Bribed Over to the Dark Side

As Lia trudged up the stairs to her room, yawning and ready to sink into her bed, Lin and Professor Qin remained in their chairs, their tea cooling as a lively conversation brewed between them.

Professor Qin eyed Lin over his cup, a hint of suspicion in his gaze. "You're up to something, aren't you?"

Lin grinned, clearly unrepentant. "Oh, Professor, you wound me! It's all in Lia's best interest, after all."

"Is that what you call pestering her about dates and matchmaking?" Professor Qin arched an eyebrow, though his tone was amused, his hand on Lin's thigh.

Lin leaned in conspiratorially. "Alright, maybe I do have an agenda. Lia is always so busy with her work—she barely has time to think about what she might actually want from life. I'm just helping her… expand her horizons."

"Expand her horizons," Professor Qin repeated with a sigh, though he couldn't hide the faint smile that crept onto his face. "Lin, we both know she's still young. There's no rush for her to be settling down or thinking about serious commitments."

Lin sipped her tea, her expression suddenly thoughtful. "Yes, but it wouldn't hurt for her to have a little more joy in her life. You saw how she lit up talking about that guy last night."

Professor Qin's expression softened at the memory, and he nodded reluctantly. "True. But do you really think a stranger from a party is the right person for her?"

Lin shrugged, grinning mischievously. "Who knows? That's the beauty of it. And besides…" She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper as she leaned closer. "Don't you think it would be nice to see Lia a little… happier? Maybe even with a little one of her own someday?"

Professor Qin blinked, momentarily taken aback. "A baby?" His tone was a mix of amusement and incredulity. "Lin, you've really thought this through, haven't you?"

Lin leaned back, crossing her arms with a satisfied smile. "Oh, absolutely. I mean, imagine how adorable Lia's children would be. Smart, thoughtful, and undoubtedly cute. We'd practically have a miniature Lia running around."

Professor Qin chuckled, shaking his head. "You really are relentless, aren't you?"

"Oh, come on, Hubby. Admit it—you'd spoil Lia's kids rotten, just like you do her."

He sighed, looking down at his tea. "Well, I can't deny that. It would be… nice. She deserves a lot of love in her life."

Lin's eyes sparkled with renewed enthusiasm. "See? Now, if we're going to help her on this journey, we might as well start somewhere. And I have a hunch about this mystery man from last night."

Professor Qin watched her warily. "Lin…"

"No, no, hear me out," Lin said, holding up a finger as she opened her phone. "His name was Li Wei, right?"

Professor Qin nodded reluctantly. "Yes, that's what she said."

Lin's fingers flew across the screen as she navigated through social media and a few private sources, her expression becoming more intent as she worked. "There's a couple of well-known Li familys, but I suspect the Li family, that has a son named Adrian who recently returned from studying abroad."

Professor Qin's eyebrows rose slightly. "The Li family? As in… the business empire?"

"Exactly," Lin said, nodding. "One of the wealthiest families in the city. If he's from that family, he's not only well-connected but also…" She paused for effect. "Let's just say, a perfect match in terms of stability and resources."

"Lin," Professor Qin began, a cautioning tone creeping into his voice. "Are you planning to involve Lia in… that sort of world?"

Lin grinned impishly. "I wouldn't dream of it! But it can't hurt to know who this Li Wei guy is. Lia has a way of capturing people's hearts, and I just want to make sure that whoever she ends up with is worthy of her."

Professor Qin sighed, though he couldn't suppress a smile. "You're protective in your own meddlesome way. Very well. But I'd advise you not to get too carried away."

Lin shrugged, undeterred. "Oh, don't worry. I won't." she said leaning in for another kiss, "But I might just… reach out for a bit of information. Mrs. Li happens to be quite the conversationalist."

Professor Qin's eyes widened slightly. "Madam Li as in Wan Ru? Your schoolmate?"

Lin gave him a sly smile. "Of course. The blind date I was going to set Lia on? That was supposed to be him. Just need to confirm if Adrian Li is Li Wei, and then we can finish up the plan."

Professor Qin looked at her with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "And what exactly are you planning to say? 'Oh, by the way, did your son happen to end up meeting my daughter at the party last night?'"

Lin laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Not in those exact words, Professor. I'm much more delicate than that."

Professor Qin chuckled, shaking his head. "Lin, if Lia knew half of what you were up to…"

Lin grinned, unfazed. "Oh, I'm sure she'd thank me one day. And besides, it's all for a good cause. Imagine it, Professor Qin—a little Lia with those big, curious eyes ."

Professor Qin's expression softened at the thought, a rare warmth spreading across his face. "She does have a way of bringing joy wherever she goes."

"Exactly," Lin replied, her tone more thoughtful now. "So maybe, just maybe, we can give her a little nudge in the right direction."

With that, she excused herself and wandered off to make her call. Mrs. Li was delighted to hear from her, and after a bit of small talk about the previous night's party, Lin skillfully directed the conversation toward Mrs. Li's son, Adrian.

"Oh, Adrian had such a wonderful time last night," Mrs. Li gushed over the phone. "He's been so focused on work since he returned from overseas. I was thrilled to see him out, enjoying himself for a change. And I heard he met a lovely young woman, too. Oh I'm so sorry about the blind date. Can't get him to ever listen to me."

Lin grinned, feeling her suspicions confirmed. "Oh, Wan Ru don't mind me. I'd love to hear more about your son. He must be very accomplished."

"Oh Lin, he is," Mrs. Li replied proudly. "He's always been very driven, much like his father. But he has a gentle side, too. And from what I gather, he seemed quite taken with this girl he met. He even mentioned her on the way home—I've never heard that glacier ever say more than a word about a woman."

Lin's grin widened. Perfect, she thought.

"Well, that's wonderful to hear, Wan Ru," Lin replied. "I do hope they get the chance to meet again. It sounds like they had a very special connection."

"Indeed," Mrs. Li agreed, her tone warm. "You never know, Lin. She was at a Jing family event so she must have some background to her."

Lin felt a surge of excitement and couldn't help but want to gossip. "Wan Ru, is your son's Chinese name perhaps- Li Wei?"

"Yeah?"

This was better than she'd hoped for.

Not only had she managed to confirm Adrian's identity, but it was clear he'd been as charmed by Lia as she'd been by him. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Lia, and Lin was determined to ensure her child found every opportunity to explore that happiness.

"Well Wan Ru, You're going to have to come meet me today. 4pm. Don't let anybody know." she whispered before hanging up.

Lin found Professor Qin still seated, sipping his tea, though he looked up with interest as she approached.

"Well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lin gave a satisfied smile. "It's him. Adrian Li. And apparently, he mentioned Lia to his mother. Seems he's as smitten as she is."

Professor Qin chuckled, shaking his head. "Lin, you're relentless."

"Oh, I know," Lin said, unabashed. "But can you imagine it, Honey? One day, we might be attending Lia's wedding, and maybe—just maybe—there'll be a little one in the picture. A beautiful, bright child who'll inherit her features."

Professor Qin's eyes softened, his gaze distant as if he could already picture it. "That would be something to look forward to, wouldn't it?"

Lin nodded, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Absolutely."