Chapter 45: Confidence

The slaughterhouse's iron gates slowly closed behind them.

The dull thud of metal clanging shut out the heavy stench of blood and livestock from within.

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky.

The scorching, blinding light poured unhindered onto the grayish-yellow dirt road beneath their feet.

The ground was scorching hot, radiating visible, shimmering heat that distorted the distant scenery.

The brother and sister walked one after the other, their shadows stretched long and thin by the sunlight.

Those shadows twisted and distorted on the uneven ground, like silent ghosts.

Li Yaqin suddenly stopped.

Her slender, pale fingers were holding two brand-new sets of dark gray work clothes.

The fabric was unusually thick, carrying a heavy weight, hanging straight down from her fingers.

The afternoon sun was too intense, shining brightly down, causing her to instinctively squint.

She lowered her gaze, her eyes scrutinizing the two garments in her hands.

Her fingertips gently felt the rough, unfinished fabric, the slight burr of its texture.

She moved her fingers slightly, and the fabric rubbed against itself, producing a soft, audible rustling sound.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, a fine wrinkle forming between them.

Her barely concealed disdain caused her small nose to wrinkle slightly as well.

The garments were a dull, drab color, and the design was utterly devoid of any style; they were truly ugly.

Just imagining the rough fabric rubbing against her delicate skin made her realize how uncomfortable it would be to wear.

However, Li Yaqin quickly suppressed this nitpicking about the clothes.

After all, work was the priority.

This was undoubtedly Zhao Chengyu's doing; she knew it perfectly well.

That man always acted this way: either he didn't do it at all, or he went straight for the point, getting it done in one go.

A leisurely job that required almost no work was practically tailor-made for her.

This meant she would have a lot of free time, perfectly concealing her use of the pills and resources stored in her spatial dimension.

Whether it was quietly taking things out of her space to sell,

or hoarding scarce resources into her space, it would all become effortless and inconspicuous.

Thinking of this, the ugly work clothes and the anticipated discomfort didn't seem so unbearable anymore.

Compared to the easy comfort and wealth far exceeding that of ordinary people that lay within her grasp in the future, what was this sacrifice?

Li Yaqin turned slightly, as lithe as a willow branch, moving closer to Li Qiang beside her.

Her voice was deliberately lowered, carrying a perfectly timed, seemingly unintentional hint of grievance and probing.

Li Yaqin needed to ascertain from Li Qiang's reaction just how much he had been bought off by Zhao Chengyu's small favor.

Did he realize that everything he had now and might receive in the future stemmed from her, Li Yaqin?

This seemingly leisurely job, though appearing to be a "gift" from Zhao Chengyu, was in reality a reflection of her value.

She had to make Li Qiang understand who he should truly curry favor with and depend on.

Li Qiang's attitude at this moment directly determined how she would manipulate this brother in the future.

How could she ensure he always protected her interests in front of the Zhao family?

This test was imperative.

“Brother, quickly help me look at these clothes.”

Li Yaqin held up the two heavy work uniforms, bringing them close to Li Qiang’s face.

The rough, stiff edges of the fabric almost poked his nose.

Her movements carried obvious dissatisfaction and pickiness.

“Look at this color, so drab, like a rag, it’s awful.”

Her tone was undisguisedly disgusted, as if she were holding something dirty.

“And this material is so stiff and rough, feel it,” she gestured for Li Qiang to feel it.

“It’s so rough to the touch, it must be so uncomfortable to wear.”

Her fingers rubbed the stiff fabric hard, as if she wanted to crush the roughness.

Her full, red lips pouted slightly in dissatisfaction, revealing a hint of spoiled arrogance.

"The key is that it makes you look fat; you'd definitely look dowdy and bulky in it."

She carefully observed Li Qiang's every subtle expression, catching the changes in his eyes and the corners of his mouth.

This complaint, of course, wasn't entirely sincere.

After all, this leisurely job perfectly suited her needs.

But seeing her brother's undisguised smugness and smugness just now,

as if he had already become a legitimate relative of the Zhao family overnight, Li Yaqin felt somewhat unhappy.

She had to give him a warning, make him realize that everything he had now and hoped for in the future depended entirely on her.

She had to figure out Li Qiang's "arrangement" for Zhao Chengyu, which clearly carried an air of bestowing favors.

Was it out of gratitude, or did she recognize the underlying exchange of interests?

This directly impacted the smooth implementation of her subsequent plans.

Furthermore, it concerned whether she could firmly maintain her dominant position in this so-called "family," ensuring everyone served her interests.

"And that warehouse gatekeeper job," she wrinkled her nose, continuing to belittle it.

"It doesn't sound like a respectable job at all. Guarding a gate all day—it sounds awful."

Li Yaqin deliberately downplayed the job's worthlessness, wanting to see if Li Qiang would defend it because of Zhao Chengyu's connection.

Seeing her brother's undisguised smugness, as if he had already risen to become a legitimate relative of the Zhao family, Li Yaqin sneered inwardly.

The job was indeed leisurely, perfectly suited to her, a perfect cover for her to exploit the situation.

But that didn't stop her from using it to give her brother, who was obsessed with climbing the social ladder, a warning.

She needs to make him clearly aware of everything he has now and might have in the future.

It all depends on Li Yaqin alone, not on how capable he is of getting involved with Zhao Chengyu.

The more he spoke up for Zhao Chengyu, the more it proved he was blinded by those small benefits, making him easier to manipulate later.

"Zhao Chengyu... why did he assign me such a task?"

Her voice trailed off with a hint of coquettishness she herself didn't realize.

This sounded more like an interrogation, tinged with a hint of resentment at being slighted.

This probing had to be done.

She needed to figure out Li Qiang's bottom line, and what Zhao Chengyu had actually promised.

Li Qiang's reaction would determine how she dealt with this brother who was obsessed with climbing the social ladder.

And that domineering and powerful man.

These words, like cold needles, pierced Li Qiang's ears.

His heart felt as if it had been gripped, plummeting downwards.

A suffocating feeling instantly filled his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

Just moments before, he had been floating on air, immersed in the immense joy of becoming Zhao Chengyu's brother-in-law, as if walking on clouds.

Zhao Chengyu had taken a liking to his sister—that was an undeniable fact.

This was said directly to him by the high and mighty young master of the Zhao family, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Even the marriage application had been submitted, the speed of which left him speechless.

Even his wife's job had been perfectly arranged—a leisurely and enviable position.

What incredible wealth! It was an extraordinary stroke of luck, bestowed upon their ordinary family.

But his sister's light, dismissive words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing all the burning passion and excitement in his heart.

The radiant, almost obsequious smile on his face faded away, like the receding tide.

His muscles stiffened, and the barely maintained curve of his lips drooped.

Finally, his expression froze into an ugly, stiff look, a mixture of bewilderment and anxiety.