Chapter 9 The Lurker's First Step
Returning to Huo Shen's luxurious yet cold apartment, Su Yan's mood was different.
The humiliation and fear of the past were replaced by a cold clarity. Like a sponge, he began to greedily absorb all the information around him, especially the information about Huo Shen.
Huo Shen seemed satisfied with his obedience after "facing reality" and relaxed the restrictions on him a little. For example, he was allowed to move freely in certain areas of the apartment (the study and the living room) and even allowed to touch some non-essential documents. Perhaps in Huo Shen's view, this was more like a reward and a display of trust for his "pet."
Su Yan seized this opportunity.
He no longer huddled in a corner, dazed or pretending to read, as he used to do when Huo Shen was handling official business. Instead, he would sit quietly not far away, his ears perked up, trying to catch every key word in Huo Shen's conference calls or conversations with his subordinates: project names, competitors, timelines, even the subtle fluctuations in his tone.
He also began to "seriously" read the business books and financial magazines on Huo Shen's bookshelf that he had once found obscure. When he came across a term he didn't understand, he would write it down, and then, at a seemingly "casual" moment, ask Huo Shen for advice in a tone that was tinged with admiration and curiosity.
"Mr. Huo, what does this 'betting agreement' mean? It sounds very dangerous."
"The Su Group was mentioned in the magazine today... My brother and his team are also entering the new energy sector. Is this sector really profitable?"
His questions always seemed rather naive, focusing on common business knowledge or publicly available information, never touching upon core secrets. This eagerness to learn perfectly satisfied Huo Shen's desire for control and his desire to show off. When Huo Shen was in a good mood, he would casually offer a few explanations. Although brief, they were valuable fragments of information to Su Yan.
Su Yan had an encrypted electronic notebook that recorded these fragmented information. He tried to piece together the outline of Huo Shen's business empire and the current main focus of his competition with Su Chen.
As the days went by, Su Yan became more and more "adapted" to this canary life. He even began to learn to understand Huo Shen's preferences, such as handing him a cup of coffee at the perfect temperature when he was tired, or remaining absolutely silent when he frowned.
This kind of meticulous "consideration" made Huo Shen's eyes occasionally flash with something other than possessiveness when he looked at him, a kind of almost... habitual sense of comfort.
The system's daily "peacekeeping" mission rewards kept Su Yan's health at full capacity, but he knew it was just a false prosperity. He felt like he was walking a tightrope and had to remain vigilant at all times.
Huo Shen had an important dinner to attend that day, and he didn't bring Su Yan with him. Alone in the empty apartment, Su Yan felt a rare sense of relaxation. He walked to the French window in his study and looked out at the night view of the city.
Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a vaguely familiar figure in the garden downstairs. Although the distance was too far to see clearly, the figure and walking posture... looked a lot like Lin Qingyu?
How could he be here? This area is a top-tier wealthy area, and Lin Qingyu shouldn't be here.
Su Yan felt a little suspicious. He recalled the last time he heard Huo Shen on the phone, he seemed to have mentioned casually that the coffee shop where Lin Qingyu was working was in trouble, but Huo Shen's tone was indifferent and he quickly changed the subject.
Could it be that Lin Qingyu came to see Huo Shen? Was he asking for help regarding the cafe? Or... something else?
Su Yan's heartbeat inexplicably quickened. He had a hunch that this might be important information. He immediately returned to his study, turned on his computer, and began searching for recent news about the cafe or Lin Qingyu, but found nothing.
It seems that a more direct approach is needed.
When Huo Shen came back in the evening, he smelled slightly of alcohol and seemed to be in a good mood. Su Yan helped him take off his coat as usual and handed him warm water.
After hesitating for a moment, Su Yan spoke casually, "I was alone at the window at night, looking at the night view, and I seemed to see a figure downstairs. It looked a bit like Mr. Lin Qingyu. I wonder if I was mistaken."
He spoke with a tone of pure curiosity, as if he was simply sharing an insignificant discovery.
Huo Shen took the cup and paused for a moment, then returned to normal. He glanced at Su Yan with a deep look in his eyes: "You're mistaken."
The tone was calm, but it carried an unquestionable certainty.
Su Yan's heart skipped a beat. Huo Shen's reaction was so quick and decisive that it seemed a bit deliberate. He was almost certain that the man was Lin Qingyu, and that Huo Shen knew of his arrival and might even have seen him.
"Oh, maybe I'm seeing things." Su Yan responded obediently and didn't ask any more questions.
But this incident, like a seed, was planted in his heart. Did Huo Shen really lose interest in Lin Qingyu as he showed? Or was there something happening that he couldn't see?
This was the first suspicious signal he had captured since he went "lurking". Although it was unclear what this meant, it at least proved that Huo Shen was not invulnerable and that he also had things he didn't want others to know.
At this moment, Huo Shen suddenly reached out and pulled him into his arms. His drunken breath sprayed on his neck, and his voice was a little low: "Don't stand by the window at night in the future."
Su Yan's body stiffened: "Why?"
Huo Shen's fingers stroked the necklace on his collarbone, and his tone was a nonchalant warning: "It's not safe outside. You just need to stay where I can see you."
These words, like a gust of cold wind, blew away the tiny hope that Su Yan had just felt after discovering a clue.
His lurking path was still fraught with obstacles, and he was constantly under Huo Shen's surveillance. He had to be more careful and patient.
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