Chapter 133 - A box of thoughts
"It's not someone from the legendary family. Since our families had unsaid rules that we will not interfere in the matter of other's families battle of inheritance.."
Xiong Zhi stopped at this as an ugly memory resurfaced in her mind.
It was true that no families, the legendary families, should interfere in other family's problems. Unless the heads of both of the family reached an agreement. Like how she was engaged to Guan Gao Huan.
But these unsaid rules were broken by Xiong Duyue by asking Gao Huan's help to manipulate the Xiong's shares.
So this unsaid rules could be broken anytime.
But since she had heard things from the rooftop, Xiong Zhi did not need to think much or look far away. The 'father' in Lu Yin Ze's monologue was the most suspicious.
So she asked Linfeng to confirm.
"Is Lu Yin Ze's father powerful?" Xiong Zhi was not really well informed regarding the four legendary families.
Linfeng smiled. It seems like his plans to introduce the four legendary families inside information needed to be taught to Xiong Zhi earlier than expected.
"Yes, he is."
"Is he enough to threaten Master Lu?"
"No. Master Lu has Lu Empire. He was called a Lion in the business circle for a reason. He would not be threatened by a mere businessman who owned just 'half' of what he has."
Xiong Zhi was surprised to hear the word 'half'.
Lu Yin Ze's father was that powerful?!
The Xiong, Guan, Tang, and Lu empire are the empires that have been long rooted in the business industry for hundreds of years. They acc.u.mulated their wealth all those years to become what they are.
So to compare that a man has a half a network on that kind of empire was strikingly terrifying. Especially, if the origins of that company were not that long as the empires.
For some reason, Xiong Zhi wanted to know about this 'man'. The 'cruel father' in Lu Yin Ze's monologue. She felt that if she was to grow in this industry, she needed to be on guard with this company. Or to say to that man. If IHZHI grew and grew at an astonishing speed, like the four years span she promised to her Old Man, it was undoubtedly that their companies would both clash. They might even meet personally.
This premonition of her's would actually come in the years to come.
"He is...actually enough. With a bit of connection and some pull of the strings, he might put the first young master to the heir position."
Linfeng's eyes glinted. He was convinced that with Xiong Zhi's way of thinking, she would become a great figure in this industry in the future.
He intentionally played with words and she got the hint instantly. He was really impressed.
"Not to mention, if they pull some tricks they had a 50% chance of winning," Linfeng added.
Xiong Zhi's eyes flickered.
'Pull some tricks.'
Dirty schemes.
Like how she was schemed to hand her shares to Xiong Duyue. Her kidnapping as well.
"So..how it connects to this box?"
Linfeng knew that Xiong Zhi's conjectures was on the right track. It was so right that it might lead to some discoveries later on. And it was not something that Linfeng wanted to open for now. It could wait later.
So for now, he would start at this simple box. Why he picked it, why he didn't hand it to Old Lu, and why he was showing it to her.
'Oh yeah, the box.' Xiong Zhi's mind returned to the box.
She stared at it while she fell on deep thoughts. Her gaze was boring to the box.
The sound of the soft engine was the only thing that breaking the silence.
They arrived at the gate of the Xiong Mansion.
Linfeng raised his hand to Mr. Ji to indicate to stop the car from entering. The car stopped. The engine stopped. There was a deafening silence in the car.
Linfeng was patient as he waited for Xiong Zhi to organize her thoughts. He could see she was in deep thoughts with her gaze far away and sometimes the furrowing of her brows. Her lips were tightly shut. His eyes then traveled to the side of her splendid neck. To her collar bone and to the up and down of her chest. Then it traveled down further, to the beautiful ocean dress. There were some tiny silver-blue and silver-green threads shaped in a lily flower in her dress. He just only recognized it after staring at the dress. So this made her dress glittered with silver-blue lights and sliver green in lights under the spotlight. As well as in the dark. This was really beautiful.
'It suited her nicely.'
His eyes were still scanning her, taking advantage while Xiong Zhi was in deep thoughts.
"I think-"
Her soft and smooth voice breaks the silence. Linfeng's eyes returned to her face.
To her beautiful sculpted face.
'How can a human be so beautiful?' This thought crossed Linfeng's mind.
"I think this box is a bomb." Xiong Zhi said seriously.
Linfeng "...."
Mr. Ji "!!!!!!"
Silence.
She was only met by silence.
She looked up to see why Linfeng turned silent.
Linfeng's eyes widen a bit. The only indication that he was truly taken aback.
Seeing Linfeng's reaction like this took her by surprise as well.
It was just..everytime they met, Linfeng only showed his calm and polite smile. When they were alone, he would give her a gentle smile, sometimes a little laugh, but this expression of being clearly taken aback with his Phoenix eyes widen for a few seconds was really...refreshing.
Xiong Zhi covered her mouth to escape the small chuckle.
'He is so cute.'
"Ah!" Lin Feng saw her small action and recovered his wits.
"You are playing on me?" Linfeng said as he helplessly smiled.
They were talking seriously about a serious matter. So having this joke in the middle of conversation catch him unprepared. Besides, it was very rarely for Xiong Zhi to do that.
"Cough."
Xiong Zhi turned serious to cover her mischievousness.
"I'm not. I think this box is a bomb. Whatever inside of it might trigger something to Lu Yin Ze..or to the entire Lu Family. It might be the start of the war to the Lu family. That's why you chose to hand it to me to let me decide to whom I should give it. To Lu Yin Ze or to Master Lu."
Lin Feng's eye shined. Her answer was correct.
He doesn't know what was inside the box. It might be some simple jewelry.
However, why the first young master personally gave it? He could not say it was just to congratulate Lu Yin Ze. Since no one would give a man jewelry to another man. Especially, they are brothers, what more they are Lu's. Compared to the gifts that Lu Yin Ze received earlier, jewelry is nothing for the Lu's.
So even if it was only a jewelry, it might contain some secrets. That Lu Yin Ze and the first young master only know.
Linfeng was really curious about what's inside the box.
"Since it came from the first young master Lu, it means it also came from the man behind him. It might be a threat to Lu Yin Ze. A message or a warning. "
"And the reason why you didn't hand it to Master Lu is that you saw how Master Lu protect Lu Yin Ze. What if Master Lu become enraged that he would start a war in the business industry. Thus, affecting all the empires as well. And the ones who would suffer the most are those growing companies. Since they need to take a side as well. But whatever side they chose, their companies would not be able to survive. They would take a huge blow and it would disrupt their growth. "
"My company has just started. And if there was an economic war my company will be affected and the four years agreement I have with my grandfather would be a disadvantage for me. Thus, it will result in my loss."
Linfeng could not cover his dumbfounded face.
He listened to the string of words that came out of her mouth. Every word she said was true. It was his real thoughts. It was absurd he knew, thinking of something like this because of a box. But this was his nature that no one would understand. His nature to think deeply and it's consequences for just a simple matter.
But he took hold of it as he believes it will brought him to success and achievement. And so far, he was not been failed by it.
He has a cautious and analytic personality. He always thoughts about the consequences and its branches whenever he made a decision. He was a very careful man to the point it was so absurd if people heard his thoughts.
That's why when he took the box, keep it hidden, and analyze the situation, he thought of it.
He just wanted to test Xiong Zhi's analyzing ability and how she perceives things in society. He was just going to tell her the surface of the truth that he hid the box because there surely must be a reason why it must be hidden to Master Lu at the moment.
However, he did not expect, nor comprehend that Xiong Zhi would know his thoughts. Even Jang Shin, his longest friend would not know how his mind worked. But Xiong Zhi, with just a simple action of him, just by single move of keeping the box behind Master Lu, she guessed his thoughts perfectly like she known him for years. She accurately hit the mark.
They only knew each other by less than a year. He did not show so many sides of him to her. Since he was trying to be careful to not be attached too much.
Knowing what he thought in just a short span of time was terrifying.
Xiong Zhi was terrifying.
Yes. He felt terrified for a split second but he hid it well. He was terrified but a feeling of slight happiness was sprouting as well. The feeling of someone understands him, someone can comprehend him was the things that should make him uncomfortable. Especially if it was his enemy. But it was Xiong Zhi..
He stared at her shining eyes that grow brighter as she speaks.
"You did it, because of me. Am I right?"
Xiong Zhi said with a gentle smile oblivious of how she gave chaos in Linfeng's mind and heart.
Linfeng did not answer and just stared blankly at her smile.
If it was Xiong Zhi, Linfeng finds it not uncomfortable that she understands his thoughts, contrary, he felt more treasured.
Was it really alright for him to have these thoughts?
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