Chapter 16: Conclusive Evidence

Wang Haoran picked up his phone and showed Xia Xinyan a few photos.

They depicted Lin Ming fighting, buddying up with thugs, and getting handsy with club girls.

Judging by Lin Ming’s short haircut in the photos, these incidents happened after he had supposedly “turned over a new leaf.”

Seeing the photos, Xia Xinyan’s expression wavered.

She always believed in being forgiving, but seeing the photos made her feel repulsion and disgust.

Indeed, there’s a difference between hearing about something and seeing it with your own eyes.

Moreover, due to the angles of the photos, Lin Ming’s sleazy and greasy demeanor was unmistakably clear.

Wang Haoran pressed on, “Miss Xia, if you doubt the authenticity of these photos, you can ask your father to examine them. Given his profession, it should be easy for him to tell if they’ve been edited.”

“Or do you think your father also fell for my bribes?”

“Of course not!” Xia Xinyan replied immediately.

In the end, Wang Haoran added Xia Xinyan on WeChat and sent her a few photos.

Feeling that the discussion was about wrapped up, Wang Haoran stood up to leave but received a message.

After reading it, Wang Haoran smiled.

“Miss Xia, they say seeing is believing. Do you want to see what Lin Ming is really like?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come with me and see for yourself. With Yunshuang there, you don’t have to worry about me having any bad intentions!”

“That’s right, let’s go see!” Although Liu Yunshuang didn’t know what Wang Haoran meant, she nodded in agreement.

Even before, Liu Yunshuang thought Wang Haoran was petty and possessive but knew he would never harm her.

Xia Xinyan hesitated for a moment but agreed.

Leaving the café, Wang Haoran gave the driver an address and then sat in the back seat with Liu Yunshuang.

Xia Xinyan followed in her own car, driven by her family driver.

The two cars soon arrived at an outdoor food stall in an old neighborhood.

Near the street at the food stall, Lin Ming was eating and drinking with three thugs.

Although Liu Yunshuang and Xia Xinyan couldn’t remember the faces of the thugs who had harassed them, the distinctive features of the red, green, and yellow clothing, and their varying heights and builds, confirmed it was them.

The thugs, drunk and miserable, were complaining to Lin Ming.

“Brother Ming, Hu Ye is gone, and the Fierce Tiger Gang is finished!”

“We have nowhere to go and had to come to you, Brother Ming!”

“You must take us in!”

“Haha, no problem, no problem!” Lin Ming was wolfing down his meal, readily agreeing.

Because of Hu Ye, these thugs had always been respectful to him. Now that Hu Ye was gone, Lin Ming thought they might turn on him, but they didn’t.

They even came near his house to treat him to a feast, hoping to join him.

Looks like these three had been intimidated by his strength!

Although Lin Ming looked down on them, he thought having some free labor wasn’t bad. He could use them to gather more of Hu Ye’s former subordinates.

After a couple more drinks, the thin, red-clad thug continued to pledge his loyalty.

“Brother Ming, don’t worry. From now on, we’ll do whatever you say!”

“Like before, pretending to harass the class beauty or the beautiful teacher!”

“With us around, Brother Ming, you’re sure to get those top-notch girls!”

Hearing this, Lin Ming felt puzzled.

But before he could think more, the medium-built, green-clad thug continued flattering him.

“Of course! This is Brother Ming! He’s got all the girl-chasing techniques!”

“Unlike us, who can only say, ‘Hello, hey, I saw you over there, and you looked pretty cute next to your friend!’”

“Exactly!” The short, yellow-clad thug chimed in.

“Brother Ming will definitely… what’s the saying… marry two wives…”

“Enjoy the blessings of having both wives!” Lin Ming interjected to show off his knowledge.

“That’s right!”

The three thugs raised their glasses together, looking at Lin Ming with admiration.

“To Brother Ming enjoying the blessings of having both wives!!!”

Feeling flattered, Lin Ming couldn’t help but smile, raising his glass to toast them.

No one noticed the two cars stopping and then driving away.

In a discreet corner of the food stall.

An ordinary-looking man watched the first car leave with a respectful gaze, glanced at the three thugs working hard, then bowed his head and continued eating.

***

In an open area, Xia Xinyan got out of her car and approached Wang Haoran’s window.

Before she could speak, Wang Haoran spoke first.

“Miss Xia, you don’t think I arranged this in advance, do you?”

“Of course not. I misunderstood you before, I’m sorry!”

“No problem. It’s good we cleared up the misunderstanding! It wasn’t in vain that I had people watch Lin Ming all morning after getting news from Yunshuang. We really caught him red-handed!”

Hearing this, Liu Yunshuang felt touched, “Thank you, Haoran! And Xinyan, if Lin Ming pesters you again, just come to the office and find me!”

“Thank you, Teacher Liu!”

Seeing Xia Xinyan like this, Wang Haoran jokingly said.

“Miss Xia, you won’t report me for invasion of privacy, right? Like taking photos and stalking?”

“Of course not! Do I seem that stubborn?”

Xia Xinyan pouted, “I know you’re a good person!”

“Haha, yes, I’m a good person!”

Wang Haoran couldn’t help but laugh.

This girl’s logic was amusing.

Before, she thought Lin Ming was a good person, so Wang Haoran, being against Lin Ming, had to be a bad guy.

Now, with Lin Ming proven bad, Wang Haoran automatically became the good guy.

Black and white thinking, how interesting.

[Ding! Female lead Xia Xinyan begins to dislike male lead Lin Ming, male lead Lin Ming’s Protagonist Halo -100, host gains 100 Fate Points, 10 Ability Points!]

After bidding farewell to Xia Xinyan, Wang Haoran took Liu Yunshuang home and then returned to his villa.

Night fell.

Wang Haoran prepared to go to bed.

“Those two shouldn’t have any more ties to Lin Ming…”

Now Xia Xinyan’s favorability towards him was 20, and Liu Yunshuang’s was 45.

But Wang Haoran had no intention of further increasing their favorability, confident he could defeat Lin Ming without relying on the female leads.

As Wang Haoran closed his bedroom door, he suddenly stopped.

He sensed another presence in the room.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Anyone who could sneak past Uncle Fu into the villa had to be a master.

Facing such a master, Wang Haoran knew he couldn’t win.

Clenching his teeth, he turned around and, sure enough.

A cold, gleaming sword was immediately placed against his neck.