Boom!
Lin Li's words struck Qin Ruoyao like a thunderbolt.
"How is this possible? How could this happen?" Qin Ruoyao couldn't snap out of her daze, muttering to herself repeatedly.
"Brother Li."
Qin Ruoyao crawled to Lin Li's feet, clutching his pant leg. "You must be joking, right? You loved that child so much, bought him so many clothes. You even said you loved me, that he was our child. How could you bear to send someone to kill him?"
Yes, that child was just an accident!
If Lin Li really was responsible for his death, it meant all the tenderness he had shown her recently was just another deception, just like before.
Qin Ruoyao couldn't accept this outcome.
"Qin Ruoyao, are you still daydreaming?" Lin Li crouched down, gripping her chin, his voice icy.
"A woman like you has always been nothing more than a disposable plaything in my eyes, something even repulsive to me. How could I possibly love you? Ridiculous!"
Qin Ruoyao's face turned as pale as a sheet upon hearing his words.
A plaything?
Brother Li actually called her a plaything!
"If it weren't for that child, and the fact that you made such a big fuss about him, you wouldn't even be worth a glance from me!" Lin Li's gaze at Qin Ruoyao was filled with disdain, as if she were trash.
Qin Ruoyao sat on the floor, her expression blank.
Lin Li sneered and continued, "The reason I treated you well recently was twofold. First, to lower your guard so I could act against the child. Second, to create the image of a loving father. That way, when the child died, no one would suspect me."
Lin Li's words shattered her illusions.
"Lin Li!" Qin Ruoyao grabbed his clothes like a madwoman.
"You killed your own child! You'll face retribution for this!"
Her dream of a wealthy life had been utterly destroyed by Lin Li.
At this moment, Qin Ruoyao hated Lin Li to the core.
Her entire life had been ruined by him.
If Lin Li hadn't deliberately approached her, there wouldn't have been that video, and she would still be the glamorous campus belle of Shangqing University!
Instead, she had become the laughingstock of the entire internet, branded as a promiscuous woman!
"Retribution?" Lin Li thought of the fact that he had become impotent and would never have descendants.
His emotions suddenly turned volatile. "What retribution could I possibly face? Lin Xuan has already been driven out of the Lin Family. Soon, the entire Lin Family will be mine. I've gained everything. What kind of retribution is that?"
So what if he could never have children again?
In the future, he could inject another man's sperm into his future wife's body.
He could still deceive Lin Chang and the others!
"I will climb step by step to the top, crushing Lin Xuan and all of you beneath my feet."
"Hahahaha—"
Lin Li laughed maniacally.
Qin Ruoyao, terrified by his demeanor, tried to run, but it was too late.
Lin Li's scarred fingers closed around her neck.
"Qin Ruoyao, not just you, but Lin Xuan and anyone who defies me—they all deserve to die."
Lin Li's eyes were bloodshot, his grip tightening inch by inch.
Qin Ruoyao's breath was gradually cut off.
"Lin Li, let me go..." Qin Ruoyao weakly pounded on his arm.
But Lin Li, now completely unhinged, tightened his hold on her throat.
Qin Ruoyao's consciousness began to fade until a sharp pain shot through Lin Li's lower abdomen.
"Ah—"
Lin Li released Qin Ruoyao, writhing on the floor in agony.
"Cough, cough—" Qin Ruoyao collapsed to the ground, coughing weakly.
Once she caught her breath, she scrambled to her feet and stumbled out of the room.
Lin Li was a madman!
She never wanted to be near him again!
Lin Li remained in the room for a long time.
"Hahahaha," he let out bursts of maniacal laughter. When Qin Ruoyao fled, the door was left wide open.
His laughter sent chills down the servants' spines.
The noise in the room suddenly stopped, and a passing servant frowned. Why had the noise ceased?
Just as she was wondering, Lin Li appeared before her, his eyes dark and menacing.
"Ah—" The servant was startled.
"Young Master," she stammered, bowing her head. "I'm sorry, Young Master. You appeared so suddenly, I didn't react in time."
Lin Li's face broke into a gentle smile. "It's fine. Go about your work."
The servant looked up in disbelief.
Just moments ago, the Young Master had been terrifyingly sinister, but now he was back to his usual warm and sunny self?
Lin Li went downstairs and personally prepared a herbal tonic for Jiang Shuqin.
When Jiang Shuqin returned from her beauty treatment, he brought the tonic to her.
"Li'er, why did you prepare this tonic yourself? You're still injured. Shouldn't you be resting?" Jiang Shuqin chided gently.
"Mom, I was just sitting around at home," Lin Li replied warmly. "I wanted to do something for you."
"You silly child..." Jiang Shuqin sighed, though her heart swelled with joy.
Li'er was truly filial.
Lin Li urged, "Mom, drink the tonic before it gets cold. Otherwise, it won't be as effective."
"Alright, alright, I'll drink it now."
Lin Li watched as Jiang Shuqin lifted the bowl and drank the tonic in one go. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Qin Ruoyao returned to the shabby rented apartment she shared with Qin's Mother.
"Yaoyao, what happened to your neck?" Qin's Mother asked with concern.
"Mom," Qin Ruoyao hugged her mother tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, Lin Li did this to me."
"Lin Li?" Qin's Mother frowned.
"Yes, it was him. All his kindness toward me these past few days was a lie, Mom. He was the one who killed my child!" Qin Ruoyao sobbed.
Qin's Mother wasn't entirely surprised.
Over the past few days, she had calmed down and thought carefully about everything that had happened.
Lin Li's sudden affection for Yaoyao had been too suspicious.
Aside from him, she couldn't think of anyone else who would harm the child.
"Mom, let's call the police! We have to report him! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be in this state. Mom, I have to make him pay!"
"Yaoyao, calm down," Qin's Mother held her back. "The Lin Family has power and influence. Reporting him to the police won't do any good."
"Then what should I do?" Qin Ruoyao bit her lip.