As Liu Yutong stepped out of the main gate, the window of the black Audi parked by the roadside rolled down, revealing a young, pretty face.
It was Lin Yi.
"Miss Liu, got a moment to chat?"
Liu Yutong paused mid-step and asked, "Miss Lin, is there something you need?"
Lin Yi pointed to the passenger seat. "Get in, let's talk while we drive."
Liu Yutong turned back to say a few quick words to Yun Cheng, then opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat.
The car slowly pulled away from the Yunlu Club, heading west toward Xishan.
The night scenery of the imperial capital was ablaze with lights. Lin Yi drove steadily, her eyes fixed on the road ahead as she casually started the conversation.
"Miss Liu, I'm curious—was coming to Yunlu tonight a coincidence, or deliberate?"
Liu Yutong replied, "Aren't you asking that knowing the answer already, Miss Lin?"
Lin Yi smiled. "I suppose I was overthinking it."
She paused, then shifted the topic. "Miss Liu, we're practically family now, aren't we? Calling each other 'Miss Lin' and 'Miss Liu' feels too formal. Let me call you by your name, and you can call me Lin Yi, or Sister Yi if you like."
Liu Yutong nodded. "Alright, Sister Yi."
After all, Lin Yi was indeed a few years older, and she had been friendly from the start. At the very least, Liu Yutong had a decent impression of her.
At that moment, Lin Yi asked a question. "The one Third Uncle agreed to back—was that you or your police officer sister?"
Liu Yutong's gaze flickered with slight surprise.
She hadn't expected Lin Yi to know even this.
It seemed that this young woman, raised in the Shen family, still kept a close watch on the Lin family.
"Sister Yi, you're really well-informed."
Lin Yi chuckled. "I may not stay at the Lin family estate often, but I know a fair bit about what goes on. Third Uncle seems gentle and refined on the surface, but he's actually very stubborn. Whoever made him come to that decision definitely isn't an ordinary person."
"So I figure it's either you or your sister. But my gut tells me your sister is the more likely candidate."
Liu Yutong neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, she asked back, "Does that bother you?"
After all, Gao Min, to put it bluntly, had no blood ties to the Lin family.
Lin Yi shook her head. "I grew up in the Shen family, and I know how important a successor is to a family. Third Uncle's decision is perfectly understandable."
She was actually quite disappointed with the other younger Lin family members. None of them seemed capable of carrying the family's banner.
That was until Liu Yutong and Gao Min suddenly appeared, bringing a glimmer of hope.
"Still, I want to warn you—the circles in the imperial capital are much murkier than you think. You slapped Zhou Heng tonight, and the Zhou family won't let it go easily. Sure, Zhou Heng is a useless waste, but the Zhou family isn't. That old patriarch of theirs is notoriously protective and holds grudges over the smallest things."
"Also, Lin Yue may be stupid, but her mother, Wang Jiangyao, is no pushover. Once Wang Jiangyao finds out you hit Lin Yue, given her personality, she'll definitely come after you. So, Yutong, you'll need to be careful for a while."
After hearing this, Liu Yutong asked, "Is that you showing concern for me?"
"Still, a little advice like this doesn't count as you repaying your debt to me."
Lin Yi replied, "Of course not. At least we're barely family, right?"
Liu Yutong looked at her, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
This Lin Yi was quite interesting—smart, smooth, knew when to compromise, and handled things well. She was far better than a fool like Lin Yue.
No wonder someone so young could become a C-level leader.
"Sister Yi, you didn't come to me tonight just to warn me, did you? Is there something else?" Liu Yutong asked directly.
Lin Yi nodded. "Sharp as always. I do have a favor to ask of you, Yutong."
"What is it?"
"Next week is Old Madam Jiang's eightieth birthday. Every influential figure in the imperial capital will be there. I'd like you to come with me and help me hold my own."
Liu Yutong was taken aback. "Hold your own? I'm an outsider—how can I help you, a proper young lady of both the Lin and Shen families?"
Lin Yi explained, "You might not know this, but I have some trouble with the Jiang family. There are two younger Jiang family members I've had conflicts with. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle things alone if I go, but I can't afford not to show up. If you come with me, it'll be a different story."
Liu Yutong fell into thought.
Wasn't this practically asking her to actively offend the Jiang family?
But then again, if her sister Gao Min couldn't hold back and took down Jiang Yuan directly at the banquet, wouldn't that also offend the Jiang family?
She had already confirmed that Jiang Yuan was in the imperial capital, but she still hadn't located his exact hideout.
If she teamed up with Lin Yi, it would be easier to uncover Jiang Yuan's arrangements in the capital. Lin Yi also had the backing of the Shen family, and using her connections to dig up Jiang Yuan's whereabouts would be far simpler than doing it alone.
With that in mind, Liu Yutong had made up her mind.
"Alright, I agree," she said.
Lin Yi's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Liu Yutong nodded. "Really. But, Sister Yi, you have to agree to one condition too."
Lin Yi asked, "What condition?"
Liu Yutong said, "When we get to the Jiang family's place, don't ask me too many questions or pry into my affairs. What you need to know, I'll tell you. What you don't need to know, don't ask. And don't get clever and start investigating on your own."
Lin Yi paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Yutong, you really love keeping your mysteries, don't you?"
"Fine, I agree!"
