Boyfriend's passive-aggressive behavior, she turns the tables and makes him her backup option.

Lin Tinghan pulled Si Nian along and led her into the private room.

Under everyone's gaze, Lin Tinghan introduced, "This is my wife, Si Nian."

"My sister-in-law is here..."

"Hello, sister-in-law."

Si Nian smiled slightly.

She suppressed the urge to directly question Lin Tinghan about why he had made someone hurt Feng He.

The birthday celebrant, Lin Wenshuang, was sitting in the main seat at the dining table.

The moment Si Nian appeared in the private room, everyone's gaze was fixed on her face.

She was locked up by her family the year Zhou Huai had his accident.

Only on her birthday each year can she pretend to be normal, laughing and joking with her friends, and having parties together.

Si Nian's appearance is no different from five years ago; she is still beautiful and radiant.

It was as if time had left no trace on Si Nian's face.

Over the years, under the treatment of psychiatric drugs, her face could not hide her weakness and exhaustion.

Lin Wenshuang suddenly felt that the world was too unfair.

Why is there no one like Si Nian among those who are also tormented?

Lin Tinghan nudged Si Nian's arm, signaling her to speak.

Si Nian looked at Lin Wenshuang and said in a calm and respectful voice, "Wenshuang, happy birthday."

"Um."

Lin Wenshuang's smile vanished, replaced by a disappointed look.

Si Nian's gaze swept around before landing on Chen Bitong.

Chen Bitong pretended to be sensible and stood up. "Niannian, sit here with me. I feel at ease with you taking care of Tinghan."

Lin Tinghan raised his hand and pressed on Chen Bitong's shoulder: "No need for that. Just ask the waiter to add a seat."

The waiter placed a chair next to Lin Tinghan.

Thus, Si Nian separated Lin Tinghan and Chen Bitong.

Chen Bitong looked somewhat dejected and put down her chopsticks, seemingly having no appetite.

Lin Tinghan didn't pay attention to this detail and continued talking to the people around him.

After a while, he asked Si Nian in a nonchalant tone, "Didn't Mom say you were going to be absent today?"

Si Nian realized that she had indeed told Zhao Yulan that she was going on a business trip today and wouldn't be attending the birthday party.

She wouldn't have come today if she hadn't received a text message from Lin Tinghan last night.

She didn't try to hide anything and told the truth, "I didn't originally intend to come, but I came after receiving the location you sent in your text message."

Lin Tinghan frowned slightly, but did not press for details. He only glanced at Chen Bitong.

Si Nian clenched her fists secretly and said to him, "I know you and I are at odds. If you have any complaints, you can vent them on me alone."

"I promised Brother Huai that I wouldn't lay a finger on you."

Si Nian felt a pang of pain in her heart when she heard Lin Tinghan mention Zhou Huai.

His words were truly ironic. If he didn't lay a hand on her, would he lay a hand on the people around her?

Si Nian took a deep breath. "You want me to apologize to Hengheng and Chen Bitong? I can apologize to them, but could you please be lenient?"

Lin Tinghan wasn't impressed. He swirled his wine glass and said, "Nobody forced you to apologize, so stop looking so reluctant."

Si Nian forced a somewhat stiff smile.

"I wasn't unwilling. I really shouldn't have said that Hengheng is a child who lies all the time. As for Chen Bitong, I didn't mean to hurt her."

Lin Tinghan put down his chopsticks impatiently. "Let's not talk about this here. If you really want to apologize, come with me to the hospital to see Hengheng tomorrow."

"What about my mom's side..."

Lin Tinghan lowered his eyes, his voice carrying a hint of danger as he said, "I'll tell you everything tomorrow."

Si Nian felt a tightness in her chest, a feeling of suffocation that made her extremely uncomfortable.

Lin Tinghan was not happy when Si Nian finally gave in.

He couldn't help but recall what Chen Bitong had told him last night: Si Nian must really want to go to Italy to participate in the International Gold Label Race in order to make up for Zhou Huai's regret.

Because Zhou Huai's accident happened just days before the start of the International Gold Label Race.

Back then, Si Nian and Zhou Huai's duet was a pair of contestants that the organizers particularly favored.

She added that Zhou Huai is a very important person to Si Nian, so Si Nian will definitely care about this performance opportunity.

Once Si Nian's performance opportunities are restricted, she will soon give in to him.

As expected, Si Nianlai gave in to him today.

Lin Tinghan found Si Nian's obsession somewhat laughable. What difference would it make if Si Nian, who had been dead for five years, could actually go on stage to compete or perform?

Zhou Huai couldn't hear him again.

Lin Tinghan was somewhat annoyed.

The atmosphere in the private room had been somewhat oppressive ever since Si Nian arrived.

Lin Tinghan, Lin Wenshuang, and Chen Bitong all looked rather unwell.

At this point, someone asked their female companion to perform a dance for everyone, trying to revitalize the atmosphere.

The woman the man brought with him got up without hesitation, took off her coat, and swayed her graceful figure to the music.

The sexy and wild dance instantly attracted everyone's attention in the private room.

The woman was quite outgoing; seeing everyone cheering for her, she became even bolder, swaying close to the man who brought her, and unabashedly pulling his hand inside her clothes.

Just as the dance was about to become increasingly erotic, Lin Tinghan coughed lightly to remind him.

The man was quite perceptive; he patted the woman's bottom and gestured for her to sit back down.

"Can you tone down that flirtatious attitude? I asked you to dance, and you turned it into a striptease. Don't you see there are several ladies in the room?"

"So, do you like it or not?"

The man, who was pretending to be serious just a second ago, said directly the next second: "Of course, I love it to death."

Several people in the private room couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Some people even asked curiously, "Where did you get this stunner done? That's quite interesting."

"One of the four leading ladies of Nightfall, a woman who usually costs seven figures to meet, you got to see her for free today thanks to me, so don't forget to thank me."

At this point, someone chimed in: "It's Miss Lin's birthday party, and you're sending a whole bunch of high-class prostitutes from nightclubs? Is that appropriate?"

"Exactly, you have to go for the high-class ones. Don't they know opposites attract?"

The private room was mostly filled with spoiled second-generation rich kids from Beijing's elite circles, who had become accustomed to speaking without any restraint.

At this moment, Lin Wenshuang, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

"I don't think this show is that great. If you want to liven things up, you should invite my sister-in-law to perform. Her tickets aren't cheap either; they might even cost more than a high-class prostitute."

Lin Wenshuang compared Si Nian to the woman who danced the suggestive dance.

Si Nian didn't want to pay attention, but Lin Wenshuang pressed on, "Sister-in-law, you wouldn't object to giving me, the birthday girl, a little performance, would you?"

Si Nian replied indifferently, "I didn't bring my instrument, so it's inconvenient."

"It's alright. There are so many performances in this restaurant, there must be a lot of musical instruments. Just have the waiter get them." Lin Wenshuang called to the waiter.

Lin Tinghan said from the side, "Since Wen Shuang wants to hear it, why don't you play a song for her?"