Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 895 - 896: Detecting a Problem

Chapter 895: Chapter 896: Detecting a Problem

Lin Shu returned to her seat with a look of excitement on her face, phone in hand. Zhong Chuling saw Lin Shu’s expression and guessed that everything was fine, but she still cautiously asked, "How did it go?"

Lin Shu waved her hand and said, "It’s fine. Uncle is very generous—he said we can spend as we please."

This was clearly not what Ji Huan had expected. She couldn’t help but ask in confusion, "Your uncle is really rich, huh?"

"He should be, I guess. I’m not too sure myself."

Ji Huan frowned and asked, "You spent over a hundred thousand, and he didn’t get mad at you? He must be super rich. Then your uncle must hold some status in Minghe too, right?"

"That, I don’t know. He wasn’t originally from Minghe."

"Oh... so he’s an outsider." Ji Huan immediately stopped paying attention. In Minghe, it was the domain of powerful families. An outsider, no matter how wealthy, wasn’t worth much. Furthermore, he wasn’t Lin Shu’s biological father. No matter how much money he had, it wouldn’t have much to do with her.

After finishing their drinks and realizing it was getting late, Ji Huan took Lin Shu and Zhong Chuling to a soirée.

The soirée was actually being hosted for Song Xiaodong. The Ji Family wanted to use this event to build closer ties with Song Xiaodong. This was especially vital for Ji Huan, as they desperately hoped she could become Song Xiaodong’s woman.

Ji Huan brought Zhong Chuling and Lin Shu to a dressing room inside the venue.

Lin Shu asked curiously, "Going to a soirée, and we need to get dressed up? Is it a costume ball?"

Ji Huan chuckled and said, "Not exactly. It’s just that there will be a lot of important people attending tonight, so we need to dress up nicely. Put on the clothes you bought today; otherwise, it won’t be formal enough. Dressing too casually would seem out of place at the soirée, and that wouldn’t be any fun."

"Oh, I see."

Zhong Chuling and Lin Shu didn’t overthink it. After all, they had never attended a proper soirée before and didn’t know what to expect. But they figured dressing up nicely couldn’t be wrong.

After changing into their new clothes and accessorizing, a makeup artist came in to do their makeup. When it was all finished, they looked at themselves in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize who they were.

"Wow, Xiao Ling, you look stunning!" Lin Shu exclaimed dramatically, staring at Zhong Chuling. "Xiao Ling, let me marry you!"

Zhong Chuling broke into laughter and said, "You’re just as beautiful. You’re going to have men falling for you left and right."

Lin Shu puffed out her chest at the mirror and said, "Come to think of it, I really am quite gorgeous. I never realized it before! Hehe, imagine if Uncle saw me..."

Zhong Chuling’s cheeks flushed, and she whispered, "So what if he does?"

"Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. If Uncle saw you, he might get overwhelmed with passion, and then, Xiao Ling, your innocence might be at risk."

"You’re one to talk! You’re not any better!"

The two bantered back and forth, laughing, when Ji Huan and her aunt walked in. Seeing Zhong Chuling and Lin Shu, both were momentarily stunned. Ji Huan’s aunt’s eyes lit up instantly, while a hint of jealousy flickered in Ji Huan’s gaze. Dressed up, the two obviously outshone her.

"Wow, gorgeous," Ji Huan’s aunt couldn’t help but compliment.

"It’s nothing, really," Lin Shu said, uncharacteristically bashful.

Ji Huan’s aunt continued, "Huan Huan, stay with them for now. When I call you, you can all come out."

Ji Huan nodded and stayed in the room, chatting idly with Lin Shu and Zhong Chuling, though she seemed somewhat distracted.

A little while later, Ji Huan’s phone rang. She glanced at the number and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

Lin Shu signaled Zhong Chuling with a gesture and then tiptoed to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen.

Zhong Chuling tried to stop her from eavesdropping, but Lin Shu shook her head and gave her a meaningful look.

After a while, Lin Shu returned and whispered to Zhong Chuling, "Trouble. We’ve been set up."

"What?" Zhong Chuling jumped in shock.

Lin Shu said, "I already felt something was off. Ji Huan claimed she was bringing us to the soirée for fun, but why isn’t she out enjoying herself? Instead, she’s keeping us here. And if it’s just for fun, why is her aunt here? It’s clearly suspicious."

Zhong Chuling immediately tensed up. "Are you saying..."

"Too bad I didn’t catch everything. I only heard her repeatedly saying ’yes’ and ’got it.’ I’m guessing someone instructed her to keep an eye on us."

"Oh no, it must be about meeting that high-society guy they mentioned. We need to leave now!"

"We can’t get out. They’re definitely watching us. The phone—quick, call Uncle!" Lin Shu immediately thought of Song Xiaodong.

The two scrambled to find their phones, only to discover that their clothes and bags had disappeared. They exchanged a look, their faces turning pale.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Zhong Chuling panicked.

Lin Shu forced herself to calm down, slapping her cheeks a few times. After a moment, she said, "Don’t panic. We can’t rush out now—it won’t work. If we confront them, it could be dangerous. Let’s pretend we don’t know anything and wait for the right moment. This is a hotel; we’ll eventually get a chance to escape."

Zhong Chuling nodded hurriedly. "Alright, I’ll follow your lead." She trusted Lin Shu to come up with better ideas than she could.

Lin Shu clenched her fist. "Once we go out, someone will have a phone. We’ll take the opportunity to grab one—that shouldn’t be hard. Then we can call Uncle."

Zhong Chuling nodded again. "Yes, yes, that’s a good idea."

When Ji Huan came back into the room, her expression was a little strange. She glanced at Lin Shu and Zhong Chuling, then smiled faintly and said, "Lin Shu, Xiao Ling, we’re heading out soon. But before we go, there’s something I need to tell you."

"Oh? What’s that?" Lin Shu feigned ignorance.

Ji Huan said, "I told you before, I’m going to meet the Patriarch of the Su Family. Actually, all of us are."

"What? Us too?" Lin Shu deliberately pretended to be startled.

"That’s right. I know you’ll think I tricked you, but there’s no other way. If he doesn’t take a liking to you, I’ll let you leave immediately and won’t make things hard for you. But if he does choose you, you’ll thank me for bringing you into his family."

"Ji Huan, isn’t this too despicable?" Lin Shu clenched her fists and glared. Even though she had decided to play along, she couldn’t accept it too readily—otherwise, it would look suspicious.

Ji Huan smiled smugly and said, "Don’t make it sound so awful. Really, whether or not you get chosen, it’s a win for you. Why not embrace the opportunity?"

"And if we refuse?" Lin Shu pressed with a stern expression.

Ji Huan shrugged. "Lin Shu, you clearly don’t understand people like us. Let me be frank: this soirée is hosted by my family. Everyone here works for us. You can’t run away. The Ji Family has influence over every facet of this area, including the police. I’d rather not resort to force, but you’re not leaving."

"You..." Lin Shu seethed with anger. If running wasn’t an issue, she’d have slapped Ji Huan to vent her frustration.

Ji Huan smiled again. "If you cooperate, we’ll treat you with respect. Even if you’re not chosen, we’ll compensate you generously. All you need to do is meet him—it’s not like we’re asking you to do anything inappropriate. Surely you know what I mean?"

Lin Shu and Zhong Chuling exchanged glances. Finally, Lin Shu said, "If it’s just a meeting and nothing else, fine. If you push for more, we’d rather die than agree."

Ji Huan reassured them, "It’s just a meeting, nothing more. I promise."

Lin Shu bit her lip. "Alright, we’ll meet him. But if we’re not chosen, you have to let us go."

Ji Huan pulled out two elegant boxes. "Of course. If you’re not chosen, why would I keep you? Relax. Here are two watches for you—it’s the ones you tried earlier. Consider them a gift. If you’re chosen, forget watches—you could buy the whole store."

Lin Shu’s eyes lit up briefly before pretending to hesitate and taking the watch. "It’s like we don’t have a choice."

Ji Huan smirked. "That’s the spirit. Let’s go."

The three tidied up and left the room. Immediately, two men in black suits followed behind them. Obviously, they were being watched.

They entered a hall where over twenty people had already gathered. Each one was dressed elegantly, with an air of sophistication, and all eyes turned toward the trio.

Ji Huan basked in their attention. She knew today would determine her family’s future, and her sense of importance swelled. If she entered the Su Family, this glory would last a lifetime. If she failed, she’d remain an ordinary daughter waiting for marriage in the Ji Family.

"The Patriarch of the Su Family is here!" someone rushed in excitedly to announce.

Ji Huan immediately straightened her outfit, nervous and excited. Everyone else in the hall also looked tense, their eyes fixed on the door.

This piqued the curiosity of Zhong Chuling and Lin Shu. What kind of incredible person could make everyone act this way? And just what sort of man could casually "choose beauties"? Did he think he was an Emperor selecting concubines for his harem?