise, I would have fallen victim to that scoundrel!" Xia Qing Ling said softly while leaning against him.
"Mm! This is also a favor, remember it. You have to repay it later," Lin Xiao Tian said playfully.
"Hmph! Lin Xiao Tian, you're always trying to take advantage of me," Xia Qing Ling pinched him.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Lin Xiao Tian cried out.
"Who told you to provoke me!" Xia Qing Ling huffed.
"Right, I don't know what method that Dong Lin used, but I remember he sprinkled a bag of powder on me, and then I had no strength at all. I've never heard of such a strange medicine, it felt like the sleeping powder in novels," Xia Qing Ling said with lingering fear.
"Sleeping powder? That thing is much more potent than sleeping powder!"
"Do you know what it is?" Xia Qing Ling was astonished.
"You don't know what it is?"
Xia Qing Ling frowned. "How could I possibly know?"
"Have you heard of 'Hehuan San' (合欢散)?"
Xia Qing Ling shook her head decisively.
Lin Xiao Tian was puzzled.
This shouldn't be the case!
Given the close ties between the Dong and Xia families, if the Dong family possessed Hehuan San, the Xia family should at least be aware of it, even if they didn't have it themselves.
Furthermore, after the mishap with the eldest son of the Xia family, Xia Qing Ling was the sole heir. It was unlikely that the Xia family would keep such matters secret from her.
Unless... the Xia family was also unaware!
"Hehuan San, that name sounds so familiar!" Xia Qing Ling paused. "Right, wasn't there a medicine like this in novels?"
Lin Xiao Tian thought Xia Qing Ling had recalled a crucial detail, but it turned out she was also guessing.
"Actually, Hehuan San is real."
Seeing Xia Qing Ling's astonished expression, Lin Xiao Tian began to patiently explain about Hehuan San.
Xia Qing Ling was utterly shocked by Lin Xiao Tian's account.
Only a small packet could be refined in ten years!
An ancient secret formula!
And its properties that could make women infatuated!
As Lin Xiao Tian spoke, Xia Qing Ling felt as if she were dreaming.
If she hadn't experienced it firsthand just moments ago, she would never have believed it.
"Damn it, I didn't expect the Dong family to secretly refine such a formula. They are truly a bunch of scumbags!"
After fully understanding Hehuan San, Xia Qing Ling became even more enraged by the Dong family's actions.
Hehuan San was a poison, offering no benefits to women. The Dong family's refinement of it was clearly for malicious purposes.
Moreover, Xia Qing Ling suspected that the Dong family might have refined it specifically to target her!
"I'm asking you, do you truly know nothing about this medicine?" Lin Xiao Tian still found it hard to believe.
"How could I possibly know!" Xia Qing Ling glared up at Lin Xiao Tian.
As she looked up, leaning in his arms, Lin Xiao Tian was looking down at her. In an instant, he witnessed a truly alluring sight.
Xia Qing Ling had a stunning figure. Although her bust size was not comparable to Guo Lin Qing or Qin Yu Xiang, it was a standard C cup.
Lin Xiao Tian suddenly felt his throat dry.
If he hadn't attended the banquet tonight, he would likely be with Bai Xue now, and wouldn't be enduring such hardship.
Xia Qing Ling noticed Lin Xiao Tian had fallen silent and immediately sensed something was wrong. Following his gaze, her face instantly flushed crimson.
"Lin Xiao Tian, you pervert!" Xia Qing Ling pinched him hard.
"Ouch!"
Lin Xiao Tian felt wronged but couldn't explain.
At that moment, a knock came from outside, followed by Zhao Man's voice.
Lin Xiao Tian remembered that Xia Qing Ling's family should be waiting for him outside.
"Oh dear! Enough talk. Your elders are rushing me, I'm leaving now."
"Hmph! You're lucky! Go on!" Xia Qing Ling wrinkled her nose, appearing rather indignant.
Soon, Lin Xiao Tian left the room.
Now, she was alone in the room.
The residual warmth of Lin Xiao Tian lingered on the bedsheet. Recalling the events that had just transpired, Xia Qing Ling giggled foolishly.
"You pervert, daring to peek at me!"
"Was I that attractive?"
After saying this, Xia Qing Ling couldn't help but lower her gaze to look at herself.
"Hmph! You have good taste, I suppose."
However, as she looked, she thought of Guo Lin Qing.
"Alas! If it were Lin Qing, I probably still wouldn't compare."
With that thought, she slumped dejectedly.