You went on a blind date and presented an A-level wanted criminal as a meeting gift?

The latter half of the banquet became Lin Chen's personal performance time.

Although he didn't "perform" anything.

He simply ate his meals, drank tea, and occasionally chatted with Su Jianguo about the selection process.

But the way the Su family members looked at him had completely changed.

The change was subtle, from initial hostility and disdain to current awe and appeasement.

Two young men from collateral branches even came over to pour tea for Lin Chen, their smiles as attentive as those of a hotel lobby manager.

Su Rui didn't say another word throughout the entire process.

He sat in his seat, mechanically stuffing food into his mouth, his eyes fixed on the table, as if he were carefully studying the pattern on the tablecloth.

After the banquet, Su Jianguo met with Lin Chen alone in his study in the backyard.

The two sat across a rosewood desk, and two more pots of tea were served.

Su Jianguo finally stood up, walked up to Lin Chen, and did something Lin Chen hadn't expected.

He bowed. A powerful figure at the vice-ministerial level bowed deeply to a twenty-six-year-old.

"Lin Chen, the Su family will remember this life you've taken tonight."

Lin Chen held his arm to prevent him from bending over completely.

"Minister Su, there's no need for such a formal gift."

"The Xiao family sent this over not because they really wanted to kill you, but because they wanted to test your strength and, incidentally, create division within the Su family."

Su Jianguo straightened up and gave Lin Chen a deep look.

"You noticed."

"It's not bad-looking."

Lin Chen released his grip.

"If the Xiao family really wanted to wipe out the entire Su family, they wouldn't have used such a dismantled method. Archimedes' box is, in essence, a mechanical lock; as long as the right person is found, it can be dismantled."

"The Xiao family is betting that the Su family doesn't have this person."

"Then they lost the bet."

"They didn't lose the bet, they lost the intelligence."

Lin Chen's voice faded.

"The Xiao family doesn't understand me, so they underestimated the Su family's trump cards. Next time, they won't make the same mistake again."

Su Jianguo remained silent for a few seconds.

"You are free to allocate all of the Su family's resources for this selection."

"I don't need much."

Lin Chen said.

"The complete architectural blueprints of the selection base, the list of candidates and their background files, and the names of the people the Xiao family planted in the selection committee."

"I can give you the first two tonight."

Su Jianguo sat back down in his chair.

"The third one... I only know that the Xiao family definitely planted someone in there, but we are still investigating who it is."

"No need to check, I'll see for myself later."

Su Jianguo paused for a moment, then didn't ask how to "see" it.

Some things don't need to be asked.

After the study door closed, only Lin Chen's footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

He walked along the corridor toward the guest rooms, and as he passed through a moon gate, a person was standing at the corner.

Su Qingge leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest, her low ponytail hanging over her shoulders.

She had changed out of her trench coat and was wearing a light gray loose sweater and dark trousers.

Without the support of her work attire, her sharp demeanor softened considerably, revealing a more casual side that only her family could see.

"Are you done talking?" she asked.

"Um."

"What did your uncle say to you?"

"I've said everything that needed to be said."

Su Qingge stared at him for two seconds, then turned and walked forward.

"Come with me."

She didn't explain where she was going, and Lin Chen didn't ask.

After passing through two corridors, climbing a wooden staircase, and pushing open a carved wooden door, I found myself in a room with a long wooden corridor.

Su Qingge's boudoir.

The room wasn't large, but it was very clean. There was a mahogany canopy bed with a crimson quilt, and a warm-colored lamp on the bedside table.

A faded family photo hangs on the wall, and several books on law and criminal psychology are stacked on the desk, next to a small photo frame.

The photo shows a girl around ten years old wearing a taekwondo uniform, holding a trophy, and smiling to reveal her two canine teeth.

Su Qingge when she was a child.

Lin Chen glanced at it a couple more times, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.

The sound of the door closing came from behind me.

Then came the sound of a lock being put on.

Lin Chen turned his head.

Su Qingge stood at the door, leaning against the door panel, her right hand still on the door lock.

The warm light from the table lamp shone on her face, reflecting a different color in her usually cold and stern eyes.

It's not cold.

It's burned.

"When you were unpacking that box in the lobby today."

Su Qingge's voice was a little hoarse.

"I only have one thought in my mind."

"What?"

"If you die, I will dig up the graves of the entire Xiao family."

Lin Chen leaned against the desk and smiled.

He wanted to say something lighthearted to ease the tension, but Su Qingge didn't give him the chance.

She walked over.

The pace wasn't fast, but every step was taken with great effort.

When she walked up to Lin Chen, she raised her head and tilted her chin up, her stubbornness exactly the same as when she first met Lin Chen in Jiangcheng.

But what's in your eyes is completely different now.

"Lin Chen".

"Um."

"In my entire life, I, Su Qingge, have never submitted to anyone."

Her hand was placed on Lin Chen's chest.

"Except for you."

The next second, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

This kiss was completely different from the previous ambiguous attempts.

Without hesitation, with no way out, it was a resolute decision to burn one's bridges.

Lin Chen tightened his arms, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground. Su Qingge's legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.

He turned around.

The quilt on the canopy bed was pressed into a deep dent.

The warm light from the table lamp flickered, illuminating a few strands of long hair scattered on the pillow.

The drizzle outside the window stopped sometime ago.

The night in Beijing is very quiet.