Chapter 76 - 79 – New Currents, Old Eyes
The rain had just begun to fall, tracing faint lines down the café window where Lin Feng sat, alone. The world outside moved in slow motion—pedestrians ducking under awnings, car tires slicing puddles, and the occasional rustle of newspapers bending in the wind.
He stirred his coffee but didn’t drink it.
Instead, he waited.
A few moments later, the front door chimed softly. She entered like a brushstroke on silk—elegant, composed, and completely unhurried.
Li Ruoxi.
Her hair was tied in a low knot, the curve of her black coat following her every step. There was no perfume—only faint sandalwood, as if she’d been near incense or temples earlier. She sat opposite him, not bothering with greetings.
"You made waves too quickly," she said. "Now people want to know what’s underneath."
Lin Feng offered a faint smile. "Curiosity isn’t the same as interest."
"It is when the curious ones control land, licenses, and headlines." She tilted her head. "You’ve caught the attention of people who don’t like disruptions."
"I’m not disrupting anything," Lin replied calmly. "I’m just moving through a space they assumed was static."
Ruoxi stirred her tea, silver spoon clicking faintly against porcelain. "You have no official background, no known faction, and yet you’ve drawn the attention of the Crimson Circle and the youth elite within two months. That’s either genius or recklessness."