Linfengchun

Kapitel 127

One goes, another comes; there's no stopping them all. Since his mother enjoys playing spy games, why should he refuse her kindness?

After her trusted subordinate was imprisoned, Xu Mi kept quiet for a long time, relinquishing a lot of power as a strategic retreat. However, she did not give up and secretly worked behind the scenes, contacting the board of directors in an attempt to regain power.

But they didn't realize that although Yin Yeyao was young and inexperienced, she was still personally trained by Old Master Yin, and with Old Master Yin in charge, no matter how capable she was, she couldn't cause any trouble.

Cheng Yuanfang gazed at the distant scenery, mentally filtering through the list of company executives. Who would be the next person the young master wanted to shave his head for?

With final exams approaching, students in all departments and classes are busy preparing. The library and lecture halls, which are usually deserted, are suddenly packed with people, and it's hard to find a seat.

Students who had secured seats would leave their textbooks and bags on the seats for several days in a row, hoping someone else would take them as soon as they left. In response, the student council launched a large-scale crackdown on illegal seat-saving. All students reserving seats in classrooms and library study rooms were notified in advance that their seats must be tidied up for the day, and any books or bags left behind by those illegally reserving seats would be confiscated.

As the saying goes, "If you don't work hard in ordinary times, you'll cram at the last minute."

Fu Lele and her friends borrowed Shang Lin's notes and textbooks, ignoring the student council's notice. That evening, they left all their notes and textbooks in the library's study room, where they were confiscated by the ruthless librarian. If it were just notes, it wouldn't have been a big deal, since other dorms had already made several copies. However, Shang Lin's notes contained several creative ideas for Mocha Cat's new season fashion show, and Fu Lele was worried about losing them, so she had to get them back.

The one who made the mistake was the boss, who pestered the administrator for a long time, but the administrator was impartial and refused to return it no matter what.

If you want it, you can wait until the final exams are over.

Shanglin was depressed; the final exams were over—but it was too late.

But there's no other way. I can't exactly tell the administrator, "My notes contain important business information. If you lose them, I'll sue you for stealing trade secrets."

I could only console myself by saying that not many people would have the time to go through each student's notes.

Feeling deeply guilty, the eldest sister patted her chest and promised to save seats for the entire dorm before the exam. Every morning, she would go to the library entrance before it opened to wait, while the others happily got up slowly, taking their time, and gracefully sat down amidst the envious gazes of everyone searching for seats.

The study room was filled with sunlight, the sounds of turning pages, and quiet discussions—a gentle, vibrant atmosphere.

Shang Lin stretched, and a classmate from another class in the same department stood at the door with a strange expression. He whispered, "Qiu Shang Lin, look outside."

She was surprised. She had deliberately turned off her phone to concentrate on her studies and had instructed the company not to contact her unless it was important. Who could it be at this moment?

Although the student relaying the message spoke softly, it still attracted the attention of many people in the study room.

Fu Lele asked curiously, "Who is it?"

He smiled and said, "He's handsome."

Fu Lele nudged Shang Lin: "Handsome guy? If he's not your eldest son, is there someone else?"

Shanglin was also puzzled, so he closed his book and went outside.

It just so happened that Fu Lele and the others were also having a headache from studying, so they decided to go and watch the fun together.

At the library entrance, the stern-faced librarian had stopped someone who was arguing about something. Shang Lin asked in surprise, "Assistant Cheng?"

Cheng Yuanfang's eyes lit up, and he pointed at Shang Lin: "I told you I was looking for her, I told you I knew her!"

The administrator glanced at Qiu Shanglin. Oh, he knew her. A good student.

With a stern face, he asked, "Do you know him?"

Shang Lin nodded: "I know him."

The administrator didn't say anything more, turned around and walked away, his gaze sharp as he gave Cheng Yuanfang one last, intense look before leaving.

He was puzzled and felt uneasy.

I wasn't wearing any weird clothes or ripped jeans, so why do you think I'm a bad person?

He was completely unaware that his well-dressed appearance stood out conspicuously on the university campus.

Wearing a black suit and sunglasses, with a serious expression and a burly build, it's no wonder the conservative administrator mistook him for a social outcast.

Having figured this out, Shanglin laughed and asked, "Why have you come?"

Cheng Yuanfang pointed to a spot not far away: "Young Master has come to see you."

Not far away was a dawn redwood tree, surrounded by a high platform. Yin Yeyao leaned against the edge of the platform, his gaze falling on the paved ground at a fifty-degree angle.

The leader, who followed, exclaimed in surprise: "Wow..."

The fourth brother blinked and nudged Shanglin: "Where did you meet this stunner?"

They did not call Yin Yeyao a handsome guy.

While Yin Yeyao was indeed handsome, what was most striking about him was his overall aura.

Unlike Li Changsheng's cool demeanor, and quite different from Fan Chen's melancholic yet heartbreaking presence, Yin Yeyao stood there simply, ordinary and unassuming, yet exuding an aura of sacred inviolability. The sun was blazing, yet he stood there like a block of ancient ice, inspiring a chill in those who beheld him, and unconsciously, a sense of reverence. This was a man in a position of authority, accustomed to ruling and commanding.

Shang Lin was somewhat surprised. Yin Yeyao met her gaze, and she immediately said, "Didn't you want to sever all ties with me and never see me again?"

Yin Yeyao's expression was already off. Although he was a bit far away and couldn't hear what she said clearly, he could understand the gist of it from her expression and lip reading. He was already feeling uneasy, and upon hearing this, his expression changed drastically, and he turned to leave.

As soon as Shang Lin uttered those words, he regretted it and quickly chased after her, pleading, "Ye Yao, Ye Yao!"

Yin Yeyao kept walking and covered more than ten meters in a short while. She caught up with him, panting, and said with a forced smile, "I'll treat you to an iced drink."

Yin Yeyao turned and glared at her, not like lovers reunited after a long separation, but like enemies meeting with intense hatred.

Just then, Cheng Yuanfang arrived. Although he didn't know what the problem was between the two of them, he seized the opportunity and quickly smoothed things over: "Beijing is too hot, there's not even a breeze, it's not as comfortable as Guangzhou, is it, Miss Qiu?"

Seeing the others watching him curiously from a distance, Shang Lin smiled and said, "Brother Cheng, just call me Shang Lin."

Cheng Yuanfang also realized that he had become an oddity on the university campus, so he changed his tune: "Yes, Shanglin."

For some reason, when Qiu Shanglin saw Yin Yeyao glaring at him fiercely, he felt an urge to tease him with a touch of humor: "You've come to settle accounts with me?"

Without saying a word, Yin Yeyao turned around and left.

Shang Lin wanted to laugh, but then regretted it. She blocked his way, laughing so hard she could barely breathe: "Just kidding, don't be so serious..."

Cheng Yuanfang tried to smooth things over while wondering what kind of dirty tricks these two had gotten into that made the young master so sour and his mood didn't improve when he saw anyone.

In fact, the cause and course of events are quite simple.

Qiu Shanglin fell into Li Changsheng's arms, and the two began a playful romance. Yin Yeyao initially didn't take it seriously, thinking they were just joking around and that as long as she made things clear, she wouldn't be afraid they wouldn't break up.

However, the situation became increasingly out of control. He spoke openly and implicitly, but Qiu Shanglin only said "I'm sorry" and "thank you," which made the proud young master of the Yin family turn pale with anger.

Love is the most complicated thing to do. Over the years, women have come and gone in his life, and there have been many casual flings, but his heart has always been with Qiu Shanglin, and he has never crossed the line. In his mind, Qiu Shanglin is the one he has chosen as his wife, and the others are just polite formalities for business purposes.

However, before he could free his hand to pull Qiu Shanglin under his wing, she flew away with someone else. He thought she would just flap her wings a couple of times, but she actually flew quite far, seemingly unable to return, which made him very unhappy.

So Young Master Yin clumsily tried to win back the woman who belonged to him. But while the old master of the Yin family taught him how to fight openly and covertly, and how to be cunning and sly, he failed to teach him how to win a woman's heart.

Since adulthood, he's always had women vying for his attention, requiring no effort from him whatsoever. For Qiu Shanglin, he sent flowers and gifts, and called her every three days. Yet, he sadly discovered that they had very little to talk about—or rather, their conversations were limited to company operations, business tactics, and the exchange of intelligence…

He was extremely depressed.

Even the most extensive intelligence has its limits. Dryly recounting how to scheme against others, how to plot against each other, and how to manage subordinates isn't the kind of emotional life Yin Yeyao desires. He also tried chatting with Shang Lin about everyday matters and romantic tales, but found he'd been out of touch for too long and had forgotten how to engage in casual conversation…

As a child, Qiu Shanglin was calm and self-controlled.

Over the years, both Yin Yeyao and Qiu Shanglin have grown, yet their paths seem vastly different due to the distance between them. Yin Yeyao's growth has been intertwined with the preservation and development of the family business, while Qiu Shanglin has become increasingly cheerful and lively. That once calm, composed, and methodical woman has, without realizing it, become more outgoing, more charming, and her mind is no longer solely preoccupied with business success or this year's profits, but increasingly focused on everyday life…

Her smooth-sailing life over the years has led to her transformation today.

A while ago, they had a phone call, and after a dry business conversation, they couldn't find any more topics to talk about. Yin Yeyao wanted to ask her what she had for dinner that night, and how she was feeling, but her mouth seemed to be glued shut. Finally, she managed to ask, and she happily told him that she had made grilled chicken wings and spicy fish for dinner, which Changsheng loved. After eating until they were stuffed, they went for a walk, but couldn't resist the temptation and bought some barbecue. In the end, they had no choice but to go to the pharmacy and buy some digestive tablets…

Enraged, he forgot what he said, and he forgot what she said. They had an unprecedentedly huge argument, after which he vowed to sever all ties and never see her again. Qiu Shanglin angrily replied that she couldn't be happier, and slammed down the phone…

The three of them sat in the ice cream shop, enjoying the air conditioning and eating cold drinks. Yin Yeyao stared at the iced coffee in front of him, his bitterness mirroring his current mood.

After explaining the purpose of her trip to Beijing and mentioning her final exams, a silence fell over them. Cheng Yuanfang took on the responsibility of breaking the silence, telling a few jokes and recounting some anecdotes, which Shang Lin readily accepted. Yin Yeyao felt uneasy.

He was incredibly charming and sociable in front of others, able to discuss political issues with politicians, explore Wall Street indices with business tycoons, and engage in lively conversations on any topic, from golf skills and antique appreciation to travel and leisure. So why did he and Qiu Shanglin suddenly fall silent?

When there are desires, there are obstacles.

When there are attachments, there is fear and terror.

Being too eager to get close, once you do, you become flustered and at a loss, just like an awkward young man whose mind goes blank.

The iced coffee tasted bitter and unbearable in her mouth, just like Yin Yeyao's mood at that moment.

What should he say?

He said he had once again thwarted his mother Xu Mi's conspiracy; he said that his cousin had tried to falsify accounts and he had caught him red-handed; he said, "Marry me, and after we get married, we'll live together in the Yin family mansion. You'll have to face your father-in-law's endless gossip, your mother-in-law's sarcastic scheming, your grandfather's tests, and a whole family of relatives, each with their own agendas..."

Listening to her and Cheng Yuanfang talk about Qiu Xialin's time at school and the trivialities of their lives, happiness was revealed unintentionally.

He gripped the coffee cup tightly in his hand.

Qiu Shanglin, what should I say to you?

Calvin

When Yin Yeyao saw Qiu Shanglin again, he was indeed heartbroken. However, if anyone thought he would be devastated or simply give up on Qiu Shanglin, only to silently offer their blessings from afar, then they would be mistaken about the heir that Old Master Yin had painstakingly cultivated, and also about his rival and biological son who had been fighting Xu Mi for years. Disliking Qiu Shanglin is one thing, but if Yin Yeyao were to give up now, even Xu Mi would probably spit on him and call him a coward.

With her father being a seasoned womanizer and her mother being patient and shrewd, Yin Yeyao inherited the traits of both. Even if she was not the best, she wouldn't be able to suffer repeated defeats.

The stagnant Yin family needed some fresh blood. He longed to see the bright sunshine infuse the gloomy house, and this could only come from Qiu Shanglin. Yin Yeyao was distressed and pondered how to win her over, how to protect her, and how to keep her safe from harm... He even envisioned sending Shanglin abroad to study after marriage to avoid the immediate difficulties she would face.

What I never expected was that marriage requires mutual affection. You can't force a relationship. A marriage is about mutual consent; it's not as simple as planting someone, removing a thorn in someone's side, or winning a lawsuit to acquire a company.