5 05
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The exhibition "Traces of Time" opened at the Shanghai Art Center on the evening of its opening.
The soft lighting focuses on each piece of jewelry that carries the weight of time and stories.
People moved about, whispers and exclamations mingling.
Lin Ruoyin, dressed in a simple silver satin dress and wearing a minimalist platinum feather necklace of her own design, moved with ease among the guests, introducing the exhibits and dealing with the media.
Although the exhibition strategy was adjusted due to Xu Jingming's last-minute change of plans, the final works by two other retired masters, which she urgently visited and successfully invited, still won a standing ovation. The response was enthusiastic, even better than she had anticipated.
Just as she had seen off an important collector and breathed a slight sigh of relief, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure quietly appearing in the shadows at the entrance.
Xu Jia stood alone by the pillar at the entrance of the exhibition hall, almost blending into the dark background. He wore a simple black sweater and matching trousers, with a dark brown cashmere coat casually over them, as if deliberately concealing all his sharpness, leaving only a refined calmness.
He didn't look at her, but tilted his head slightly, intently studying an enlarged diagram on the wall detailing traditional jewelry setting techniques. His profile was exceptionally clear in the soft light, his long eyelashes lowered, concealing any emotion that might be revealed in his eyes. His posture didn't resemble that of a menacing opponent, but rather that of a pure observer immersed in an artistic atmosphere.
However, even with such a low profile, the lingering, cold, and powerful aura surrounding him still subtly altered the energy flow in the exhibition hall, like a hidden reef thrown into the water. Occasionally, a perceptive guest would notice him, initially puzzled, then recognizing him, their eyes flashing with surprise, but hesitant to approach and disturb them due to his aloof and unapproachable demeanor.
He stood there quietly, as if he were just one of the thousands of spectators.
Lin Ruoyin steadied her breathing, telling herself not to care, but her gaze wavered as she looked in the direction Xu Jia was heading.
Xu Jia moved toward a relatively quiet corner of the exhibition hall.
What's displayed there isn't a priceless antique or a new masterpiece, but a piece placed alone in a separate glass display case: an 18k gold bracelet called "Golden Years." The chain is made up of countless tiny, irregular gold leaves, each with a slightly different texture, symbolizing every unique moment in the passage of time.
This is the work that Lin Ruoyin won the gold medal at the college's annual design exhibition during her sophomore year. It was also the first work she completed after she and Xu Jia got together.
Its design, refinement, and completion were all imbued with the sweetest moments of their passionate love.
He even stayed with her in the cramped workshop, under the dim light, while she stayed up all night polishing the blades, and drew countless sketches for her.
Xu Jia stopped in front of the display case. He looked down at the bracelet in the case, which gleamed warmly under the spotlight, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
Lin Ruoyin walked to his side, her voice calm and even: "I didn't expect you to come."
Xu Jia paused for a moment, but his gaze did not leave the bracelet.
"Just passing by, taking a look around." His voice was low and emotionless. He suddenly gave a faint smile, tinged with an indescribable mockery. "Golden Years, I remember I named that."
His gaze finally turned to her, his deep eyes like an icy pool, clearly reflecting her momentarily changed expression.
He leaned slightly closer, his cool aura instantly enveloping her. His voice was low, carrying a dangerous magnetism, "That's how physical art is. No matter how much meaning it was given at the time, it will lose its warmth as time goes by, and in the end, it's just lying in a display case for people to mourn. Just like... the feelings between people."
She forced herself to meet his icy gaze, her fingertips digging deep into her palms to maintain a steady voice: "Mr. Xu, isn't your perspective on things a bit too biased? Time passes, and warmth fades. But it is precisely because it has transcended time and lies here that it proves that some things do not lose all meaning as the warmth disappears. At least, it truly existed."
Xu Jia stared at her, a dark tide surging in his eyes, containing hatred, anger, and perhaps something else, something more complex.
Just then, Lin Ruoyin's phone vibrated in her handbag, and the screen displayed Lu Yan's name.
Xu Jia also saw that name. The cold smile on his lips vanished completely, and his eyes became frighteningly gloomy.
"Take it." He turned to the side, his expression unconcerned, and said coldly.
Lin Ruoyin took a deep breath, turned to the side, and pressed the answer button.
"Ruoyin," Lu Yan's voice came through, carrying a hint of obvious annoyance and apology, "I'm sorry, something came up on my end, I might not be able to make it to the exhibition."
Lin Ruoyin: "What happened?"
On the other end of the phone, Lu Yan seemed to hesitate for a moment: "It's nothing serious... it's just that a project we agreed on with Yonsei Capital has run into a problem, and I have to stay here to handle it. It's hard to explain over the phone. Let's talk again tonight after your exhibition."
Lin Ruoyin: "Okay. Then you take care of it first, don't rush. We'll talk again tonight."
She hung up the phone and turned around. Xu Jia was still standing in the same spot, his posture unchanged, but the atmosphere around him seemed even more oppressive.
Although Lin Ruoyin deliberately lowered her voice, he still heard every word she said clearly.
Let's talk again tonight.
Xu Jia's brows furrowed suddenly, his face devoid of any warmth.
Just then, the exhibition manager came over and quietly reminded him, "Mr. Lin, the media are all waiting in the interview area."
She looked at Xu Jia.
"Go." His voice was low and emotionless.
Lin Ruoyin turned and left. Xu Jia stood there, his gaze following her back as she passed through the crowd until she completely disappeared at the end of the exhibition hall.
He lowered his eyes, took one last look at the golden bracelet in the glass display case, turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the exhibition site silently.
...
It was late at night at the Lu residence.
When Lin Ruoyin returned home, Lu Yan was curled up on the living room sofa, frowning at his laptop, with a half-finished glass of whiskey beside him. Hearing the door open, he looked up, his face showing obvious exhaustion.
"You're back? How was the exhibition?" He forced a smile, trying to appear relaxed.
"Yes, everything went smoothly." Lin Ruoyin put down her handbag and sat down on the single sofa opposite him. "How's it going on your end?"
Lu Yan rubbed his temples and sighed, "It seems like Mercury is in retrograde lately. Those two projects with Yonsei Capital fell through, and several stores are in trouble too, with endless inspections." His tone was more one of frustration and defeat than the panic he had sounded on the phone.
After saying that, he looked at Lin Ruoyin and said, "But don't worry, I can handle it."
Lin Ruoyin looked at the stubborn light in his eyes and remained silent for a moment.
Lu Yan took on these side jobs to prove that he could succeed even without the family name.
Lin Ruoyin respected his desire to solve the problem independently.
"Okay." She nodded, her voice calm. "Just ask whenever you need to."
Lu Yan smiled and said, "I know, President Lin. You should go and get some rest; you must be tired today."
Lin Ruoyin got up and walked towards her bedroom. Lu Yan also closed his laptop and walked towards the master bedroom at the other end of the corridor.
The two doors closed gently, and the mansion returned to silence.
Over the next few weeks, Lu Yan did try his best to handle it on his own.
But he clearly underestimated his opponent's determination and methods.
Yonsei Capital not only lost its projects, but several investors who had previously agreed to invest also withdrew their funds one after another. The stores in which he had invested reopened after rectification, but the customer traffic inexplicably plummeted. At the same time, new customer complaints and negative reviews kept appearing on various platforms, with content that was precisely targeted and pointed directly at the weaknesses.
His "Young Artists Support Program" has completely lost its voice, appearing like a shoddy, abandoned operation compared to another groundbreaking and high-profile global award.
The troubles snowballed, and Lu Yan's smiles became fewer and fewer. He came home later and later, and was often seen reeking of smoke and alcohol.
Lin Ruoyin observed all this, initially remaining skeptical. Then one late night, she heard Lu Yan shout into the phone in his study, his voice filled with suppressed anger and helplessness: "...Find out who's behind this in the shortest time possible! Once is a coincidence, twice is an accident, but every time it's aimed at me?"
She stood outside the door, listening to the sound of things falling inside.
The next day, she used her connections and resources to begin an in-depth investigation into the connections behind these seemingly isolated events. The clues were scattered, but they pointed to a striking consistency: the flow of funds, public opinion manipulation, resource interception... all ultimately vaguely linked to one name: Mohe.
It's Xu Jia.
What happened was not just business competition, but was also driven by strong personal emotions.
He was targeting Lu Yan.
Finally, Lin Ruoyin could no longer remain uninvolved.
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