Chapter 130: Who Is the Villain?

They had originally intended to extract a confession from Lin Li, confirming once and for all that he was a heinous villain. Yet, contrary to all expectations, the answers Lin Li provided at this critical moment were not at all what they had hoped for.

Xu Miaoling sat there, momentarily at a loss for words. In her heart, Ye Aotian had always been a figure of brilliance and integrity. But according to Lin Li, Ye Aotian was nothing more than a masked hypocrite—a man who acted as if he were serving the greater good, while in reality, he was loyal only to himself.

"If the drug we used was truly effective, then it proves that what this guy said is the truth," Lin Yiyi whispered from the side.

Reporter Wang, however, was skeptical. "This is too absurd."

"You all know what this man has done in the past. How could someone as rotten as him have such noble intentions?" Wang insisted. "I think he wasn't even drunk; he’s just putting on a performance for us."

Lin Yiyi glanced at Reporter Wang. "You know, in your line of work, you are supposed to ensure the accuracy of every piece of intelligence you gather. We have already tested him, and we couldn't find a single flaw in his account, could we?"

While Reporter Wang appeared furious, Lin Yiyi remained remarkably calm. She understood that Wang was deeply biased. In the reporter’s eyes, Lin Li was an unpardonable fanatic who had harmed countless innocent people alongside Qin Guosheng; she harbored a deep-seated hatred that could only be satisfied by seeing him locked away. Naturally, she refused to believe a word Lin Li had said, choosing instead to interpret it as a calculated ploy to deceive them. If they believed him, they would be falling right into his trap.

Yet, even as she clung to this view, she could find no logical reason to refute him. They had verified his claims through multiple channels, and they had found no evidence of deception. Even if Lin Li were acting, it would have been impossible to fool Lin Yiyi’s discerning eyes.

"I know this is hard to accept," Lin Yiyi said. "But we have to admit that while we see Lin Li as a villain, his actual actions are far different from what we imagined."

Everyone had assumed that the primary reason Lin Li took on the Tianxin District project was to line his own pockets. But the words Lin Li spoke had already dismantled all their previous assumptions. From the very beginning, his goal had never been profit; he had simply wanted to provide a home for the displaced citizens. Compared to Lin Li, they felt deeply ashamed.

By now, Lin Li had slumped over the table, fast asleep. Lin Yiyi sighed. "I need to go back and think this over carefully. I hope everyone here keeps what happened today a secret. It’s best if this doesn't get out."

If word spread that Lin Li was working for the benefit of the people while the four great families were undermining him, the consequences would be unimaginable. Xu Miaoling nodded, her perception of Lin Li already beginning to shift. Given the efficacy of the drug, Lin Li could not have lied. That left only one possibility: she had been deceived by someone else.

*But why would the Young Master lie to me?* Xu Miaoling wondered, unable to find an answer.

She moved Lin Li to a hotel. Fortunately, she still had enough strength to manage, though moving a grown man was no easy task. Now alone with him in the hotel room, she felt troubled. How could she explain the events of the day to herself? The words spoken earlier remained like a thorn in her heart. She had always believed that everything Ye Aotian did was for justice. But if Lin Li hadn't been lying, it meant Ye Aotian had his own selfish agenda.

Xu Miaoling was a straightforward person. Her first instinct was to confront Ye Aotian and get to the bottom of the matter. Just then, her phone rang. It was Ye Aotian.

"How did it go tonight? Did you get any useful information from Lin Li?" Ye Aotian was deeply concerned about the interrogation. The four great families were currently reeling from the public outcry on the internet. If they couldn't find a reason to discredit Lin Li, their reputations would be ruined. He had pinned all his hopes on Xu Miaoling. If she could find something incriminating, they could use it to blackmail Lin Li.

"Young Master," Xu Miaoling said directly, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help you today. So far, everything Lin Li has said gives us no grounds to act against him." She didn't mention the specifics of Lin Li’s claims; sometimes, asking questions yielded no results. Despite her lingering doubts, she told herself that Ye Aotian must have his reasons. After all, Lin Li didn't know Ye Aotian, so a misunderstanding was perhaps natural.

"What? You couldn't get anything out of him?" Ye Aotian had been certain his plan would succeed. He was shocked that she had failed. Was all his maneuvering for nothing?

"We tried everything, but Lin Li really didn't take the project for profit. Everything he did was to give the people of Jiangcheng a place to call home," Xu Miaoling explained.

The moment she finished, she heard Ye Aotian let out a mocking, disdainful laugh on the other end. "What a fool."

Ye Aotian seemed to realize he had spoken too soon. "I didn't mean you. It's just that this guy Lin Li is much more difficult to handle than we thought. It seems your methods aren't enough to uncover his true intentions. Just stay by his side and do whatever it takes to find another lead."

He hung up without giving her a chance to reply. Xu Miaoling looked at the sleeping Lin Li, the words "what a fool" echoing in her ears. Who was the fool? Was it her? Or was it Lin Li, for trying to do something meaningful for ordinary people?