Chapter 83: Still Need Male Competition? He’s Lost
Bai Ye’s ice-like face remained expressionless, but the knuckles of the fists he clenched behind his back had long gone white.
He stopped looking at their clasped hands, an incredibly jarring sight to him, and shot Si Jin an icy glare.
A cold, indecipherable undercurrent churned in the depths of his eyes.
But without another word, he was the first to turn and head for the main gate.
Seeing this, Luo Cheng quickly gestured for Yun Sheng to proceed.
Yun Sheng instinctively looked toward Si Jin.
There wasn’t a trace of panic in his eyes—only protectiveness and reassurance for her.
She seemed to draw a sliver of strength from his gaze, and her chaotic thoughts instantly settled.
And so, under the burning stares of everyone present, the two walked out of the Lin Family residence, hand in hand, following behind Bai Ye and the disciplinary team.
Behind them, Su Wan’s face was etched with worry. She instinctively started to chase after them, her lips parting as if to say something.
"Mom."
A hand gently grabbed her arm. It was Lin Yueyao.
"Don’t follow them. It’s better to let Yun Sheng go. Brother Bai came with the investigative team himself, which means this matter must be thoroughly investigated. If Yun Sheng cooperates, she can clear her name. Otherwise... people will keep pestering her about Chen Hao’s disappearance, and that won’t be good for her reputation."
Her words sounded reasonable, as if she was only thinking of Yun Sheng’s best interests.
Su Wan stopped in her tracks. She turned back to look at Lin Yueyao. The worry in her eyes hadn’t faded, but now it was joined by a hint of scrutiny.
Ever since she learned that Lin Zhenye had secretly transferred 5% of the shares to Lin Yueyao—and that Lin Yueyao had hidden it from her—there seemed to be a new barrier between her and Su Wan.
"But Shengsheng... she just got back. She doesn’t know anything. Going to the Tower to be interrogated all by herself..."
"Don’t worry, Mom," Lin Yueyao said coaxingly, her tone certain. "As long as Yun Sheng is innocent, with Brother Bai there, no one at the Tower will give her a hard time. You know as well as I do that Brother Bai is always fair and just."
She used Bai Ye’s name to try and assuage Su Wan’s fears.
Su Wan stared at Lin Yueyao for several seconds, but ultimately said nothing.
She slowly pulled her arm from Lin Yueyao’s grasp and, without a word, turned and walked upstairs alone.
As Lin Yueyao watched Su Wan’s retreating figure, the gentle expression on her face vanished, replaced by a cold, gloomy look in her eyes.
Ever since the business with the shares came to light, Su Wan no longer treated her with the same unreserved affection and trust. Even Lin Hao’s concern for her, his sister, had seemed dismissive and cold before he left for training at the Tower earlier.
She had, of course, noticed these changes.
’But... so what?’
Lin Yueyao lowered her gaze, her fingertips gently caressing her smooth nails.
Compared to the 5% of the Lin Group’s shares—of incalculable value—that she now held in her hands, this so-called "familial affection" and "warmth" seemed... insignificant.
With these shares, she had real power and leverage. Her status among the circles of Capital Star would be completely different.
’As for Yun Sheng...’
A cold smile slowly formed on Lin Yueyao’s lips.
’You got lucky,’ she thought coldly.
The Chen Family had been driven mad with worry by Chen Hao’s disappearance. They were already privately considering bypassing the Tower and dealing with Yun Sheng directly.
She’d even received news this morning that the Chen Family planned to use some "unconventional methods" to interrogate her today, perhaps even make Yun Sheng "disappear."
Lin Yueyao was happy to see it happen; she had even fanned the flames in secret.
But who would have thought that at this critical moment, Bai Ye himself would show up with the disciplinary team and take Yun Sheng away under the pretext of "cooperating with an investigation"!
Now, the Chen Family wouldn’t dare to act rashly for the time being.
After all, snatching someone from the Tower—especially someone taken by Bai Ye himself—was tantamount to openly challenging the authority of the Star Alliance military and the Tower. The Chen Family wasn’t that bold.
So while Yun Sheng now faced a formal interrogation by the Tower’s disciplinary team and a deeper investigation with an uncertain outcome, she was, in a way, safer.
"Yun Sheng, let’s see... if you can stay this lucky forever!"
...
"Miss Yun Sheng, please wait here. The interrogating specialist will be here shortly."
Luo Cheng led Yun Sheng to a designated investigation and interrogation area inside the Tower.
The corridor was long and silent, flanked by closed metal doors.
He stopped in front of one of the doors, swiped his credentials to open it, and gestured for Yun Sheng to enter, not stepping inside himself.
Yun Sheng walked into the room alone.
The metal door slid shut silently behind her. A faint CLICK from the lock cut her off completely from the outside world.
It was a small, cold, enclosed room, bare of any furnishings.
There were no windows. The walls and ceiling were covered in dark gray, sound-absorbent material. A lone metal table and two matching chairs sat in the center.
Cold, white light shone down from overhead, illuminating every corner without a trace of warmth. In the four corners of the ceiling, the inconspicuous red lights of miniature surveillance cameras blinked like silent, emotionless eyes watching from above.
Yun Sheng walked to one of the chairs and sat. The cold of the metal instantly seeped through her clothes, making her shiver slightly.
The room was frighteningly quiet, the only sound the whisper of her own breath.
Time seemed to stretch and stagnate, making every second feel unnaturally distinct.
Trapped in such a cold, isolated environment, facing an impending interrogation and the immense risk of her secrets being exposed, her heart should have been pounding with anxiety, dread, and fear.
But strangely, she felt calmer than she’d expected.
Her mind couldn’t help but drift to the warmth and strength of Si Jin’s hand wrapped around hers, and the last look he had given her.
It was calm and certain, carrying the unspoken promise of ’I am here.’
That man, with his sensitive identity and air of unpredictable danger, was right now in the Tower’s public waiting area.
He knew full well this place was a lion’s den for him, yet he insisted on waiting outside, just to let her know she wasn’t alone.
Si Jin’s presence was like a faint yet resilient light, quietly piercing the gloom and pressure of the cold cell, strangely soothing the panic and fear that should have been blooming in Yun Sheng’s heart.
The seconds ticked by.
Five minutes, ten, then twenty...
But the expected interrogator never appeared.
This unusual situation only confirmed Yun Sheng’s suspicion: Bai Ye hadn’t brought her here for a simple, routine questioning.
’What is he waiting for?’
’Is he preparing a more rigorous test? Or investigating other leads? Or... is this just a way to apply psychological pressure?’
Just as her mind raced, trying to analyze the strange situation...
CLICK.
The distinct sound of an electronic lock disengaging suddenly echoed.
The sealed metal door slid open silently, creating a narrow gap.
The dim light from the hallway spilled in, casting a long, thin sliver of light on the floor.
A figure, unhurried, stepped into that sliver of light and entered the room.