CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 108: UNDERLYING CURRENTS SURGING

The footstep sounds arriving at the staircase were steady and powerful, and the person entering had a face that drew sidelong glances. The four people at the two tables on the second floor all looked over.

Xia You alone ignored the footstep sounds, hearing a clear sound of bamboo sections striking each other in an orderly fashion. There was no bamboo outside the window, nor on the water, yet there were sounds of bamboo sections, coming through the water surface, or perhaps the air, possibly from all directions.

Someone walked up beside her and sat down.

Li Zhen seemed to have her eyes fogged by the rising smoke from the incense sticks, she rubbed her eyes and made an "Do we know each other?" expression.

At the table by the east window, Xianxian’s stunningly beautiful face showed a hint of sorrow.

Lin Yi and Lu Xun each sat at a tea table, recognizing each other at first glance, but both chose silence.

"Who are you?" Li Zhen looked at the newcomer, and at this time, the tea and pastries had been served.

Lin Yi was very gentlemanly and poured a cup of tea for each of the three.

"My friend, he’s a supervisor at *** Entertainment City," Xia You didn’t know when she had caught a glimpse of Lin Yi, she arbitrarily assigned a title to him.

She didn’t know what Lin Yi was doing here. Could it be Mo Xixi sent him? But today’s event was just a personal affair of hers.

Hearing the identity Xia You gave him, Lin Yi hesitated and nodded his head, accepting this newly acquired "part-time job" for the day.

At the table by the east window, Lu Xun picked up a piece of date cake calmly, stuffed his mouth full, blocking the burst of laughter that was about to escape.

Li Zhen looked at Lin Yi’s appearance, half doubting and half believing. Saying he was a young master wouldn’t be too far off; he was very handsome. Yet compared to the young masters at Golden Splendor, he had an extra bit of dominance, what one might call a leadership demeanor.

"Xiao Xia, your friend is quite good-looking. If he’d like to pursue better prospects, he could consider coming to work at our place," Li Zhen said with an air of a procuress, then made an insinuating glance at Xia You, her eyes full of mischief. However, the mischief broke off when it reached Lin Yi; the aura he exuded was enough to make even Li Zhen, who was used to all sorts of scenes, feel intimidated.

"They’re all bad seeds. Sitting with such people for tea, I’ve lost my appetite," Ding Ling snorted. She also had heard of Lin Yi’s name but never met him in person. She only knew that Lin Yi looked fair and handsome, indeed resembling someone who worked in that industry. As for Xia You and Li Zhen, they also managed to offend this young lady.

"I’m going to find Auntie and the others," Lu Xun bumped into Xia You again and again, and now Lin Yi had appeared out of the blue. Plus, Li Zhen had let slip some words unintentionally. It seemed that the Armed Department’s representative for this mission was evidently the female soldier known as "Xia You."

"I’ll come with you," Ding Ling cooed, leaning on Lu Xun’s shoulder. Lu Xun shifted his shoulder slightly, then took another look at the west window, uncertain whether he was enjoying the view or watching someone.

Li Zhen was very tactful. Seeing that Lin Yi came for Xia You, she made the excuse of checking for taxis and went downstairs first.

Left with three people, the atmosphere grew somewhat chilly. Xia You glanced at "David Sect Holy Daughter" Xianxian, who was sipping her tea on her own, yet intermittently looked over at their table.

Lin Yi sat there, seeming somewhat restless.

Lin Yi kept silent. He rarely took an interest in women, and the time apart from Xianxian had been the most torturous for him, adversely affecting his work efficiency. Xia You was dumbfounded to hear this; it appeared that everyone here was an expert at speaking in riddles.

Lin Yi pulled Xia You back to her seat when she tried to leave.

Lanting was a place of the David Sect, and who knows if the people serving tea and water downstairs were their eyes and ears.

Xianxian sighed softly without speaking.

After Xia You sat back down, she propped her cheek and scrutinized the wisps of clouds to the west. The sound of men and women talking nearby gradually faded from her ears. She heard those striking sounds again, watching the light dancing on the waves.

This time, she took the opportunity, her gaze moving upward, from the second floor upward, the third floor downward; there hung a string of wind chimes carved from bamboo. Only two discolored, yellowed bamboo tubes remained, and when the wind blew, they collided, producing the chime sound.

"Who is she?" Xianxian couldn’t help it anymore and placed her tea cup on the table.

Just a facade, Xia You answered to herself. She remembered her first visit to Rand; she had been instructed that if your superior did not tell you to speak, then you were a speck of dust on the ground, without the right to speak.