The woman, who had aged more than twenty years in just a few short months, raised her head.
She forcibly suppressed the urge to cough from the irritation of the smoke and curled her lips at Lin Shi in a mocking smile.
Ever since he could remember, Lin Shi's impression of this woman had been that she always wore a fawning smile—fawning over Lin Rui, fawning over the old master, fawning over the old man's women.
This was the first time Lin Shi had seen her smile with such a slight edge to it.
Lin Shi raised a brow with interest, somewhat curious about what she would say.
But the truth disappointed him a little.
Having no expectations of Lin Shi anymore, the woman merely sneered and asked, "What do you want to do this time?"
Lin Shi immediately laughed. "I thought you understood perfectly well, but you're asking me what I want to do."
The woman lowered her eyes slightly, refusing to meet the gaze that was always full of mockery and self-mockery whenever it looked at her.
"I'm just a useless woman, a puppet on someone else's strings all my life."
"If you hate me, then I can pay you back with this rotten life of mine."
The corners of Lin Shi's mouth gradually flattened. "Oh."
The woman continued, "So stop testing me."
"Testing?" Lin Shi repeated her last word. "You think I'm testing you?"
"What else could it be? Would you really be kind enough to let me go?"
"You're my son. I know you. You might not repay kindness, but for a grudge, you'll definitely retaliate a hundredfold, a thousandfold."
She knew herself well enough. "I imagine I rank rather high on your list of grudges."
Lin Shi chuckled. "Your guess is remarkably accurate."
The woman