nagpurpolice Chapter 154 Examination and Flattery
Chapter 154 Examination and Flattery
Chapter 154 Examination and Flattery
Lynch sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace, holding a thick book with a spine that seemed to be made of some kind of dark metal, his fingertips gently tracing the yellowed edges of a page.
Lockhart's loud, exaggerated greeting sounded particularly abrupt in the quiet air of the stone house, almost enough to shake the dust off the beams.
However, Lynch's reaction was like a bucket of ice water.
He didn't respond immediately, nor did he show any displeasure at being disturbed. He simply raised his head slowly and calmly, lifting his gaze from between the pages of the book.
Lynch’s gaze swept across the spine of the book and landed on Lockhart—without surprise, without enthusiasm, and without even the most basic curiosity that a normal person would have when faced with a sudden visitor.
There was only a bottomless calm in those eyes, as if they were looking at an insignificant person.
He just watched Lockhart quietly, watching the radiant smile on his face that almost overflowed the room, watching the dazzling gold gift box in his hand, and watching the medals gleaming on his chest.
His gaze was calm yet profound, as if it could penetrate all the glitz and glamour of the performance and directly see the panic and scheming hidden beneath.
This brief, unanswered silence instantly drained the atmosphere Lockhart had created with such great enthusiasm.
His loud voice seemed to have struck a silent, soft, yet impenetrable wall, echoing futilely for a few moments before awkwardly dissipating into the air.
Lockhart's once radiant smile began to stiffen. His gaze, like a searchlight, eagerly scanned Lynch's face and body, scrutinizing every subtle change in expression and body language, frantically searching for any trace he could exploit—even a slight hint of flattery or a mere spark of polite interest.
He was praying frantically, almost shouting, that this unfathomable professor was one of his millions of book fans, or that his status as an "internationally renowned figure" would have some basic influence on him.
Although this possibility is becoming increasingly smaller.
But this was the last thing he could grab before he sank, and it looked like the most lifeline he could grasp.
Just as Lockhart's lips began to twitch almost imperceptibly, nearly unable to withstand the pressure from the other's unfathomable gaze, Lin Qi laughed.
It's not just a simple twitch of the corners of the mouth; rather, the entire facial contours soften in an extremely natural way, as if the snow has just melted.
A kind smile appeared on his face, perfectly dispelling the suffocating scrutiny Lockhart had felt earlier.
"Professor Lockhart," his voice was steady and gentle, a stark contrast to Lockhart's earlier booming tone, "welcome. Please have a seat."
He made a simple gesture, pointing to an equally comfortable-looking armchair across from him.
There was no excessive small talk, but this simple welcome and invitation was like turning on a valve, instantly easing the almost stagnant atmosphere.
Lockhart seized this opportunity for easing of tension almost instinctively and greedily.
He secretly took a deep breath, as if he had just emerged from underwater, and reactivated the radiant smile that was almost frozen on his face—although the muscles at the corners of his mouth still retained a trace of barely perceptible stiffness.
Only then did Lockhart feel the invisible rope that had been constricting his chest loosen.
He breathed a sigh of relief, but he was careful not to let the relaxation show too obviously.
With this sense of relaxation, Lockhart walked forward with a deliberately composed demeanor and sat down in the armchair, feeling his tense back finally find support.
He then came to his senses and carefully placed the glaringly bright gold gift box that he had been clutching in his hand on the small table beside him.
As he placed the gift box down, Lockhart blinked rapidly a few times, dispelling the dryness caused by his earlier nervousness and trying to brighten his eyes again.
After Lockhart sat down, Lynch turned his head slightly and whispered to the person by the door, "Tortz, please prepare a cup of tea for our guest."
Totz bowed silently, then quietly withdrew to prepare tea.
Lin Qi also sat down.
"I live in a rather remote area, so I hope finding this place didn't take you too much trouble," Lin Qi said casually, his gaze still calm, as if the intense scrutiny he had just endured had never happened.
"Oh! Not at all! The scenery in the Forbidden Forest is quite unique!" Lockhart immediately replied, his voice still loud and clear, but if you listened carefully, you could tell that the initial bluff had faded, replaced by a more fluent, almost rehearsed, social remark.
Although his heartbeat had not completely calmed down, he had already returned to the state he should be in as the character of "Gidero Lockhart".
"Being able to personally visit a colleague's unique residence is a rare experience in itself!"
This reminds me of an adventure I once had in Munich.
He skillfully avoided discussing the fear he had experienced along the way, and instead talked about an adventure he had once undertaken.
Thors appeared silently, placed a steaming cup of tea with a faint, strange fragrance next to Lockhart, and then disappeared without a sound.
Lynch sat quietly on the sofa, a polite smile on his face, listening to Lockhart's rambling boasts.
A casual, albeit not very lively, conversation unfolded between the two, with Lockhart mainly trying to keep the conversation going, talking about the weather, classes, and students at Hogwarts, and occasionally offering tentative compliments on his host's taste.
Lynch would occasionally respond with a word or two, his tone always polite and composed, but every time Lockhart tried to deepen the relationship, it felt like hitting a wall.
Lockhart picked up his teacup, took a sip of the fragrant tea, and briefly gathered his thoughts.
He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and his face displayed just the right amount of admiration and curiosity.
"Speaking of which, Professor Lynch," he began his carefully prepared lines, his tone warm yet measured, "I remember the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you with Harry and the others from afar at the Stone Tower Merchant Guild's book signing. I noticed then that the staff inside the guild treated you with exceptional respect; the atmosphere was anything but ordinary."
He paused subtly, observing Lin Qi's reaction. Seeing that the other remained calm, he continued to probe tactfully, "Excuse my boldness, but I suspect your relationship with the Stone Tower Chamber of Commerce is far more than just friendship. Perhaps you are an important partner of the Chamber, or—?"
Lynch glanced at Lockhart's eyes, which were trying hard to appear sincere but couldn't hide their calculations. He made no attempt to conceal anything and calmly said, "I am one of the shareholders and a member of the board of directors."
Lockhart's eyes lit up; the answer was even more perfect than he had expected.