Chapter Twelve: She is the moon in the sky, I am the mud on the ground.

When Lin Tang woke up, she felt a splitting headache. As soon as she opened her bedroom door, she heard steady footsteps coming from downstairs. It was Qiao Yuan.

He was dressed in a long black robe, which made his figure appear even more upright, and he was adjusting his cuffs at the door.

Lin Tang paused slightly at the top of the stairs, looking down at the stairs.

Qiao Yuan seemed to sense something and looked up.

Their eyes met, and for a moment they froze.

His eyes were as deep and still as a pool, and she remained calm, nodding slightly as if it were just a casual encounter in the morning.

"Madam is awake." Qiao Yuan's voice was low and steady, devoid of emotion. His gaze lingered on her slightly pale face for a moment before moving away.

Uncle Chen stepped forward at the opportune moment and whispered a reminder: "Master Qiao, it's getting late, the Chamber of Commerce is..."

"Hmm." Qiao Yuan fastened his cufflinks one last time, turned around and strode towards the door. His black overcoat was taken by the waiting bodyguard, who unfolded it and draped it over his shoulders.

He never glanced at Lin Tang on the stairs again.

Lin Tang held onto the cold oak handrail and walked down step by step.

Soon after, the sound of a car engine starting and driving out of the courtyard could be heard downstairs.

The huge hall fell silent again.

Upstairs, behind the carved railing diagonally opposite the master bedroom on the second floor, Cheng Qing, like a lurking cat, silently peeked out half of her body, a subtle and amusing smile curving her lips.

The black sedan sped over the damp fallen leaves, heading towards the imposing Chamber of Commerce building in the heart of the French Concession.

Inside the car, Qiao Yuan closed his eyes to rest, his fingers silently tapping a rhythm on his knee. Uncle Chen sat beside him, leaning on his cane.

“Master Qiao,” Uncle Chen’s low voice broke the silence, “news just came from Suzhou: Huang Jinhu was robbed on his way to Suzhou.”

Qiao Yuan's eyelids didn't twitch at all; only his tapping fingers paused for a moment before returning to normal, as if he already knew.

“He may be old, but he’s still useful.” Qiao Yuan’s voice was flat and emotionless, with a hint of expected weariness. “He’s lost his patience. Good, it saves us the trouble of luring him out.”

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Uncle Chen's cloudy old eyes: "You're incredibly insightful. Now..."

“According to the original plan,” Qiao Yuan finally opened his eyes, his gaze icy and sharp, “send more men to keep a close watch on the Suzhou docks and all land checkpoints. I want none of Huang Jinhu’s men to slip back into Shanghai.”

"Yes!" Uncle Chen replied, then frowned slightly, as if remembering something. "As for the Chamber of Commerce, Chen Kan is new here, yet he dares to openly challenge us like this..."

Qiao Yuan's lips curled into a cold smile: "Chen Kan? This Chairman Chen is probably no pushover either. The Chen family in Beiping is a very murky place. Chen Minhao was transferred back at this critical juncture, and they just happened to send some unknown Chen Kan to take on this hot potato... Hmph, they say it was personally selected by the old master, but who knows what's going on behind the scenes?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping past the plane trees outside the car window, his tone turning somber: "That mad dog, Golden Tiger, is just attracted by the smell of blood and wants to take a bite. The real trouble is sitting in the Chamber of Commerce building."

Uncle Chen followed his gaze, and in the distance, the magnificent building, a blend of Chinese and Western styles, came into view. In the morning light, the towering dome of the Chamber of Commerce building reflected a cold light, like a lurking beast.

...

At this moment, Lin Tang was unwilling to stay in the house, so she asked A Chen to take her out to Hongkou.

Lin Tang got into the car, the interior filled with the smell of leather and a faint cigar smoke.

Ah Chen silently started the engine, and the car smoothly glided out of the Qiao residence gate.

“Ah Chen,” her voice was soft, yet like a pebble thrown into a seemingly calm deep pool, “Yesterday outside the study, Cheng Qing overheard some conversation.” She paused, not looking at the back of the man in the driver’s seat that suddenly tensed up, “She mentioned that you asked Master Qiao, ‘Who was that shot aimed at?’”

The air inside the car seemed to freeze, with only the deep roar of the engine. Ah Chen's knuckles, gripping the steering wheel, turned slightly white.

“Mr. Bai…” Lin Tang finally turned her head slowly, her gaze like needles piercing A Chen’s tense profile, “Where were you when he fell down with a gunshot wound to his chest? Where was Qiao Yuan?”

Ah Chen's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his lips were pressed tightly together into a pale line.

As the car passed an intersection, he instinctively stepped on the brakes, then suddenly released them, causing the car to sway slightly.

“Madam,” Ah Chen’s voice was terribly dry, with a suppressed tremor, “the past… it’s all in the past. What happened to Master Qiao…”

“I know you did me a favor,” Lin Tang interrupted him, her tone suddenly sharp, like shattering ice. “I remember that favor, and I’ve repaid it. I’m asking about Bai Mu now! The one who was shot through the chest right before my eyes on the streets of Jiangcheng!” Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was like a knife, cutting through the tense silence in the carriage. “Tell me, A-Chen. Who fired that shot? Was Qiao Yuan… nearby at the time?”

"Madam!" Ah Chen slammed on the brakes, breathing heavily. He turned his head sharply, and his eyes, which were usually filled with the obedience of a loyal servant, were now churning with pain, fear, and a fierce emotion that seemed about to break free of its shackles.

"It was the security team! It was the security team that fired the shots!" Ah Chen practically shouted.

The carriage was deathly silent.

Lin Tang didn't speak. She just sat quietly, watching Ah Chen's face, contorted with pain and struggle.

“Madam, this matter has nothing to do with you, sir,” Ah Chen said, calming down slightly and taking a deep breath.

Lin Tang watched his performance, which seemed to be trying too hard to hide something, and knew that even if she asked again, A Chen would do his best to protect Qiao Yuan. But wasn't his expression also an answer?

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned to look out the car window.

"Go to HSBC." After a long silence, Lin Tang finally spoke again.

Achen asked instinctively, "How much does Madam want? What is it for?" His voice still carried a hint of hoarseness and tension.

"All of it." Lin Tang's voice was firm and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation. She paused for a moment before adding coldly, "Buy land and set up factories."

Ah Chen's grip on the steering wheel tightened again; he could almost hear his teeth grinding together. "Buy land and build a factory?"

He couldn't help but repeat, his tone filled with disbelief and worry, "Madam, this... Master Qiao said that in this day and age, factory machines are cumbersome, have slow turnover, require large investments and are risky, far inferior to docks, warehouses and those businesses that bring in money quickly..." He tried to cite Qiao Yuan's assertion.

“He is him, and I am me,” Lin Tang abruptly interrupted him.

Ah Chen dared not utter another word.

Lin Tang turned her gaze back to the window, a faint yet stubborn flame flickering deep within her eyes.

That was not only a way out for herself, but also the only piece of driftwood she could grasp in this chaotic world, proving that she had not completely sunk to the bottom.

Her tightly pursed lips and the resolute light in her eyes were faintly reflected on the cold car window.

Ah Chen escorted Lin Tang to HSBC Bank.

In front of the cold marble counters of HSBC, the air is thick with the smell of ink, old banknotes, and an undeniable sense of monetary authority.

Lin Tang stood outside the brass railing, her back ramrod straight, like a stubborn green bamboo, defying the surrounding chill. She handed over the seal and deposit slip, her voice calm and even: "Buy a cashier's checkbook."

A heavy brown paper bag was pushed out, and through the open opening, you could see brand-new checks inside, still smelling of ink.

Lin Tang took it without hesitation and deftly stuffed the paper bag into her handbag.

Ah Chen stood silently by the car in front of the bank, like a loyal shadow. When he saw Lin Tang come out, he immediately opened the car door.

"Go to the Hongkou Public Concession Municipal Council Land Registry Office." Lin Tang's voice remained cold, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

...

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the magnificent Chamber of Commerce building in the heart of the French Concession, the heavy, ornate oak door was silently pushed open.

Qiao Yuan strode into the spacious and bright conference room, his black robe making him appear even more tall and aloof.

At the end of the conference table, a young figure stood backlit. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around.

The moment their eyes met, even though Qiao Yuan had been tempered in the storms of life and his heart was as hard as a rock, his pupils involuntarily contracted slightly.

They look so alike.

Qiao Yuan forcibly suppressed the turbulent emotions surging within him, his face remaining calm and composed.

"Chairman Chen, I've heard so much about you." Qiao Yuan's voice was deep and steady, without the slightest hint of emotion, but his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, fixed firmly on Chen Kan's face. "My wife bothered me yesterday, and it was thanks to Chairman Chen's 'care' that she was able to help me."

Chen Kan met his gaze, his young face showing no fear. "Madam arrived yesterday, and Mr. Qiao arrived right away. It seems Mr. Qiao is also very concerned about the affairs of the Chamber of Commerce."

His voice rose at the end, carrying a blatant threat, "Chairman Chen has just arrived in Jiangcheng and his foundation is not yet stable, yet he dares to have such thoughts. Isn't he afraid of biting off more than he can chew? When your uncle Chen Minhao was alive, he still understood the meaning of 'compromise' and always left room for maneuver. Chairman Chen is young and impetuous. Don't be ignorant of your own limitations and follow in the footsteps of your predecessors."

Faced with the threat from the biggest gang leader in Jiangcheng, the newcomer Chen Kan did not back down. "My uncle is my uncle, and I am me. The Jiangcheng Chamber of Commerce is not a place to hide filth! As long as I, Chen Kan, am in charge, I will not tolerate the cancer of colluding with the powerful and exploiting the people!"

"Good! What a fine 'shattered to pieces'!" Qiao Yuan's laughter stopped abruptly. "Chairman Chen knows how to talk a good game. But the sky over Jiangcheng has never been held up by a few slogans."

He suddenly changed the subject, "My wife came to see you yesterday, saying she wanted to start a factory?"

Chen Kan raised his eyebrows slightly and said tentatively, "Madam said she wants to buy land in Hongkou to build a textile factory."

"A textile factory?" Qiao Yuan scoffed, but without his usual harshness; instead, his tone was tinged with an indescribable complexity. "She always spouts nonsense like 'industry saves the country' and 'women hold up half the sky.' She's the moon in the sky, shining down on me, this muddy mess, leaving me nowhere to hide. Back then, if I hadn't used a poisonous scheme to kill her sweetheart and deceive her, how could I have possibly married her?"

Chen Kan's pupils contracted sharply, and his fingers unconsciously clenched the documents on the corner of the table.

“Mr. Joe,” he began, lowering his voice, “does Madam… know?”

"Of course she doesn't know!" he scoffed. "If she did, why would she marry me?"

He turned around abruptly, as if his words had never happened, and said coldly, "Chairman Chen, you should mind your own business first. The Chamber of Commerce's messes are enough to keep you busy."