Chapter 5 Being close to the water makes it easier to set fires.

Lin Xuqiu saw the emblem on the inside of the small-leaf sandalwood and his fingertips twitched.

She slowly put down her teacup and picked up the sandalwood bead.

Two major events occurred the year Yan Tingnan retired at the age of twenty.

He adopted Yang Yunye, the ten-year-old orphan of his comrade-in-arms.

The second thing was that at the Hong Kong Island Autumn Auction that same year, Mr. Yan spent eight figures to buy this string of thousand-year-old small-leaf sandalwood prayer beads as a congratulatory gift for his entry into the business world.

Wearing sandalwood beads on his wrist and Bodhi seeds to cultivate a Zen mind, he became the second lifeline in his turbulent business world.

The beaded string has broken, and this little girl is still holding onto one of the beads.

Lin Xuqiu ran his fingertip over the patterns on the sandalwood beads and asked, "How did you obtain them?"

Su Ruan rested her chin on her hand, a faint smile on her face.

“This little thing fell out of my underwear yesterday with a thud.”

Lin Xuqiu then lifted his eyelids to look at her properly, but his gaze paused when it fell on Su Ruan's face.

She has exquisite bone structure, a captivating figure, a small face, and bright almond-shaped eyes.

Like a gardenia glistening with morning dew, or like a mimosa vine twining around a bodhi tree.

She is both innocent and alluring, making one's heart itch.

No wonder.

Yan Tingnan's downfall was not unjust.

That face certainly has the potential.

She placed the sandalwood beads on the ebony tea table, causing the jade bracelet to clink softly.

"name?"

"Su Ruan".

Su Ruan dipped her fingertips into the cooled tea and wrote her name on the table.

Lin Xuqiu suddenly smiled and raised his hand to indicate, "Replace this Miss Su's teacup with a set of Chai kiln teacups."

"Miss Su."

Lin Xuqiu's gaze fell on Su Ruan's face, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"Using Buddhist prayer beads as chess pieces is a recipe for disaster."

"Twelve years ago, when Grandpa Yan bought this string of sandalwood beads and gave it to him, he said that these 108 beads could quell the madness in his bones."

"His father, Yan Jibai, died for love, while he lives for hatred."

"He's cold-hearted and not a kind person."

Su Ruan reached out and took the new tea from the tea master, her fingertips tracing the rim of the cup.

"Yan Tingnan has been cultivating not Buddhism, but his inner demons all these years."

"He had a fire burning in his heart, but no one dared to ignite it."

Lin Xuqiu chuckled, his tone tinged with a hint of probing: "So what if it's lit? If the fire gets too big, you'll be the one burning."

Su Ruan took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Don't worry, Madam, no matter how big the fire is, it won't reach you."

"Don't you also want to see just how crazy this Buddha can get?"

Lin Xuqiu remained silent for a moment, then a hint of approval gradually appeared in his eyes.

"interesting."

"Tell me, what do you want me to do for you?"

Su Ruan paused slightly as she fiddled with the cup lid and stirred the floating leaves.

"I need your help to win over Yan Tingnan and get closer to him."

Lin Xuqiu raised an eyebrow: "That's it?"

"That's it." Su Ruan's lips curled up slightly.

"It is only when you are near the water that you can set fire to it."

Lin Xuqiu chuckled and put down the sandalwood beads, pushing them back in front of Su Ruan.

"They have big ambitions and are quite daring."

She picked up the teacup and gently blew away the foam on the surface of the tea.

"Go back and wait for my message."

Su Ruan took a business card out of her handbag and put it down.

The business card only had a string of numbers on it; there was no name or title.

"If you are interested, please feel free to contact me."

Su Ruan nodded slightly, then turned and left.

Lin Xuqiu picked up the business card on the table and watched her leave.

"Su Ruan..."

She murmured softly, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

The name is soft like dew, but the bones conceal a piercing blade.

...

As dusk settled over the old Yan family residence.

Today is the seventh day of the lunar new year, and the Yan family's monthly family banquet has begun as usual.

Yan Hongyi, sitting in the main seat, had white hair as white as frost, and his gaze swept over Yan Tingnan's bare wrist.

"Where are the prayer beads?"

Yan Tingnan raised her eyes and replied calmly, "It's broken."

"Broken?"

Yan Hongyi's brows furrowed even deeper.

"This thing has been with you for twelve years, never leaving your side. How can it just break off like that?"

"Everything has an end; a thread stretched for too long will eventually break."

Yan Tingnan slowly scooped up the matsutake soup, her tone calm.

"We've already found an experienced craftsman to remake and repair it, so you don't need to worry."

Yan Yunye, sitting at the lower end of the table, felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing this.

He recalled the red marks on Su Ruan's neck last night, mixed with those lewd words, which felt like a thorn stuck in his heart.

Unfortunately, his father's Buddhist prayer beads broke in a strange way.

So, the man who was entangled with Su Ruan last night was probably her father?

He blurted out, almost as if possessed, "Dad, did you spend the night in Nebula last night?"

Yan Tingnan's gaze swept over, carrying a hint of pressure: "What?"

Yan Yunye's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice lowered slightly.

"It's nothing, I just heard that a guest checked into the Cloud Pavilion suite last night, and I was wondering if it was you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Tingnan coldly interrupted him.

"no."

“Chairman Li from Hong Kong came to Beijing last night to discuss cooperation. I asked Jing Huai to arrange a suite for him.”

Yan Yunye's throat relaxed, and the weight that had been hanging over him fell to the ground with a thud.

At least, the person who was whispering sweet nothings to Su Ruan last night wasn't her father.

But the thought that Su Ruan was indeed with another man last night...

Yan Yunye instantly lost his appetite.

Lin Xuqiu coldly observed the undercurrents at the table, a smirk playing on his lips.

"The food isn't to your liking?"

She scooped up the soup, her gaze sweeping over the untouched shad in Yan Yunye's plate.

Yan Yunye snapped out of his daze and forced a smile.

"No, it's just that I haven't had much of an appetite lately."

Lin Xuqiu stirred the ginseng soup with a silver spoon, her smile gentle and warm.

"Young people, no matter how busy you are, you must take care of your health."

"Don't be like your dad, so busy all day that he doesn't even have time to eat."

Yan Hongyi tapped the table with his fingers, his cloudy yet sharp gaze sweeping over the father and son.

"Listen to Nan, no matter how heavy the group's affairs are, never forget the fundamentals!"

"You're not getting any younger, it's time to settle down and start a family!"

Yan Hongyi's aged voice carried a hint of displeasure.

"Yiyao will be back in China next month, so you can finalize your marriage plans around the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Lin Xuqiu's chopsticks paused slightly, but he naturally picked up the candied lotus root and placed it on Yan Hongyi's plate.

"Old man, Ting Nan knows what he's doing."

"Besides, Yiyao is still young, it won't hurt to wait a few more years."

Yan Hongyi snorted coldly: "Young? Yiyao is twenty-five this year, which is the perfect time for her to get married."

“Tingnan, you’re thirty-two now. Back then, your father…”

"So I won't follow in his footsteps."

Yan Tingnan coldly cut off the conversation.

"Marriage should not be used as a bargaining chip for personal gain."

Upon hearing this, Yan Hongyi slammed his ivory chopsticks onto the porcelain plate, causing the soup to tremble slightly.

"Your father lost his life for a woman back then!"

A cold light emanated from the old man's cloudy eyes.

"You're so celibate, you don't even touch women."

Yan Tingnan put down her chopsticks and wiped her lips clean.

"If Grandpa wants to arrange a marriage, Miss Lin is a perfect match for Yunye."

Yan Yunye suddenly looked up and met Yan Tingnan's icy gaze.

"Nonsense!"

Yan Hongyi's temples bulged with veins as he slammed his hand on the table.

Yan Tingnan put down her chopsticks, her voice cold: "The group has an international meeting to attend, excuse me."

After saying that, Yan Tingnan got up and left his seat.

Upon seeing this, Yan Yunye subconsciously leaned forward.

"Dad, let me see you off..."

"Need not."

Yan Tingnan turned around and glanced at Yan Yunye.

"You stay and keep Great-Grandpa company."

Yan Yunye opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

Yan Hongyi stared at Yan Tingnan's departing figure, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, and he smashed the porcelain spoon into the winter melon bowl with a clatter.

"They've really grown up."

The sound of phlegm rolling in his throat carried a hoarse, aged quality.

Lin Xuqiu put down the silver spoon and looked up at Yan Hongyi.

“Grandpa, you know Nan has a cold personality.”

"He has devoted himself to the group over the years, and it's no wonder he has a temper."

"Some things can't be rushed. When the time is right, things will naturally fall into place."

Yan Hongyi was panting heavily, his expression slightly calmer.

"You certainly know how to make excuses for him."

Just as Lin Xuqiu was about to speak, his phone suddenly vibrated.

The screen lit up, and an encrypted email appeared on the screen.

This is a background investigation report on Jiangsu Software.