The interior of the villa was nothing short of elegant—but not in a showy, nouveau-riche way. Everything was understated: dim lighting, warm wooden panels, a single painting hanging over a minimalist fireplace. It gave off the kind of quiet wealth that didn't need to speak aloud.
Xue Lian stood by the windows, her figure outlined against the dark glass. The city's skyline twinkled in the distance behind her like a bed of stars turned sideways.
"I don't usually host people here," she said without turning. "But you're not just anyone, are you?"
Lin Feng said nothing at first. He walked further in, his footsteps silent on the stone floor. "You didn't invite me here for wine and small talk."
That got a faint smile out of her—barely there, almost a shadow. "No. I invited you because you've disrupted the balance. And we," she turned slowly, eyes meeting his, "are interested in people who do that."
Her tone wasn't threatening. If anything, it was measured—like a broker making an offer in a very dangerous deal.
"You want to test me," Lin Feng said simply.
"I want to understand you," she corrected. "But understanding and testing… often go hand in hand."
She gestured to a leather folder on the coffee table between them. He didn't touch it, but his eyes scanned the front. No markings. Just a thin red ribbon tied around it.
"What's in it?" he asked.
"A proposal," she replied. "A minor investment project in the city. Three parties are bidding under different identities. We've kept the waters murky on purpose. I want to see how you swim in them."
"And if I drown?" he asked, a dry smile playing at the edge of his lips.
"You won't," Xue Lian said with quiet certainty. "Not someone like you."
He finally reached out and untied the ribbon. Inside: a company profile, a shell corporation history, financial statements… and a few names that caught his eye.
So that's how they play it.
"This isn't just a test," Lin Feng said. "This is bait."
"Depends on how you bite."
They stood in silence for a moment, the only sound the soft ticking of an antique clock on the wall.
Finally, Lin Feng closed the folder. "Alright. I'll play."
"Good," Xue Lian said, picking up her wine glass at last. "Because if you didn't… I'd have to assume you were boring."
He gave her a sharp look. "And what happens if I win?"
She smiled again, this time just a little more genuinely.
"Then maybe," she said, "you're not just a player. You're a threat."