Lin Yue's attention was instantly drawn to the cake. She happily picked up a small spoon, scooped up a piece of the delicate strawberry cake, and put it in her mouth, a satisfied smile on her face.
Looking at Lin Yue's innocent and carefree appearance, Ye Yuyan was filled with many thoughts.
Over the next few days, Ye Yuyan remained outwardly calm and continued to advance the cooperative project with Lin Fan, but secretly she used all her connections to begin a covert investigation into clues related to that badge.
She started with antique shops.
Lin Fan enjoys collecting antiques, and Lin Yue's badge was also something Lin Fan found in an antique shop.
Therefore, this antique shop may very well be the key to solving the mystery.
Ye Yuyan sent people to visit antique shops of all sizes in the city, and even some remote and inconspicuous small shops were not overlooked.
She described the design of the badge in detail, asking the shop owners to help identify it in hopes of finding a clue.
However, things didn't go as smoothly as she had imagined. The antique industry is a mixed bag, and many shop owners rely on experience and a keen eye for their craft, often unable to provide any explanation for items of dubious origin.
Moreover, Lin Fan bought the badges many years ago, and many shop owners said they had no recollection of it.
After several days, Ye Yuyan's investigation made no progress. She was somewhat frustrated, but she did not give up.
Meanwhile, Ye Yuyan continued to maintain contact with Lin Yue.
During her time with Lin Yue, Ye Yuyan would often inadvertently mention Lin Fan, trying to extract more information about him from Lin Yue.
"Lin Yue, what does your brother usually like to do?"
Does your brother have any particular hobbies?
Has your brother ever told you anything about his childhood?
Ye Yuyan's questions seemed random, but they were all carefully designed. She hoped that through these questions, she could piece together Lin Fan's past and find clues related to that badge.
However, although Lin Yue was innocent and carefree, she was not entirely oblivious to Ye Yuyan's frequent inquiries about Lin Fan. Although she didn't show it directly, some doubts gradually began to grow in her heart.
"Yu Yan, why have you been asking me about my brother so much lately?"
"Do you... really like my brother?"
Lin Yue's question caught Ye Yuyan off guard. She quickly covered it up, saying, "How could that be? I was just... just curious."
"Really?" Lin Yue stared into Ye Yuyan's eyes, as if trying to see through her heart.
"Of course it's true!" Ye Yuyan said, feigning composure. "Your brother and I are just work partners, don't overthink it."
Although Lin Yue said she believed her, a hint of doubt still flickered in her eyes. She began to secretly observe Ye Yuyan's actions, trying to figure out what her true purpose was.
Ye Yuyan also noticed Lin Yue's change, and she knew she could no longer recklessly pry into information as before. She had to be more careful to avoid arousing Lin Yue's suspicion.
Just as Ye Yuyan's investigation reached a stalemate and her relationship with Lin Yue became delicate, an even greater crisis was quietly approaching.
Brother Long has held a grudge ever since he suffered a loss during the hostage exchange at the warehouse. He can't swallow this insult and vows to make Lin Fan pay the price.
During this time, Brother Long had been secretly planning his revenge. He gathered a group of men, purchased a batch of weapons, and prepared to catch Lin Fan off guard.
"Damn it, this Lin Fan actually dared to touch my daughter!" Brother Long took a deep drag on his cigarette, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "This time I'll teach him what happens when you offend Brother Long!"
"Brother Long, when do we make our move?" one of the henchmen asked.
"No rush." Brother Long exhaled a smoke ring and said coldly, "We need to find out Lin Fan's whereabouts first, find a suitable opportunity, and strike decisively!"
"Understood!" the underlings replied in unison.
Lin Fan was unaware of Brother Long's plans. He continued to be busy with company affairs as usual, occasionally taking time to be with Lin Yue.
Unaware that danger was closing in, he was even more unaware that his and Lin Yue's past held a shocking secret.
And this secret will completely change their lives in the near future.
That day, Ye Yuyan came to Lin Fan's office again to discuss cooperation matters with him.
"President Lin, the project is progressing very smoothly recently. We have completed the initial market research, and we can start to develop a specific marketing plan next," Ye Yuyan reported.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Mr. Ye." Lin Fan nodded in acknowledgment.
"By the way, Mr. Lin, I recently heard that you like collecting antiques?" Ye Yuyan suddenly changed the subject and asked.
Lin Fan was taken aback; he hadn't expected Ye Yuyan to suddenly ask about this. "Yes, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing, just curiosity," Ye Yuyan smiled and said. "I've recently become interested in antiques and want to find some time to visit an antique shop."
"Oh? Then you can go check out 'Jubaozhai,' their stuff is pretty good," Lin Fan said casually.
"Jubaozhai?" Ye Yuyan's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "President Lin, do you often go to this store?"
"Yeah, I go occasionally." Lin Fan nodded.
"Well... Mr. Lin, have you ever bought any special... badges or anything like that from this store?" Ye Yuyan asked tentatively.
Lin Fan frowned; he found Ye Yuyan's question today rather strange. "Badge? I don't have one. What's wrong?"
Ye Yuyan quickly covered it up, saying, "It's nothing, I was just asking casually."
She felt a little disappointed; it seemed Lin Fan hadn't bought that badge from "Jubaozhai." So, where did that badge come from?
Ye Yuyan decided to go to "Jubaozhai" herself, hoping to find some clues.
"President Lin, I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving now." Ye Yuyan stood up to say goodbye.
"Okay, take care." Lin Fan nodded.
After leaving Lin Fan's office, Ye Yuyan immediately called her assistant and asked him to make arrangements to go to "Jubaozhai" for a visit.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue was waiting for Ye Yuyan in a coffee shop near the company.
"Why isn't Yu Yan here yet?" Lin Yue looked at the time anxiously; she had been waiting for more than half an hour.
Just then, her phone rang; it was Ye Yuyan calling.
"Hey, Yu Yan, where are you?" Lin Yue asked.
"Lin Yue, I'm sorry, something came up and I can't go shopping with you." Ye Yuyan's voice sounded apologetic.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Lin Yue asked, somewhat disappointed.
"There's an urgent matter at the company that I need to go back to handle," Ye Yuyan explained.
"Oh... okay." Although Lin Yue was a little unhappy, she still nodded understandingly.
"Lin Yue, you should go home first. I'll come find you when I'm done with my work," Ye Yuyan said.
"Okay, then you go ahead and do your work." Lin Yue hung up the phone, feeling a little disappointed.
She sat alone in the coffee shop, listlessly playing with her phone. Suddenly, she remembered Ye Yuyan's recent frequent inquiries about Lin Fan, and a sense of unease rose in her heart once again.
"What exactly is Yu Yan doing? Why does she keep asking me about my brother?" Lin Yue muttered to herself.
She decided to find an opportunity to talk to Lin Fan about this and tell him to be wary of Ye Yuyan.
As night fell, Brother Long, along with a group of his men, quietly approached the vicinity of Lin Fan's villa.
"Brother Long, are we really going to do this?" one of the underlings asked nervously.
"Nonsense!" Brother Long glared at him and said viciously, "Today I will make Lin Fan pay for his crimes in blood!"
He took out his binoculars and observed the situation inside the villa.
"That bastard Lin Fan hasn't come back yet, let's wait here," Brother Long said.
"Yes, Brother Long!" the underlings replied in unison.
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