The Opening of Probing and Confrontation

In the office, Yan Qingyue forced herself to calm down.

She took a deep breath and suppressed the raging waves in her heart, but her gaze remained sharp as a knife, fixed on the still-excited Lin Chen beyond the glass wall.

It's up! It really went up! The system didn't lie to me! Should I sell now?

The system said it would rise by more than 50% in three days. This is only the beginning!

Hold steady! Lin Chen, you're destined for great things! Right, wait a little longer. It can go even higher!

Hearing his excited yet forcibly composed calculations, Yan Qingyue's eyes filled with even deeper doubt.

He seemed certain it would keep rising?

Where on earth did that confidence come from?

Her slender fingers tapped lightly on the desktop, a habitual gesture when she was thinking.

She had to probe him.

She pressed the intercom, her voice already restored to its usual cool composure:

"Assistant Lin, come in for a moment."

Outside the office, Lin Chen, who was basking in the joy of sudden riches, gave a violent start.

Here it comes! Yan Iceberg is summoning me! She hasn't noticed I'm trading stocks, has she?

Company rules say no trading during work hours... no, wait, I'm creating future cash flow for the company! My argument may be weak, but my confidence is strong!

He hurriedly suppressed the overly bright smile on his face, rearranged his expression into one of composure and competence, and strode into the CEO's office.

"President Yan, you wanted to see me?"

Yan Qingyue did not speak immediately. She merely looked him up and down with those beautiful eyes that seemed capable of seeing into a person's heart.

Her gaze was calm, yet it carried an intangible pressure.

Lin Chen grew uneasy under her scrutiny, and his newly steadied heartbeat began to accelerate again.

Why is she looking at me like that? Is "I struck it rich" written on my face?

Or did she notice I was distracted? No, that can't be right. I was working pretty hard just now... at least on the surface...

"Assistant Lin, you seem to be in a good mood today?"

Yan Qingyue finally spoke, her tone so even that he could discern neither pleasure nor displeasure.

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he hurried to deny it:

"No, no, President Yan, I just... I just felt I was working pretty efficiently today, so I'm in a better mood."

I can't tell her it's because my stock shot up! I wouldn't admit it even if she beat me to death!

"Oh?"

Yan Qingyue raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her chair, assuming a relaxed posture as though she were merely making conversation. "It seems winning the 'lottery' really does put a spring in your step."

Lin Chen: "!!!"

Why is she bringing up the lottery again?! Wasn't that over and done with?!

Did the finance department check my accounts?! Impossible, she shouldn't have the authority to look into my private account... wait, she's the CEO!

What couldn't she look into if she wanted to?! I'm done for! Has she seen through me?!

Watching his expression freeze in an instant and listening to his frantic inner monologue, Yan Qingyue's eyes flashed with the faintest hint of amusement.

Sure enough, a bluff was all it took to make him give himself away.

"Just kidding."

Her tone was casual, as though she really had only mentioned it in passing. "You seem to be in good shape today. Did you sleep well last night? And did your video call with... your girlfriend go well?"

She deftly steered the conversation toward another subject she was equally interested in, and one that was more "safe."

Lin Chen immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his taut nerves relaxing. The corners of his mouth even lifted despite himself.

That scared me to death... she was joking!

President Yan actually knows how to joke? The sun must have risen in the west! But speaking of Little Moon... hehehe...

"It, it went pretty well."

He tried to rein in his pride and feigned modesty. "We just had an ordinary chat."

An ordinary chat? Not even close! Those legs, that voice, those glimpses of... ahem!

Stop! I can't think about that stuff in front of Yan Iceberg! Sinful, sinful!

Listening to the jumble of thoughts in his head, Yan Qingyue tightened her fingers slightly around her coffee cup.

This guy... what on earth did he think about all day!

She fought down the urge to throw her coffee at him and continued to maintain the air of casual conversation:

"Sounds like you two get along very well. What does she do? She's managed to leave our Assistant Lin so utterly smitten."

She seemed casual, but every question had a clear purpose.

She wanted to know just how different the online "Little Moon" and the real-life "President Yan" were in Lin Chen's eyes.

"Huh? She... she works at a company too. As for what exactly she does... um... I think it's management-related too?"

Lin Chen's answer was somewhat vague. He remembered Little Moon mentioning that she was a workplace elite too, but by unspoken agreement, neither of them had probed into the details.

I can't just say I don't know, can I? That would make it look like I don't care about her!

But Little Moon is so smart and insightful, she must be an executive! Maybe she's a CEO like President Yan?

No, there can't be that many beautiful CEOs. Yan Iceberg is a rare species...

Yan Qingyue narrowed her eyes slightly. Management-related?

That was quite a high opinion of her.

And from the sound of his thoughts, he seemed to hold Little Moon's abilities in high regard?

That made her feel a little... strange.

Being admired by him didn't seem so bad.

"She sounds outstanding."

She offered that mild assessment, then abruptly changed the subject, bringing it up as if by chance. "Speaking of which, the capital markets have been rather lively lately. I just saw a news flash: a company called Kexiang Technology saw its stock price soar by more than 30% in an instant because of a partnership with Star Sea."

Her gaze swept seemingly casually over Lin Chen's face, missing not the slightest change in his expression.

Lin Chen's heart nearly leaped out of his throat!

She knows! She definitely knows! She's talking about me!

What do I do, what do I do? Should I admit it? Admit I was trading stocks during work hours? Or keep playing dumb?

He struggled to keep his face composed, even managing to produce just the right hint of surprise:

"Oh? Really? That's... pretty impressive. What good luck."

Right! It was luck! It has nothing to do with me! I don't know anything!

"Luck?"

Yan Qingyue repeated the word, tapping her fingertips lightly on the desk with a soft, rhythmic sound. "Buying in at precisely the right moment before the news was announced can't be explained by luck alone. Unless... someone had insider information."

Her tone remained even, but it was like a hammer striking Lin Chen's heart.

Insider information?! That's an even bigger accusation to shoulder! Big Brother System, does this count as insider information?

Does information from the future count as insider information? It probably doesn't, right?

There's nothing about that in the law! No, wait, is this the time to be thinking about that?!

Cold sweat had already begun to break out on Lin Chen's back. He gave two dry chuckles.

"You're joking, President Yan. How could I possibly know any insider information? Maybe it was just... a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse."

Watching him put on a brave show of composure despite being guilty as could be, Yan Qingyue finally decided she had probed him enough.

If she pushed any further, she might really scare him into something bad.

Although she was nearly driven mad by curiosity, she knew full well that some things could not be rushed.

An "ability" like Lin Chen's, which could not be explained by ordinary reasoning, called for particular caution.

She reined in her imposing manner, picked up another document, and returned to a businesslike tone:

"All right, that's all. Check the materials for this afternoon's meeting one more time. I don't want any mistakes."

"Yes, President Yan! I guarantee I'll complete the task!"

As if granted a full pardon, Lin Chen immediately bowed and agreed, then retreated from the office almost as though fleeing.

That scared me to death! I'm never checking stocks at the company again!

Yan Iceberg's gaze is terrifying, like an X-ray! But... she doesn't seem to have any proof, just suspicions?

Right, as long as I refuse to admit it, there's nothing she can do to me! Hehe, once I've made enough money...

Listening to his thoughts grow more distant and turn cocky again, Yan Qingyue shook her head in amusement.

A dead duck with a stubborn beak.

But the more he tried to hide it, the more it proved that he was concealing a tremendous secret.

That mysterious "overseas investment fund," and his frighteningly precise "prediction" about Kexiang Technology...

Yan Qingyue picked up her phone and called Secretary Li again:

"Look into the background of that overseas investment fund in depth. The more detailed, the better. Also..."

She paused, then added, "Keep an eye on Assistant Lin's recent activities, especially his cash flow and investment behavior. Report any abnormalities to me as soon as they come up."

After hanging up, she looked at Kexiang Technology's candlestick chart on her computer screen, still climbing strongly. Her gaze grew deep and full of interest.

Lin Chen.

No matter what secret you were hiding, she had all the time and patience in the world to dig it out, little by little.

This game of cat and mouse had only just begun.

Meanwhile, Lin Chen, who had just gone through a "life-and-death ordeal," returned to his desk and immediately pulled out his phone in secret. Looking at the steadily increasing profit in his account, his heart blossomed with joy once again.

[System notification: Profit on Kexiang Technology holdings has reached 38.7%. Please continue to hold patiently, host.]

Looking at the notification that popped up on the system's virtual interface, Lin Chen grinned so widely that the corners of his mouth nearly reached his ears.

No matter how formidable Yan Iceberg is, can she be more formidable than my system?

Just wait. Once I'm financially free, the first thing I'll do is... is... uh, buy Little Moon a present first! Hehe!

He had no idea that he had become the object of his immediate superior's special "attention" and remained immersed in the immense joy brought by the system and his rosy hopes for the future.

Inside and outside the office, the two each had their own thoughts, and a subtle confrontation revolving around secrets and the truth quietly began.