Chapter 253: An Easy Catch

As they spoke, Wan Shixuan pulled a photograph from his jacket and placed it on the table, saying, “The girl in this photo is someone close to that Lin guy.”

The girl in the photo was wearing a school uniform, looking about sixteen or seventeen years old. She had long hair draped over her shoulders, and her features were delicate and refined. Though she hadn’t fully matured, it was clear that she was already blossoming into a stunning beauty.

Fang Haoyan, who was used to seeing beautiful women, still couldn’t help but be impressed by the girl. At the same time, he found her vaguely familiar.

“Who is this girl?” Fang Haoyan asked.

“Her name is Yuan Yu. She’s currently living with that Lin guy,” Wan Shixuan replied with a smug smile. “Did you really think I haven’t been doing anything these past few days? On the contrary, I’ve been thoroughly investigating everyone close to Lin. This girl, Yuan Yu, lives in Yongnan District and is definitely his biggest weakness.”

“Yongnan District?” Fang Haoyan narrowed his eyes as if something clicked in his mind, a glimmer of excitement flashing across his face.

“What’s the issue?” Wan Shixuan asked, noticing Fang Haoyan’s reaction.

“Nothing,” Fang Haoyan responded calmly, hiding his excitement. “I understand what you want, young master Wan. Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to grab this girl immediately.”

“Good. I hope you act quickly,” Wan Shixuan said, his eyes gleaming with malice.

His face contorted with anger, as his hatred for Lin Xiao ran deep. If it weren’t for Lin, he would have already captured Wan Caixuan by now.

Instead, he was forced into hiding like a rat, his underground empire in Jiangnan severely damaged. Even his moles within the Brilliant Aya Limited had been wiped out.

“If it weren’t for that wretched Wan Caixuan, who has severely weakened my influence in Jiangnan, I would’ve dealt with this personally by now.”

“Don’t worry, young master Wan,” Fang Haoyan reassured him, spreading his hand open before suddenly clenching it tightly, as if imagining Lin Xiao crushed within his grasp. “I’ll get my men to track their movements immediately. Once we find the right moment, we’ll grab the girl.”

After Wan Shixuan left, Fang Haoyan’s expression shifted. He reached into his jacket and pulled out an old photograph, murmuring to himself, “I can’t believe the coincidence. This really fell into my lap.”

The photograph depicted a teenage boy, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a simple and honest face, standing next to a pure and innocent-looking girl, around fifteen or sixteen.

If Lin Xiao were here, he would instantly recognize the young man in the photo as his fallen brother, Yuan Yong. The girl, though younger in the image, was unmistakably his sister, Yuan Yu.

This very photo had been taken from Yuan Yong by the mercenaries who had killed him.

Fang Haoyan then pulled out his phone and made a call. Before long, a man with gold-rimmed glasses, scholarly in appearance, entered the room. This was none other than Yuan Zhichen, one of Fang Haoyan’s right-hand men.

“Boss, what’s the matter?” Yuan Zhichen asked.

“No need to continue the investigation in Yongnan District. Pull our men back,” Fang Haoyan ordered.

“What?” Yuan Zhichen was taken aback, his face filled with confusion. “Boss, we’re about to get the information we need. Why call them off now? Plus, that international organization is putting a lot of pressure on us. If we don’t fulfill the contract, there could be serious consequences.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already got the info we need,” Fang Haoyan replied with a grin. He then explained the situation.

“This is too much of a coincidence,” Yuan Zhichen said in surprise. “I’ll send out the men right away.”

“Go ahead,” Fang Haoyan nodded.

***

At the Brilliant Tower, after work, Lin Xiao dropped Wan Caixuan off at Jiangnan Floral Estate and was preparing to head to Yuan Yu’s place.

However, before he could get far, a red Ferrari pulled up beside him. Lin Xiao recognized it immediately—it was Ning Xi’s car.

As expected, the moment the Ferrari came to a stop, Ning Xi hopped out and rushed over, latching onto Lin Xiao’s arm.

With a playful grin, she said, “I’ve got the day off tomorrow, so how about you come have a drink with me tonight? I still owe you for saving me last time.”

With this sudden move, Lin Xiao’s arm was caught between her chest, pressed tightly on both sides by her soft curves.

The sensation of softness and firmness all at once made Lin Xiao’s heart race. Ning Xi remained perfectly at ease, acting as if nothing unusual was happening. However, deep in her eyes, there was a trace of mischievous satisfaction.

This was her favorite way of teasing Lin Xiao. She found his awkward reactions endlessly amusing, and today was no different.

“We’re friends. You don’t need to make a big deal out of what happened,” Lin Xiao said, shaking off the awkwardness.

“Friends?”

Upon hearing that word, Ning Xi felt a mixture of joy and a hint of dissatisfaction. She was happy because she knew Lin Xiao’s personality—normally distant and indifferent to everything.

Since arriving at Brilliant Aya Limited, Lin Xiao never formed deep connections with anyone at the company. But for him to personally acknowledge Ning Xi as a friend, it clearly meant that Lin Xiao had accepted their relationship.

However, Ning Xi wasn’t entirely satisfied. Were they only going to remain just friends?

With this thought, she tiptoed and leaned close to Lin Xiao’s ear. She spoke in an incredibly soft and alluring voice.

“Don’t you want to have a drink with me? After we get drunk, you can do whatever you want…”

After saying that, even Ning Xi felt her words were too suggestive. Her face flushed, and she bit her lip, gazing at Lin Xiao with a fiery intensity.

Even though Lin Xiao usually seemed composed and mature, having gone through many hardships, he was still a man in his early twenties, full of youthful vigor. Hearing Ning Xi’s words, his body immediately felt warm, and his mouth went dry.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the surge of heat rushing through his body.

“Sister Ning Xi, you’re playing with fire,” Lin Xiao said.

“So? Will you join me for a drink?”

“I can’t. My sister is waiting for me. I need to go home.”

Despite how tempting Ning Xi’s words were, Lin Xiao ultimately chose to stick to his principles.

Ning Xi pouted, reluctantly letting go of Lin Xiao’s arm, clearly disappointed.

“Fine, then let me give you a ride home.”

“Alright,” Lin Xiao agreed, not seeing a reason to refuse this offer.

Even though Lin Xiao had bought a car, he typically didn’t drive it to work. Driving to work was inconvenient since, in the evenings, he needed to escort Wan Caixuan back to Jiangnan Floral Estate. So, he often took the bus instead of driving.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Yuan Yu’s apartment complex.

“I’ll head in now,” Lin Xiao said as he stood by the car door.

He waved to her before turning to leave. But before he could go, Ning Xi grabbed his hand.

“Wait, Lin Xiao, I need to tell you something.”

Lin Xiao paused, looking at her with curiosity.

“Miss Wan asked me to remind you to be cautious these next few days and pay attention to anyone suspicious around you.”

“What’s going on?” Lin Xiao asked, frowning slightly in confusion.

Ning Xi flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder, straightened up, and spoke seriously, “Lu Pengbo is one of Wan Shixuan’s people. Now that Lu Pengbo is finished at the company, combined with the fact that the last ambush hit Wan Shixuan hard, given his vengeful nature, he’ll definitely retaliate.”

She continued, “He knows about you now, so this time, his revenge won’t just target Miss Wan. It’ll involve you too. Miss Wan will likely be safe as she’s in the company, always protected by you and the security team. But out here, you need to be more careful.”