Chapter 87: Ruoxi Is in Trouble

In the Lin family residence in Yanjing, the Wang family still clung to hopes of reconciliation with Lin Feng. Yet after ending the call, the old master of the Lin family merely smiled, his composure entirely undisturbed by the matter.

Just then, Lin Feng, feeling stifled from staying too long upstairs, wandered out. Xia Ruoxi had left early to meet her university friends, leaving Lin Feng alone and bored. He came downstairs and saw the old master pondering something in the grand hall. With nothing better to do, Lin Feng crossed the room and sat across from him. He picked up the teapot, boiled some water, and brewed a pot of Yunwu tea, pouring a cup for the old master and placing it before him.

It was a rare pleasure for the old master to be served tea by Lin Feng himself. Satisfied, he raised the cup and savored the tea slowly. Only after draining the cup did he set it down with a leisurely air, eyeing Lin Feng—who was guzzling his tea like water—before helplessly remarking, “That’s no way to drink tea! At this rate, no matter how fine the leaves, you’ll ruin them!”

Lin Feng only rolled his eyes at the old man’s complaint, making no attempt to change his ways, and continued to gulp down the Yunwu tea.

Seeing his advice go unheeded, the old master could only shake his head with a wry smile. He knew this was simply Lin Feng’s nature; no amount of force would change it. But then again, if Lin Feng truly appreciated tea, he wouldn’t have so readily given all the good leaves to his grandfather. On that score, the old man was getting the better end of the deal.

“Lin Feng,” he began, “this morning the patriarchs of the Murong, Long, and Xie families came by. They brought up the matter of your company’s overseas agency rights. The Murongs have their eye on the European market, but it’s too large for one family to handle, so they brought the other two in as partners. I thought, if we can collaborate with the other three of Yanjing’s four great families, this whole agency issue will be far easier for us to resolve. So I agreed to cooperate and let them handle the European market.”

He looked at Lin Feng as he finished, updating him on the outcome of the morning’s discussion.

But Lin Feng was indifferent. He had no desire to meddle in the family’s affairs. He didn’t even blink at the old master’s words, responding without interest, “I see,” before returning to his tea.

The old master could only shake his head at this, resigned. He knew his grandson cared little for family matters and had no wish to force him into them. However, recalling the phone call from the patriarch of the Wang family, he continued, “There’s another matter—this one concerns you. I don’t know if you remember the Wangs of Yanjing, but today their head called. He wants to reconcile over what happened before, and asked what terms you’d require.”

This time, Lin Feng finally responded. He set his empty cup lightly on the table, looked at his grandfather, and said quietly, “Reconcile? Heh, I need to make an example of a clan sooner or later, or no one will fear me. Grandfather, if I deal with the Wangs myself, it won’t drag you all into it, will it?”

The old master chuckled. “You’re a Lin. If it were anyone else in the family clashing with the Wangs, of course the Lins would be implicated. But you—well, you’re a special case. When you act, no one thinks of the family. They’ll assume it’s your own doing.”

Lin Feng relaxed. “That’s good. I’ll deal with the Wangs sooner or later. I don’t need the rest of you involved, and I don’t intend to pull you in. I’ll play this game with them myself.”

The old master gazed at his grandson with satisfaction. For all his occasional unreliability, Lin Feng possessed an undeniable charisma when it came to serious matters. His calm self-assurance and unhurried demeanor far surpassed most of Yanjing’s second-generation elites—let alone the third.

While Lin Yu and the old master conversed in the hall, an entirely different affair was about to unfold where Xia Ruoxi was concerned.

At Golden Years KTV in Yanjing, Xia Ruoxi was singing and chatting in a private room with several university friends. Among them, a heavily made-up woman had been fawning over Xia Ruoxi ever since they entered.

“Ruoxi! I can’t believe how quickly things have changed. After just a few years, you’re already president of FutureTech. You must look out for your old classmates!”

She finished with a hopeful look, but Xia Ruoxi only replied lightly, “You’re too kind. You’re all doing well yourselves.” It was a polite but distant answer. Though they’d shared a dorm for four years, Xia Ruoxi had never liked this woman—her scheming nature, her deep cunning, and her habit of mixing with shady types had always left a bad impression.

“Ruoxi, I really didn’t expect you to change so much, or that you’d be in Yanjing lately. Our little achievements are nothing beside you, the big boss here!”

“Exactly! Ruoxi, what brings you to Yanjing? Are you starting work already, or is this a business trip?” chirped the two more innocent-looking girls in the group—Huang Qian and Zhao Lin, Xia Ruoxi’s closest friends from university.

“You two troublemakers!” Xia Ruoxi laughed, grabbing both their arms. “I’m not here for work. I’m spending the New Year with my boyfriend and meeting his family. But what about you? Back in college, you two were love experts in theory—have you had any practice yet?”

“Of course! With our expertise, handling those innocent boys is a piece of cake. Still, we can’t match your speed, Ruoxi—already meeting the in-laws? That sounds like marriage is on the horizon! Who’d have thought the pure goddess of our dorm would be spoken for so soon? Why didn’t you bring your man along tonight, let us have a look at him?”

Huang Qian, sitting to her left and still holding her arm, giggled as she teased.

“She’s right! Ruoxi, that’s not fair. Is he too handsome and you’re afraid we’ll steal him?” Zhao Lin, on her right, chimed in with equal boldness.

Such banter didn’t bother Xia Ruoxi—she was used to their irreverent jokes from their college days. Despite now being a company president, she was still shyer than her friends when it came to such things, and found herself blushing furiously under their teasing. At last, unable to outwit them, she retaliated by reaching out to tickle their most sensitive spots, declaring, “Let’s see how you two hooligans like being ganged up on!”

The three women erupted into playful chaos—grabbing, tugging, clothes in disarray—filling the private room with laughter and a hint of mischief. Luckily, there were no men present, or the scene would have been too much to bear!

Lost in their revelry, none of them noticed the heavily made-up woman slip out. She had only come to this gathering because Xia Ruoxi was now so successful—otherwise, she’d never have bothered. She’d hoped their years as dormmates would earn her some favor, but even after brazenly cozying up, Xia Ruoxi had kept her at arm’s length, remaining close only with the other two. Jealousy and anger twisted her already warped heart; anything she couldn’t have, she wanted to destroy.

Closing the door behind her, she took out her phone and dialed a number.

“Master Li, it’s me! Please don’t hang up—I know you like beautiful women, and I have three absolute beauties here tonight, including a female CEO. If you’re interested, come to the private room on the third floor of Golden Years KTV.”

“Really?” came Li’s leering reply. “If I’m not satisfied, you’ll pay for it!”

“Don’t worry, Master Li. If they’re not beautiful enough, you can do whatever you like to me!” she promised fervently.

“Fine. Wait there. Keep an eye on my beauties, or you’re dead if they get away!” With that, Li hung up, clearly intending to come at once.

Hearing the dial tone, the woman shot a venomous glare at the door behind which her former friends still laughed, a cold sneer curling her lips.

Master Li arrived with impressive speed—less than fifteen minutes after the call, he was on the third floor, meeting the woman.

“Where are they? Hurry up and take me there. I’ve never had a female CEO before—I plan to enjoy myself tonight!” he said excitedly.

“Don’t rush, Master Li. She’s a real beauty—and with my experience, I’d say she’s still a virgin! This way, please.” The woman clung to his arm, pressing her ample chest against him as she led him on.

At the mention of a virgin, Li could hardly contain his excitement. He lifted her chin, squeezed her chest, and said gleefully, “Very good. If I’m satisfied, I’ll reward you handsomely!”

“Thank you, Master Li!” She continued to act coquettish, but no one noticed the cold smile that flickered across her lips as she lowered her head.

Meanwhile, Xia Ruoxi and her friends were still having a lively time in their private room when the door was suddenly flung open by the heavily made-up woman, followed by a young man.