Suppressing the Protagonist at the Start to Seize the Heroine

Chapter 244: Controlled Before the Cooperation Even Started

Xiao Feiyu had no idea that his and Qin Mu’s little maneuvers were clearly observed by Su Lin and Li Ziyu. He stepped out of the elevator, about to ask a waiter for Qin Mu and Qin Desen’s location when he saw Qin Mu half emerge from a seat by the window.

The private rooms here weren’t fully enclosed, designed instead to provide a semi-private space for conversations without interruptions, divided into smaller sections by partitions.

Xiao Feiyu steadied his mind and then walked over. He was somewhat surprised when he saw Qin Desen; he had met Qin Deshu before, whose temples were graying, showing his age since he was over sixty and had not practiced martial arts, so it was normal for him to appear old.

However, Qin Desen, only two years younger than Qin Deshu, had jet-black hair, bright eyes, and a ruddy complexion, making him look not in his sixties but more like a man in his forties.

Qin Desen did not seem displeased by Xiao Feiyu’s scrutiny. Having restrained himself for many years, he was adept at controlling his emotions. He took a sip of his tea and said lightly, “Young master Xiao, are you surprised to see me looking so young?”

Xiao Feiyu nodded, “I didn’t expect Second Master Qin to look so youthful.”

“Heh, perhaps I have a way of preserving my youth,” Qin Desen replied.

Xiao Feiyu gave Qin Desen another look, suspecting that he might be practicing some ancient martial art, as his vitality didn’t seem merely the result of good care. However, these were concerns for Qin Deshu to worry about.

Xiao Feiyu also took a sip of tea, then played with the small teacup, saying, “Second Master Qin didn’t invite me here just to have tea, did he?”

Qin Desen nodded, “Of course not.”

“I heard recently that you have been dealing with Su Lin?” Qin Desen inquired.

Xiao Feiyu nodded, “Indeed, Su Lin and I have some grievances.”

“Are you aware of how many forces Su Lin is currently involved with? Although you are the top young master of Modu, this is Donghai. A dragon crossing the river does not necessarily overcome the local snakes,” Qin Desen stated lightly.

Xiao Feiyu nodded but said nothing. He couldn’t appear too eager at this moment because Qin Mu approaching him indicated that Qin Desen was getting impatient. This allowed Xiao Feiyu a small leverage to negotiate more terms.

If he proceeded to discuss cooperation following Qin Desen’s lead, it would reveal his eagerness, allowing Qin Desen instead to manipulate him. Negotiation rhythms are like this, without clear rules, but once you fall into the opponent’s rhythm, you’re led by the nose.

Seeing Xiao Feiyu not taking the bait, Qin Desen’s expression turned a bit grim. These heirs of great families were indeed not easy to manipulate. He glanced at Qin Mu, who quickly chimed in, “Young master Xiao, many hands make light work.”

Xiao Feiyu was caught off guard; he hadn’t continued the conversation, yet Qin Mu just blurted it out. Now he had to state his position, cursing internally at their shamelessness.

He smiled and said, “You are right, many hands make light work. Second Master Qin, since you’ve invited me here, you must have some thoughts. I’m all ears.”

Although Qin Desen hadn’t fully controlled the tempo of the conversation, he wasn’t disappointed. Xiao Feiyu was genuinely the top young master of Modu; if he could be easily manipulated, then the cooperation wouldn’t be worth it.

Qin Desen began, “Actually, I don’t have any specific thoughts, just that we should share what we have and act in unison.”

“I agree with sharing and acting in unison, but does Second Master Qin understand Su Lin’s strength?”

Qin Desen nodded, “Peak Grandmaster. However, I believe that, despite his strength, Young master Xiao should have methods to handle him.”

“You’ve been patient for so many years, your resources can’t all be useless,” Xiao Feiyu remarked.

Qin Desen chuckled lightly, “That’s true, but I only have one chance, so I can’t use them casually. If young master Xiao has a foolproof method, I won’t be stingy.”

Hearing this, Xiao Feiyu almost cursed out Qin Desen’s ancestors. He disliked dealing with these old schemers the most; these old men and women had too much time on their hands to think, a luxury he couldn’t afford. But Qin Desen was indeed the most suitable partner for him at the moment.

Keeping his composure, Xiao Feiyu stated, “I need to continue gathering specific information about Su Lin, his capabilities, social relationships, and more. Can Second Master Qin provide me with a comprehensive report?”

Xiao Feiyu felt that his main disadvantage against Su Lin was acting without sufficient information. The novels he had read only covered Xiao Chen; Su Lin wasn’t even mentioned, hence his continuous setbacks in this world.

Although Qin Desen wasn’t particularly close to Su Lin, he would likely have an easier time gathering information than Xiao Feiyu himself.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Qin Desen said, “No problem, I can give you a complete report within three days.”

Xiao Feiyu nodded, his gaze sharp with intense hatred.

Qin Desen was slightly taken aback; his investigation had been superficial, so he wasn’t fully aware of the exact nature of the conflict between Su Lin and Xiao Feiyu. It was clear now that Xiao Feiyu had been at a disadvantage.

Remembering his encounters with Su Lin at the Qin residence, where Su Lin was always cheerful and seemingly unthreatening, Qin Desen realized he might have prejudged him.

Meanwhile, back in the surveillance room, Qin Deshu and Li Ziyu looked at Su Lin in astonishment.

Su Lin touched his cheek, puzzled, “Why are you two staring at me like that?”

Li Ziyu remarked softly, “I didn’t know you had this skill, Su Lin. You can read lips? When did you learn it?”

Su Lin shook his head, “Does that need to be learned? As long as you can see their lips, you can tell what they’re saying. It’s a pity though, only a corner has surveillance, couldn’t see what Second Master Qin said.”

Qin Deshu scoffed, “Hmph! Does that even matter? From the translation you provided, I can guess what he said. This younger brother of mine really is disgraceful. At his age, still up to these little tricks. If he wanted the position of family head, he could just say it, and I’d pass it to him.”

Su Lin chuckled, “Maybe he thinks the position you’re offering is not worth his dignity; he’d rather seize it himself.”

Qin Deshu sighed, “I’ve served the Qin family diligently for decades, not to claim complete devotion but I’ve done my utmost. To think that in the end, my own brother would treat me this way.”

Su Lin and Li Ziyu didn’t respond, as they were not privy to the events surrounding Qin Deshu’s rise to power and thus refrained from commenting.

“Ah… my brother shouldn’t be conspiring with outsiders against me,” Qin Deshu sighed again.

Hearing this, Su Lin asked lightly, “Old Master Qin, what do you plan to do?”

After a moment of silence, Qin Deshu looked at Su Lin and said, “I haven’t decided yet, let me handle this little matter.”

Su Lin and Li Ziyu both nodded, understanding. Li Ziyu would be busy after today and preferred not to get involved in Qin Deshu’s family matters.

Su Lin, too, was preoccupied with dealing with Wang Yannian and Xiao Feiyu, and also chose not to involve himself.

Seeing that neither Su Lin nor Li Ziyu wanted to interfere, Qin Deshu felt reassured. He patted Su Lin on the shoulder, “Bring Xiaoyue over for dinner this weekend, haven’t seen her for a few days, I miss her.”

“Alright…”